Broken souls, p.16
Broken Souls, page 16
Savannah paced in her room. “What is it? What would I not want to know?”
“You know how I’m working at the hospital, right?”
“Yeah…”
“Well, yesterday they brought a woman and a child who had been hit by a car while they were crossing the street.”
“Okay…” Savannah couldn’t understand why Elle had called to tell her this.
“There’s an urgent need for A-negative blood for that woman and child.”
“Yeah… okay… and…”
“It’s Caleb’s mother and niece, Malaika,” Elle finished.
Savannah clutched the towel at her chest. Her hands trembled. Emotions and memories came flooding back to her. Her fingers became cold. She sat down on the bed. How did her past come back to haunt her every time she took a step forward to move on?
The last time she had seen Caleb’s niece was when she’d saved her from Jeremy. A face that she continued to give her nightmares. That name still haunted her. She hated it. She wished she would never think or hear about it again. A couple of weeks ago, when she had gone into a coffee shop to order drinks for the children and Geeta, a woman screamed, “Jeremy!” Savannah had stood, paralyzed. She knew he wasn’t alive. She had seen his dead body. She turned around and saw a little boy come to the woman and hold her hand. The boy smiled at her. She smiled back uneasily. Grabbing her order, she rushed back to the car with trembling hands.
“Savvy, are you there?” Elle’s voice broke her thoughts.
“Yes,” she fumbled. “Yes, I’m here.”
“What do you think?” Elle asked. “Since you are O-negative and a universal donor, I thought I’d mention it to you.”
“I don’t want anything to do with that family anymore, Elle,” Savannah started. “I want to move on. I’ve finally moved on with my life.”
Why should she go and save Caleb’s mother? Especially after everything she’d said and put her through. Eleanor didn’t want her son and her to be together. She had made it clear on several occasions. She remembered when his mother had handed her the pictures of Caroline and Caleb together. Eleanor’s evil smile came to mind, probably knowing she had won in successfully removing Savannah from her son’s life. It seemed like the icing on the cake, the perfect revenge from his mother to end her relationship with Caleb.
“I understand completely,” Elle said, “but what about the child?”
“What do you mean?” Savannah asked.
“They’re both A-negative. I know you probably don’t want to help his mother. But what about the little girl?” Elle asked. “Did you save her from Jeremy only for her to probably die now because of the lack of blood?”
Savannah closed her eyes. Could she be that ruthless and spiteful? Could she hate his mother so much that she would overlook the fact that the child needed blood too? “They have a lot of money, Elle, and I’m sure they can manage to figure it out.”
“Money is not helping them out right now, is it? Would you feel the same if something like this happened to Lucas or Emma?”
That sentence hit Savannah straight in the heart. She thought about Simon and Sandra, Caleb’s brother and sister-in-law. They must be hurting and desperate for anyone to come forward now.
“I’m on my way, Elle,” Savannah said and hung up. Dressing up, she grabbed her keys and rushed downstairs.
Cole sat in the kitchen with the children. He stood up when he saw her.
“I’ll be back soon,” she said to Geeta while kissing the children. “Call me if you need anything. I’ll be back in the afternoon.” She walked towards Cole. “I need to leave now. I’ll explain when I come back. I’m sorry.” She kissed his cheek and left, leaving him confused.
CHAPTER 32
On the drive to Vancouver, Savannah thought about what would happen if she ran into Caleb. What would she say? How would she react? What would he say? Reaching Elle’s house, a sense of déjà vu took over. The last time she had come there was for Patty’s funeral not too long ago. Now another emergency called her over to face her past.
Elle drove down to the hospital. Savannah’s heart thudded at the thought of seeing Caleb again. She took out a scarf and tied it on just like last time. Then she rummaged in her bag for her sunglasses. Soon they pulled into the parking lot.
“I’ll meet you at my desk when you’re done. Good luck!” Elle said.
Savannah walked into the hospital. Just two days ago, she’d been in the hospital praying that Cole was fine, and now here she was again, praying that Caleb’s niece and mother would be fine. More for his niece than his mother.
She informed the woman behind the reception that she was here to donate blood for the Evans’ accident victims. The woman ushered her into an office to get a sample to test. She was pricked, and an ampule of blood was sent to the lab. After a few minutes, the nurse ushered her into the doctor’s office.
“Thank you very much for coming forward,” the doctor said. “Would you like to meet the family? They would be very thankful,” the Hispanic doctor with soft brown eyes asked.
“No!” Savannah screamed, making him take a step back. “I’m sorry.” She cleared her throat. “I would like to remain anonymous, please.”
Nodding, he asked her to follow him to a room to conduct the blood donation. Walking behind him, she saw the family standing in the waiting area. She held her breath. Sandra was crying, and Simon was comforting her. Savannah’s mouth dropped seeing Randall Evans, Caleb’s father. He had aged quite a bit since she’d last seen him. Why has he lost so much weight? He looks so frail. I hope his health is fine. She had last seen him when she was in the hospital. She and Caleb had both been shot by Jeremy after she saved his nieces. Randall was the reason his son, Caleb, came into her life. Her first true love. Emma’s father.
