The Love That Passed

Jared’s POV

I’m so thankful that Colleen has been admitted to the hospital. In that way, I can act more relaxed so that I don’t have to think that she might suspect the reason why I leave every day. I know these past few days she’s been thinking about something and I don’t want her to do that. I often find her deep in thought, which is why I can’t help but worry about her.

I need to leave the house every day on a regular basis in order to let Derrick know that I am often away from home and go to the office so that his attention will be diverted to me in case he thinks of retaliating against me through Colleen. I don’t want her to be hurt anymore because our time together was limited and I might not be able to stop myself from killing Derrick if he ever decided to hurt my wife and daughter.

Stacey informed me about Derrick’s plan. So even though I was angry at her, I set that aside because of the information she was giving me. But it doesn’t mean that I have already forgiven her for what she did to my wife. The photos they sent her caused her to get hospitalized and made her condition unstable.

Derrick had been planning to kill me and had someone watch over my wife in the hospital, so Gen. Anderson made it a point to have someone to look after her and Mommy Lucy. They were military people in civilian clothes, so Derrick wouldn’t have been able to know that they were being watched as well.

Yesterday, Stacey emailed me, she said that I would get target on Colleen’s operation. How dare they! They didn’t even want me to see my daughter? I would make sure that they would not succeed and inform Gen. Anderson about it instantly. But he was extra cautious, so he decided to have someone look after me as well. He thought that Derrick might have changed his mind or Stacey might have given me false information.

“I have already sent someone to your office. He will be following you, don’t worry, he is one of my best men.” Gen Anderson said,

“Thank you,”

“All you have to do now is to be very careful. Your wife will have her delivery tomorrow, so you should be ready and prepared for anything. Those people want you dead and they are willing to do anything to make that happen.”

“Yes, General,” I replied.

“My men in uniform will be stationed in your wife’s room and in the operating room to make sure that only her doctors and nurses and related individuals will only come in and out of her room.”

“I appreciate that,” I said, and ended our call after he gave me a few more instructions. It was almost lunch time, so I decided to leave the company. I was in my office all the time while Ingrid was doing everything. Maybe Rodney and the secretaries were wondering why I wasn’t doing my job when I was here already and letting my sister handle the company. I didn’t want them to know anything about our plan but I kept Ingrid informed. If anything happened, she would be the only one who would be able to make some alibis, so Colleen wouldn’t know about anything.

My sister will know what to do and I trust her with everything. I got ready to go back to the hospital and went out of the company building. Because I wanted to show myself to whoever was watching me, I parked my car in the outside parking lot. In this way, they would easily know my schedule. I had just got out of the building exit door when I accidentally bumped into someone.

“I’m sorry,” he said, and I was about to say fine when I felt something hot just below my chest. I had a look at it and I saw blood. A man approached me and said,

“Sir,” he must be the one Gen. Anderson told me about it. I saw the man who bumped me checking himself and then he looked at me and he was shocked.

“Oh my God!” he exclaimed, I guess he had nothing to do with it. Then people started to gather around me after I heard the General’s man calling for an ambulance.

“Jared!!” I heard my sister shout, but my eyes were getting heavy and I was having a hard time holding myself up. The last thing I heard was the sound of a siren before I saw total darkness.

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Beep… beep… beep…

Jared….

beep… beep… beep….

“Doctor, do everything you need to do. Just save him.”

beep… beep… beep…

Is that Ingrid? What was happening?

beep… beep… beep…

Then I opened my eyes and found myself lying on our bed. I looked around and couldn’t find my wife, so I got up. I looked at the door to the swimming pool and started to walk there.

“My wife,” I said when I saw Colleen sitting in our usual spot just outside our room. She looked at me and the smile she gave me was something I never thought that I would never see again,

“Hubby, you’re awake.”

“Of course, were you waiting for me?” I asked,

“Hmm,” she hummed, she was smiling like an angel and all the colors on her face were back. She looked lively as though she was not sick at all. I sat beside her and she leaned on my shoulder while I took her hand and intertwined our fingers. I don’t know but I feel relieved doing this. It was as if something happened that worried me and I thought that I was never going to see her again.

“Did you know that I love you so much?” she asked, out of nowhere. I know that already because she told me about it many times and I can see it in her eyes every time we are together.

“Did you have to ask? Of course! I am this happy because of that.” I replied and I heard her giggle. The sound of it was music to my ears and I want to hear that all the time.

She looked up at me and we stared at each other for I don’t know how long, until she said, “Thank you for making me the happiest woman on earth. All that I have been through was nothing compared to what I have been with you. There’s no amount of time or money that I am going to trade the days I spent with you.” I was feeling confused about why she was saying that. I know her condition but I didn’t want to think that she was starting to say goodbye to me.

“I was worried that I was not going to tell you how much I love you, but still, I have this time. Do not blame anyone else, or yourself, especially yourself, for what has happened. I am happy and contented with everything that we had. Knowing you love me is more than enough for me to be grateful. But giving me the chance to become a mother is God’s grace.” she continued and stood up, giving. I looked up at her before she looked at me and smiled. I was mesmerized, it was the kind of smile with no fear, anger, regrets. It was so warm and bright just like how I saw her before, which soothes and calms me.

“Please take care of yourself as you take care of our daughter. Find it in your heart to love again and be loved. Give everyone a chance to take care of you. In that way, I will be watching you happily.” she added, before she started walking away from me.

“My wife,” I called her out, but she didn’t look, so I shouted because she was far away from me already as the light started to blind me,

“Colleeeeeeeennnn…..”