Patrick had always known Daniel drove fast when he was frustrated, but that night something in his voice made him uneasy.
The call has started normally _ Daniel answering with a tired sigh , engine humming in the background.
"Bro you sound exhausted", Patrick said, leaning against the rail outside his apartment.
" I am," Daniel replied." I've been thinking too much. About... everything. "
" about Mary?" Patrick guessed.
Silence. Then a quiet, broken " yeah."
Patrick straightener." Daniel, don't do anything stupid. Just come home . We'll talk."
But before Daniel could respond, Patrick heard_ the scorch of tires, violent crash, then the phone dropping.
" Daniel?! Daniel hello?!" He shouted, panic floading him.
Only static replied.
Patrick didn't think twice. He grabbed his key and ran outside.
When he reached the highway red and blue lights painted the darkness. A silver car_ Daniel's _ was grumble against the barrier. The front was smashed, glass everywhere.
Patrick's chest tightened painfully.
He squeezed through the crowd until he saw paramedics lifting Daniel onto a stretcher. Blood traced his face, his breathing was shallow.
"Daniel!" Patrick shouted forward.
A paramedic blocked him. " sir, please _ his critical."
" I'm his friend, " Patrick insisted, voice shaking " please tell me his alive."
" he has a pulse, but his unresponsive. We need to move."
Patrick followed the ambulance, praying with each heartbeat.
Mrs Carter receives the call.
When her phone rang past midnight, she expected business _ never this.
" ma'am..... it's Daniel," Patrick said. " there's been an accident. "
Her world spin." What? Tell me his alive."
" he is but ..... it's serious
She rushed to the hospital immediately. When she reached the waiting area, her legs almost failed her. Patrick look pale, shaken.
" where is he ?" She demand.
" they just took him in," Patrick said " head trauma.... he hasn't woken up."
Her heart shattered.
Hours crawled by. Every minutes fell like a punishment. Patrick sat beside her quietly both exhausted and terrified.
Finally, the doctor walked out.
" Mrs Carter, " he said gently. " your son is stable....but he has fallen into coma. We can't predict whe he will wake."
Mrs Carter breath trembled by regret, she spoke in a voice that barely carried.
" I've done this," she whispered." All I ever wanted was to protect him.... to protect him ah his father's legacy properly. I thought if he married into a wealthy and stable family like ours,everything would stay secure, I wanted him safe , respected...untouchable "
She shook her head, tears spilling." But I never imagine things would end up like this. I pushed too hard, I tried to control everything...and now look where he is"
Patrick didn't argue. He simply place a hand gently on her shoulder.
" he was talking about Mary before the accident," he murmured," he wanted to see her, ma'am," her expression cracked, softer than ever.
" Mary...." she whispered, regret filling her chest.
A doctor from the obstetrics department approached.
"Mrs Carter? Sorry to disturb you. I wanted to ask if Mary will continue her prenatal check- ups abroad. She missed her last appointment.
Mrs Carter froze. " prenatal.... check- upset? Mary is ..... pregnant?"
The doctor nodded mother of fact unaware of the bomb she had just dropped. "Yes , she informed us before leaving. Please tell her to contact us when she is settled."
Then she walked away.
Silence close in.
Mrs Carter started blankly at the floor, confusion twisting her features.
" pregnant?, but .... how ? Mary never goes out, never brings anyone home, she barely speaks to people outside work. Who could be the father ?"
Patrick swallowed hard.
" Ma'am....I didn't want to say this without proof but ... there is a possibility of Daniel being the father of that baby."
She looked at him with confusion.
" well, on the night of Daniel's welcome party he accidental slept with Mary while drunk. So maybe he might be the child's father because he was the last person... she was evolved with."
Mrs Carter froze, shocked and remorse washing over her.
They were finally allowed to see him.
Daniel lay motionless, machines humming softly. His face was pale, framed by bandages, his chest rose and fell with helps from the tubes. He looked fragile. Almost boyish.
Mrs Carter took his cold hand, fingers trembling.
Inside Daniel's room
The room felt colder than usual, the steady beep of the heart monitor echoing like slow counting down in Mrs Carter ears. Daniel loked peaceful, to peaceful. His face pale under the fluorescent hospital lights. Patrick stood beside her, shoulder stiff eyes fixed on his unconscious friend.
She gently brushes a hand over Daniel's hair her voice barely above a whispered.
" I should have never pushed you this hard," and she say half to herself, half to silent room
" I all ever wanted was protect you.... and your father legacy. I thought forming an alliance with a wealthy family would shield from risk...
From everything.
Her voice cracked
" I didn't think my controlling ways would push to this point. "
Patrick lower his gaze the weight of her regret filling the air.
Mrs Carter turned back to her son, her hand trembling as she reach to his. A different kind of guilt wash over her _ sharper, deeper.
" so this is the burden you were carrying alone..." she whispered.
Her grip tightened ever so slightly on Daniel's hand as she believes he might feel it somewhere deep nside the coma.
" if you wake up," she said softly, her voice cracking again, " I won't stand in your way anymore. Not with Mary. Not with anything.
You'll will be free to choose the life you truly want to live."
Her tears fell very silently, sliding down her cheeks onto her bed sheets, disappearing into the fabric as if the hospital was swallowing her sorrow.
" just wake up," she breathed. " that I'll ask you please I beg you my son. I'll do anything you want, anything . You allow to hate me , to be angry at me even ignoring me ,i don't mind it as long as you are awake I'll accept it anything."
And fir the first time in years, Mrs Carter prayed_ not for control, not for status, not for alliances _ but simply for her son.