Chapter 4, Part 2: Late-Night Talk

Alissandra Cadence

     It is currently 6 PM and we just got home from the burial earlier, mom is cooking dinner downstairs. I'm just laying in my bed and two people just texted me all of a sudden. It was Jason and one unknown number, which is probably Dwayne Caulfield. I stood up and sat in the chair of my desk that is facing the window. I just ignored Jason's text and didn't even bother to read what he just said. I checked Dwayne's text and renamed his number then he texted me again.

(6:09 PM) 264-3010: Hey, it's me. Dwayne Caulfield.

(6:11 PM) Dwayne: I don't want to scare you or anything, but I can see you from your window.

     I don't really understand what he meant but when I looked outside the window, I saw him leaning on his windowsill holding his phone.

(6:13 PM) Me: Yeah, I see you too.

(6:13 PM) Dwayne: So, how about tomorrow? Can we hang out?

(6:14 PM) Me: Yeah sure, what time?

(6:14 PM) Dwayne: Around 2 PM?

(6:14 PM) Me: Okay then.

     "Alissandra Cadence! The food is ready! Get down here already!" mom shouted.

(6:15 PM) Me: We're about to eat, let's just talk later.

(6:15 PM) Dwayne: Okay, sure. Eat well.

     I turned off my phone and already went downstairs to eat.

     "What the hell are you grinning at, Alissandra? Don't tell me you already have a boyfriend, huh," mom said and gave a suspicious look. And dad as well made a judgy face.

     "No mom, it's not like that... Let's just eat already."

     "Hmmmmm?" then she raised an eyebrow.

     And we started eating our food. While eating, someone just called me. I'm drinking my water and I didn't even manage to look who it was and directly answered after drinking. 

     I was about to say hello and - "Hey, It's me Elijah."

     "Uhh, I'm sorry. You may have called the wrong number. Who exactly are you loo - " and he suddenly hung up.

     Weird.

     "Who was that dear?" mom asked.

     "I don't know, they probably dialed the wrong number," I said while wiping my mouth.

     "I'm already full, I'm going upstairs," I said and already went upstairs.

     I sat on my bed then I checked my phone and Dwayne just texted me.

(6:54 PM) Dwayne: Hey, what's up? Are you all alright?

(6:55 PM) Me: Yeah, I'm fine. Just finished eating. How about you?

(6:55 PM) Dwayne: I'm on my diet though.

(6:56 PM) Me: Oh, okay...

     I stood up and sat on the table of my desk looking at the window.

(6:57 PM) Dwayne: Soo? What are you doing?

(6:57 PM) Me: Just sitting at my desk.

     I saw him walk to his window and opened it. Then he tested his arms on his windowsill while holding his phone.

(6:58 PM) Dwayne: Can you go out? Why don't we just hang out here outside?

(6:58 PM) Me: I don't think so... Lemme see.

     I peeked through my door and heard mom and dad still talking downstairs.

(6:59 PM) Me: I don't think I can go out right now, my parents are still downstairs. They'll kill me if I would go out at night.

(6:59 PM) Dwayne: It's okay, I don't even wanna get you in trouble either, Haha.

(6:59 PM) Dwayne: Can we at least, call?

     After reading his text, I already called him.

     "Hey," he said.

     "Hey, what's up?" I replied

     "Not much, haha."

     "I wanna tell you something though. Something about me," he said then I heard him chuckled on the phone.

     "Okay? I'm all ears," I said.

     "My full name's Elijah Dwayne Caulfield," he said.

     "Cool name, and what's wrong with that?" I asked cuz I'm a bit confused.

     I just remembered something from earlier "Hey, it's me Elijah."

     Wait, what the fuck?

     "Are you the one that called me earlier?" I asked surprisingly.

     "Haha yeah. I just tried to call you and accidentally said my first name. It's kinda cringy."

     "What do you mean? Your name? It's not cringy though," I replied

     "No, I meant about what happened earlier haha."

     "Ahhh, yeah."

     "You can call me Elijah if you want. I like that better though. Only my family and close friends know about my first name."

     "Oh okay, that's great. Elijah."

     "Yeah haha... Do you mind if I ask you something?" he asked.

     "Not really, what is it?"

     "I'm just curious about the guy that likes you - I mean, the guy that - Jessica likes, yeah," he said.

     "Oh, McKenley? What about him?" I said as I lay in bed.

     "Nothing really, how much do you know him?" he asked.

     "Why? Are you bothered about him?" I asked.

     "I-it's not like that,"

     "Well, We're actually close best friends since then, then he confessed to me. I avoided him because I was afraid that Jessica would find out since she's so damn in love with Jason. And Jessica knew somehow, then she also avoided me and started to hate me. If that's what you wanna know," I said.

