“Natalie, what are you doing here?”

“I heard about John from Antonio and I had to come and find out if he is okay.” her voice shaky.

Despite the obvious tension between them, Evangeline knew she really care about John and it would be the right thing to do to ease her pain. “He is in surgery right now because of the stab wound he obtain through his lower stomach and liver.”

“Oh no.” her hand going over her mouth and her eyes tearing up.

Lightly touching her forearm “I’m told he is going to be okay.” Talking about it made the situation more real, serious and life threatening.

Pulling away, Natalie hide her face with her hands. “This is all my fault,” she mutters over and over. Tears streaming down her face like waterfall.

Evangeline not paying attention to her raving goes to get two cups of coffee. Coming back she finds Natalie sitting down, her head bow and talking to herself.

“Here I got you some coffee.” Handing her the cup.

“Thank you.” accepting the coffee and wiping her face with her sleeve. They both sit in silence as they drink their coffee while thinking about John. “Never thought me and you would be sitting here like this…together.” laughing slightly.

“Me either to be honest but this is an extreme situation.” Glancing at Natalie then watching the coffee swirl as she move her hand.

Standing up, Natalie lean against the wall, tears once again poring out her eyes. “Gosh I’m so stupid,” She said aloud “Why why did I have to get involve?” she screeches.

Putting her coffee down, Evangeline walk over to her cautiously. “What are you talking about Natalie?”

Walking away, she stands in front of the vending machine putting her office on top of it, following her silently Eva wait. “I’m the reason John got stab.”

“What?” grabbing her wrist, “what are you talking about Natalie? How could you be the reason why John got stab?”

“I I didn’t know who those men were at first I swear! If I knew I I never would have… you have to believe me.” here voice trail off as she sob harder and grabs Evangeline hands between hers.

Not feeling the need to hold Natalie hand, she lightly slap her cheek to snap her out of it. “Tell me what going on Natalie so I can help.”

Her hand going to her cheek, Natalie look down “Paul told me those guys were going to help him get a few extra bucks a while ago but I didn’t pay any attention. Until I saw them stealing stuff from people that live in the hotel.”

“And?”

“And a few days ago they killed those men because they wouldn’t give them their money. I was right there when they were killed it was horrible. I wanted to tell John right away but Paul told me that I would go to jail and I got scared.” Her voice lost and distinct and had a childish quality to it as she remembered. “When John told me he was going to go find them I didn’t know what to do so I didn’t tell him because I didn’t want john to think bad of me or…”

Mouth gaping, Evangeline had to step away from her out of shock. The heat of fury was licking at her neck, making her face flush. Staring at this woman no girl who is the reason why the man she loves is in the hospital made her want to do something foolish and stupid.

“Excuse me, are you Evangeline?” ask the doctor. Tapping her on the shoulder to get her attention.

Turning around “Yes?”

“I’m here to tell you about your husband’s condition.”

“How is he doctor?” Evangeline and Natalie ask at the same time. Eyeing each other, their eyes went back to the Doctor. Natalie mind was so wrap up in guilt and how John would think of her after that she didn’t pay any attention to the husband part.

“We just came out of surgery and everything seem to be fine. The knife just nip a little of his liver but it’s nothing that surgery couldn’t fix.”

“Thank God.” Natalie utter, Evangeline nodding in agreement. Putting her hair back behind her ear “When can he come home?”

“That isn’t going to be for quite a while.” Knowing they were going to ask why he continues “He lost a significant amount of blood, luckily his brother has the same blood type so that was no trouble but he going to be here for a while.”

“He is going to live right Doctor?” Natalie inquire, biting her lip and twirling a lock of brilliant red hair nervously.

“I would say the chance are very good of his recovery but there are always those cases where everything appear fine but in truth its not.” he stated matter of fact, looking straight in the face with each women.

“But you just said he was fine and that he made it through surgery.” Natalie said before Evangeline could, her face tormented.

“We won’t know what’s really wrong until he wakes up, he passed out way before we started working on him and between that and the drugs he was given, I wouldn’t’ be surprise if he didn’t wake up until tomorrow night.”

“Oh.”

“These times are critical so it is imperative that you stay strong. He will either get worse or get better.” After saying sorry for what they are going through, he left the room.

Natalie went back to her “all this is my fault” mode. Evangeline just look around the room, these people were like her. Waiting to see their love ones, praying that everything would be okay. God please let John be okay, I know I haven’t talk to you much or have been to church in a while but God please let John be okay.

After saying that silent prayer, she turn around to see the back of Natalie’s head, and the anger came back all at once. She knew the only reason why the anger was getting to her was because it was easier to blame Natalie and get angry then face what could happen to John.

“I’m so sorry John, I I should never have gotten involve with Paul and all his drama and thanks to me you might not make it.” she said aloud.

Evangeline walk over to her and grabs her arm while violently turning her around.

“Your right it is going to be you’re fault if John doesn’t make it.” Natalie stood there shock, not excepting the Diva, who seem so clam to react so aggressively towards her. “Everything’s about you even when the man you claim to care about is lying on a bed with a stab wound resulting of you’re bad company.”

Turning away from her, she release her hold on Natalie, and tries to force the anger down. Facing her again, a hard serious look on her beautiful face “So help you God Natalie if John dies, I’ll have you spending the rest of your days in jail.”

