Page 43 of Worthy of Sunsets and Second Chances

“I’m sure it is, but one thing that’s not is the way he looks at you, worries over you. Has not left your side.”

I feel my eyes swim with tears.

“Just don’t let the past muddy a fresh, clean rain is all I’m saying.”

32

Eli

“Inever wanted you to have to sit by my hospital bed again, Pop. I am so sorry, so sorry to make you go through this.”

What the fuck? Sit by her hospital bed again? I wanted to burst into the room and demand to know what the hell Kendra was talking about, but she was having private time with her dad, and I was finishing up my conversation with Danny. He just told me he was coming back to see Kendra soon.

“Eli, you still there?” Danny’s gruff voice snaps my attention back to the phone in my hand.

“Yeah, sorry, Danny. I’m just exhausted.” I pinch the bridge of my nose.

“I’m sure. But now that she’s awake, you can go home and get some rest. Let someone else take a shift,” Danny suggests.

“Can’t do that, man. She doesn’t want me to leave, and I can’t stand the idea of being away from her right now either.” I run my hands through my hair and lean back against the cool wall.

“Alright, I get it. Just hang tight, I’ll be there when I can to take her statement. But let her know that we have that fucker in custody, so Kendra at least can have the peace of mind.” Danny rumbles out the last sentence.

“Thank God. I’ll see you soon.”

Hanging up with Danny, I know that I have to make a new call that I’m absolutely dreading.

The phone rings a few times before Rem finally answers, voice filled with happiness and that rough scrape that signals little sleep. “Hey, brother. Good morning, well, afternoon, I guess? I don’t even know. What time is it?”

“Sorry to bother you,” I start.

“What’s wrong?” Instantly on alert, Rem knows, can tell something happened.

“I’m at the hospital with Kendra. She’s going to be okay, but, Rem, it was bad.”

I hear him shuffling on the other end of the phone.

“Oh my God, what happened?” Lainey shrieks; he must have told her and then turned them on speaker phone.

“That piece of shit, Bennett, took her home after the reception last night and nearly beat her to death. I found her on the living room floor unconscious and . . . I called the ambulance and we got her here.” My voice shakes as I tell them the rest.

“Why the fuck didn’t you call us?” Rem demands.

“It was your wedding night! I was here, Danny came, her dad came. I was not going to let that asshole ruin your wedding. I’m calling you now.”

“Okay, okay,” Lainey says. “We will be there soon. Do you need anything?”

This woman, so kind and always thinking of others. Rem hit the jackpot, that’s for sure. “Yeah, I could actually use a change of clothes and stuff from home. Do you mind picking it up? Rem has one of my spare keys.”

“No problem, man,” Rem says.

“What about Wren?” Lainey adds.

“My mom has her,” I say, reminding me of the next call I need to make.

“Alright, see you as soon as we can. Tell Kendra we are on our way!” Lainey rushes, ending the call.

After speaking with my mom and having her agree to bring Wren up to the hospital for a visit so I could see my little peanut, I make my way back into Kendra’s room. I brought more terrible coffee for me and Max. Kendra was sleeping. As much as I hated that her eyes were closed again, it was a relief to know that it was because she was resting and groggy from the pain meds, not still out from the concussion and surgery.