The Devil You Know

Is my husband dead?!.. Episode 2

I felt a sharp pain in my head as I heard beeping sounds. It sounded like I was in the hospital, so I slowly opened my eyes. Everything was still blurred for a few seconds, but then my vision became clear.

I looked around the room and realized that I was in a hospital. My anxiety suddenly peaked when I remembered the reason why I was here.

“My baby,” I gasped, clutching my belly.

“You mean, your babies,” I heard a male voice say. I quickly looked toward where the voice was coming from.

He was wearing a lab coat, so I assumed he was a doctor. But he was smiling weirdly at me, and I couldn’t help but ask questions.

“You’re the…the doctor, right?” I asked weakly, my voice strained. I was so parched, but that was the least of my problems.

“Yes, I am. I will get you some water to drink. We’ve been waiting for you,” he said with a smile, looking into the machine right beside me.

I looked around, confused by what he meant when a nurse walked in with a tray of medication.

“Oh my goodness! She’s alive!” she shouted excitedly, which made my head bang. I raised my hands to rub my head.

She quickly fetched a cup and got me water from the dispenser, which I desperately took and gulped down like a hungry lion.

I burped and quickly covered my mouth.

“That’s a good sign. Her vitals are working. She’s basically good to go,” the doctor said again, and I sighed.

“What happened?” I finally found my voice to ask.

“You have been in a coma for two months. The reasons were unknown, and we were unsure if we would continue to hope for you or not,” he said, and I could feel my heart beating in my chest.

“What? No… no… that’s not possible. Where is my child?” I said with a trembling voice, raising my voice even.

I was hyperventilating.

“Relax. Like I said before, your babies are okay, and they are in the incubator. They are so tiny and can’t live on their own yet. You are a very strong woman,” the doctor said, and I breathed a sigh of relief.

“Can I see them?” I asked slowly but calmly when he nodded with a smile.

“But first, you need to sign here,” he said, handing me a notepad and a pen which I looked at in amusement.

“What for?” I asked curiously.

“Well, we need to sign over the hospital and babies’ responsibilities to you,” he said, and I raised an eyebrow.

“Whose responsibility was it before?”

“Your husband, Ethan. He was a good man. Despite the persuasion to unplug your machine, he insisted we kept it on and paid lots of money because he had hope that you would be alive,” he said, and I shook my head confusedly at the realization.

“Wait wait. What do you mean… ‘he was a good man?’” I asked, afraid of the response he was going to give me.

“I’m not in the best position to give you that answer,” the doctor said reluctantly when another man walked in.

He walked in with a smile and so much composure.

“And who are you?” I asked, slightly annoyed.

“I’m James. Your husband’s lawyer. I came as soon as I heard you were awake. I need to tell you something quickly,” he said, and I dropped the notepad on my hand and took a moment to breathe.

I had just woken up from a two-month coma, and nothing made sense to me. The child whom I thought was one was, in fact, two. I had no idea about the whereabouts of my husband, and they were about to sign over all responsibilities to me!

Damn, the only thing I was responsible for before now is what I put in my stomach and probably my underwear.

“Ma’am, we need to act fast. It’s urgent,” he said, jolting me from my thoughts while I slowly looked at him.

“We are not doing anything until one of you explains to me what’s going on!” I said angrily, sharing glances between the lawyer and the doctor.

They were both looking at themselves with a mixture of guilt and sympathy.

“Oh no, don’t tell me my husband is dead,” I said. My head started spinning at the realization. I was feeling really dizzy and uneasy. It was awkward.

“Uh no…no. Nothing like that. But he’s currently in a coma,” the lawyer said, and my jaw dropped. I was so sure my heart dropped to the floor of my stomach as well.

“What?”

“Yes…he uh…he was involved in a fatal car accident two weeks ago on his way to his usual morning visits to this hospital to see you,” the doctor added, and I forced the need to laugh.

I let out a dry laugh. “Wait…chill. What?” I asked unbelievably.

“It’s true. And before he had the accident, he had me transfer all his properties and businesses in your name and gave me a handwritten note to give you and a key,” James said, rifling through his bag, bringing out a bunch of documents and an envelope.

“You’re moving too fast. You mean my husband…Ethan! Ethan Ross! Has been coming religiously every single day to see me, and he had a fatal accident on one of his routine visits?” I asked with widened eyes.

I didn’t know what to feel at that point. Should I have been happy? Should I have been sad? Angry? Surprised? Or not surprised at all?

“You’re right. I need you to sign here, here, and here so I can get my job done,” the lawyer said, handing me a document with a pen which I hesitantly took with shaky hands.

I signed at the appropriate places and handed the papers back to him.

He was about to leave when I called him back.

“Wait!” I said, and he stopped in his tracks.

“How do you expect me to do this alone? I’ve never run a business before, especially not a multi-million dollar one! And there’s plenty Ethan has,” I said, scared while he gave me a reassuring smile.

“I’ll keep in touch,” he said and left at once.

I took a quick glance at my doctor who quickly shifted his gaze.

It was then I knew, I was in the actual, real, deep s**t.