Envious Desire

Axle’s POV

Weaving in and out of traffic I’m positive I’ve been caught on speed cameras... like I fucking care, there’s only one concern right now and that’s being by Chloe’s side.

My heart pounds considering her physical and mental state. What transpired requiring medical attention? Where exactly was she being held captive? Her presence in the hospital frightens me to the very depths of my soul. My mind is nothing but a desolate chaos of disconcerting images recurring in a hurricane of damaging proportions.

I can’t fathom what’s more ghastly, being incognizant of her state and whereabouts or cognizant of her requiring medical attention. With vigor, my head moves back and forth attempting to rid the revolting graphics from my mind.

Traffic on the George Washington Bridge is fucking insane. I transitioned into a raging lunatic on the tar paved, pothole ridden road, vociferous, exploding my horn at every fucking automobile in my way.

Zooming past the horrendous congestion, the highway is nothing but blurred, entangled pigments forming hazy conceptualizations of space. The entrance to the hospital comes into view, urging my foot to smash the pedal to the floor.

The tires discard lengthy, obsidian markings on the gray concrete as the car comes to a screeching halt. Time is of the essence, parking is a forethought. Fuck! They can impound the fucking car for all I fucking care.

Discarding the car like last week’s rubbish at the entrance, like an eagle, I soar out of the car, directed straight for the information booth. Rushing to the desk, “I’m here for Chloe Knox. She was just brought in.”

The attendant scans my heaving physique from top to bottom, donning a fucking bright white smile, with a lackadaisical demeanor, triggering my fury to burst.

“I need to know where Chloe Knox is NOW!” Octaves higher than intended my chest rises and falls as the woman’s smile diminishes, evoking her fingers to move at the speed of lightning.

“May I please have your ID?”

Fucking ID’s, fucking protocols! Tugging my wallet from my back pocket, I withdrew my ID for their records, handing it over.

“Thank you,” scanning the ID a sticker is produced for me to plaster on my chest.

“Here you go. You can take those elevators to the 6th floor and wait for her to come out of surgery.” She extends her appendages in the direction of my love.

“Surgery?” My heart descended to the floor in conjunction with the seizing of my very breath.

“Yes, she was taken in about an hour ago.”

“For what?” Her head bobs back at the ferocity of my voice.

“You’ll have to speak with the doctor about that.”

Again, fucking protocols! Do they not fathom the effects of being unaware of the circumstances... can weigh heavily on one’s mind.

Nodding my head, I sprint towards the elevator doors, sliding closed, slithering through the narrow opening, pressing the button repeatedly as if that will make the elevator speed to my haste.

Each passing moment is wretched torment as the elevator halts on multiple floors taking on and releasing passengers.

Doors peel apart on the sixth floor allowing my impatience to free itself. Darting down the hall, I scan the signs on the walls following yellow arrows to the surgical area. Nursing station coming into view, I attempt to gather any information allowed. Just as before, I’m instructed to speak with her doctor at the culmination of surgery.

FUCK! Is empathy no longer a value? Can they not recognize the external torment I’m experiencing uninformed of her health?

Fucking shit! Strolling to the waiting area, planting myself in a corner, I canopy my eyes, feelings of guilt overflow accompanied by muffled sounds escaping in hushed tones.

Shaking my head, I rid my sorrow, wiping the liquid from my skin when I hear a familiar voice.

“Axle?”

Head veering in the direction of their voice, Shelly is standing in the doorway. Rising to full height, Shelly stampedes over, embracing me, “She’s alive Axle. She’s alive.”

“I know,” shutting my eyes, images of a blood coated Chloe infiltrate my mind as it has tormented me night after unforgiving night.

Pulling away, “How did you know she was here Axle?”

“I received a call from one of my sources, they spotted her, informing me. How did you know she was here?”

“The hospital called me, they claimed she gave them my number.”

A razor-sharp piercing pain began to throb in my chest. Why wasn’t her first choice to contact me? Does she blame me for her kidnapping?

Noticing the misery in my face, Shelly attempts to ease my anguish, “I’ve had the same number for years, Axle. It was probably the only number she could actually recall at the moment.” She graces my arm up and down with a loving caress.

Nodding my head, I retreat to the chair, awaiting the presence of the doctor, however the chaos in my head is anything but serene. The scenarios of the past weeks and what could have transpired and her possible hatred for me has consumed my mind.

Shelly perches on the seat across from me, checking her phone recurrently, when finally, it rings.

“Hello.” Her eyes dart around the room. “I called you multiple times, are you okay?” Concern fluctuated in her tone. “Why didn’t you answer?” Her eyes met mine triggering her to rise to her feet.

