Ten Years Ago
It was a cold stormy night, and the road was covered in a thin sheet of ice. Melinda doesn’t really remember what happened, but her nurse, Sarah, recalls what she was told.
Melinda and her husband had gotten into a car accident. And even though Marco, her husband, walked away with a few scratches, Melinda was in critical condition.
Consequences Of The Wait
She had a few broken bones, a head injury, and internal bleeding but had to wait for the medical team to arrive at the scene. It took some time because of the weather, and that didn’t work out too well for Melinda.
Because of the wait, her condition became worse, and in the end, there was only one thing the doctors could do to save her.
Medically Induced Coma
Melinda’s brain started swelling because of the accident, and her doctors had no choice but to put her into a medically induced coma. They had to get the swelling down so they could perform the necessary surgeries.
Little did they know that their decision would affect the rest of her life.
One Surgery After Another
The doctors performed multiple surgeries to fix the internal damage caused by the accident. The surgeries were only considered a success because Melinda survived them.
And Melinda was kept in a medically induced coma so her body could recover. But that wasn’t the end of her tragic experience. The worst was still to come.
Trying To Wake Her Up
Everything seemed to be going well, and the doctors decided that the time had come for them to wake Melinda. That was when things started going wrong.
Melinda didn’t show any signs of waking up. The only thing the doctors could do was wait, but the hours ticked by, and her condition didn’t change.
A Long Wait
The doctors waited and waited, but it was clear that there was nothing more they could do. They just had to wait for Melinda to wake up on her own.
Hours turned into days. Days turned to months, and pretty soon, years had gone by. Melinda was alone in a room, and it seemed that everyone had given up on her.
All But Forgotten
Everyone, including the medical personnel, gave up on the hope that Melinda would ever wake up again. But they still took care of her.
Unfortunately, her family wasn’t willing to do the same. After a while, they stopped visiting, and the nurses were the only ones who still came and went.
No Idea Who’s Paying
There was someone, though. A person lurking in the shadows was paying Melinda’s medical bills every month. The newer staff at the hospital thought it was her family, but when questioned, they all said that it wasn’t them.
Then the newer staff members thought it might’ve been Marco, but Sarah knew better.
It Wasn’t Her Husband
It was logical to assume that Marco was paying since he survived the accident that put his wife in the condition she was in. But people like Sarah, who were there when Melinda was brought in, quickly squashed those assumptions.
They had seen the man in person and knew that he didn’t care about his wife.
Speaking To Her Family
When Melinda’s family was still coming around, Sarah used to sit down with them and ask them questions about the patient.
Most of them didn’t want to say anything, but after a while, someone did start opening up. Seeing the condition Melinda was in, her sister decided to speak up. And she told Sarah everything she knew.
What They Had To Say
Melinda’s sister talked about the struggles the young woman faced. And from what she said, it was clear to see that Marco wasn’t the sweet man he pretended to be.
There was a dark side to him. A side he tried to hide from the world. But sometimes, that side came through and showed in front of her family members, particularly her sister.
A Bad Man
From what her family had seen, Marco was a very bad man. He had severe anger issues, and that was without mentioning the fact that he was hanging with all the wrong crowds.
There were instances where her family was truly afraid of the man she had married. But they didn’t want to interfere with her decisions. If only they knew what that meant.
An Even Worse Husband
Melinda’s sister knew the truth, though. Her sister often told her the tales of what was going on behind closed doors.
She knew that Marco wasn’t only a bad man. He was an even worse husband, and that was what frightened her the most. But up until that point, she was vague when it came to details. What did she really know?
But Why?
Even after Sarah got all that information, she was still confused. She was concerned about the fact that Melinda’s family didn’t do anything to stop this.
And she could tell that they were still keeping things from her. So she kept pushing for answers. Unfortunately, they weren’t the answers she was expecting. The truth was so much worse.
He Was Keeping Secrets
Melinda had always known her husband was keeping secrets. It was evident since the day he moved to town.
Marco refused to talk about the life he had before coming to town. It went so far that he even refused to mention his parents. His past was a secret that nobody around him knew about.
One Excuse After Another
Whenever Melinda asked to be introduced to his family, he would come up with an excuse, and it happened more often than not. It bothered Melinda, but she still loved the man and was willing to put up with it.
