Our Hearts Beat For Anne

Vincent

As if in slow motion, I saw her run into the hospital, eyes wide and roaming all over the place. her friend was with her. They ran to meet a nurse inquiring about something. When the nurse pointed in my direction, I saw her eyes move to face me, worry and fear written all over her face.

I saw her run in the same slow motion towards where I knelt on the floor. I was seeing everything in slow motion now.

I felt relief wash over me.

Anny was here now. I don't know who called her but she was here now.

On reaching me, she fell on her knees and wrapped her arms around me, holding me so tightly. She didn't ask me anything, she just held on to me as if protecting me from the pain I was feeling from within.

"It's my fault, Anny, " I whispered to Anne.

She shushed me and kept holding on to me. I knew she was so scared from the rapid thumping of her heart and her fidgeting hands, but she was trying to stay strong for me. This lady who had grown to mean so much to me was feeling like this, all cause of me. I did this!

"Anny, I don't want to lose him! I can't lose him...I would die if anything happens to him!"

She tightened her hold on me, rocking me back and forth, and rubbing my back ever so tenderly.

I couldn't stop the fresh tears that erupted again, but this time, I was secure in her arms.

"Come on guys, come over here," Pamela said, dragging both of us up and onto one of the long hospital benches. Anny still didn't let go even as we made it to the seat.

"Drew will be fine," she finally spoke. "He will get through this okay. he's a fighter!"

I raised my head to look into her eyes.

Anne might have a fragile body, but her eyes held strength. I could see the conviction in her eyes when I looked into them. It strengthened me. I was even able to fall asleep right there in her arms., and she never let go of me throughout that night.

When I awoke early the next morning, we had changed position. She was now lying on my c.h.e.s.t, fast asleep. Pamela was on another bench, asleep too, but as soon the light from the theatre went off, Anne jumped up as if the light made a sound, followed by Pamela who was awoken by Anne's movement.

Just then, the theatre door opened and the five doctors that were operating on my brother came out simultaneously. They were all stretching from the exhaustion of having to operate on someone for hours.

Three of the doctors who were close acquaintances to me met us halfway as we hurried off our seats to meet them.

The lead surgeon who was part of the three came and patted me reassuringly on the back.

"He's not out of the woods yet, but he's responding positively," he said with a little smile.

I felt a settling feeling in my heart. Andrew would survive. I was going to set things straight now. He needn't worry about the reason that led to this anymore. I was going to let go.

I had already made the decision even before I saw my brother in that bloody state. my prayer was for him to survive so he can get what he'd always longed and yearned for.

I nodded, shook the hand of the doctor and that of the others, thanking them one after the other.

Anne was with me all the way. She was holding onto my arm the whole time.

When I was done greeting the doctors, I turned to her and hugged her tightly. When we separated, she looked back up at me, a similar feeling of peace on her face.

God! she is beautiful

Was I ready to do this?

"Anny, he's going to be alright," I said with a smile.

"I told you, didn't I?" she replied with a beautiful smile of her own.

I loved her. There was no doubt about that. Everything about her excited me. She in her own way managed to pull me out of my robotic shell.

I had been so lost in making a name for myself and not being seen in my father's shadow. It was tough trying to be in the same line as my dad but at the same time having my own identity.

Sometimes I envied Andrew for following his part even when he was forced to do something 'more professional' according to my dad's words.

I enjoyed what I did no doubt, but the struggle has made me forgo every form of distraction in form of love or dating for quite a while. However, I realized I was following the hard way all this while. The little time I'd spent with Anne had me realize that the love I'd pushed away all these years had actually made things easier.

The thought of calling her, hearing her voice, feeling her presence, kissing her, holding her in my arms made me smile even on the most stressful days at work. I also had rapport better with my staff and patients who I knew found me rigid and uptight in the past.

I wish I could spend a Lil more time with her. I wish our little moments together could last longer than they were going to.

Anne

We spent almost the whole day with Andrew who was still unconscious. Vincent had stepped out for a short while to drop Pamela and get food for us. I also had to rush off and ease my bladder which had been painfully full since the previous night after the reassuring news from the doctors and had spent the best part of the day holding Andrew's hand.

The state of his body pained me. He was stitched up a few places with dark patches on different parts of his body. I knew he would be fine because he was a strong man. All his life, he had gone through mental and emotional pain but still triumphed over it all and was on his way to stardom. He couldn't leave now.

Now, I noticed something different about Vincent since the operation. In a way, he had been acting a bit distant and secluded. He was talking to me alright but only when I asked him questions.

I still remember how he was blaming himself for what happened to his brother but I had decided not to ask him about it till everything settled, however, I felt it was part of the reason why he was being distant.

When he came back, he brought with him a feast, different types of food and drinks that could be used to feed ten people.

"Vincent, why all this food?!" I asked in incredulity.

"Umm...I couldn't call to ask you cause I left my phone behind, and I wasn't certain what you would like so I decided to get a bit of each," he said with a tired smile.

I felt immense pity for him and an urge to kiss him. He was struggling to come to terms with all that was happening yet he wanted to make sure I ate what I wanted and not what I was presented with.

Well the urge was irresistible and he was my boyfriend, so what the heck.

I walked around to where he was standing, stood on my toes, and kissed him.

He was going to kiss me back but when he revved his eyes to where his brother was laying, he pulled away from me.

"Not here Anne," he said gesturing to his brother.

"Oh, yea!" I concurred not entirely sure why he declined.

"I should drop you home Anne, you need to go back to your studies."

It was already 6 pm and we were still there. I had slept and awoken countless times on the side of the bed, but Vincent never slept a wink. He just sat by his brother's side, staring right at him. Sometimes, his eyes would shift to where I held onto Andrew and would slowly look at me with unsaid words before turning back to resume his stare on his brother.

Was he still in shock?

I couldn't understand why he was acting this way. I tried to but I couldn't. He was different from the person that held onto me the entire night and wouldn't let go even when I wanted to go and pee. Now, he was acting differently.

"Yea..I'll be going soon enough," I replied him. "Have you told your parents yet?"

"Yea... they boarded the next available flight and would be here soon."

"Oh...okay. I should better leave so you can be here when they arrive."

"Alright."

Throughout the drive, he didn't speak. It was as if he had gone back to his silent self before we got close. His behavior was beginning to scare me, but I kept trying to push everything aside as a shock he was still in. Andrew was his only brother after all.

"We should stop seeing each other," he dropped the bomb calmly as soon as he got in front of my hostel.

My breath hitched, but not cause of his usual breathtaking words. Vincent definitely knew how to take people by surprise. I wasn't that surprised though, because deep down, somehow I knew this was going to happen but I didn't know it would take place this soon.