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“I hit my lip on the door jamb, and I lost my footing on the stairs running from him. He was trying to explain.”
Tug’s hand covers his mouth. “Shit!”
All the anger I felt for Brady turns on me. I’m responsible
for this. I made assumptions about Davey from the second I met him. “God, Tug, if I had just listened to him instead of running, my baby would still be alive.”
“No, stop!” He reaches for my hand again, pulling it up to his cheek.
I yank it back. “You need to tell the authorities he didn’t attack me. He shouldn’t be in jail.”
“Are you sure? You hit your head. Maybe you don’t remember.”
I nod. “I remember. Davey didn’t attack me. I overreacted. I killed my baby.”
The chair skids backward as Tug stands and sits on the bed next to me. “No, you didn’t.”
I smile up at him anxiously. “Can you go, please? I want to be alone.”
His big brown eyes meet mine. “Tori, what happened was a terrible accident, but you can’t blame yourself.”
I roll to my side, ignoring the pain I feel as I do so. I deserve pain. Tug doesn’t speak, but he doesn’t leave the room. After a few minutes, my eyes close, and I drift to sleep.
I wake when I hear the door open. I turn to the door to see Aracely. She gives me some pills and instructs me to take them. “What are they?”
“One is for pain. The other is a stool softener.”
“I don’t want them.”
She shoots me a scowl. “You need to take them. When the morphine wears off, you’ll be in pain. It’s best to stay on top of it. And if you don’t use the restroom, you can’t go home.”
Home? Where is my home? I don’t think I can go to the house and face everyone. I’m sure Tug told them Davey didn’t attack me. Brady will know I killed our baby. He’ll never be able to love me. “I don’t have a home.”
She picks up the cup of water and holds it up for me. “Take the pills.” Her voice is commanding. I choose not to argue with her, and do as I’m told.
When I’m done, I set the cup down and give her a weak smile. “Thank you.”
“I lost a baby once.” Her voice cracks as she reaches for my hand and holds it gently.
I feel my eyes wet as I look up at her. “I’m sorry.”
“Me, too.” She shakes her head, smiling kindly. “You’ll get through it.” She clasps her other hand over mine. “Your husband has been waiting outside the door. He doesn’t look well.”
“I’m not sure I’m ready to talk to him,” I admit, feeling the tears slip from my eyes, the warm drops running down my cheeks.
“I know.” She nods understandingly. “I felt the same way when I lost my baby.” A tear falls from her cheek. I squeeze her hand. “And I lost my husband, too. I regret it every day.” She releases my hand and walks to the door. She stops to look at me before opening it. “Should I send him in?”
My heart squeezes. I can’t imagine my life without Brady. I nod my okay. “Thank you.”
The door closes and then opens a second later. Brady’s swollen green eyes meet mine, and a sob bellows from my chest. “I’m so sorry, Brady.”
He rushes to my side, covering my body with his. “I love you.”
We hold each other for what seems like an eternity, crying and trying to find comfort in one another. His life has been filled with heartache and turmoil. I’m the one person who’s never caused him grief, and now I’ve provided him with his greatest loss. It’s a guilt that will consume me every day of my life. Will he forgive me? Do I deserve it? I feel disgusted with myself. I judged Davey without ever considering his circumstances. He didn’t look and act how I thought he should. What kind of a person does that?
Brady lifts his body off me and sits on the edge of the bed. His hands brush hair from my face while he removes tears with his thumb. “Tug told me what happened.”
My chest heaves as I wait for him to spit anger at me for my foolishness.