She walked hurriedly into the room and sat on the chair. After half an hour, the entire procedure was complete.
“You need to rest for about ten minutes. I’ve kept a glass of juice and a sandwich here. Make sure you eat it before you leave,” the doctor said.
“Would it be possible to see the recipients just for a minute if that’s okay? I just wanted to wish them good luck.” She didn’t want to see his mother, but Elle’s conversation made her want to see Malaika and tell her that she would be fine. She would live and be all right.
“I’m sorry, but that’s not possible,” he said. “Hospital policy. By the way, I’ve informed the family that someone has come forward. Since you wanted to stay anonymous, they asked me to give you this.” He handed her an envelope. “I’ll be back soon.”
She finished drinking the juice, then tore open the envelope. A white card slid out with gold writing on it that said, “Thank you.” She opened it, and a piece of paper fell out. She bent to pick it up. She turned it around.
It was a cheque for $20,000.
Any other person would have been over the moon receiving the money, but not her. It reminded her of Eleanor, Caleb’s mother. The woman’s words had stung and pierced her, hurting her. Her comments reminded Savannah that she was not good enough for her son. Yet here she was, saving her life. Her blood now ran through his mother’s veins.
She read the card.
Whoever you are, I just wanted to say thank you! Thank you for saving my daughter, and thank you for saving my mother. I will forever remain grateful to you. I hope this small token of thanks will help you. – Simon Evans.
She kept the card and put the cheque back in the envelope. She finished the sandwich, and the doctor came in. “Please return this envelope to them for me,” she said.
“Sure.” He smiled.
Before walking to Elle’s desk, Savannah saw the doctor hand the envelope to Simon, who looked puzzled. When he opened it, he realized what she had done.
“Do you think you can get me to see Malaika before she goes in for surgery?” she asked Elle.
“I can’t do that. It’s not allowed,” Elle whispered.
“Please, this is important to me. I won’t be long, I promise.”
“Fine,” she finally agreed and stood up. “Follow me and stay close.”
Savannah walked into the room where Eleanor and Malaika lay. Elle used her access card and allowed her to enter the hospital rooms’ floor.
The anesthesiologist had just left after sedating Eleanor. She was out cold. She looked the same, slightly pale. Even sedated, she looked mean and evil. Savannah walked past her and saw Malaika. Ten years old, and she had grown so much from the last time Savannah had seen her. From the time she had saved her from Jeremy. Savannah sat down on the bed next to her.
“Hi!” Malaika said drowsily. “Are you my angel?”
Savannah guessed it was probably the morphine talking. “Hi,” she began. “No, I am not, but I am here to help you. I am here to give you blood which you need.” She stroked Malaika’s hair. “I promise you when you wake up later, you will be good as new and strong like before.” She took off her sunglasses and adjusted her scarf, which covered her face. The scarf fell, revealing her identity.
“I remember you,” Malaika said. “You are my angel. You saved me from the bad man before, in the forest.”
Savannah quickly put her scarf and sunglasses back on as the anesthesiologist came in. She stood aside, watching him prick her. Within seconds, Malaika was unconscious. Savannah kissed her head and left the room, taking one last glance at Eleanor and Malaika and silently praying for them.
She turned the corner and bumped into someone. She looked up and saw Caleb. The sound of her heartbeat thrashed in her ears. Her pulse raced, and her legs turned into jelly. She quickly lowered her gaze and walked a couple of steps.
“Nyah!”
She heard him call her old name. She stopped. She realized her mistake. Quickly she bent down and tied her shoelaces. She then got up and walked casually, trying her hardest not to look behind. She knew if she did, everything would be over. She turned another corner and entered a door. It led to a stairwell, and she quickly descended.
Messaging Elle and thanking her for all the help, Savannah said she would see her back at her house.
Driving back to Cowichan Bay, Savannah kept the music low in the car. What if Caleb knew it was her? What if he was following her now? She checked the rear-view mirror. She had not seen any familiar cars. She wondered if he still thought about her or if he missed her. She shook her head. I can’t look back on my life. I need to move forward. And forward is now, with Cole.
She wanted to be happy. She wanted a new beginning. She’d begun to have feelings for Cole. Before she got the call from Elle, their last moments together at her house made butterflies flutter in her stomach. She had left abruptly with barely any communication between them. He must have thought she was either bipolar or crazy.
Savannah needed to be honest with him. She couldn’t afford to make the same mistake as she had with Caleb. The secrets, the lies, the past. She needed him to know everything before taking their relationship to a new level. Tomorrow she was going to be honest. She was going to tell him the truth and reveal everything.
Cole wondered what was going on with Savannah. They’d had an intense moment and then that phone call. Various thoughts took over, and he decided to have a conversation with Lucas. “Buddy, can I ask you something?”
“Yes,” Lucas replied, playing with Oreo and Emma.
“Do you know why you moved to this village?”
“Yes. Mama lost her job in the city.”
“I see. Was your Mama seeing someone while you guys were living in the city?”
“Yes,” he replied, standing up and looking at him. “Caleb.”
“Do you know what happened between them?”
