Page 164 of Silent Damage

“Where were you?” he asks.

It feels like a dream all over again. “I’ve been right here,” I tell him.

“Oh.” He smiles. “I was missing you.”

Tears well in my eyes. “I was missing you, too,” I say, pushing the words past the lump in my throat.

“I’m right here,” he replies and goes back to sleep.

I stand there.

Breathless.

Heart racing.

Tears falling.

As soon as I’m confident he’s asleep, I slide to the floor. I don’t want him to hear me, but I can’t stop the flood of relief that’s pouring out of me.

I lie on my back, pressing my hand over my mouth to muffle my bawling.

Thank you. Thank you.

Gabe (10 Days Later)

A massive smile stretches over Jason’s face as I hold up the drawing of us on his motorcycle. “Sick,” he whispers in awe.

“I had a lot of trouble with my arm,” I confess.

“Can’t tell,” he replies, never taking his eyes off the picture. “It’s perfect.”

I’ll never stop blushing when he praises my art. “Thanks, babe.”

Jason sets the drawing down on his lap, then quickly hands it to me. “Will you put this somewhere safe? I don’t want to forget when I leave today.”

“Of course.” I slide the drawing into my backpack, relishing the fact that Jason is leaving the hospital today.

“Mom and Doug will be here soon,” I say. “Probably in another twenty minutes.”

Doug came the moment he found out Jason recognized me. So did Mom, Torren, and Felix.

Not a soul from the HellCats.

Not even Tobias.

Figures.

He doesn’t remember the crash at all, and all anyone has told him is that he was in a severe vehicular accident.

“It’ll be good to sleep in our bed together again,” Jason says with a sigh.

You have no idea…

“It sure will,” I say.

I putter around the room, collecting things we’ll need to take with us, when my eyes land on Jason again.

He’s here.