Scattered Pieces of His Heart, chapter 2
Adrienne was now on the highway, with her two boys sitting silently. The ringing of Adie's cell phone broke the silence.
"Hello?"
"Adrienne, its Mike."
"Yeah?"
"It's about Billie... "
***
Before long, Joey and Jakob were at a friend's and Adrienne was sitting next to Billie's bed in the hospital. Thick bandages covered his wrists and head, and an IV was inserted at the bend of his arm. Adrienne's eyes were dry, however, as she looked at the state of her husband. The doctor had explained earlier that Billie Joe had cut his wrists with a butcher knife, and hit his head on the edge of the counter as he fell down. A Mr. Wright had found him and brought him in. He had lost a fair amount of blood, but he would be okay. Adrienne stayed by her husband for hours, never letting go of his hand.
***
Early in the morning, Billie opened his eyes. Adrienne was still holding his hand, even though she was asleep in a chair.
"... Adie?" Billie whispered.
Adrienne woke up. "How are you feeling?"
"What are you... The note... I thought you left... "
"I could never leave you, Billie," Adrienne said as tears formed in her eyes.
"Don't cry," Billie reached up slowly and wiped a tear off his wife's cheek that had escaped.
"Why? Why did you do it?" Adrienne's voice was shaky.
"I... I wanted to die... "
"No. Don't say that."
"It was the worst feeling... I felt so empty and alone, like there was nothing... "
"But you're not alone. You're never alone."
"I thought you left... To find something better... "
"Stop it," Adie pleaded.
"Adrienne, I thought you left me. I thought you took our kids and left. I thought there was nothing for me."
"Billie, you're scaring me," Tears were now falling freely from Adrienne's eyes.
"Adie, you and the kids are my life, and I thought you took that away from me. I saw no reason to live... "
"Billie Joe," Adrienne gasped as she stood up, letting go of his hand for the first time. "Stop saying that. Tell me it's not true."
Billie Joe looked deep into his wife's eyes and said nothing. Adrienne stared back for a few long seconds before leaving the hospital room in shock.
"Hello?"
"Adrienne, its Mike."
"Yeah?"
"It's about Billie... "
***
Before long, Joey and Jakob were at a friend's and Adrienne was sitting next to Billie's bed in the hospital. Thick bandages covered his wrists and head, and an IV was inserted at the bend of his arm. Adrienne's eyes were dry, however, as she looked at the state of her husband. The doctor had explained earlier that Billie Joe had cut his wrists with a butcher knife, and hit his head on the edge of the counter as he fell down. A Mr. Wright had found him and brought him in. He had lost a fair amount of blood, but he would be okay. Adrienne stayed by her husband for hours, never letting go of his hand.
***
Early in the morning, Billie opened his eyes. Adrienne was still holding his hand, even though she was asleep in a chair.
"... Adie?" Billie whispered.
Adrienne woke up. "How are you feeling?"
"What are you... The note... I thought you left... "
"I could never leave you, Billie," Adrienne said as tears formed in her eyes.
"Don't cry," Billie reached up slowly and wiped a tear off his wife's cheek that had escaped.
"Why? Why did you do it?" Adrienne's voice was shaky.
"I... I wanted to die... "
"No. Don't say that."
"It was the worst feeling... I felt so empty and alone, like there was nothing... "
"But you're not alone. You're never alone."
"I thought you left... To find something better... "
"Stop it," Adie pleaded.
"Adrienne, I thought you left me. I thought you took our kids and left. I thought there was nothing for me."
"Billie, you're scaring me," Tears were now falling freely from Adrienne's eyes.
"Adie, you and the kids are my life, and I thought you took that away from me. I saw no reason to live... "
"Billie Joe," Adrienne gasped as she stood up, letting go of his hand for the first time. "Stop saying that. Tell me it's not true."
Billie Joe looked deep into his wife's eyes and said nothing. Adrienne stared back for a few long seconds before leaving the hospital room in shock.