But that changed after they decided to start a family. It changed because he changed.
She Wanted A Divorce
When Melinda was unable to conceive, Marco started becoming mentally and emotionally abusive toward her.
He was furious with the fact that she couldn’t have children and was taking it out on her every chance he got. That was when Melinda decided she had had enough. She told her friends that she wanted a divorce.
Assumed A Fight Caused The Accident
Because of that, her family and friends always assumed that the accident happened because the couple was having an argument. With what they saw that day, it was easy to believe.
Marco had scratches along his arm, and even though they could’ve happened during the accident, they could also have happened during a fight. Melinda could’ve scratched him in an attempt to get away.
He Didn’t Care
The nurses also got a strange vibe from him while he was getting treated that day. He was very rude and demanding when he came in, and they instantly started disliking him because of that. But that wasn’t all.
Marco never once asked how his wife was doing, and on his way out, he just had a quick glance into her room.
It Didn’t Make Sense
Less than a month later, one of the nurses saw Marco at a restaurant with another woman. So the older staff members knew for a fact that he wasn’t the one paying Melinda’s medical bills.
But if it wasn’t her family or her husband, then who was it? Who was the mysterious person that had been paying her medical bills month after month for all those years?
Rumors Started Spreading
After that story came out, the rumors spread like wildfire. Everyone had their own version of the story, and they came up with different conclusions.
For the first couple of weeks, it was all the nurses were talking about. And Sarah just couldn’t stand it anymore. They were talking about a woman who was in a coma. She deserved a little more respect than that.
She Tried Her Best
Sarah tried everything to stop the nurses from spreading rumors, especially when they were in or near the patient’s room.
And for a little while, it worked. But a few months later, Marco pulled yet another stunt, and this one couldn’t be ignored. It was like he was pouring fuel on the fire that was raging outside his wife’s door.
A Few Months Later
The nurses had heard a couple of interesting things revolving around the man who couldn’t care less about his wife. One was that he was filing for a divorce and that he wanted everything the couple shared.
The second was that the divorce was brought forth because he planned on getting married to a much younger woman.
There Was Nothing She Could Do
When she heard that, Sarah tried everything to stop him. If he wanted to divorce a woman who had been in a coma for years, he had the right to do so.
But taking everything she owned because she wasn’t able to defend herself just wasn’t fair. He couldn’t just leave her without a cent to her name.
Doing Some Extra Research
But since she wasn’t a direct relative, there was nothing Sarah could do. So she turned to the internet with the hope that she could find something—anything to stop Marco from ruining his wife’s life any more than he already did.
She searched for everything she could think of. Melinda’s family. Her sponsor. The people that were at the scene of the accident.
She Couldn’t Find Anything
However, the caring nurse couldn’t find anything. After countless hours of endless searching, she had nothing more than what she had started out with.
Little did she know that things were about to take a drastic turn. If there was one person that could stop Marco, it was Melinda. And she was planning on doing just that.
Not Even A Trace
There was no trace of anyone except for the family members Sarah had already met. And she knew for a fact that none of them would go up against Marco. But that wasn’t what had her fascinated.
According to police reports, the accident involved three people. Yet no one knew who the third person actually was.
Who Was It?
Sarah tried everything to find out what happened that night, but the police weren’t very forthcoming. They admitted that a third person was involved and that they knew who it was.
However, that person requested to remain anonymous, so there was no way the police department could provide her with any more information. What she got was the most they could give.
Twenty Years Had Passed
Sarah continued her search, and as she did, twenty years passed. She was reaching her retirement age, and the woman who was brought in when she was just a student was still in a coma.
Marco got remarried and had three children with his new wife. Melinda’s family moved on. But Sarah stuck by her side, hoping things would change.
No Hope Left
Everyone lost hope. They all just assumed that she would never recover, and for a moment there, the doctors considered just letting her go.
It had already been 20 years since they had induced that coma. And they frankly didn’t believe things would ever change. If only they knew how wrong they truly were. Melinda was a fighter, and she wasn’t about to give up.
One Day
Sarah’s retirement crept closer, so she decided to do the only thing that was still within her power. Before her shift ended, she sat down next to Melinda and started praying.
