Chapter 6
Maggie drove me to the hospital.
On the way, Maggie was cursing up a storm as she drove.
"Did a dog eat his brain and his conscience? No way, Buddy's not taking the fall for this," Maggie grumbled.
I leaned against the car window.
"Maggie," I said.
"Yeah?" she replied.
"The wedding's off," I said.
Maggie was stunned.
"For real?" she asked.
"Yeah," I replied.
"What about the clients?" Maggie asked.
"I'll cover it," I said.
Maggie was quiet for a long time.
"You should've called it off way earlier. The wedding's already gone to hell. What are you even trying to show? Just showing off how thick-skinned those two are?" she finally said.
*****
In the hospital hallway, William was standing just outside the room.
As soon as William spotted me, he rushed over, looking tense.
"Hand me your phone," William demanded.
I stared at him.
"Why should I?" I shot back.
"If you hang on to those videos, it's just going to mess Emily up even more," William said, his voice tight.
"So what?" I shot back.
"Delete them," William demanded.
I took a step back.
"William, you want me to delete the evidence that she destroyed my wedding dress?" I shot back.
He rubbed his temples, looking exhausted.
"I'll compensate you," he said.
"With what?" I shot back.
"A new wedding dress, a new embroidered patch, anything you want, just say the word," William said.
I stared at him.
"All I want is my mom back," I said.
He couldn't say a word.
The door to the hospital room opened.
Emily sat on the bed, and the moment she saw me, her tears started falling.
"Sophie, I know you'll never forgive me," Emily choked out.
William turned around.
"Why did you get out of bed?" he asked, his voice full of concern.
Emily stood barefoot in the doorway, barely holding herself together, looking like she could collapse at any moment.
"Please, don't fight because of me. I'll go apologize to her, even if I have to kneel and beg," Emily said, her voice trembling.
I watched her, barefoot, standing on the freezing floor.
She always used to complain about the cold.
But now, even with the floor icy under her feet, she didn't seem to care at all.
William scooped her up and gently set her back on the bed.
"Just leave it to me," he said.
Emily grabbed his sleeve.
"William, am I a bad person?" she asked, her voice trembling.
William's voice was barely above a whisper.
"No. You're just sick," he said softly.
I stood in the doorway, my fingers curling tighter and tighter into fists.
Emily looked at me.
"Sophie, don't blame him for this. I was the one who told him not to go after you when you left. I was scared that if he walked out, I'd feel trapped in that wedding nightmare all over again," Emily said, her voice shaking.
"So just because you're scared, you get to sacrifice my life for your own fears?" I shot back.
Emily's eyes were swimming with tears.
"I didn't." she whispered, her voice barely audible.
William stepped in front of me, blocking my way.
"Do you really have to push her to confess right here in the hospital room?" he said, his voice tight with frustration.
"Admit she were the one who cut the wedding dress," I demanded.
"Come on, Sophie, she's already apologized," William said.
"Admit you were the one who made her cut it," I demanded, my voice icy.
William's face went pale in an instant.
Emily just stared at him, looking completely lost.
"William..." she whispered, her voice barely audible.
I pulled out my phone and tapped the screen.
William lunged for my phone.
Maggie rushed over and stepped in front of me, blocking his way.
"Really? A grown man scrambling for a phone, have you no shame?" Maggie shot back.
William gritted his teeth.
"This is our business," he said.
Maggie lifted her chin, her eyes blazing.
"Your so-called 'private business' is stealing from Sophie's pocket, taking scissors to her wedding dress, and playing the loving couple in her studio. Say 'your business' one more time and I'll shout it so everyone on this floor hears you," Maggie snapped.
People in the hallway stopped in their tracks.
William's face turned livid.
Suddenly, Emily clutched her chest, gasping for air.
"Please, stop fighting I can't take it anymore..." she gasped, her voice barely audible.
William immediately turned around.
"Doctor!" he shouted.
The hospital room was in total chaos.
I stood in the doorway, watching as William held Emily in his arms, like she was the most precious thing in the world, something he thought he'd lost forever, finally back where she belonged.
As he passed by me, he lowered his voice.
"Sophie, I'm begging you, just delete the footage for now. She really can't take any more."
I looked up at him.
"And what about me?" I asked.
He stopped in his tracks.
"Don't keep comparing yourself to her," William said.
I nodded.
"Understood," I replied.
He was just about to breathe a sigh of relief.
I slipped my phone back into my bag.
"Then I won't compare myself to her anymore," I said.