“No, but he was the one who gave me Oreo. He would come over for dinner. We would hang out. We even went to his big house for Christmas and New Year. Then…” he said, staring at his empty hands. “I went to summer camp and came back, and Mama said that we are moving and that she lost her job.” His chin trembled as he continued to speak. “She and Caleb broke up. She didn’t want me talking to him anymore.” He sighed, and his posture stooped.
Cole bent down and hugged him. “It’s okay, buddy. Sometimes people don’t want to be reminded of the past, and they want to move on.”
“I’m glad you’re here, though. You have been in our lives the longest,” Lucas said while hugging him back.
“I’m always going to be here… I promise.”
Embracing Lucas and comforting him, Cole wondered about Caleb’s and Savannah’s relationship. What drove her to leave the city, leave the man she loved, and come to a small village like this to start a new life?
CHAPTER 33
Savannah pulled into her driveway, and she was tired. Arriving at her home at 6 p.m., she sat in the car for a few minutes before entering her house.
Cole said he would wait for her when she got back, but knowing she would be late, she didn’t want to talk with him then. She had messaged him and told him she would meet him at his apartment at noon. His affirmative reply made her muscles twitch as she realized that tomorrow would determine the fate of their relationship. Would he be able to handle the truth? Would he accept it? Would he still want to be with her?
She entered the house, and her children ran towards her. She kissed them and squeezed them. After feeding them their dinner, she played with them for a bit. Rocking Emma to sleep while singing to her, she walked upstairs and put her in her crib. I hope she sees me as a good mother compared to my own! She stroked her hair and watched the fast but steady breathing of her daughter.
She left her room and walked downstairs. “It’s your turn now, Lucas,” Savannah said to him while entering the living room where he was watching TV. She carried him to his room, changed him into his pyjamas and read to him before she saw him drift off to sleep. “Sleep tight, honey. I’ll see you in the morning.”
She checked his windows to make sure they were locked—a habit she continued. She entered her bedroom and ran a bath. After soaking in the warm water, she felt all the stress and fatigue drain out of her body. She showered and went to bed.
Waking up at 4 a.m. with a bad dream, Savannah gasped for air. She touched her neck, panting. She ran to the bathroom and splashed cold water on her face. The one person she had not thought about in a long time appeared in her dream. Jeremy, her dead foster father.
She was back in the log cabin where she had gone to save the girls he had kidnapped. His words repeated over and over again while he was choking her, “If I can’t have you, no one can.” Why did she dream of him? Why on that night among all nights when she would be telling the truth to Cole that day? Was this a sign?
She went to the kitchen and made herself a hot cup of chai, just like Geeta had taught her. Putting cardamom, a stick of cinnamon and some fresh ginger in the pot of water, she watched it boil again. The bubbles burst as the tea simmered, reminding her of her own life. She wondered how she would handle the conversation with Cole in the afternoon while sipping her tea.
Cole rubbed the back of his neck when he heard the knock on his door. His head was filled with all kinds of thoughts ever since his conversation with Lucas. Just thinking of what Savannah might say to him shortly made him feel sick, to the point of throwing up his breakfast earlier that morning. Did she want to start a relationship? Did she feel the same way as him? What about her past? What about Emma’s father? Would she tell him the truth? How would he know anyway?
“Hi!” he said, kissing her on the cheek when she entered. She looked lovely in skinny black jeans and a rust-coloured cardigan. His pulse raced. His heart banged against his chest. The very sight of her made him weak in the knees.
“Hi!” she replied.
“Is everything okay?” he asked with a wrinkled brow. “From yesterday’s call, I mean?”
She nodded.
He could see she was nervous. She kept fidgeting with her bag. She sat down on the couch across from him.
“Cole,” she began. “I want to tell you everything about myself before anything happens between us.”
He nodded.
“I will accept your decision in the end. No matter what it is, I will accept it.”
How bad could her past be? He looked at her and tried to keep an open mind and not be judgmental.
Cole was silent the whole time. He let her speak without interrupting. She had so much hidden inside. So many secrets… so much pain… so much sadness. A line from the movie Titanic entered his head—A woman’s heart is a deep ocean of secrets.
Each new bit of information that she told him shocked him, but he didn’t show it. How could she have not told him about all of this before? Jeremy, Lucas, Harper and Caleb. Did she not trust him? Was she scared to tell him?
After she finished, she was silent. Her gaze lowered. Her hands were shaking. “Do you still want to be with me after knowing everything?” She looked up at him. Her chest caved, and her shoulders drooped.
In an hour and a half, Cole had gotten to know Savannah’s entire life. Her past mixed with her present. Facts that she had never mentioned before. Truths that he had not pushed to ask. She was as broken as he was. Broken people save broken people. However, she chose to become a mother to Lucas. She was the victim of Jeremy. She was cheated on by Caleb. She became a mother again to Emma. She saved the restaurant. She was the one who saved him. Her! She checked up on him when no one had in months. She barged through the door. She went with him to the cemetery. She made it possible for his brother to talk to him. It was because of her that he was alive today.
He was in debt to her. He owed her much more than just his love. He owed her his life and everything that he had. She would probably have never asked for anything in return. But she deserved happiness. She deserved acceptance. She deserved love.