“A meeting... it was on silent,” her eyes curled towards the ceiling.

“Whatever, Eric,” the frustration in her voice is evident. “Chloe’s been found, she’s at Jersey City Medical Center. Axle and I are here already. Can you get here soon?”

“Ms. Daye?”

Twisting to meet the voice, both sets of eyes land on the person requiring her attention, “I have to go, they’re calling me. Axle needs you.”

Hanging up, she scurries to the doctor, I trapeze behind her. Stopping before the doctor, he confirms her identity, “Ms. Daye?

“Yes,” her head bobs up and down concurrent with her response.

Eyes fixated on me, “And you are?”

“I’m Mr. Cross, the boyfriend,” arms cross over my chest in an attempt to control the anger burning within me.

“She didn’t mention a boyfriend. She only spoke of Ms. Daye as her sister.”

My heart ceased to beat at the information. No call to inform me of her current situation, no mention of my existence? What the hell ensued to have her disregard me with ease? Shelly squeezed my arm, “I’m sure it’s just because she remembered my number, that’s all.” Returning to the doctor she begins her inquiry.

“Is she okay? What was the surgery for?”

“She is in recovery, she should regain consciousness in about 30 minutes. You can go and see her then.”

“What did she have surgery for?” Shelly’s unrelenting questioning gives me some reprieve.

Veering his eyes in my direction first, the doctor redirects his attention to Shelly, as if this is not information I should be privy to. Shelly’s glares instructed him otherwise.

“She was hemorrhaging when we found her outside of the hospital. It seems it may have been going on for days.”

What the actual fuck could have caused her to hemorrhage. Vile images of horrendous actions filter through my head.

“She was given a blood transfusion during surgery. We had to perform a D & C to remove all of the decaying tissue.”

Shelly’s hand flew to her mouth to conceal her horror. I interrupted the doctor for clarification, “What is a D & C?”

Focusing on my inquisitive eyes, Shelly grasps my arm, “It’s a medical procedure to remove the remains of the pregnancy that did not expel naturally. Unfortunately, she had a rare reaction to the dilation which caused lacerations to the cervix, which brought about a uterine perforation, leading to a massive hemorrhage inducing the requirement for a blood transfusion.”

The doctor’s words muffled as I came to realize, she was with child... my child. My world crumbled before my eyes, she was... she... everything in the room began to move, swaying on my feet, I fell back. The chair caught my fall.

My heart stopped mid pump, my blood froze like water in a snowstorm. She was kidnapped. She was pregnant... with my child... and she lost the baby. What the fuck!

Shelly’s voice pierced through my rampaging thoughts.

“AXLE!”

Disregarding her pleas for response, I inquire with the doctor, “What caused the miscarriage?”

Giving a moment’s hesitation, the doctor observed my agitation.

“It appears from the physical elements observed, she was beaten. We will not know for sure until she wakes up and we are able to speak with her.”

My chest ached with an exasperated throbbing pain. She was beaten? Why was I not present to halt such vile actions? Who could have performed such unwarranted behavior?

A sudden surge of vexation boiled over, triggering my fists to clench, nostrils to flare and the vein to pulse on the side of my head.

Noticing my fury the doctor takes his leave, “As soon as she wakes, we’ll allow you to visit her.”

Unable to utter any form of syllables, I remain still with raging breaths, knuckles bright white, and deadly images of my capabilities given the opportunity to come face to face with her kidnapper.

“Axle?”

“Don’t!” Warning Shelly I am not to be tampered with at this very moment. Stepping back, she allows me the space to experience my emotions. Moments later, a nurse comes to retrieve Shelly leaving me to wallow in my current state of agony.

Shelly’s POV

Walking into her room, the sight of her causes multiple knots to twist in my stomach. She’s battered and bruised. The very sight of her pains me. I can feel my face twist at the multiple hues of dark colors coating her once beautifully tanned skin.

Her eyes peel apart, roaming around the room until finally focusing on my face, converting to a teary smile.

“Hey Chlo. I’ve missed you so much,” gunning for her bed, I bend at the waist to hug her as best I can without causing any further misery.

“Shelly,” is all I hear as sobs echo between us. My best friend, my sister, she’s in immense pain, physical, mental and emotional. All I’m capable of is allowing the streams of sadness and happiness to flow with hers. She’s alive and that’s what I’m grateful for.

Moments of emotions pass between us before I haul her back to inquire, “What happened Chlo?”

