CHAPTER 63: MEMORY

Little did they know that Shelby had indeed circumvented a trip to the afterlife.

Rocky was so worried about his sister that he spent the better time looking up the possible effects of such a surgery on his sister and the things she had to look out for.

One would say that this day and incident was the main factor for his decision to study medicine later in life. Even though he was only fourteen then, he had wished with all his heart that he could do something for his sister that day, who was still in the operating theatre then.

Rocky’s smile brightened as his father finally helped the almost hysterical Clara onto a seat and came to the doctor, asking specific questions about Shelby’s condition.

Little did he know that it was because of his father’s guilty and selfish reasons. James wanted to ensure the secret remained with Shelby in her grave. Shelby had to go to her grave for that to happen, so all the news he was looking for was ’the worst, the better for him’. As they talked to the doctor, two men approached.

"Good evening, we are detectives from...."

James’ mind went blank! He turned sharply to the men who had come in and were holding up their badges for identification. He did not hear anything else they said. His mind rang with the multiple possibilities stemming from his panic.

’Detectives here? What are they doing here, and who called them?’

"We got a report of a near-fatal stabbing incident of a Miss Shelby Monroe..."

"Sir? Are you okay?"

"Ah yes, detectives...." James wiped the invincible sweat from his forehead with his handkerchief, "Thank you for coming, b-ut may I ask who made the report?"

"And you are....?"

"Her father! I mean stepfather."

"Oh!"

He could sense the slightly inquiring looks the two men threw at him and, clearing his throat, said, "I mean, we were just informed about the devastating accident of our daughter, and I am quite surprised as we have not yet made a formal complaint but ...."

The second detective frowned, wondering what was going on. Why did the man sound like he was upset with whoever made the complaint?

"Sorry, that might have come out wrong. I ... we really want to find out who did this to our daughter, but I was also curious about the person who ’helped us’ by making this formal complaint to you."

No matter how one looked at it, the excuse sounded strange. After a bit of a staring contest, one of them answered,

"We got an anonymous call."

"Oh!"

"I’m guessing that it was from a man...." James spat out.

"Why do you say that, sir?"

"The person who miraculously saved her was also a man. Maybe he also called it in."

"It could be. But we are not overly interested in that yet. We will get to that when needed, for now-"

The second detective scanned James up and down and stepped around him to the doctor while his colleague remained and continued conversing with James. It was as if his patience was running thin with James’ antics.

"I’m sorry, the patient is still unconscious and cannot take any visitors." The doctor said even before he had been addressed directly

"I understand that. Can you please let us know when we can question her, as it will help in our investigations? The sooner, the better for her. We want her to come out to a safer environment by getting the person or persons who did this off the streets."

James listened with one ear, ensuring he had a holistic view of the situation.

"Sure," The doctor left a few instructions and was gone.

James looked on hopefully as the detectives finished questioning them, waiting for them to leave. However, contrary to James’ expectations, one of the detectives stayed over and talked with them for a long while.

To make matters worse, he also brought in a uniformed policeman who remained stationed at all times around Shelby in the days that followed for her protection and to keep an eye on when they could talk to her.

Clara was also spent emotionally; the shock of nearly losing her daughter had been too much on her. Her state was also from guilt; the fact that she had ignored Shelby’s calls.

She fell sick afterwards and was admitted to the same hospital.

Rocky shuffled himself between the two women he loved, giving them equal attention.

James tried to no avail to get Shelby alone to complete the task he started, but something always got in the way.

He knew that he was on a ticking bomb.

He would be done for the moment Shelby woke up.

A few days later, he got the window he needed. He was left alone by Shelby, and the police had temporarily gone to ease himself. Rocky was by his mother in the other ward.

An evil smile spread across James’ face as he stared down at her on the bed.

’The pretty little thing that denied and defied me, all vulnerable and ready for anything I want to do!’ He thought, getting excited.

The only signs of life were the constant beeping machines hooked onto her.

He got close to the bed and removed the oxygen mask, switching off a small emergency button that would alert the nurses simultaneously. It only bought him a few minutes, and he knew that perfectly. He had studied the ins and outs of everything, and this action was a calculated risk for him. One that he felt was well-deserving of the subsequent reward.

He watched on as the machines started beeping loudly in the room until the machine flat-lined.

’Too loud,’ he thought and then used his left leg to hook around the main power source. He only hesitated for a bit before turning off the power switch instead. The room became quiet suddenly.

A few moments passed, and then the door pushed open, in came a nurse.

"What’s going on? We must check the patient! Please step aside, sir, while we do this."

A couple of other white-coated individuals entered.

A seemingly panicked look crossed James’ face. He had thought that it would take a little more time before they came in, and he had not had time to righten what he had done!

"Please save her! I don’t know what happened! Oh my God! Shelby!" He shouted, seemingly aggrieved.

The nurse pushed him gently aside but stopped short.

James gloated and smiled in satisfaction, thinking, ’it is done,’ but then,

He turned to meet the unfocused blue eyes of his stepdaughter.

Beautiful eyes that he thought he had shut off forever. The shock was so great that he stumbled back and fell down, still staring at Shelby.

’Miss, can you hear me?’ The nurse asked.

Everything passed in a blur from then. James’ heart was so flared up that he thought he would get a heart attack.

’Does she have nine lives or something?’ He slowly crept to the back, avoiding her eyes that seemed to say, I know what you did!’

The detectives were called in as soon as the doctor signed off on Shelby. The doctor was perplexed, saying, "I don’t understand anything about her. She woke up too quickly! There is no medical explanation for this. Pray and thank your God for saving her because this is a miracle!"

The doctor said this because Shelby was sitting in bed and doing most of the stuff herself a few hours after she woke up. The nurses assumed that she had taken off the oxygen mask herself.

James was never questioned about the monitors that had gone off nor about the power source, even though he was the only one in the room with her when that happened. Maybe it was about the fact that the patient in question woke up. But he went scot-free either way.

One detective approached the bed while the other stayed behind. He had to silently call himself to order not to stare at the patient on the bed, wondering if she was a fairy descended from as human.

’What kind of nonsense is this?’ he thought, shaking his head and lowering his head so that he did not have to stare too long at those charming blue eyes.

"How are you feeling, Miss?"

She nodded at him in appreciation, especially when she realized who he was.

’Can you tell us what happened at the park?’ The detective asked.

Shelby lay on the bed and thought for a while. She opened her mouth to answer but hesitated.

"Oh, Shelby! Shelby dear! Mum is very sorry!"

Clara’s voice rang out while Rocky pushed her into the ward.

The small interruption accurately masked Shelby’s hesitance, so no one saw anything wrong with the fact that she had reacted that way.... All but one! One who stood a lot of chance to lose everything!

James felt his legs go weak and walked up front from the door where he had been ready to bolt.

"I think you should give us family a little time together first! Just look at how my wife is so emotional."

The detectives exchanged glances and then nodded.

"We will be outside, so please let us know because the sooner we talk to her, the sooner we can get the person or persons who did this."

James watched their retreating back and wiped his sweaty hands on his trousers.

But then, "Please wait..." a feminine, sweet yet weak voice called out.

*********

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