Confronting the Darkness
Part 16
A few minutes later, the door to Ashley's hospital room burst open, and her father stormed in, his face red with anger. Ashley's eyes widened in fear as he approached her bedside, his voice booming through the room. "You stupid, selfish girl!" he yelled, his words cutting deep into Ashley's already fragile heart. "How could you do something so reckless? What were you thinking?" Ashley felt a wave of shame and regret wash over her as she looked down, unable to meet her father's gaze. "Dad, I'm sorry," she whispered, her voice barely audible. But her father's anger only intensified. "Sorry?" he spat, his voice dripping with disgust. "You're sorry? You're sorry for putting me through this? For worrying me sick? For being so selfish and stupid?" Ashley's eyes welled up with tears as she felt a lump form in her throat. "No, Dad, I'm sorry," she cried, her voice cracking with emotion. "Please don't say that." But her father was beyond consolation. He took a step closer to Ashley, his face twisted in anger, and grabbed onto her arm. "I'm so disappointed in you, Ashley," he said, his voice shaking with rage. "I don't even know who you are anymore." The nurse quickly intervened, pulling Ashley's father away from her bedside. "Mr. Jenkins, please," she said firmly, her voice calm but authoritative. "Let me take care of Ashley. You need to calm down." But Ashley's father was beyond reason. He struggled against the nurse's grip, his eyes still blazing with anger. "Let me go!" he shouted, his voice echoing through the hospital room. "I want to talk to my daughter!" The nurse held firm, her expression unyielding. "I'm not going to let you hurt her anymore, Mr. Jenkins," she said firmly. "You need to take a step back and calm down. We'll talk to you when you're ready to have a rational conversation." As the nurse pulled Ashley's father away from her bedside, Ashley felt a mix of emotions: relief, guilt, and sadness. She knew she had let her father down, and it hurt her deeply. But she also knew she needed his love and support now more than ever. As she watched her father disappear from view, Ashley felt a sense of despair wash over her. She was trapped in a nightmare, and she didn't know how to wake up.