Title: Life After Love
Part: 1/1
Author: Wendy
Category: 98º
Rating: PG
Copyright: 1999
Wendy rushed into the hospital after following the ambulance all the way from the scene of the accident.
She had been driving in her BMW and her boyfriend of two years, Drew, was following behind her. He had surprised her at her work and then she decided to bring him to her house. Since she had her car at work already, they decided to just drive both of the cars. As she was driving along the highway, she glanced back every so often just to make sure Drew was following her. Keeping her eyes back on the road, Wendy turned on the radio in her car. Instantly, "I Do (Cherish You)" filled into her car. It was her song with Drew and she especially loved it when Drew would sing it to her. It was that moment that changed everything for her. She heard the honking noise behind her and as she glanced over at her rearview mirror, she saw a truck driving head-on into Drew’s car. She heard the screeching sounds of the truck’s tire, but it was unable to stop before crashing into Drew’s car. Wendy slammed on her brakes immediately as well and got out of the driver’s seat. She ran as fast as she could back to the site of the accident.
Back at the hospital, Wendy awaited for any kind of news outside of the emergency room. It was actually funny how she was in the hospital then and there since she was there just short half an hour earlier, working on her job when Drew stood outside of her unit. Burying her head into her hands, she prayed that Drew would be all right. She wiped away yet another tear that had dropped since the accident. She loved Drew with all her heart and soul and she knew that she wouldn’t be able to live without him. Working at the hospital, she knew that time was her and Drew’s enemy.
"Wendy?" she heard from her side.
Wendy looked up and saw one of her co-workers, Sam.
"Hey, Sam," Wendy sobbed as she wiped away her tears.
"What are you doing here?" Sam asked as she took the seat next to Wendy. "I thought that they got off a little while ago."
"Yeah, I did. Drew was coming over and then…" Wendy trailed off as she started to cry again.
"No…" Sam muttered under her breath.
"He…he got into an accident. Some truck hit him head-on out on Route 10. I’m just waiting to see what happens."
"I’m so sorry, sweetie," Sam leaned toward Wendy to hug her.
"Well, there’s not much that we can do now until they give us some news," Wendy sighed, resting her head against the wall on her back.
Sam and Wendy sat in silence in the waiting room.
"You should really go back," Wendy said after a little while.
Sam looked down at her watch. "Yeah, but if you need anything, just call upstairs."
Wendy tried to let out a small smile as Sam departed from the waiting room. Wendy was the only one that was left. Every minute seemed like hours and she was really frustrated at not knowing anything, not knowing if her one true love was going to be able to survive. She got up and went to get a cup of coffee in the corner of the waiting room. Her hand shook as she poured the coffee into the paper cup. Slowly, she walked back over to the chair that she had been in. There was no telling when she was going to get any news from the doctors. She just had to keep her faith and hope that there would be good news very soon.
After a little while, a couple of doctors went into the waiting room, in search of Wendy. Wendy’s eyes opened as she felt some presence in the room.
"Hi, I’m Wendy, Drew’s girlfriend?" Wendy said as she took out her hand.
"Yeah, hi," one of the doctors said and shook Wendy’s hand. "I’m Dr. Jonstone."
"And I’m Dr. Kamper," the other said.
"How’s Drew?" Wendy’s voice quivered as she spoke out loud.
"I’m sorry, but there isn’t any good news. He’s still in the ER, but he doesn’t have long," Dr. Jonstone said.
"Can I just see him?" Wendy said almost in a whisper.
"Yes, of course. He’s been asking for you ever since he got conscious," Dr. Kamper said. "I’m sorry, we did all we could."
Wendy gathered her breath and left the waiting room toward the emergency room. She approached Drew’s stretcher slowly, partly not wanting to see the state Drew was in. She took a chair and put it next to Drew’s bedside. Wendy’s hand intertwined around Drew’s and she felt a little squeeze from him.
Wendy just sat in her chair, not able to get a word out of her mouth although she really had a lot to tell Drew before it all ended. Drew looked into her brown eyes, with the tears sparkling against the light. He knew that he didn’t have long to look deep into her eyes again.
"Drew…" Wendy began as a tear fell from her eyes.
"Shh…I know that this isn’t supposed to be the way to go," Drew said slowly, "but that’s how it did go. I just want you to know that I love you."
"I love you too, Drew," Wendy cried. "Why can’t we be together?"
"We will, I promise. One of these days, we will. You see that ring there?" Drew turned to his left and looked at a velvet red ring box.
Wendy nodded.
"That was supposed to be for tonight. I love you so much and I just wanted to make you my wife."
Wendy cried uncontrollably. "Don’t leave me, Drew," she whispered.
"I love you so much and I want you to make me a promise."
Wendy nodded, waiting for Drew’s next words. She knew that she would do anything to keep the promise.
"Promise me…" Drew coughed a little. "Promise me that you will love someone as much as you’ve loved me. Someone else deserves to receive your love now. Promise me that you’ll love him back with all your heart and soul."
