CHAPTER 2:

Tristan heard from Drayven that he is in the hospital for a week now. He doesn’t know if he will be happy that he survives that accident after the thought of losing Danica. He still can’t understand why he was alive even though he was the driver. He doesn’t want to lose his wife, yet it happened.

“Where is Danica, now? Do your family—” He can’t finish his words. A tear suddenly falls on his cheeks. “How stupid to feel that I am crying even though I am blind. I wonder where these tears coming from,” he added.

Drayven can’t look at him. Tristan maybe can’t see what is his reaction right now as Drayven sees how he suffers from the effect of the accident. But Drayven can’t just tell him he is sad for him or for what happened with his sister. He was hurt too, of course, he is, but he knows that telling it won’t help his friend to feel better.

“It’s been a week, TJ. Danica is… she is…” Drayven stops himself from crying. “…already buried. My parents only let her have visitors for three days. They don’t want to see their daughter in that condition any longer.”

Tristan nodded. He lost his words again as if he had something left to say after hearing that his wife leaves him forever but can’t find the courage to say it. He missed the chance to see his wife until her last day, and he is blaming himself because he takes too long to wake up causing him to fail to at least say goodbye and sorry to Danica. He has many words to say to her, but he failed to tell Danica what is it… he failed to be a good husband until the end.

But on second thought, he knows that even if he had the chance to visit Danica for her funeral, he still can’t see her… he can’t have the last moment to see her face before she could be buried. It’s hard for him to mourn because he can’t accept his situation. He lost everything.

“Did your parents visit me here?” Tristan asked.

Drayven loses his words too. He still doesn’t know how he will tell his best friend and brother-in-law about what happened when he is unconscious. It was a painful story, and that’s why he is finding a good way how he will explain it to Tristan.

“Tristan,” Drayven reaches him. “I think you need to take a rest—”

“They didn’t come to visit me, right? I know, why would they visit the man who killed their daughter?”

His friend got no words to say anymore, he doesn’t want to cause Tristan to hurt more. But Drayven knows that he needs to say something to at least give his friend encouragement to continue his life after what happened, that’s what he needs for now.

“Let them do what they think is right, bro. What is the important matter here is you are alive and you can continue living. I know you’re hurt physically and emotionally, but I am certain that eventually, those pains will go away in no time. Just believe in yourself.”

Tristan knows his friend so well; he maybe can’t see his face or reaction but he is sure as well that Drayven only trying to cheer him up like he always did every time he fell down, especially when he and Danica fights. He sees himself as lucky for still having his best friend on his side after what happened.

“I know at some point, you want me to ask some questions,” Tristan says as if he ignores what his friend told him. “Why to give it a try to spill?” he added.

He is right, Drayven has many questions in his mind. When he heard the news about the accident that his sister and best friend were involved in, he immediately asked himself: ‘Why did I let him marry my sister? Why he didn’t get extra careful on driving? Because if he did, that accident won’t happen. Why in all people, it has to be them to be in this kind of situation?’ But he knows blaming his brother-in-law won’t change anything. What is done, is done.

Drayven stares at Tristan as he clenched his fist. The question drives him to get mad at his blind friend as he wants to punch his face for what he did. But luckily, he can control himself… he may be hurt by his loss, but he still doesn’t want to lose Tristan as well.

“I just want to ask: Why not try to act like yourself again? I understand you are hurt, so we are. And to be honest with you; I want to sue you for what you’ve done to her. But I can’t because according to the investigation, it was an accident, you did nothing wrong. So, I don’t need to ask you anything… I just want you to grant my request that you should continue living your life and treat it like Danica gave it to you. Treasure your life, bro.”

Hearing it directly from Drayven made it deeper than it used to be as if his friend wants him to realize what he can get if he will continue his life. Tristan felt Drayven’s angst against him, but at the same time, his sincerity with his words. He doesn’t know how he suddenly notices his friend’s feelings from his way of speaking; as if there is something inside him—like an instinct—dictating to him what those words mean.

“Thank you and I’m sorry, bro. You are a true friend of mine, I can’t make it this far if you didn’t stay by my side,” Tristan answered.

Drayven chuckled. “Hey, I only reminded you of the common things you need to do. But don’t forget that you’re still in bed, you didn’t do anything yet to move forward.”

As Tristan heard his laugh, he knew that they were both fine with each other. So, he smiles and tries to act normal again. “Bro, can I ask you a favor? Can you please tell my parents that I am now awake?”

He expects a response from Drayven, but he never expects what he heard from his friend. “Bro, since you got in here, they never visited you too. I don’t know why, but don’t worry, I’ll try my best to contact them for you.”