Chapter 5: Aftermath

My heart clenched. I apologized to Natalie, got dressed, and rushed to the hospital. Before I could leave, Natalie grabbed my arm, her face worried. “I’ll go with you. Ryan needs comfort now.”

Her hand was cold, her eyes searching mine for permission. I nodded numbly, unable to speak. We rushed down the stairs, the world outside harsh and bright beneath the streetlights.

I was so flustered I lost all reason and brought Natalie to the hospital. As soon as we arrived, Natalie tried to see my wife’s body, but Ryan slapped her across the face. Her thin body fell to the ground, tears springing to her eyes.

The ER waiting room was all buzzing fluorescent lights and the distant sound of someone sobbing. Ryan stood there, fists clenched, his face pale and furious. When Natalie tried to reach for him, he lashed out, his hand leaving a red mark on her cheek. The slap rang out, sharp and final. Nurses and doctors looked away, pretending not to notice the family drama.

“You bitch! Homewrecker! How do you have the nerve to see my mom!”

He spat the words, his voice shaking. I saw the heartbreak and anger burning in his eyes. Natalie crumpled, tears streaming down her face as she crouched on the cold tile.

I grabbed Natalie’s arm, pulling her up. My voice came out harsher than I meant: “Enough, Ryan! This isn’t her fault!” But the words sounded hollow, even to me.

“What are you doing! This has nothing to do with your Aunt Natalie!”

Ryan glared at me, his eyes bloodshot.

He met my gaze, unblinking, his anger barely contained. “You think she’s innocent? You think this is just bad luck?”

“Nothing to do with her? Nothing to do with her?”

“Right, it has everything to do with you! You were cheating, you killed my mom! You! For a mistress, you killed your wife! The doctor said, if we’d arrived three minutes earlier, she could’ve been saved! That one slam on the brakes cost us ten minutes! Ten minutes! My mom is gone!”

His voice cracked, raw with grief. He pointed at me, at Natalie, at the world. “You chose her! You let Mom die because you couldn’t let go of your precious Natalie!” He doubled over, retching, the sound echoing through the cold hallway. My hands trembled. I couldn’t meet his eyes.

Ryan’s shoulders shook, but he wouldn’t let himself cry in front of me. He just stared at the floor, fists clenched so tight his knuckles went white.

I straightened, trying to sound authoritative, but my voice shook. “This isn’t something you can understand. You’re just a kid. Let the adults handle it.”

Besides, it was hard to say it wasn’t just an accident—who could really be blamed? The doctor said three minutes, but is that really true? Maybe they just wanted to shift the blame. Even if I’d brought my wife, she probably wouldn’t have made it. That was her fate. But at least, Natalie was fine. I thought this to myself and felt justified again.

After finishing my wife’s death certificate, I wanted Ryan to apologize to Natalie, to regain my authority as a father. But Natalie stopped me.

She laid a hand on my arm, shaking her head. “Let him be, Derek. He’s hurting. He lost his mom tonight. Don’t ask him for anything right now.”

“This isn’t Ryan’s fault. Don’t be angry with him.”

“For you, a little pain doesn’t matter. I can take that slap.”

Her voice trembled, but her eyes were steady. The bruise on her cheek darkened. I realized how much she was sacrificing just to be with me.

Seeing Natalie’s red and swollen cheek, I felt so sorry for her. She’d been pampered her whole life—when had she ever been treated like this? But for me, she took a slap from a kid.

I brushed her hair back gently, whispering, “I’m so sorry, Nat. I’ll make this right. I promise.” The hospital lights made everything look too bright, too real. I wanted to take her pain away, but I knew I’d caused it all.

“Natalie, after this is over, can you give me a chance?”

“I want to spend the rest of my life making it up to you, taking care of you.”

I reached for her hand, squeezing it tight. My voice broke, but I meant every word. I knew it wouldn’t fix what had happened, but it was all I had left.

We held each other in that sterile hallway, grief and guilt twisting together. Outside, I heard Ryan’s footsteps echo down the hall—each one a reminder that some doors, once shut, might never open again.