Shaking her head, “It all happened so fast. I remember feeling elated witnessing your engagement. I was about to express to Axle my true emotions and that I’m...”

She hesitated when streams of tears shot from her eyes. Embracing her was my only action to allow the agony to be released. It is all I’m capable of at the moment.

“He’s gone Shell, he was the last piece of Axle that I had.”

“What?” Eyebrows meet in the middle, eyes growing smaller.

“He... forced me. And when I fought back he... beat me. The last day he was about to... but someone stopped him but it was too late. I felt the gush of wetness and the pain. And now I’m here.”

“Chlo, you’re rambling, it’s not making any sense. Who forced you? Forced you to do what?”

She couldn’t speak, she couldn’t utter another word. All that was left was the torment of the last month of her life expelling in flows of salty water cascading now her cheeks.

Perching next to her, I cradled her in my arms, allowing her to expel everything she was feeling. We stood there for as long as she required.

“Shell?”

Stroking her hair, “Yeah Chlo.”

“I need to... I need to say goodbye.”

A unibrow formed on my forehead, “Goodbye to who?”

Stuttering, “T-t-to Axle.”

“Why Chlo?”

“Because I require to...” tears descend down her face once more when my head lifts to view the person in the doorway. “Give me a moment Chlo, I’ll be right back.”

Rushing towards him, I place my hands on his shoulders guiding him out of the room.

“What the fuck Shelly. I need to see her.”

“I know. I know but you have to give her a minute. I don’t think she’s aware...” I trail off unsure how to formulate the words.

“She was beaten, Axle... badly,” pain laces his face.

“I’m aware of that fucking fact...” clenching his fists his knuckles blanch white at his ferocity.

“Let me talk to her, Axle. There’s somethings that are nonsensical. Just grant me a few minutes... please. She wasn’t done explaining what occurred.”

Coating his face, his head bobs up and down, walking away with fisted palms. The pain was evident in his emotional eyes. My heart goes out to him but Chloe is my priority.

Stepping back into the room, I brace myself to harken every word she spills regarding her kidnapping. “Chlo, I’m back.” Never flinching, I walk to face her when I catch a glimpse of a huge wet spot on the pillow beneath her face.

“Oh Chloe,” I rush to embrace her once more. “I lost him Shell, I lost him before I could express to him how I truly felt... before I could tell him about... about the baby.”

I tugged her tighter to my chest.

“And now he’s gone, they’re both gone.” She screamed out a wail of insufferable anguish causing me to release tears of grief for her continued pain.

“No Chlo, I’m not sure why you’re stating Axle is gone.”

“Because... he died Shell!” Her voice cracks with each word.

Receding from our grasp, “What?! Axle is alive Chloe.”

Chloe’s face contorts in disbelief, more streams of liquid explode from her eyes. “But they... they told me.”

“They must have lied to you Chlo. He’s alive and he’s here,” being the bearer of good news brought the edges of my lips to curl.

“He’s here?” Her forehead wrinkles at the information.

He appears in the doorway on cue. My eyes dart towards him, Chloe’s head follows suit. Her eyes widen, meeting his gaze, watering at the sight of him.

With luck the doctor walks in slicing the thick tension in the air asking for us to leave to speak with Chloe.

“No, I’d like to stay,” Axle proclaims without hesitation.

Nodding towards Chloe the doctor inquires, “Would you like them to stay?”

Shaking her head without any eye contact, I’m in shock she’s insisting on our exit. Respecting her request, I nod my head, grasping Axle’s arm on the way out.

In disbelief, “What happened to her?” Axle inquires as we find our way to the seating area.

“I don’t know but for some reason they told her you were dead.”

Axles eyes slice. “What?”

“She thought she lost you. I believe that’s what the kidnapper told her.”

Axle’s fists meet the wall. “Fuck!”

“Axle, please... she doesn’t need this right now. She needs our support.”

The doctor exits the room, triggering Axle to stop him, “Doc, what’s going on with her? What happened?”

“I’m sorry but due to HIPPA laws I am not at liberty to discuss anything medically related to my patient unless she has expressed for me to do so.”

“FUCK HIPPA! She’s the love of my life. I need to know what happened and why she can’t even look at me.”

“That’s something you will need to discuss with her.” The doctor pushed past Axle leaving him furious and me dumbfounded and confused as to why she was unable to meet his gaze.

“Shelly, I need to speak with her.”

“Axle, I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“I need to see her. You know the hell I’ve endured for weeks now. Allow me the solace of seeing her, however she may be. I need to Shelly. PLEASE.”

Nodding my head, I release him... to view his love.

~~~~

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