Dorothy found herself abandoned outside the hospital, her gaze locked on the relentlessly closing doors. A lock clicked into place, sealing off her hopes as she lay powerless on the cold ground.
Her heart swelled with frustration, cursed her helplessness, and loathed her inability to do anything in that critical moment.
In her relationship with Everett, Dorothy had always been the passive one, while Everett, the gallant hero, had always been the one to shield her from the storms of life.
As dusk turned to night, the sky darkened ominously.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtThe evening breeze grew stronger, carrying the earthy scent of an impending downpour.
Soon, the rumble of thunder rolled through the air! Dorothy's eyes remained fixed on those closed doors. They seemed to draw a clear line between two worlds.
No one could come out and she couldn't go in.
Giant raindrops began to fall, driven by a biting wind, washing away the dried blood on Dorothy's skin and soaking her thin clothes.
Yet Dorothy stayed put, even mustering the strength to prop herself up, inching closer to the barrier that separated her from Everett.
This was as close as she could get to him.
Time lost meaning, and the rain's duration blurred into oblivion. Suddenly, the rain above her ceased.
Slowly, Dorothy looked up to find Kenneth standing beside her, shielding her with a vast black umbrella.
"Dorothy, let's head back," he urged.
"No..." she croaked with her hoarse voice.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmKenneth crouched, gently wiping the rain from her cheeks with the corner of his jacket, "Don't you see? Every time you and Everett come close, disaster follows! Without him, your life might be dull, but at least it's stable. Without you, he'd still be the untouchable and proud Mr. Everett Lopez!" His words seared into Dorothy's heart.
A sudden pain clutched her chest, as if a heavy stone was crushing her, making it hard to breathe, tears streaming uncontrollably.
"I never meant to hurt him..." She would rather be the one dying! "Yes, | know, and even Everett's parents are aware! But you've seen it yourself, even after what Heather did, the Lopez family didn't choose to accept you." What would become of Heather was not interesting to Kenneth. His sole concern was to persuade Dorothy to stop torturing herself and return.
"Kenneth, just let me wait for him here. As soon as | know he's alive, I'll leave." Dorothy was running on fumes, both mentally and physically, clinging desperately to the hope of seeing Everett again.
Kenneth positioned the umbrella over her. As he reached to lift her, he recoiled at the scorching heat of her fevered skin.
"You're burning up! Dorothy, you need to come back with me now!" She had just undergone surgery and was covered in wounds, and now drenched in the rain for so long. It was a miracle she hadn't gone into shock.
"No, | won't leave." Dorothy was weak and shaky in her voice, but the word "no" came out with undeniable clarity, "He hasn't woken up yet... | have to stay with him." Kenneth was at his wit's end. "Dorothy! Do you want to Kill yourself with this stubbornness? If not for anyone else, think about your children! Abigail and Langston are waiting for you. They're your kids with Everett!"