Chapter 73

*9621C Lincoln St*

**You never prepare** for the worst. People always say expect the best but prepare for the worst. In the end, we never expect bad things to happen. We plan everything; what we're doing tomorrow, who you will meet where and when the day after.

You know that after a fight you should never leave each other angry. Because you never know what will happen next. That's how I felt the minute I picked up the phone.

"Nikolai your phone is ringing." Gabe's voice floated into the living room. "Just answer it, Gabe, I'm in the middle of a level."

"Hello, Nikolai's phone." The house went silent. Nikolai was too focused on his game to really care. Silent footsteps brought him back causing Nikolai to look up.

Gabe's face was white as if he saw a ghost. "Nikolai..." he hmm'd and continued with the game.

"I'm sorry, but there was an accident." Gabe’s words caused Nikolai to frown and look up again. Without pausing the game Nikolai stood up.

"What are you talking about?" Gabe handed me the phone and Nikolai saw the call was from Silva.

"They are on their way to the hospital.” I didn't hear much. Only Nikolai, Hospital, gunshots, Babies and Tatiana.

Nikolai could feel himself choke on air as the warmth was leaving his body. Without saying anything Nikolai rushed out to his car and called Silva 2 times. When he didn't answer Nikolai called Dimitri.

"Where is she?" Were his first words when Dimitri finally answered the phone. "St George."

Nikolai don't remember how he got to the hospital. All he could think about was Tatiana and their babies.

Rushing into the hospital Nikolai looked at the waiting room searching for either Dimitri or Silva. Silva waved him over and he rushed over.

"What happened? Is she okay?" Silva's face was as white as Nikolai’s when he pulled Nikolai into a hug.

"I got a call from Grace saying someone was following them. I told them to go into a shop and stay. But she said that the man was also in the shop. I tracked her phone after she hung up. I was close by so I drove as fast as I could."

Silva couldn’t talk anymore. He dropped to the chair and Nikolai looked at Dimitri.

"All I know from the bits and pieces was that he saw them, he was pulling up to get them into the car when Tatiana and Grace both dropped to the ground with gunshot wounds."

Silva looked up at Nikolai with fear in his eyes. This was the first time Nikolai saw him looking scared.

"I couldn't see the man. All I did was load them into the car and rushed to the hospital. The doctors were waiting when I got here."

"Ferreira?" They all looked up at the doctor that was standing in the waiting room. "Mr. Ferreira, I'm Doctor Noah." He looked down at the board in his hand. "I need you and Mrs. Moretti's husband to fill in these forms. I have no updates about the patients. But when I do, I'll let you know."

The both of them filled out the forms and waited for hours.

The doctor came back wearing scrubs. "Mrs. G. Ferreira just came out of surgery. Things aren't looking too good. She lost a lot of blood and we don't know if she'll make it. As for Mrs. T. Moretti, the paediatrician will talk to you."

Silva dropped to his chair as Nikolai waited for the doctor to talk to me. "Mrs. Moretti is in surgery. I got the babies out and rushed them to Surgery. I have no other information but get comfortable; this is going to be a long night."

Silva got the chance to see Grace. Nikolai waited in the waiting room for another 7 hours. According to his phone, it was already 1am 27 December 2018.

One of the doctors came closer and walked to him. "Mr. Moretti?" Nikolai looked up, his eyes red from tears. "Would you like to see your babies?" Tiredly he nodded, still beyond worried. "Do you have any news about my wife?" He shook his head and led Nikolai to the baby section.

Inside the room, he pointed to babies, one dressed in blue and another in pink.

"This is your baby boy and girl. The boy is a healthy 32-week old baby weighing at 3.17 pounds. Your baby girl isn't doing so well; she is weighing at 3 pounds. We are worried about the wound that was the closest to her. We'll be keeping an eye on her. "

Nikolai nodded and walked over to his son. His eyes were open and he was making baby sounds. Nikolai sunk to the chair next to the bed he was placed in. His golden-green eyes staring at him causing Nikolai heart skip a beat.

His was beautiful. With dark black hair and green eyes, he was sure to be a heartbreaker. Nikolai held his finger out and the boy grabbed onto it. Nikolai closed his eyes and relished at the moment.

His daughter next to him had fire red hair. He couldn't see her eyes as they were closed. The tube in her mouth caused Nikolai worry and he couldn't do it anymore.

Nikolai stood straight and saw the paediatrician waiting outside. She walked in when Nikolai looked up.

"Your wife is out of surgery. Her wounds are too expensive to continue now. So she is a medically induced coma so her body could heal. If she makes it through the night we'll take her back to surgery later."

The doctor and Nikolai walked out to a room not too far from the baby section. "You might want to prepare yourself." Nikolai nodded and walked into the room. No matter how much he prepared it still stole his breath.

Tatiana was hooked on about 3 machines. A tube in her throat and the tubes running from machines into her body. There was a blood bag tapping blood into her arm.

"She lost blood on the way here and a lot in the operating room. That doctor is getting another bag about every 30 minutes. We are hoping to get at least 3 bags in.”

Nikolai sat in the chair on her right, holding her cold limp hand.

As she lay there still, Nikolai thought of every moment they spent together.

🔙FLASHBACKS🔙
The first time Nikolai saw Tatiana, she took his breath away. She was like nothing else, not falling for his looks so he had to do something. Nikolai was shaking and nervous when he sat down next to her.
So Nikolai did what he knew best to do. He flirted, "Roses are red, Violets are blue, love never crossed my mind until the moment I met you" Nikolai had hoped that she would at least blush letting him know he wasn't making a complete fool out of himself. Her reply took Nikolai off guard. He wasn't expecting it at all, "Roses are red, here's something new: Violets are violet not fucking blue."

« • x • x • x • »

Nikolai remember leaning back in his chair, just watching her lips move. Once again Nikolai tried a pickup line, giving a hint that he wanted to be more than friends. Of course, she didn't see it like that. She thought he was just flirting,
"Feel my shirt. That's boyfriend material." She had grinned the most amazing smile and Nikolai thought yes he made it through one wall but she built it right back up quicker then Nikolai could take a step. "It looks a little too clingy and feels like it's going to be hard to maintain."

« • x • x • x • »

Nikolai was waiting at her car. He wasn't going to give up something he has wanted to do all day. Nikolai gets what he wants when he wants it. He was going to kiss her, no matter what. Getting off that bus she looked beautiful and the fact that she was mad, made Nikolai pants sit tight. Before she could say anything Nikolai had her pressed against the car and had his lips against hers.
🔙Flashback🔙

The doctors were in and out of the room for the rest of the day. Nikolai was hoping one of them came to give him good news. But every time they said that there is no change in her status.

**Copyright © 2018 by Grace Write**