THE OTHER SIDE OF FOREVER
(Chapter 10)
Hours later…
Finally the doctor emerged from the surgery room, his face grim. “I’m afraid the news isn’t good,” he said, his voice somber.
Lucy and Kelvin exchanged worried glances. “What do you mean?” Lucy asked, her voice trembling.
The doctor took a deep breath. “The infection has spread, and it’s a very aggressive one. We’ve done everything we can, but… it’s not looking good.”
Kelvin’s face fell. “What are you saying? Is Wills going to be okay?”
The doctor hesitated. “I don’t want to give you false hope. The infection has reached his bloodstream, and it’s causing sepsis. We’re talking about a potentially life-threatening condition here.”
Lucy’s eyes widened in horror. “Sepsis? What does that mean?”
The doctor explained, his voice gentle but firm. “Sepsis is a systemic infection that can cause organ failure, respiratory distress, and even death. We’re doing everything we can to combat it, but it’s a tough fight.”
Kelvin felt like he’d been punched in the gut. “How could this have happened? We brought him in as soon as we knew…”
The doctor nodded. “I know, and I’m not blaming you. But the fact is, Wills should have received medical attention immediately after the bite. The delay has made things much worse.”
Lucy covered her mouth, tears streaming down her face. “This is our fault. We were so caught up in our own problems…”
The doctor placed a hand on her shoulder. “Don’t blame yourselves. You did what you thought was best at the time. But now, we need to focus on saving Wills’ life.”
Kelvin’s eyes locked onto the doctor’s. “What are the chances? Be honest with us.”
The doctor hesitated before answering. “I’d say… 50/50. We’ll do everything we can, but it’s going to be a tough road ahead.”
*******************
As the doctor left, Lucy collapsed into tears, her body shaking with sobs. Kelvin tried to comfort her, but she pushed him away.
“This is all your fault” she screamed, her eyes blazing with anger. “If you hadn’t been cheating on me, Wills wouldn’t have felt so neglected and hidden the dog bite from us”
Kelvin’s face darkened with anger. “How dare you! You’re the one who was seen with another man, not me”
Lucy’s tears stopped abruptly, replaced by a cold fury. “That was nothing, just a friend. But you, you’ve been cheating on me for years, destroying our family!”
Kelvin’s voice rose. “That’s not true! And even if it was, it doesn’t justify your infidelity!”
Lucy’s laughter was bitter. “Infidelity? You’re one to talk! You’ve been emotionally checked out of this marriage for years, and now you’re paying the price”
Kelvin’s face reddened. “How can you say that? I’ve done everything for this family!”
Lucy’s eyes flashed. “Everything? Really? Because from where I’m standing, it looks like you’ve done everything to destroy us!”
The argument escalated until they were both shouting over each other, their words hanging in the air like a challenge.
Finally, Lucy’s voice dropped to a whisper. “I hate you, Kelvin. I hate what you’ve done to us.”
Kelvin’s face crumpled, his eyes filling with tears. “I’m sorry, Lucy. I never meant for it to come to this.”
But Lucy just turned and walked away, leaving Kelvin alone in the hospital room, his heart shattered into a million pieces.
******************
Lucy stormed out of the hospital room, her heart racing with anger and hurt. She pulled out her phone and dialed her friend’s number, needing someone to talk to.
“Hey, girl, what’s going on?” her friend answered, concern etched in her voice.
Lucy took a deep breath and launched into the whole story – the dog bite, Wills’ infection, the argument with Kelvin. Her friend listened attentively, making supportive noises.
“Oh my god, Lucy, that’s awful,” her friend said when Lucy finished. “You deserve so much better than that. You need to get out of that marriage, pronto.”
Lucy hesitated, unsure. “I don’t know… I feel so guilty about Wills…”
Her friend’s voice was firm. “Lucy, you can’t save your marriage by sacrificing your own happiness. You need to think about yourself for once. And what about Kelvin’s infidelity? You can’t just forgive and forget that.”
Lucy sighed, feeling a weight lift off her shoulders. “You’re right. I have been thinking about myself, and I don’t want to be in this marriage anymore.”
Her friend cheered. “That’s the spirit! You deserve so much better than a cheating husband. You need to file for divorce, ASAP.”
Lucy’s mind was racing. Could she really do it? Leave Kelvin and start over?
Her friend seemed to sense her doubts. “Lucy, trust me, you won’t regret it. You’ll be free to move on and find someone who actually loves and appreciates you.”
Lucy took a deep breath, feeling a sense of determination wash over her. “You’re right. I’m going to do it. I’m going to file for divorce.”
To be continued…
