IS THERE A BRIGHT SIDE?

Dominic’s story

Never in my life have I been so scared of something as I was for her. I didn’t even know her name. I knew nothing about her, only that I felt desperate to save her and that she absolutely had to live. 

I came to see her every day. Every day I am worried about her. They had initially moved her to the ICU and were there for over a month now. I kept talking to Declan and today I had another meeting with him. I was hoping for good news.

I was spending most of my time in a chair in front of the ward. I’ve given up my acting life and put all my projects on standby. But I was still practicing my lines at home. Getting into the skin of another character helped me immensely, and I felt it was the only way I could cope with all this. 

Sometimes I was losing my hope that she would ever open her eyes. She had tests after tests, but she still wouldn’t open her eyes. 

I bowed my head, wishing God could hear me. And just then there was a tap on my shoulder that made me glance at the chair beside me. A sad-eyed, middle-aged woman was looking at me. 

“Are you feeling alright, son?” The woman’s voice echoed in my head but it seemed to caress my soul. Despite that she had a particular sadness in her gaze.

Maybe she was here for the same reason, but even so, she was concerned about me.

“I’m only a little troubled...” The words got stuck in my throat. I could barely speak them out.

“You brought her on time, don’t you worry!”

“I hope so... wait, how would you know that? I’ve been coming here for over a month...”

“Son, even if it was a month, the whole hospital knows that the actor Dominic Stone brought in an injured young woman” 

I was watching her with interest because I hadn’t really paid attention to that detail. I was so drawn into this vortex of pain that the outside world no longer existed. 

She smiled kindly at me.

“Well, I only hope it was not too late...” I said with regret in my voice.

“Have faith, my son, that God will let nothing bad happen to her”

I felt bad that this woman was taking care of me and I didn’t even ask her name or how she was feeling.

“And yourself, ma’am...”

“Adams. Eve Adams is my name. My sister Pauline is here. She had a stroke a few days ago, but the doctors say it would not be much now. Not a hope there. She’s almost gone... I just came to say goodbye to her...”

Teardrops fell from the poor woman’s eyes. I’d forgotten what physical pain meant. After he turned me, I didn’t experience it anymore. 

“I’m sorry, Mrs. Adams...” That was all I could say to her. What else could I have said? How to comfort the heart of this woman whose loved one was dying?

“That’s fine. I’ve already made my peace with God. I am not upset” I still wish I had known what to say to her. One thing was certain.

“People were not supposed to suffer this way!” And I was really speaking from the heart.

“It’s okay to be angry, but once we accept God’s will, what He has in store for us, life becomes easier to live... without our loved ones. But it will not be your case.” Then she turned her sad eyes away and buried them in her palms. I then heard soft sobs.

“Sometimes it’s just too hard to understand...” I continued, thinking about the woman I had saved who was probably in excruciating pain.

“It is, my dear, but there must be some happiness for us mourners beyond the grief. At least a closure... I must go now. It’s time!”

“Mrs. Adams...” I felt the need to tell her I would be there for her if she needed something.

“Yes, son...”

“Please, take good care of yourself and thank you for your kind words. Here’s my business card... if you need anything, please call me!”

“I am the one I should thank, young man. You’ve made my suffering easier. God bless both you and the young lady you came with!”

With those last words, that brave lady went to say her farewells to her sister. My heart clenched at that thought. How in the world could you say goodbye to someone you care deeply about? Your flesh and blood?

The night was so hard, but I couldn’t move from that chair until she got better. The good news finally came sometime after midnight. She finally started breathing on her own, but Declan kept her in ICU for a week more while the danger passed completely. I finally was hopeful about her recovery chances. However, not entirely. Declan brought me bad news.

“Dominic, you came in every day for the last two months now. In fact, there were nights when you slept right in this chair. I admire your strength, but I keep wondering why you do this? I know you bro...” and he came close to my ear so only I could hear him. “You’re not like that. What the hell is wrong with you?” 

In the last two months, her recovery has been slow but not complete. She had now been awake for about a week and kept asking for me. Or at least of the one that saved her. When I brought her in, Declan did a detailed CT scan, and now he covered her eyes in bandages. He must have seen something he shouldn’t have...

