UNLOCKED - LANDO NORRIS [Book 3]

27

"Ev, you need to eat something please?" Charles mutters from the door to Lando's hospital room.

"I can't" I shake my head, my voice breaking.

"You need too" he crosses the room to me and hands me a cafe sandwich. I take it from him and place it on the bedside table, with all the other uneaten cafe sandwiches been brought to me over the past few days.

Lando has been on life support for the past 3 days and I've been sat here by his bedside for the entire time.

"You know, Ev. It wasn't that long ago he was in this same position with you" he attempts to lighten the situation. "He refused to leave your side either"

I nod my head heavy, failing to see anything positive at the moment.

"How about you go and have a shower or something, I'll stay here with him and let you know if anything changes" he suggests.

"I'm fine, Charles. I'm not leaving him" I push.

"Okay, okay" he holds his hands out in front of him in defence. "Can I get you anything then? how about I bring you some changes of clothes or something?"

"Thanks" I mutter, then I gasp out in pain, clenching onto my stomach.

"Ev?" He settles down next to me in concern, "Hey, are you okay?"

"I'm fine" I brush off, "It's nothing" I breath out again as another cramp comes in hot and heavy.

"How long have you been having pain for?" he asks.

"It's just started, I'm fine." I reassure.

"I'm going to go get a doctor" he announces.

"Charles, I said I'm fine okay. Leave it" I bark at him.

"Yeah, well when Lando wakes up out of this thing and you're not here to witness it, he's going to come after my head" he exaggerates.

I roll my eyes as he walks out the door, breathing through the next load of pain that occurs in the side of my stomach.

"You need to come back to me baby" I whisper to him, holding onto his hand with one of mine and holding onto our baby with the other. "I cannot do this without you"

Doctors had been in to visit every single day, and even Dr Armidale had flown in to have some extra sessions with me, all of them telling me to whilst it's good to remain positive, I needed to be realistic and prepare for what odds were favouring in his condition.

But I refused, I was not going to give up on him. Lando didn't give up on me, and he is so much stronger than I am. If I can pull out of this, of course he can.

"Ms Verstappen? How are you going in here?" a nurse asks as she walks through the door, Charles following closely behind her.

"I'm fine" I deadpan.

"How far along are you?" she asks, attaching the stethoscope into her ears and crossing into my direction.

I breath out, through another cramp, "nearly 37 weeks" I inform her.

She presses the stethoscope to my stomach one of side and then the other, "Okay, and Charles here says you've been having some pain?"

I glare at Charles, "I'm fine" I repeat again.

"I'd feel better if I could take you for an assessment, just let me check on a few things?" she suggests.

"I'd prefer to stay here actually, I'm fine I promise you, I think peanuts foot is just in my ribs." I lie.

"Ev, let the nurse have a look at you please" Charles begs.

"Charles, I need you to understand what I'm saying to you okay, I'm fine. I'll tell you if I think there is a problem, but right now, I'm staying here" I ordered.

Charles and the nurse exchange a look before shrugging at each other and the nurse excuses herself, Charles follows her out of the room.

Moments later he comes barging back in, "Ev, I'm not going to let you lose this baby as well"

"What do you mean 'as well'? Who else am I losing?" I shout back.

His eyes dart to Lando and I stand up immediately in defence.

"Don't" I warn, "don't you dare say it. I have not lost him. I will not lose him. He's going to be okay"

"Open your eyes, Evelyn. I get that it's impossible to let him go, but.."

I cut him off instantly, "You're right, it is impossible. So I'm not doing it."

"You'll keep him on life support forever then? That's no way for him to live" Charles boasts.

"At least he'll be with me" I bark back.

"No he won't, Evelyn. If Lando is simply just existing on this machine that's no way to live. That's no way for you to live. That's no way for peanut to know his father"

My chair scoots across the floor and falls back as I stand up to challenge him. "Don't you tell me what's going to be best for my child. OUR child" my head darts quickly toward Lando. "The only thing this baby needs is his mother and his father"

"Evelyn" his voice softens as he reaches out for me.

"I think you need to leave Charles. Sounds like you've already written Lando off" I hiss.

He backs away defeated, "Evelyn, I'm not writing him off, but I'm looking at the facts darling. And you need to prepare yourself."

I shake my head at him, "yeah, well you always said this was going to end in heartbreak, so I guess you can say you told me so"

"This isn't what I meant, Ev" he cries. "God, I wouldn't wish this upon anyone, let alone you"

I hold back the tears as I retrieve the chair to its proper position.

"I would never want to be right about something like this"