7 The Richman - Almost Die

I could faintly hear a "beep" sound that came out of the heart rate detector. I think it comes from my heart that is still beating because slowly I started to be able to move my hands and feet and only realized that my whole body ached.

If life is going to be more painful than before, maybe I shouldn't return to the world of the living and remain in my realm of peace for a while, and who knows how long. I opened my eyes I found no one around me. Unlike what always happens to patients in hospitals, they will be waited by their relatives, even their friends will also come to visit. And I? Who am I expecting to accompany me and wait for me to wake up anxiously? Of course no one.

I took a deep breath and felt the pain that was getting worse, especially in my chest and also my left leg. Maybe I should close my eyes again and hope God will be kind by sending his angel to fetch my soul. Just about to close someone came into the room while calling.

"Yes, just prepare the file." I heard that sentence and for some reason, my throat suddenly felt like a big rock choked. I recognize that voice.

"Sorry, it's been two days since I can't go to my office. I'll ask my assistant to take the file." The man lit up again and even though he still hadn't looked at me, I could see him. He's in a white shirt with sleeves rolled up to his elbows and gray pants, that messy curls that probably happened because he hasn't slept in two days and is waiting for me in the hospital, oh if that's true. But how did he know I was hurt and in this place?

"Ok, bye." He ended the call and rolled her body so that our eyes met each other. He looks very surprised to see me open my eyes and stare at him while I can only teary stare at him. Immediately he approached me and took my hand and then held it.

"You are awake,  . . ." He asked enthusiastically, and what I felt was a great pain as he took my hand and held it. I think one of the parts that connected my hand and my body was injured badly enough to just touch it so badly.

"Mr. Richman?" I called him and he seemed to smile even though his gaze was dark.

"Richard Anthony." He spelled his name and my tears fell one by one without being able to contain it anymore. Finally, I can find out what the man's long name is.

"How do you know I'm being treated here?"

"I'll explain it after you get checked." He asked paramedics to come by pressing a device on the side of my bed and shortly a doctor and a nurse came in, They seemed to smile up to me and immediately examined me. "You are a strong girl." The doctor smiled.

"The blood pressure is back, a little low but stable enough. The fracture in the leg is also showing signs of recovery, as well as the postoperative wound on the rib, it's getting better although we can't say there is significant progress. We will continue to monitor the progress in the past week."

I swallowed hard and heard all the doctor's explanations. After taking some notes, the nurse went with the doctor and asked Richard to continue to provide support. Even though Richard is not a person who should be burdened because of my presence in this place.

"What happened to me?" I asked softly.

"Please don't cry, because if you sob, it will be very bad for your breathing."

"Ok." I tried to stop myself from overreacting. My tears have been wiped and I don't want to cry, because it torments me. After all, every breath I take will be painful.

"It was past midnight, in front of The RITZ, Pablo couldn't stop the car when you suddenly ran very fast toward our car. I hit you, or vice versa ... I don't know." Mr. Richman or Richard explained with regretful looks.

"No, it's not your fault, It's my fault." I regret it.

Richard took a deep breath, "You ran away from the Ritz?" Asked him.

"Yes..." I nodded weakly.

"Why run away? I'm working on your buying process, can't you be a little patient?" Her expression turned slightly irritated.

"Are you going to buy me?" I asked surprisingly.

His jaws tightened "Yes." He answered.

"Then why didn't you tell me?"

"I asked you to wait until your birthday, and I hope it will be the best surprise for you, but you startled me by suddenly appearing in front of my car and almost losing your life in an accident that involved me as the culprit." This time he explained furiously, I think he got all his emotions involved, emotions that had been held back for the past two days.

"I'm not dead, at the end . . ." I tried to smile even though it still hurt a lot. "I'm just a new person you know, and I guess killing me is the same as doing me good because there's nothing good in my life but death," I said softly.

"Two broken ribs, fractured left leg, the impact of the head, it was even worst than death." He described how bad I am right now.

" Yeah, it feels bad enough." My smile and somehow he looked down and brought his face closer to my head, oh no,. . . he kissed my forehead.

" I hope you will get better very soon." He whispered, and it made me nervous.

I swallowed hard, "I'm trying," I whispered and this time my tears fell back, to hell with the pain, but all the happiness burst inside me, finally there are people who care for me so deeply.

"Give me your orphanage number, I'll let her know how you are." 

I refused fastly, "No, please don't."

He looked at me, "Why?" He asked.

"I don't want to trouble anyone." I feel bad for always being a burden to the people I meet. Sometimes I feel I'd rather just die than live my life making people around me into trouble. My own mother even dumped me since I was a baby. Maybe I've been so troublesome even since I was just born. Feeling so bad and inferior that it was hard for my tears to dry, but suddenly the soft and warm fingers of the man sitting by my bed touched my cheek to wipe my tears, and it made something inside me tremble. 

He looked at me deeply, and said, "Don't cry anymore. Now you're with me, and I swear everything will be fine." He said confidently. 

But I thought things wouldn't be all right if the people from the Ritz, let alone Mss. Parish knows where I am. They would probably drag me back to that place. And it's worse than a nightmare for me if I end up as a fugitive who gets caught again. They might skin me, torture me or even kill me in there. "Is that Mss. Parrish knows I'm here?" I asked.

"I told her, and she was also at the scene during your rescue process."

I was very surprised, suddenly something on my spine felt goosebumps. I'm scared, I'm so scared to hear that Ms. Parish knows where I am right now.  "She knows if I run away?"

"Yeah." Richard nodded. " But don't worry, I've paid you. Actually that night you were officially released from the Ritz, and I plan to pick you up the next day. I prepared that surprise for you but turns out you're better at surprises. You surprised me, so I don't think I need another surprise in my life. Suddenly I hate surprises. " He joked. I heard Richard's joke and I tried to smile, even though my tears were falling again. I felt relieved, happy, sad, touched, all these feelings were mixed inside of me.

"So she won't come and arrest me?" I asked innocently and saw a broad smile spread across Richard's face, though his gaze was still gray.

"Look how innocent you are."

"Sorry..."

"Why should you apologize for what is so beautiful in my eyes."

"What?" I whispered.

"Your innocence." He said once more time. I took a deep breath and suddenly coughed, and the cough I felt was so painful, that when I spat on a tissue, assisted by Richard, there was a spot of blood there.

"Am I going to be all right?" I asked in a panic.

"You talk too much, the doctor asked you to rest completely and not talk much." Richard took a glass of water and gave me a drink, lightening it a little but not reducing the pain. There is a lot I want to say and ask him, but what my power.

Maybe it is better if I just keep quiet, endure the pain to myself and make my whole body heal itself, without making it worse by babbling. One thing I realized was that God would not obey all of our prayers, including the question of me wanting to die but not giving it a chance. I was taught about the pain I had to suffer but was so grateful that I was still breathing. I was able to meet this man, know what his full name was, and what was even more beautiful was that he had freed me from The Ritz, an entertainment place that peddled young women like me.