That was when something extraordinary happened. Melinda’s heart rate monitor was going wild. All her vital signs seemed to have shot through the roof. Was this it?
Everything Changed
Sarah called every doctor and nurse she could find. Melinda was mumbling incoherently. Her fingers started moving. Her toes were wiggling.
It looked like she was snapping out of it. But was she really? Or were those just symptoms of something far more troubling? Was she going to be okay? Or was Sarah making herself believe something that wasn’t real?
Strong Vital Signs
Melinda’s vital signs stabilized, and they were stronger than they had been in years. Her blood pressure had spiked to a normal rate. Her blood oxygen levels had returned to normal.
It was clear that this was more than just a silly belief. If things continued at the rate they were going, she’d be awake in no time. But would they continue?
Reaction To Those Around Her
The doctors started talking to Melinda. They were telling her to squeeze their fingers, and after a few failed attempts, she did exactly that.
They shone a light in her eyes, and her pupils not only dilated, but she was also following the movement. They encouraged her to talk, and even though she couldn’t get that far, she did manage to mumble.
Working As Fast As They Could
Seeing that she was responding as well as she could, the doctors jumped into action. They did everything they could to help move the process along so she could get to the point where she was fully awake.
They moved as fast as they could. But there was only so much they could do. The rest was up to Melinda.
Her Eyes Opened
After all their effort, the doctors and nurses stood back, hoping that the day had finally come. They were ready to send their patient on her way, but before they could do that, she had to respond.
At first, all signs of life faded back into the abyss. But when Sarah took her hand and whispered in her ear, her eyes opened.
Later That Night
Melinda had returned to her old self, and the doctors couldn’t be happier. They’d have to monitor her for a few days, but as far as they were concerned, she was good to go.
That night Sarah decided to do a double shift just so she could take care of Melinda. And she was in for a massive surprise.
Touching Confession
As Sarah brought Melinda a bottle of water, the patient asked if they could chat. Sarah was feeling anxious. How could she possibly tell Melinda what Marco had done?
Sarah agreed, and that was when Melinda said something that caught her completely off guard. “Thank you for keeping me company for all those years. You were the only one who truly cared.”
Someone Came
Tears formed in Sarah’s eyes, but before she could respond, a silhouette appeared at the door. There was a man approximately Melinda’s age, and he was holding a bunch of flowers. But it wasn’t anyone Sarah knew.
Who was he? And why on earth didn’t Sarah see him before? “Hello, Melinda,” the man said as his lips curled into a smile. “It’s good to see that you’re finally awake.”
It Was Him
Melinda was just as confused as Sarah was, but the man quickly clarified the situation. He was the mysterious stranger that had been paying her medical bills for the last 20 years.
“Why?” Melinda asked, even though her voice was trembling as much as her body. “Why would a stranger take care of me when my family didn’t?”
His Story
The stranger took a seat at the edge of the bed and started telling his story. It was true. To Melinda, he was nothing more than a stranger.
But to him, she meant the world. Even though they had never met, he felt it was his duty to take care of her. But why was that? What made her so special?
The Victim
Gareth, as the man introduced himself, was the third person involved in the accident. He was riding his bicycle that night, and his brakes failed just before he hit the road.
He tried to stop, but it was already too late. He had already entered the road, and it didn’t matter what the driver did. He simply couldn’t stop in time.
Feeling Incredibly Guilty
Gareth blamed himself for what had happened that night. And when he found out what had happened to Melinda, he was riddled with guilt.
He felt terrible for being the reason why she ended up in the hospital, and that guilt had only grown over the years. It became so bad that he couldn’t even visit her when he wanted to.
The Least He Could Do
He tried to see her once, but that was right in the beginning, and she was busy undergoing surgery. So he did the only thing he could do.
He headed to the hospital finance office and took over all her bills. He didn’t care how much it would cost or how long it would take. He just wanted them to make sure that she was going to survive.
Why Now?
That was also the reason he decided to show his face a few hours after she woke up. The hospital had kept him updated on her condition for the 20 years she had been there. And after she woke up, they left him a message.
Sadly he was in a meeting and only got the message when he finished. But he came as soon as he could.