Lost ✔️

Chapter 36

Chris was sitting patiently by Stephanie's side while waiting for her to wake up.Since he was admitted to the same hospital and he shared the same room as her, Chris could stay by Stephanie's side as long as he wished. He had been reading a book, "The Hunger Games" for the first time.It had been a while since he had picked up a book simply for the enjoyment of it. The last time he remembered doing so was when he visited the library with his father.

*

"Dad! I don't like books which don't have a story", Chris complained.

"But this has a story!", his dad insisted. " It tells you the story of how Einstein grew up to fame. From nowhere to everywhere!"

Chris looked distastefully at the fat 100 pages book covered up with Einstein's face. His hair looked like it was charged up with electricity. A lion's mane was better groomed than that.

Guy can't learn self-grooming but can solve the world's problem. Impressive.

Suddenly his father received a call.

"Yeah? Uh...Yes. I'll be there", he muttered. 

Then he turned onto his 14 year old son with a concerned look. 

"Son?", he called.

"Yeah?", Chris answered, still looking at Einstein's book.

"I've gotta go son. The bosses called me. We need to go for an emergency meeting", he explained.

Chris looked up from his book and just smiled sadly and disappointed.

"I know. You said you would spend the day with me but I always knew. You were never a man of promises.", Chris said.

He placed the beloved Einstein in his father's hands and left the library in a rage. His father followed him calling "Son!", "Wait!" and "Listen!" behind him but Chris didn't listen.

He ran to the park beside his house and hid behind a bunch of bushes. It was his personal hiding spot. He would go there and lay down behind them whenever he was stressed and sad. Chris stayed there until the moon started to wave at him from the sky above him.

Chris finally returned home. On entering the mansion, he noticed the air was full of tension. It was something he wasn't accustomed to.

He saw his mother pacing the length of the main room fast while Steve was crying in their grandmother's arms. When his mother noticed him she came rushing to him like a bull towards a red flag.

"Are you alright? You aren't hurt right? Where were you?", she said bursting into tears.

Chris was just shocked and scared at the same time.

"No but why do you-"

Suddenly he was snatched by the collar and pinned against the wall by a very crazy looking Steve.

"Where were you? Because of you look what happened to dad! Had you been with him.... You were again angry at him again, weren't you? You ran off, didn't you!!", Steve screamed at him.

"Wh-what happened?", Chris asked stumbling upon his words.

"Your father got into an accident. He was run over by a truck. There was no chance of survival. You did a great job boy", his grandmother shouted.

She just looked at him with disgust.She had no love for his son after he got married with someone whom she openly disliked and disapproved of. The rest of the family threw him disdainful looks while Steve slid down the wall, crying and holding a fistful of his hair in pain and agony.

Because of me dad.....

*

"Chris?",Stephanie said.

"Ye-yeah!", Chris replied, wiping his tears quickly.

He kept the book down and took Stephanie's hand in his own. The day he had confessed his feelings towards her was the day he had decided to always protect her but he failed to do anything at all.

"Where am I?", she asked delusionally.

"Hospital!", Chris said with a slight smile.

Stephanie's eyes showed genuine fear as they darted from one corner of the room to the other before coming to meet Chris'. A lot of unsaid words passed between them at the moment.

"Your aunt is locked up and everything is fine. You are fine and safe here.", Chris assured her.

Stephanie began to relax. Just as he thought that she would not ask her the question on his mind Stephanie said,

"Why are you wearing patient's clothes?"

He started to sweat profusely.

"Uh..that! It's a dress code to meet the patients in this hospital!", he said too brightly.

That's the worst excuse ever!

"Dress code? You think I'm an-", Stephanie was saying before her eyes went wide with the memory.

"That blood! It was you! Where did you get hurt? What did she do to you? I'm sorry. It should have been me. A person like me is not worth-"

Chris cut her off by kissing her on the forehead lightly.

"You are worth everything and no. If among us someone should get hurt it should be me. You've been hurt half your life. It's my turn", Chris said with the sweetness of honey in his voice.

Stephanie just shook her head adamantly.

"After er.... after we get out of this mess let's get married", Chris suddenly said.

Stephanie raised her eyebrows at the sudden proposal.

She was not ready for that. At least that's how she felt. Everything had happened so quickly that she didn't have enough time to think about that. It was a hectic process for her and as much as she wanted to she wasn't so sure of herself.

"Ma- marriage? I don't think I'm ready to start a family yet", she mumbled shyly.

Chris' body was literally watering at this point. Better sooner than later.

"Yeah about that", he said nervously.

"The doctor informed me that you... you", he stammered.

"I what Chris?", Stephanie asked lowering her eyes dangerously.

"You have .... something...no I meant someon-"

"Oh my god! I don't have AIDS or impotency now, do I?, she exclaimed in a panic state.

"Gosh no!"

"Then?"

Chris took a deep breath. He started to caress Stephanie's hand in his.

"The doctor said... you gonna be..", he stammered again.

"Don't beat around the bush hun", she growled.

"Stephanie, you are pregnant"

*****

BOOM! Surprise! Now on that happy note..let's vote!