Chapter 69 - Relief
April sat and ate along with Aarna and thought by now she would be used to tasting the blood and bitterness on her lips every time she was ripped open. She had hidden her mascara smears and stained eyeliner cheeks as she remembered the rusty needle of her memories in her shaking hands as she sewed up her wounds with slivers of herself yet again.
Aarna was great company but she had work so after they had breakfast together April saw her out of her condo and they said goodbye for the time being.
As Aarna reached the underground carpark she sighed and then she noticed a tall and handsome man get out of his car that wasn't parked too far from her own car. She squinted as she took a closer look.
Seeing Dean Davis walk in her direction she had a light bulb moment. Although she had no confirmation from April her intuition told her this was who had hurt April. She clenched her fists but he rushed on past her and into the waiting lift. Seeing this she opened her car door only to slam it closed once she got inside.
She steeled her mind as today she swore she wouldn't choose violence. You couldn't keep a good woman like April down, she could be cheated on, lied to, taken advantage of… by every man she has ever loved. Yet she would be the one they would miss in the end. She's the one they would swear over for letting go. She's the one that would haunt their thoughts. She has gathered her dignity from their misuse and she had gone on to love again. She was sure April would rise like a phoenix after betrayal and light up the night's sky.
With a smile on her face, she turned on her engine and continued on her journey to work, confident her friend could take on anything that may come her way today.
Upstairs in her condo April had put the dishes away and cleaned up the kitchen, she had lost track of how many times she had now glanced at the door. Who was she kidding, waiting here was the same as the hospital as she still felt the agonising wait… But what she was waiting for she had lost all hope for.
She had told herself not to lose hope and fought between realistically what had happened and a dream she did not dare to speak aloud. She wasn't sure which would win her rational thoughts or an impossible dream. She knew a man could give her candy coated words and she could only trust his actions, after saying everything he had, his actions showed that he had left her in the hospital.
But she did believe in the many beautiful things that awaited her in the future. For sunshine comes to all who feel the rain.
She wondered why he had suddenly left her inside the hospital, did he come to visit her at all that night. Why would he open the heart of someone if he didn't plan to love her in return? She could lie to her mind and heart all she wanted but her soul had said that he was the one, she would never be able to walk away.
April made her way back into her bedroom and went to bed, she laid down on her bed and rest her eyes. Without knowing it she fell into a deep sleep quickly.
Dean exited the lift and strode to April's door, earlier he had heard that she had foolishly left the hospital. He was livid that she would take her health so lightly and so recklessly. But he knew her willpower and independence she wouldn't stay even if Michael begged her, so he could only blame himself for not being there when she woke.
He would have made her stay in the hospital even if he had to lock her up He wouldn't care if she would hate him at the end of the day her health and life was more important to him.
He had been dealing with his uncle and his uncle's men all day and only know was he free to see her. He had wanted to rush to her all day but he was held back by responsibility and his family ties. His uncle had deceived him and had hidden well, none of his men were able to find him. The few allies his uncle had gone underground and the ones he had left behind knew nothing even after an afternoon of torture.
Dean reached her door he fixed his suit and ran his hand through his messy hair. He took a deep breath as he was about to knock he realised he didn't know what he wanted to say.
Dean stood staring at her door for a while before he eventually gave up thinking and knocked on her door. He stood there for a while and then knocked again and again.
At this stage, he had been knocking for a while and he was getting worried. He leant his head against her door there was no noise inside. His heart was beating fast and his anxiety rose. He had to see her.
Bang
In one swift movement, he threw his shoulder against the door and it swung open and fell to the side. Dean stood there and looked around, he couldn't see her in the kitchen or living room. He rushed to the bedroom and that was where he found his angel.
Relief washed over him like a tidal wave. April was sound asleep wrapped up in her duvet, he could see her chest rise and fall and he sighed in relief once again.
Dean made his way to her bed and sat down, he fixed her hair as it messily lay on her pillow. She had been obviously tossing and turning in her sleep. She was very pale and she had dark circles under her eyes, he frowned. Had she not slept at all?