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“Fuck,” I mutter, not wanting to deal with this right now, but knowing I don’t have a choice.
I shut off my car and get out, heading toward her and feeling the anger seep through every pore. “What do you want, Kate?” I say through gritted teeth, and I’m proud of myself that I allowed my anger to seep into every word.
When she doesn’t say anything, I step closer, wanting answers but the closer I get the more details of her face come into view and the second I see the red-rimmed eyes, puffy face, and tear-stained cheeks my stomach sinks.
“She’s gone,” she whispers, falling to her knees at my feet.
Kate
I watch the anger disintegrate before my eyes the second those words leave my mouth. I knew the second he didn’t answer his phone tonight that he was mad, and I understood why. I went to call him so many times these past three days but I either got distracted by doctors, paperwork shit or lawyers and even when I did have a moment of peace to call, all I did was sit in silence, trying to come to terms with the fact that I am now completely alone.
“She’s gone, Drew. I’m all alone.” The sob that escapes echoes into the night and before I have a chance to get up off my knees, Drew is picking me up and I wrap myself around him. “What am I gonna do?” I whisper against his shoulder, the tears falling like acid against my skin, each one a burning reminder of what they represent.
“Shh, it’s going to be okay,” he mutters against my hair, his hand resting against the back of my head, pushing me even further into him as if trying to protect me from the pain that is radiating through every inch of me.
“But it’s not going to be okay. She’s gone. I don’t have anyone…” The words are barely audible but the halt in his step as he takes us inside tells me that he heard them. He doesn’t say a word as he shuts the front door behind us, walking slowly into his living room and sitting on the couch with me still wrapped around him.
“Look at me, sweetheart.” His voice was gentle, calm and without any hint of the malice I was expecting after the way I treated him these past few days. I shake my head, not wanting to see the hurt in his eyes. “Why won’t you look at me?”
I shrug, feeling juvenile in my response, but right now I feel exposed and extremely vulnerable.
“Please look at me?” His voice is gentle, his fingers grazing the side of my cheek before lightly gripping my chin and lifting my eyes to meet his sad gaze.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper, hating the crack in my voice but the idea of losing someone else tonight is almost unbearable.
“Sorry for what?” he asks, his head tilting to the side and his eyes curious.
“For leaving that night, for not calling you or texting you about what was happening. You have every right to be mad at me, I just wanted you to know that I tried to call you so many times, but… ” My voice trails, my eyes zeroing in on anything but Drew’s face.
“But what?” As much as he tries to mask it, the uncertainty is still laced in the tone of his voice.
“But I didn’t want to burden you with my grief. I didn’t want to put all of that onto you and expect you to pick up all my pieces. I stayed in that hospital for three days. I couldn’t leave knowing she was gone and I had nothing to come home to.”
Drew sits there stunned for a second before he shakes his head and kisses my lips softly. I bask in their warmth if only for a second, because this connection is everything I need right now.
“Kate, listen to me.” My eyes lock with his, fear radiating off me. “Was I angry? Yes.”
My heart sinks to the floor but his smirk and the squeeze of his fingers against my hips gives me hope.
“I thought you left because you got what you wanted from me. I thought by you ignoring me for the past three days you didn’t see me as someone you could lean on and that hurt more than I thought it would.”
I shake my head, opening my mouth to rebut but he stops me.
“I know now that’s not how it happened, but I would still like to know why you left the way you did.”
I take a breath as the tears begin again, falling with each word and memory of the past twenty-four hours. I tell him everything, from the phone call to the way my mother’s hand felt cold resting on my own as they took her away for the last time. Every haunting detail spews from my mouth and when it is all over, my eyes are tired, and I rest my head against Drew’s shoulder.
“I really am sorry,” I whisper, his lips kissing my temple as he picks me up once more and gets up from the couch, heading up toward his room. “Where are we going?” I ask, fully expecting him to take me home.
“I know we have a lot to talk about, but right now I just want to hold you and let you rest, okay?”
I nod my head, not having the energy to fight with him.
I wake to the sun streaming into Drew’s bedroom window, and an arm draped across my middle. From the steady breath whispering across my neck, I know Drew is still sleeping, so I wiggle my way out of his hold and into the bathroom. I do my business and then tiptoe out of the room and pick up one of his discarded shirts and slip it on before I head toward the kitchen to make myself a coffee.
It doesn’t take long before I hear his telltale footfalls coming down the stairs and when he sees me leaning back against the counter his eyes darken when he sees what I’m wearing.
“I never knew an old band T-shirt could look this good,” he mutters before nuzzling my neck and kissing me lightly right below the ear, eliciting a moan from my throat. “How are you feeling?” he asks, those green eyes boring into mine with so much sincerity that I wonder if my mom sent him to me. It would be just like her to upend my life twice in a couple of days.
