NEVER BROKEN

Give Me a Reason

THEY DRIFTED further apart after she asked him if he had been obliged to marry her. Serena knew she had made a mistake, but would not yield. She did not expect it of Darien. And he certainly didn't pursue her. She hadn't seen him for almost a week now. Her head felt heavy and there was a bitter taste to her mouth not brought about by her circumstances alone. She was running a slight fever the night before.

She decided to run a quick hot bath. She was standing under the shower when she noticed a clear red stain mixing with the lukewarm water that sluiced down to her feet and onto the drain. The water ran red and the world went black.

AMI DIDN'T KNOW why Darien asked her to visit Serena at home. He was attending a business conference, he said. He didn't give a reason; just that he couldn't get a hold of his wife and he wanted to speak with her.

Busy and loveless at twenty-four, Ami Lawson was fresh from medical school. She had passed the licensure exam with flying colors. Gerhard Lawson would gladly build a hospital for her. But she's contented to start her career at the Asian Hospital. She had worked there for six months and counting. She was now a doctor and determined to excel further in her field. Ami couldn't be happier.

Darien was another matter. They were not really close, but they understood each other well enough. He seldom asked any favor of her, and Ami didn't mind this form of contact from him. In fact, she welcomed it. Darien was such a private person. Serena was good for him. But lately, he seemed to be crawling back into his shell. Not that she had heard much of her brother in the past months. Ami just felt that he seemed more out of reach than usual.

She rang twice. There was no answer. Could Serena still be in bed? It was past nine in the morning. Ami was sure Serena usually leaves the house at ten when she goes to help Lita at her friend's cake and teahouse.

Just then, Ami remembered the keys that Lita gave her when she dropped by the latter's store. It had been a long time ago. Lita said they were Serena's spare keys and the girl forgot them when Darien came to pick her up to take her home. Lita asked if Ami would mind returning the keys to the couple and Ami simply smiled and shook her head. Ami had forgotten all about it.

She took the key from her bag. Luckily, it was the bag she used when she bought the cakes from the store. She was sure Serena wouldn't mind even if she trespassed. The girl had such a forgiving nature.

And I could use the opportunity to return it now. I'll just leave a note if she's not in.

"Reena!" she called out, stepping in.

No sign of life. The door to the master's bedroom was open and Ami pushed it wider. "Reena?" Finally, the sound of running water greeted Ami. "Reena, are you in the bath?" she asked, hopeful.

She knocked hard on the bathroom door. She was sure somebody was inside. Serena was inside. She tested if one of the spare keys she held would open the knob she was now gripping. Her medical instincts told her something was wrong.

It clicked open. "Oh, dear! Reena..."

DARIEN WAS UNREACHABLE on his mobile phone and Ami had no idea where he was staying. She had called in an ambulance shortly after checking Serena's vital signs and toweling her dry. She was bleeding. At first, she was worried that Serena's head had hit something that Ami checked for cuts and concussions. There were none. Then the next possible reason, if not the most obvious one, occurred to her.

Serena was pregnant. Was.

Ami didn't leave the room until Serena had regained consciousness.

"Ami? W-where am I?" She cleared her throat.

"Don't you remember anything?" She looks so pale... "How are you feeling?"

"Terrible. Do you think I got the flu? I... I was bleeding, I remember now. My period's always irregular. Did... did I faint?"

"Your temperature's a little high. But, Reena... it's not your period."

"Am... am I sick?"

"No. You were pregnant. Six weeks. I'm sorry, Reena, you've lost the baby. The only good thing is we didn't have to perform any operation on you. You would have to take medications for a while, Sis." Ami tried to sound as professional, and as unemotional as possible. Her sister-in-law was hurting, she could tell. And she was sure Serena had no clue that she was pregnant before today. "Would you like me to tell Darien?"

She didn't answer. Ami saw her weep silently.

Ami instructed her secretary to ask Raye to see her at the hospital; tell her it was for Darien. She saw Raye approaching as she was talking to a fellow doctor.

"I see, so she's your sister-in-law," Dr. Gray stated.

"Yes," she answered politely, anxious to speak with Raye and inform Darien of Serena's situation.

"Spontaneous abortion. Was it complete?"

Raye was at her side.

"Yes," Ami answered. "Could you excuse us, doctor? I need to speak to my friend."

"Sure."

"YOU NEEDED TO SEE ME?" Raye asked as they were walking to the cafeteria.

"Could you contact Darien?" Ami asked. "He might call me later but I'd appreciate it if I could talk to him sooner. Or if you could. I can't and I'll be busy in the next few hours."

"I can try," was the honest retort. "I believe he has a meeting in thirty minutes. Why?" She didn't want to sound prying. "You do know he's abroad?"

"Yes, he called me earlier, asked me to check on Reena. She's in the hospital right now. I just thought she'd like to have Darien by her side. She didn't want to inform her father; has a weak heart, she said. She'd gone back to sleep before I could ask her about her brother. Anyway, Sammy might inform their Dad and I doubt if the stress would do her good."

"What do I tell Darien?" Would Ami tell her about the abortion? She was sure that was what she and the other doctor were talking about.

"Tell my brother his wife's here at Asian. Tell him not to worry, she's fine but I want her under observation for a couple of days. Sorry, Raye, I couldn't stay long. I have surgery scheduled in fifteen minutes. Thanks for rushing here. I'm sure you're busy."

"No more than usual," she replied, a little disheartened that Ami didn't appear to trust her enough to give the exact details. She picked up her bag, indicating they might as well leave.

Raye left a message at Darien's hotel.

"You called," was the greeting. It was the first time Darien called Raye on her cell phone.

"It's about... Serena," Raye was going to say your wife, but couldn't.

"What about her?"

"She was unconscious when Ami found her." She waited for the faint expletives from Darien to fade before speaking again. "Darien—"

"You could have informed me sooner!" he barked. Raye had never heard him lose his cool before.

"Ami said Serena's fine and that you don't need to worry. She has taken care of the paperwork," she explained.

"Damn it! Where is she?"

"Ami is in—"

"No, my wife Serena, where is she?" The strain in his voice could not be denied and Raye felt her chest tighten at the possessiveness in Darien's words. He was once again, in control of himself.

"She's confined at the Asian Hospital. Listen, Darien... I just thought you should know. Serena had an abortion."

SERENA WOKE UP to find Darien at her bedside. There was a coldness in his eyes that found its way into her heart. His eyes flickered and an unreadable expression replaced the distant look in them.

"How are you feeling?"

Like death, she wanted to say. She could not utter a word; the pain in her heart seemed to have risen to her throat. She wanted his arms around her, for his warmth to envelope her, but he felt so far away.

"So we're back at silence," he dismissed. "What happened to us, Ren?" he asked huskily.

"I'm sorry." The tears were falling now.

"What for?"

"The baby."

Silence. He did not wish to discuss it. "Don't make yourself ill by crying."

"I'm sorry, Darien. Maybe... maybe it's best if we... if we live separate lives from now on." Now the stillness was interminable. She dried her tears.

"Is that what you really want?" He searched her eyes, and she did her best to reassure him.

"Yes." She wanted his happiness more than anything.

"Fine. But we'll stay married. I will not pay for a divorce."

That day at the hospital ended her fairytale.