"Okay." Reaching in his pocket he fished out something. "Can you give her this?" He opened his fist, and resting inside was his favorite rainbow marble. "It will make her feel better."
"I will, son." Kissing the top of his head, I took the marble before turning toward the hallway feeling like my legs barelyworked. The nurse led me down the corridor quietly before finally stopping outside a room.
Then she opened the door.
And the second I saw Gianna lying there— pale, still, and covered in wires and monitors, my heart shattered all over again. I wiped the tears from my eyes and approached slowly taking her in. She looked so small and fragile.
Brushing hair off her forehead, I pressed a lingering kiss to it. Her skin was still warm and soft. I could still smell the scent of her perfume on her skin. The fruity smell of the shampoo in her hair.
"I'm so sorry I wasn’t there for you, baby," I mumbled against her skin. "I should've never let you go. I should've held on to you tighter. I knew you were scared and I let you leave me anyway." Tears slid from my eyes landing on her forehead. I wiped them away gently. "I swear to God, when you come out this, Gianna, I'm never letting you go. You're gonna have to fight me to keep me away from you." My voice cracked completely at the end.
I carefully took her hand into mine, blinking down at all the tape and IV lines attached to her skin. That shit hurt. Seeing somebody so full of life laying there unmoving. I brought her hand to my lips pressing a kiss against her knuckles before opening my palm placing Melo's marble in the center. "He wanted you to have this." Gently, I tucked the marble beside her hand on the blanket.
The room was quiet except for the steady beeping of the machines keeping rhythm beside her bed. I hated those fucking machines already.
"You scared the shit outta me, beautiful," I whispered. My thumb stroked slowly across the back of her hand while I stared at her face trying to memorize every detail all over again.
The little beauty mark near her mouth.
Her lashes resting against her cheeks.
The softness of her lips.
Fuck…I loved this woman.
"So listen to me carefully." I leaned closer lowering my voice. "You're not allowed to leave me again, aight?" My throat tightened. "I can't survive losing you. I just can't. You're everything to me, you hear me? I need you. Melo needs you. Ronnie needs you. Stay with us, baby. Please."
Emotion clogged my chest. I had to pause and breathe through it. Outside the room I could see shadows moving through the small glass window.
My family.
Waiting.
Praying.
Loving her already like she belonged to us.
And she did.
She belonged with us.
With me.
I pressed one more kiss against her forehead lingering there before whispering softly against her skin. "I love you, Gianna Taylor."
Chapter 55
Iwas at a party.
Bass thumping. Bodies moving. Colored lights flashing so fast they blurred together. My eyes scanned the room in confusion, and I saw the fraternity insignia hanging on the wall. I was at a college party…but not mine.
Floating through the room, my eyes locked on a figure pressed against the wall. Head bopping slightly, red SOLO cup dangling from his fingers while his eyes casually moved around the room.
His energy felt familiar. Curious, I floated closer. The strobe lights flashed over his face and my heart fluttered. "Remy?" I whispered.
He looked the same. Still ridiculously handsome. But younger. A little less muscles and tattoos. Less facial hair and less weight in his eyes. But it was my Remy all the same.
Emotion swelled in my chest. I reached for him instinctively, but he seemed so far away. No matter how much I moved toward him I couldn't fully reach him. "Baby—it's me."