“I I…” backing away and looking for a way out.

Following her step by step, she grip her arm and pulls her to her until they were facing toe to toe and eye to eye. “ I want you to understand me Natalie so listen good. No amount of Buchanan money is going to save you from the legal hell I will put you through; you’re going to need a damn good lawyer when I’m through with you. You better pray and I do mean get on your knees and pray, John makes it Natalie or I’m going to have to show how great a lawyer I really am.”

Leaving her, she goes to the cafeteria, hoping that when she got back Natalie wouldn’t be there. What got over me? She asks herself moment later. She just got so mad that this could have been prevented and with her mix feeling toward Natalie it had to go crazy. Buying something to eat but not being able to eat any of it, she went back in the waiting room to see Michael looking for her.

“Hey Mike” she calls out.

“Oh Evangeline I’m so glad I found you.” He said walking over to her.

“What up?”

“Did you hear about John?” nodding yes, he continue “ I wanted to know if you were going to stay here or...”

“Yeah I was going to stay here. Why?”

“Well in that case I can sneak you up there in John room.”

“Visiting hours is over.”

“I know that is why I would be sneaking you up there” he said with a huge smile on his face and a lavish wink thrown her way.

Laughing “okay.” after a momentary pause “have you called Eve yet?”

“No.”

“Michael! You know how you’re mother is, she is going to want to know that John is in the hospital.”

“I know I know but I don’t see the point in her flying such distance for no reason.” Putting his hand to silence her “I’m going to call her when Johnny is out of the woods. I don’t want her to worry the way I am or you.”

“Oh but the minute he wake up you re going to call her?”

When he nod “or something like that”

Talking to Michel help get her mind off of much grimmer thoughts of John. While talking to Michael, Marci came along with Shannon to find out how John’s doing they all chill with her when they found out that John was not going to be waking up anytime soon.

When Michael had to go back to work, it was just the three of them. To get their minds off the situation they discuss the cutest celebrity down to their favorite perfume. She really got to know Shannon and Marci as they talk.

After talking they all went home. Evangeline went back home to leave a message on her client phone to let him know she wouldn’t be able to make it tomorrow because an emergency had come up and that she didn’t know when she could get there. Packing a duffel bag for a few clothes and a toothbrush and everything else she might need, she also brought along a book for some reading.

********

“Here he is.” she lag behind Michael not wanting to see John yet desperately aching to see him. “C’mon it not as bad as you think.”

Walking in her eyes found his pale body on the bed the duffel bag fell from her hand and she rush to his side. She didn’t notice when Michael walk out, closing the door behind him.

“John” this time the tears fell. Her hand caressing his pasty complexion “If I thought you were pale before, than now you’re a vampire.” laughing softly at her words.

He’s so pale, his color lacking the warmth it once held. Two IV sticking in arm, one giving him blood, and the other just providing him with fluid. He look so weak, vulnerable lying there, defenseless. Bending over him, she laid a kiss on his unyielding, cold lips.

Wiping the tears from her face, she holds his hand between her. “I never thought we would be here. I knew it was a possibility with your job, but it just never seem possible. You were always so indestructible.”

“You had the whole hero complex/ savior complex thing going on, always wanting to help people… always wanting to be there for me. You even had me fooled for a while that maybe you were more than just a man.” Kissing his hand between hers, silent tears drops on his hand.

“You have to be okay John, you have to be. There so much thing we never done, so much I want to do with you. You’ve never met my mom, and I – this is really hard to say even when I know you can’t hear me” after looking at the ceiling for some unanswered question “I love you.” Laying her head on their close hand, heavy sob shook her body. Getting up from the stool she take a tissue from his bedside and wipe her eyes.

Once again sitting on the stool beside the bed, she takes his hand again. “I’ve told my mother about you. We actually had long conversation, whenever we talk about you.” Her voice drops to an intimate whisper, her eyes never leaving his face. “She said you remind her a lot of daddy and the way they used to be, and that the way I talk about you remind her of herself back when they were first married and dating…back to the days when things were good between them.”

“She is dying to meet you, and this is the first time she really wanted to meet the man in my life. She must think you’re really special, I always knew you were since that night in the basement maybe even after that first kiss. I’ve never had someone touch my body in a way that it felt like they touch my soul in the process.” Her laughter had a craze tone to it, lacking any real joy.

She fell asleep soon after with her head on his thigh and her hand gripping his, she never realize when he mutter her name and wiggled his fingers.

**************

It’s been two days and there has been no change in John condition. All the nurse who came to John room, came to know her as John’s wife, who still goes by her maiden name. The doctors all reassure her everything was fine with him physical but he never woke up. His mom came and she didn’t seem to mind that she was lying about being John’s wife instead she help along with the charade.

Whenever she was talking to people she would say my daughter in law this or my husband wife. Never once did she call Evangeline by her name in front of other people. Eve was worried but she knew John would pull through after all he had his future wife and kids to look forward to.

On the second day of him not waking up, Evangeline left the room to go take a walk. Clearing her mind of things, she realize that should John die she would be okay. She might never be happy again but at least she would be able to move on…she hopes.

Walking in the room, she close the door behind. She didn’t want to turn around to see him still in the bed, and dead like.

“Since when did we get married?”