"Tell me the truth about Carlos, please!" she entreated weakly.

"I don't know yet. The doctors have been doing emergency surgery on him. When we arrived at the scene, we found both of you unconscious, but pressed against each other, as if your husband had seen the oncoming truck and wrapped his arms around you. I guess, he might have instinctively tried to shield you, using his own body. But to be honest, his condition looked bad and still is severe."

"Oh God!" Debbie exclaimed. Shaken to the core, her head began swimming. Before she could say anything more, she passed out again.

The young nurse was terrified. Had she said something wrong? Flustered, she pressed the nurse-call button.

When Debbie came to, she saw some visitors in the ward. There was

Lucinda, Sasha, and surprisingly, Gail too. Contrary to her mom's and her sister's anxious-Looking faces, Gail had a grudging expression. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that she must have been dragged to the hospital against her will.

Lucinda had been crying. Seeing Debbie come around, she wiped her puffy eyes Like greased lightning and said with great relief, "Debbie, it's good that you're awake." Then she turned to Gail and ordered, "Quickly, go get the doctor!"

While Gail moved slowly to the bedside and pressed the nurse-call button, Sasha walked to the other side of the bed, her eyes also red and puffy. Debbie realized all of them must have been crying.

“Debbie, how are you? How did this happen?"

Sasha asked between sobs.

Debbie raised her hand to stroke her belly.

“Are they all right?" she asked, deeply worried.

The smile on Lucinda's face froze.

"The baby is fine.. she hesitated.

“Carlos... he... he is still in the emergency room."

“It's been so long. Why is he still in the emergency room?"

Debbie tried to sit up. Just then, two doctors walked in.

They stopped her immediately when they saw what she was doing.

"Mrs.

Hilton, your placenta isn't steady. You can't move around."

"Carlos! I must go see Carlos!" She demanded, her anxiety growing by the minute.

“Listen Debbie. Don't go yet. Carlos is in the emergency room. You could only stay outside the room even if you went there. Why don't you have a rest? As soon as he is out of the surgery, I'll take you to see him, all right?"

Shaking her head, Debbie protested, "No, I must see him. By any means,

I have to know how he is, Auntie. He got hurt while trying to save me.

Please, take me to him. Let me wait for him to wake up..." Her sobs drowned out her words.