     "How about you and Jessica? How are you related to each other?" I asked.

     "She's my half-sister," Err, what?

     "What? How? Can you tell me? Well, you don't have to. I'm just wondering," I said rapidly as I'm trying to convince him to tell me.

     "Well, we share the same dad. I haven't seen my mom since birth. Dad said that mom died giving birth to me..."

FLASHBACK - Mr. Caulfield's POV

     "Mr. Jordan Caulfield right? Your wife is in a very critical and serious condition, sir. And it seems like we'll leave the decision to the both of you. It is because your wife would be on the verge of death when delivering her baby on her due date based on our predictive analytics about her condition. And sadly, we could only save one of them. It's either your wife or the baby." the doctor said.

     "Is that the only way? Doc? Can't we save both of them?" I asked.

     "I am really sorry Mr. Caulfield, but that's what it is. That's the best and the only thing that we can do." the doctor said.

     "Okay doc, we'll talk about this. Thank you." he just nodded and then already left.

     I looked up at the ceiling, trying to hold back my tears. How can we be this unfortunate? I can't lose Elyza, and I can't afford to lose our baby either. I just sat at the waiting bench of the hospital while covering my face. How should I tell her?

     "I am really excited about our son, Jordan! I'm so psyched to go shop for our baby."

     This is absolutely disgraceful! Why do we even have to experience this? Why...

     I walked to the room where she's admitted and currently hesitating to go in like, how am I supposed to tell her? I literally don't know what to do, but she has to know before it's too late.

     "Hey, Dan. What did the doctor tell you? A-are you okay?" she asked as she saw me enter the room.

     "Yeah, I'm fine." then I sat beside her bed "There's something you need to know..."

     "What is it, Dan? You're scaring me." She said and sat on the bed.

     "The doctor said that - you're in a very serious condition and based on their predictions, you'll be into the brink of death when our baby comes out and he told me that they could only save one, It's either you or-"

     "Our baby! Jordan! Please no... He's the most special gift for me, I can't lose him Jordan! I'd rather die giving birth than see my son six feet below the ground!" she said while sobbing.

     "But, Elyza-"

     "That's what it is! Our decision has been made, Jordan! We will save our baby, you will take care of him and you'll love him as much as I do. No more ifs and buts, since I'm the one who will give birth - that is my choice!" she said and continued sobbing.

     I can't handle this. She is right, she's the one who will give birth but - how about me? Us? How about her?

     "How about you?" I asked while my voice shakes.

     "I'm okay with this, Jordan. It's the least that I can do for our son," she said.

     "I love you, Jordan. But I also love our baby, at least give him a chance to see the world, experience it, enjoy it, even without a mom. I've already lived enough and had an amazing life, a caring husband, and a wonderful baby. It's time for me to bestow this beautiful life I had to my son." she added.

     "Okay, honey.." I said and hugged her tight.

     As if it's our last hug.

     "Dan?"

     "Hmm?"

     "I want you to do me a favor," she said.

     "What is it?"

     "If I never had the chance to see and name my son, I want you to name him...Elijah. As it sounds almost the same with my name, to remind you and our son about how I loved you both. It could be Elijah Dwayne if you want, I adore that name." she said while touching her belly.

     "I can't believe it, I'm just becoming a mom but I already had to sacrifice for my child, the first and the last sacrifice of his loving mother..." she said and cried again.

     "I will, I promise..." then I hugged her again.

     Two days have passed and she's still admitted here in the hospital. We've already told her doctor about our decision, they were surprised at first and I felt their awe.

     "I'll be right back honey, I'll just go to the toilet," I said.

     I was about to go and get out of the room and -

     "A-agh! Dan!... Ugh!" she moaned and tries to sit on the bed.

     "Hey! What's the matter?" I asked as I rushed beside her.

     "The baby! The baby's coming!" she said as she groans in pain.

     I quickly ran outside the room and into the lobby. "Nurse! Nurse! Doc! Our baby's coming!" I said as I reached the counter. The nurse and the doctor went out quickly.

     "This way sir!" I said as I led them to Elyza's room.

     We went inside quickly and the doctor told the nurse "We'll move her into the delivery room."

     They already headed Elyza into the delivery room. I was about to go in but the nurse blocked me.

     "I am sorry sir, but you need to stay here outside for us, so we can do our job successfully," she said.

     "But my wife needs me!" I said as I attempted to go inside.

     But they already closed the doors. I'm just looking inside the room through the door window and I can see her excruciating. I just sat on the bench while covering my face. This is it, her last day. And I haven't even held her for the last time. I just cried.