"I can’t do that, Drew," Wendy said. "I can never share my love for you for anyone else. I just can’t move on without you."
"Please, Wendy. I need to know that you’ll find happiness again. I love you so much and I can’t stand to see you in so much pain. I know that your love for me will never die, which is why I want you to promise me before I die. Please…will you promise me?"
"Yes," Wendy whispered. "I promise. I love you so much, Drew."
"I love you too," Drew whispered.
Wendy felt Drew’s grip release as all the machines went into a loud sound. She knew that it was the end for Drew. Wendy walked slowly out of the emergency room, and it hit her that it was all real. Realizing that she needed to call Drew’s family, Nick, Jeff and Justin, she walked over the phone. Her tears were pouring out so fast that she was unable to see the numbers that she was pressing.
‘I can’t do this,’ Wendy thought to herself.
"Hello?"
"Hi, Cate, this is Wendy," she said to Drew’s mom.
"Sweetie, is everything okay?"
"I’m sorry, but…but…" Wendy sobbed nervously. "Drew…he was in a bad accident today."
"Please don’t tell me. Is my baby okay?"
"I’m sorry."
"Sweetie, are you okay?"
"Yeah, I’ll be fine. I’m at the hospital now and I just wanted to get in touch with you first," Wendy said honestly.
"Let me go call everyone else. You go home, okay? Get some rest," Drew’s mother started to sob.
"Thanks, Cate. I’m really sorry," Wendy hung up.
Wendy walked out to the parking lot and went to her BMW. Her life had changed so much in the past few hours that she was still trying to take it all in. Sitting down on the leather seat of her car, she opened her purse and took out the ring box that she took before she left Drew. A diamond engagement ring shined to her as she cried again. She slipped the ring on her left ring finger and remembered all the good times she had with Drew. After a little while, she regained her composure and headed home, remembering the previous time she had driven on that highway.
Drew’s funeral was in a short couple of days. Fan letters had poured in, sending their condolences to 98 Degrees and their family. The funeral was a closed funeral with only close family members attending. The ceremony was short. Wendy had so much to share with everyone about Drew, but she was unable to give an eulogy because if she even tried remembering, she was going to be in tears again.
98 Degrees dispersed after Drew’s death because there just wasn’t a person who would be able to take Drew’s place and they just wanted to keep everything in Drew’s memory and not replace it. Fans against poured in the letters when the news was announced and they showed their tremendous support for Nick, Jeff and Justin, the remaining three. Before 98 Degrees dissolved, however, Nick, Jeff and Justin wrote a song in Drew’s memory, in which they all got to sing a verse in. It was recorded and was put out as a single, which became an instant hit. However, Nick, Jeff and Justin donated all the profit away because they didn’t want to make money off of Drew’s death.
Wendy had also sent in her resignation letter to the hospital just a short week after Drew’s death. As much as she knew her job had nothing to do with Drew’s death, she knew that she would feel a rush of nostalgia to Drew’s last moments whenever she would be in it. It was just all too painful for her to handle.
Staying out of work for nearly half a year, Wendy decided that it was for the best that she’d go back to New York with her parents. Everything around where she lived in Ohio was just a constant reminder of Drew and the love they had shared.
After getting more stable, Wendy took a new job. She would work in a small clinic as a doctor just near her house. She just really needed a fresh start to distant herself with her life in Ohio. She still kept in touch with Drew’s family and the others in Ohio, but it was long until they met again.
Working at work one day, Wendy noticed a name that was familiar to her on one of the patients’ charts. She couldn’t quite place who he was until she saw him.
"Eric?" Wendy exclaimed as she saw her old friend and crush from high school.
"Hi, Wendy," he smiled, which was one of his best features.
"How have you been?" Wendy asked.
"Good. You look great!" Eric said.
"Thanks," Wendy blushed a little. "Are you okay?"
"Well, I’ve had this cold for a little while and the Tylenol isn’t really working, so I thought that I’d come and see if things are okay," Eric explained.
"Let’s see…" Wendy said as she performed her usual duty.
"Thanks," Eric said as he was heading out.
"Just make sure that if anything else is wrong, you come back," Wendy said.
"Yeah," Eric smiled.
Just as Wendy was heading back to her office, Eric called out her name.
"Yeah?"
"Would you like to have dinner with me tonight?"
"Well…" Wendy thought for a moment.
"It doesn’t have to be anything serious, it’s just for old time sakes," he stated clearly.
"Yeah, sure," Wendy said. "I guess I’ll see you later."
"Yeah, I’ll come pick you up here at around seven, okay?"
"Sure," Wendy replied and left back to her office.
She looked at the framed picture of Drew sitting on her desk. She looked up to the ceiling as if she could see Drew.
"I made you a promise to you, Drew, and I will keep it," she said out loud, knowing that Drew had heard what she said.