“If I tell you I don’t know what’s wrong with me either, would you believe me? It’s like my whole body’s screaming, calling out for her...” 

“It could be her...” 

“She could be... I don’t know yet, but I feel something…” 

“I totally respect your decision not to tell her who her rescuer was, even though she asks the nurses every day, you know.” I didn’t even know if this thing made me happy. 

“That’s right. She didn’t see me when I saved her. She didn’t even get the chance. I keep looking for the ones who ordered this. My revenge will be severe.” 

Declan always listened to my decisions and threats. Since he was the only one who knew my secret, I felt the need to confide in him. Then he immediately changed the subject.

“Dominic, in a week, if everything goes well, I will discharge her” The news was wonderful, but I still had thousands of questions that needed to be clarified. But one thing I knew for sure. 

“I know... I’ll come and pick her up and then maybe tell her who I am...” 

“It will be a pleasant surprise for her, I’m sure. You also need to know a few more things about her condition so you can prepare for what’s coming.” Precisely, these kinds of warnings didn’t sit well with me. Something seemed to tell me it would also be a bit of all this.

“What now, Declan?” 

“Sit down. We need to talk some more.” 

I sat in a chair in his office, preparing myself for the discussion. I was fully aware of what was to come, but I didn’t know if I was also prepared to hear the harsh truth.

“Dominic, what this woman has been through has left a nasty mark on her. Since she had no papers on her, and I had to put a name on the register of admissions, I made up one for her, Corrine. Now that she woke up she could tell me her real name, Rebecca Holland. But there are two things you’ll have to know and accept. First, just as you first told me and the way we brought her here, Miss Holland is paralyzed from the waist down. Add to that the fact that she witnessed the murder of the man she was with, and the psychological shock she suffered went further than I could have ever imagined. At the last CT scan, I could see slight disturbances in the nerve that gives her vision. You know I did one when we brought her in two months ago, and I’ve seen something wrong ever since. It’s also the reason I performed the surgical procedure. I’ll keep her bandages on this week, and when you come to pick her up, we’ll see if the blindness isn’t permanent.” 

It was like listening to a horror story and no matter how hard I tried to tear myself away from it, I couldn’t.

“What do you mean, Declan?” Although I was afraid of the answer, I took a chance and asked.

“I mean that the shock was so great that it affected her eyesight. And although she hasn’t opened her eyes yet to be able to say that for sure, but just based on the changes in her eyes seen on the CT scan at that moment, Miss Holland definitely suffered this due to post-traumatic shock. In other words, I’m ninety percent sure she can’t see anything around her, but it could not be permanent. That would be psychological blindness.” 

This news dropped like a bomb on me. Both paralyzed and blind. 

I kept repeating this because nobody prepared me to face such a reality.

“Paralyzed... blind...” I mechanically kept on saying, and this time I was the shocked one. 

 “It could be a temporary condition, Dominic. But I need to know if you’re ready to help her. Clearly, in the situation she’s in, she can’t handle herself. When I tested her feet for sensory sensitivity, though, she wasn’t completely unresponsive, which is a good sign. Therefore, I like to call it temporary paralysis. She might come out of it. And with her vision, it will be the same. Blindness is not physical like I already said, but definitely psychological. So another excellent piece of news”

“That’s great to hear, Declan! I’ll still be here every day, as usual, and before you discharge her, I’ll tell her who I am” 

“It’s quite possible she won’t believe you, Dominic. Your notoriety in the film industry will make her question whether you really want to help her or simply take advantage of her condition.” The thought scared me a little. But I knew how I felt, so I was going to be there for her. 

“I’m somehow aware of that, Declan. I’ll be patient with her. You have my word. Plus, you’re the one who can back me up. One more question, which has been bothering me...”

“I’m listening...”

“The man she was with. Do you know anything about him?” 

“Unfortunately not, I’m still investigating. But he has a familiar face. Anyway, the police are on the case. So far, there’s no evidence that she was there as well. But it may be a matter of time before they find out. I’ve got something on him, though. I’ll email it to you.” 

“Thanks Declan, I’m really curious to know who that man was and what role he played in her life?”