Waiting For A Broken Heart

Tanika sighed as she looked out the window. Another rainy day in Coffs, she thought. She held her book out in front of her, struggling to focus on the small writing. It wasn't that she couldn't see, it was just that it was five thirty in the morning and she had been up all night, waiting.1

Waiting for the storm to pass.2

Waiting for the nurse to call.3

Waiting for her heart to be broken.4

Tanika had been waiting the day before too, but for something much more joyful. Her fiancee Adam was flying back from Sydney to see her and had a surprise for her, he had told her. Tanika was now aching with guilt for not going to pick him up from the airport.5

"Let me pick you up, please?"Tanika had begged Adam.6

"No!I'm coming to you, with your present.Just be ready for me, ok?"Tanika could hear the smile on his face as he spoke, and she smiled to herself too.7

"Are you sure?I really really don't mind getting you!"8

"I'm sure!Please, just calm down, relax, put on some music, nice clothes, and be waiting for me."9

"Oh fine..."10

Tanika placed the phone back on the hook, and rushed to her bedroom to change into the dress Adam had bought her on their one year anniversary.11

After an hour, Tanika began to worry. It shouldn't have taken Adam that long to get back in a taxi. She kept telling herself little reasons why he might be late; maybe he had stopped for a coffee, maybe he couldn't get a taxi...the list went on.12

Finally, she couldn't take it anymore. Settling into a chair by the window, she dialled Adam's cell phone number.13

"Come on, pick up, pick up!"Tanika was really worried now, Adam never screened her calls. Never, not even when he was in a work meeting. She always came first in his life, Adam had told her that himself. Tanika sat for a while, waiting for Adam to return the call, until she finally dozed off.14

When Tanika woke up, it was ten minutes past midnight, and there were no messages on her phone. She made her way to the kitchen and turned the jug on. As she reached up to find the tea bags, Tanika heard a knock at the door. Anxious to see Adam's face, she ran to the door, only to find that it was not Adam looking back at her.15

Tanika's heart sank as she faced the two police officers that had come to her door. She knew it was about Adam, what else could it be?16

"Miss Tanika Ellem?"asked the larger of the two policemen.17

"Yes, officer, is something wrong?"Such a stupid question, she thought, I already know the answer.18

"May we come in?"19

"Yes...of course...sir, is this...is this about my fiancee?Adam Jones?"20

"Yes Miss Ellem, I'm afraid so."21

The two policeman sat down on the couch, and Tanika sat on her chair by the window.22

"Miss Ellem, your fiancee, Adam, was in a hit and run accident earlier this evening. He's now in a serious condition at the hospital. We're not sure he's going to make it."23

Tanika took a deep breath, and looked back at the policemen.24

"Can you please take me to the hospital?I...I don't know if I'm up for driving"25

At the hospital it was hours before Tanika was allowed in to see Adam, and even then it was only for a few brief minutes. He was being taken in to surgery. He did not look good, although he had been cleaned up, there was still blood coming through the sheets and from his head.26

So now Tanika was waiting in the hospital waiting room for someone to bring her the news, good or bad. The book in her hand was a novel adaptation of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, a book she had read maybe hundreds of times. It was her favourite love story, and had always been.27

"Miss Ellem," Tanika jumped at the sound of her name, and turned to see a small woman walking towards her.Her stomach tightened with anxiety. "Miss Ellem, I'm so sorry. We did all that we could to save him." Tanika just nodded. She couldn't even say thank you. She just wanted to fall into a black hole and be gone forever, like her darling Adam.28

The hospital was quiet, and no-one saw Tanika leave her spot by the window. No-one saw her walk out into the on-coming traffic. 29

And all Tanika could see was Adam's face, smiling at her, his voice calling her name. She stepped towards him willingly, Romeo and Juliet in hand.