Page 13 of Remember Me

“Don’t be so dramatic, Jakey. Mom has gone to the hospital to see if Wren and her yummy boyfriend need anything, and I think she’s gone to talk to that silver fox doctor, too.” She wiggles her eyebrows at me. “She’s also most likely telling Charlie any embarrassing stories about you that she doesn’t already know.” She cackles like a witch as she says it.

“Well lucky for me, Lottie knows all my embarrassing stories.” Like a child, I poke my tongue out at her.

At the sound of my sister's voice, Bella jumps up and starts fussing around her. “Hey Bella Boo, have you missed me?” She picks her up, snuggling her whilst Bella licks her face.

“Well as great as it is to see you, sis, I’m going to get back to the hospital. Just in case Wren and Sawyer need to go again.”

Alyssa wraps me in a one-armed hug while still holding Bella. “I know I joked about you looking like a homeless person, but please take better care of yourself, ok? You won’t do Charlie any good like this.”

Kissing my sister on the cheek, I stride toward my BMW and floor it back to my girl.

Chapter 9

Jake

These last two weeks have been some of the slowest in my life.

A couple of days ago, the doctors said the swelling on Lottie’s brain appeared to have reduced, and they were able to scan for any permanent damage—thankfully, there wasn’t any. Because of this, they started the process of waking Lottie up, but forty-eight hours later, and nothing.

Wren and I have begged Lottie to wake up nearly every hour since, and there’s not been even a flutter of eyelashes nor a twitch in her fingers. This place is sending us both stir crazy. I need to get a workout in to clear my head, so I pull out my phone and open the group chat with the guys.

*Hockey Guy Chat*

Jake - Anyone free to hit the gym?

Theo - I’m free

Codey - Same here

Louis - Me too

Jake - Great, Wren will be here soon. I’ll text when I leave, and we can meet at the gym in my building?

Theo - Sounds good

Codey - I’ll be there

Louis - You got it bud

I slide my phone back into my pants pocket and grip Lottie’s hand again. “Please, Lottie, please wake up. I miss you and need you. I need to tell you how I feel, there are so many things left unsaid.” Bringing her hand up to my lips, I softly kiss her palm–when I feel it: a whisper of movement in her fingers against my face. Maybe I’m imagining it? I study her face intently for any signs of life, but there are none. My racing heart calms down, and my face drops in disappointment.

Wren barrels through the door with Sawyer about half an hour later, a Starbucks in hand. I couldn’t be more grateful–this hospital stuff is like drinking tar. I tell her how I thought I felt Lottie’s hand move, and she grips my shoulder, watching Lottie’s face for any signs of movement. I feel it again.

“Wren! She did it again! That feeling I had—it’s back!” I almost shout I’m so excited.

“Wait, what?” She places her hand in Lottie’s free one. “Char, come on, babe. Time to wake up. You’ve slept long enough, you lazy bitch,” Wren giggles.

We’re both staring so hard at Lottie’s face, desperately trying not to blink in case we miss some important movement. There’s a flutter of eyelashes, and a lump forms in my throat. This is it–she’s coming back to us.

“Come on, you’ve got this, Lotts. We’re here waiting for you.”

“I’ll go and grab a nurse,” Sawyer says as he leaves the room. I quickly shoot the guys a text to cancel on them. I need to be here for Lottie right now.

“Char, can you hear us?” Wren’s stroking Lottie’s hair as my girl’s eyes blink open and she registers us for the first time. Lottie tries to remove the tube from her nose, eyes widening in panic as she takes in her surroundings, but I cover her hand with mine.

“Don’t move, sweetheart, the nurse will be here soon to help you, ok?” She narrows her eyes but slowly nods.

The nurse comes in, followed by Sawyer, and we’re all asked to leave the room while they check Lottie over and make her comfortable.