AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Brow furrowing, I shook my head slightly, “My—mybrother?”
“Hayes,” she answered, causing me to jerk away in surprise.
Before I could ask all the questions, Oaklynn rushed over, interrupting us, with the other two women beside her. “Who’re you talking to? Is that Raina? Is she okay?”
I nodded. “Yeah. She’s back. They must’ve been able to revive her.”
“Oh, thank God.”
As the three girls hugged, Raina ignored them, too busy watching me from tearstained eyes.
“You didn’t tell me about Kinsey,” she accused. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I…” I shook my head. “I didn’t know how. I didn’t want to hurt you.”
She stared without forgiveness. “You should’ve told me.”
“I’m sorry. I thought it would be better coming from Oaklynn. She’s your friend. She could have comforted you, but then she couldn’t see you, and Keene just blurted it out before I could figure out what to do next.”
“I didn’t even get to see her,” she said in a hollow voice. “Hayes told me she was there. She was with my mom. But I didn’t get to see either of them.”
“I’m so sorry,” I repeated. My chest started to go tight, and anxiety flooded my veins. “I’m sorry.”
Before Raina could answer, a doctor stepped into the waiting room, asking for the Bollen family.
As the others surged forward to hear all the medical jargon about what they’d had to do to save her, I stayed back with Raina.
She sank into a chair and hugged herself, crying openly. “I can’t believe she’s gone. She’s really gone.”
When the doctor told us we could go back to visit her, Damien glanced at me questioningly.
I waved him on. “Go ahead. I’ll be there in a bit.” Then I sank into the chair next to Raina and waited.
She cried for a couple of minutes before wiping her face with both hands. Then she stood with purpose and changed her outfit into a yellow, sunflower-themed dress and sandals. “Okay, I’m ready.”
I nodded and stood silently, walking with her as we returned to her body. Oaklynn and Jaylani had stationed themselves on either side of the bed, each holding one of Raina’s hands. A machine let out a steady beep, and her breathing machine hissed and pumped.
Raina went to the end of the bed and looked at her body for a moment before she retreated to the side chair and settled down, looking extra small as she hugged herself and stared sightlessly up at the heart monitor machine.
Time passed from there. Damien and the girls talked in hushed tones around Raina’s bedside, and I found a clear spot on the wall to lean against while Raina’s spirit remained in the chair, mourning.
When the others left, I bobbed my head at them in farewell but then motioned toward the chair, letting them know I was going to stay awhile.
Raina needed a minute.
Nurses came in and checked her vitals, shifts changed, and when Nurse Darlene passed through and spotted me, she and I talked for some time.
All the while, Raina remained sitting there until nearly noon before she glanced over. “You’re still here.”
I nodded. “I figured you’d have to leave when I did, and I didn’t want to rush you.”
She heaved out a breath and then pushed her way to her feet. “We can go. You told your dad you’d help him this afternoon.”
I checked the time. “I still have another few hours if you want to stay.”
But Raina shook her head. “No. I can be sad anywhere just as easily as I can be sad here.”
“Okay, then.” I bobbed my head and came away from the wall. “We can go.”
