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“Yes, we’re taking their statements, so I can let you know.”
The nurse comes in and tells me that they’ll be bringing CJ up to me in a little while. Apparently, he’s a hit in the ER. I feel guilty, though, because with all my worrying about CJ, I’ve asked little about Chase.
“Do you have any news about Chase Pearce?”
She smiles sympathetically. “He’s being brought to his room as we speak. He required surgery for his cheekbone and orbital socket since he took a pretty hard hit. And he has a concussion, but he’s recovering now.”
“Does he know about our son?”
“Since he’s still in recovery, probably not.”
“Thank you.”
She leaves the room, and I wait with anticipation to see my baby, but I’m wracked with horrible thoughts. Neither Chase nor I could protect him from a mad man with a vendetta. Forty-five minutes later, I’m trying not to doze off when they bring CJ to me. I’ve never been happier to see anyone. He looks fine except some redness in his cheeks and nose. He cries and swings his limbs, but I do my best to soothe him by kissing and whispering to him. He falls asleep in my arms.
The only saving grace is that I hope CJ is too young to remember the horrible events that took place. Maybe one day I’ll tell him, but it’s a decision that I’ll readily hold off on making until he gets older.
The next time I’m awakened, it’s once again the nurse to check on me since I’m on concussion protocol. CJ is no longer in my arms, and I panic, searching around.
“Megan, he’s right here,” the nurse says.
CJ is quietly sleeping in a crib near my bed. After she leaves, I watch his little chest rise and fall. I start to get weepy thinking about what he must have gone through. The new day is starting to dawn, and I can see cracks of dark blue coming through the partially open Venetian blinds.
Lexi should be here soon with whoever she is coming with. I still have no information about Chase other than his injuries. I hope he’s alright. I want him to know that I don’t blame him for what Barrett did. We let our guard down, and we paid for it, almost with our lives.
I fall back into an uneasy sleep and wake to Lexi touching my shoulder. She’s with JC and Emma.
She looks troubled. “Why didn’t you call to let us know they found CJ? We were worried, sick.”
“I’m sorry. So much has happened over the past few hours.”
I tell everyone the story about where and how CJ was found. Lexi and Emma immediately start crying, and JC looks pretty close to doing so himself.
“That bastard left a baby out in the woods to die? Who would do such a horrible thing?” JC spits.
“Barrett mentioned something about a pact with Chase. I don’t have all the details. I haven’t been able to talk to him since they brought us to the hospital.”
They ask about him, and I relay the extent of his injuries.
“Do you know how Barrett got into the house?” Lexi questions.
“I don’t know. By the time I got inside, Barrett had already knocked Chase out. He came to for a few minutes, but Barrett hit him again. I thought he killed him.” My words catch in my throat. “I thought he was going to kill me. He kept saying that CJ would be at peace.”
Lexi rubs my arm as I try to keep going, but I can’t. Soon, we’re all-enveloping each other with a hug.
“Are mom and dad coming?” I ask through hiccups.
“They aren’t back from Florida yet. We tried to call them but got no answer. I’ll try in an hour or two.”
“I don’t want them coming here. They can wait until I get home.”
“Megan, why not?” Lexi says, pulling away.
“I don’t want them to think of me as a horrible mother.”
“How could you think they would say that?”
“Remember when mom found out I was pregnant? She said that I wasn’t mature enough to be a mother. She said I was too busy having fun.”
