Page 64

Yawning, I lean back in the uncomfortable waiting room chair and cross my arms over my chest, wishing that I could get just a little bit of sleep. But each time I close my eyes, I see Addy in her mangled car. It doesn’t matter that I wasn’t there and I haven’t seen the photos from the scene that, apparently, some reporter got because he was in the gas station on the corner – I still see it. Thinking about my girl, the woman I love, trapped inside that car as it was hit is enough to make me vomit.

The police came by and spoke to us, saying that the driver lost control due to the rain, and that there would be no charges pressed. Not that the news makes me feel any better. Like somehow, this nightmare would be over because it truly was an accident. I don’t care how many times the doctor and everyone else tells me she will be okay; I won’t feel better until she opens her gorgeous eyes. The promise of that is the only thing that’s keeping me together right now.

Yawning again, I look around the waiting room, which has cleared out a little now. Nix finally talked Emma into going home and getting some rest after forty-five minutes of arguing with her about it. And when I say that he talked her into it, I mean that he carried her out of here while she yelled at him. With a little smile on my face, I shake my head. Gotta love my little firecracker of a sister. I don’t think there’s a single person in the room that would change it, though. We’re all really glad to have her back.

Mom and Dad showed up a little bit ago, saying that they couldn’t get ahold of Addy’s mom, Lizzy, at all. They called every number they had for her and went by her house but she’s MIA. I’m more convinced now that there’s something going on there but it’s not my priority anymore. The only thing that matters is making sure Addy pulls through.

“Hey, sweetie, why don’t you go home and get some rest? Your dad and I will stay here with her tonight,” Mom says, sinking into the chair next to me, and I shake my head.

“No, I’m good.”

She stares at me with a confused expression on her face for a few seconds before she smiles. “Oh, I see.”

“You see what?” I ask. She’s grinning like crazy, and I swear I see a tear or two in her eye.

“You and Addy.”

“Me and Addy what?” I ask, not really in the mood to keep up the charade any more but for some reason, I do.

“Come on, Trey. How long have you and Addy been together?”

“Three months,” I sigh after a second, relieved to finally say that out loud to someone.

“You love her.”

It’s not a question but I nod anyway. “Yeah, I do.”

“Good,” she says, grabbing my hand and squeezing it. “You deserve to be happy, my boy.”

“Thanks, Mom,” I whisper, a little surprised by her statement, and she just smiles at me again.

“Hey, man, we’re gonna head out,” Tucker says as he stops in front of me, a very tired looking Daisy tucked into his side.

“Don’t leave her alone,” Daisy mumbles, her eyes drooping.

“I wouldn’t dream of it.” I stand up, and Tucker uses his free hand to hug me.

“She’ll be all right, brother. I can just feel it,” he whispers in my ear, and I nod again, sure hoping that that’s true. I release him and slap his back.

“Thanks. See y’all tomorrow.” I watch them go before turning back to Mom and telling her to go home and get some rest. I’ll be here so there’s no reason that they all need to stick around and sleep in these damn chairs. I say a quick good-bye to them before turning to go back to Addy’s room.

When I pull back the curtain and see her, air fills my lungs for what feels like the first time in over an hour. I hated having to wait while everyone else took their turns seeing her – like she was going to slip away from me at any moment. I have to keep reminding myself that the doctor said she’d be okay because with the oxygen hose in her nose, the IV in her arm, the blood pressure cuff, and the heart monitor, it all looks pretty ominous.

“Hey, baby,” I whisper, sitting down in the chair and grabbing her hand in mine. I press it to my lips and just breathe her in for a second.

She’s here, and she’s safe.

When I got that call from Emma earlier, all I could see in my mind was my mom on the day she died and the thought of losing Addy…Well, I wouldn’t have survived. God. If I hadn’t started that fight with her, she probably wouldn’t have been driving around in that storm. She would have been safe in my arms.

There’s so much I regret over the past couple weeks. I let my jealousy and fear rule my actions, and I hurt her in the process. But not being there to stop this from happening takes the cake. Addy not letting me in or telling me what’s been going on with her may have played a part in our fight but ultimately this falls on me. I keep replaying that argument in my mind, and I realized that I didn’t even give her a chance to explain. I just tossed out my ultimatum and walked out.

Like a coward.

“You gotta know that I didn’t mean a single thing I said that night, Ad. I was so stupid, and you’ll never know how much I wish I could take it back. I was jealous and scared that I was gonna lose you, and it made me crazy. It’s no excuse but I just can’t lose you, baby. Do you hear me? You don’t get to leave me. This isn’t done. We’ll never be done.”

I drop my forehead to her hand and fight back the emotion rising up inside me as I think about everything my actions led to. I still don’t know if she wanted Kyle to be at her apartment but based on the time they told me she was brought in, I know that she wasn’t there. It does make me feel a little better but I wonder if she ran back to him when things got hard between us.

Honestly, it doesn’t matter. I don’t give a damn if she did run back to him or if she thinks Kyle is the right choice. He’s not. She and I are perfect for each other, and I think she knows it, too, even if she doesn’t want to admit it. And I’ll do whatever it takes to make her see it, too.