     And a few moments later I heard a baby crying and I quickly stood up. My emotions were fighting, I'm happy about our baby, but I am also dying inside knowing that she's no longer with me, that she's already dead.

     "Time of death 12:15 AM."

     My whole world just crumbled after hearing those and I rushed inside the delivery room and I  saw her. I suddenly broke down in tears. The other nurses left the room already.

     "Sir?? Your baby is here." the ObGyn said while holding our baby. I'm still kneeling on the ground in front of her and still can't accept what just happened.

     "Let him have his moment, let's just work on the baby first." the doctor said and left.

     I stood up and hugged Elyza, even though she's already gone. She looked completely different from earlier, she's all squeezed out as if she gave her very best for our son. I just hugged her really tight and cried on her side.

     I just stayed there for a while and said "You did it, Elyza. And I just wanted to tell you that I love you, even if you can't hear it anymore." I said and covered her body with the blanket then I left the room while crying and I'm heading to our baby. And named him Elijah Dwayne.

END OF FLASHBACK 

     "And that's it, that's all that my father told me about what happened. And here I am, the result. I somehow asked myself if this is my fault or not." he said then sighed.

     I suddenly sniffed.

     "Are you crying?" he said then laughed.

     "Yeah, of course! That was really sad..." I said while wiping my tears.

     "This is absolutely the first time that I made a girl cry," he claimed proudly.

     "And don't you worry though, I'm fine with it and I'm over it. There's nothing else that I could do but to accept it," he added.

     I just got a tissue and blew my nose.

     "Wait - what the hell," he said then laughed again.

     "Don't you dare tell me stories and wonder why I'm crying!" I said.

     "Well, to be honest, that is absolutely sad. I consider myself lucky though." I added.

     "Yeah, you are, Lady Luck. Hahaha," he said.

     "Can you go out now?" he asked.

     "Wait, lemme see."

     I peeked through my door and sneaked out of my room. I peeked at my parents' room and saw that they're already in bed.

     "Yeah, they're already in bed. I'll go out now." I said and hung up the call. I got downstairs and went outside. I checked what time it is and it's currently 7:30 PM.

     As I went outside, I saw him sitting on the bench at the side of the street while on his phone and I kinda felt shy. Even though I just met him, I feel like he's a man to trust.

     I approached him. "Hey, you're here already," I said.

     "Oh," he said and pointed to space beside him as if he wants me to sit beside him.

     I sat beside him and it kinda felt awkward, to be honest. I just leaned on the bench then I saw him staring at me.

     "What?" I asked and looked around as if I'm confused

     "You look really pretty," he said.

     "Thanks?" I said and laughed ingenuously.

     And we just sat there talking about stuff like school, interests, hobbies, etc. Just to know each other more. And yeah, he's also a loner like me. A typical guy that likes sad songs, he said sad songs makes him happy, the heck? And he's not that sporty, he just spends most of his time in the gym, obviously. He likes reading books too, he said that he absolutely hates his poor eyesight because he still has to wear glasses in bed when reading books. And he's already working now since he's also living by himself in a whole freaking house alone. He's 21 years old but is not obvious to his physique and looks. Especially with that killer jawline and trimmed beard from his jaw to chin.

     "I just wanna tell you something, Liss," he said.

     "Hmm? What is it?"

     "I'm starting to like you like you gave hope to my world that is full of loneliness ever since," he said and looked down.

     "Thanks? I like you too, Elijah. But let's just slow it down a little bit."

     He suddenly moved closer to me, and he touched my hair near my ear slowly. "Like this?" then he stared at me.

     And I had the feeling that he's about to kiss me. He moved his lips closer and closer to mine and -

VROOOOOM!

     A motorcycle just went straight in the road in front of us real fast. And Elijah just moved back right away and he's kinda pissed. And it kinda felt awkward, to be honest, but I felt kinda relieved somehow. I looked at my phone and realized that it's almost 9 PM. I suddenly stood up.

     "I'm gonna go ahead, Elijah. It's getting late, and thanks though." I said.

     "Yeah it is, I'm gonna go inside now too," he said as he stood up.

     "So, see you tomorrow?" I said while raising my eyebrows and smiled low-key.

     "Yeah, yeah. Sorry about that," he said and scratched his head.

     "That's fine though, see ya," I said and already walked to our house.

     I went inside and closed the door and leaned at it for a sec and for some reason I felt kinda relieved for what just happened. I just went upstairs and went inside my room and laid in bed. I just checked my phone again and I opened Jason's text from earlier.

(6:08 PM) Jason: Can we talk? I'll go there later around 8 PM.

     I just didn't mind it at all, and he didn't even come here though so I just went to sleep already.