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Chapter 63
Grace
Thesmellsofbleach,hospital, and applesauce surround me. A beeping monitor taunts me. But it’s the familiar voice that wakes me.
“She doesn’t know who I am…how long could this last?”
“It’s nothing to worry about—it happens.”
“And the baby?”
My hand immediately flies to my stomach.Is she okay? Did we make it?
“The baby is fine, her heart rate is good, there’s no signs of any trauma,” the other voice replies.
I let out an audible breath that matches Cash’s.
My throat is dry. Drier than my throat has ever been. I lift my hand to my head, blocking the light, and open my eyes.
Or try to open my eyes. They feel heavy. But I need water.
I attempt to clear my throat, to swallow, to scratch my tongue to the top of my mouth, hoping for moisture anywhere. But nothing. Absolutely nothing. I groan, unable to voice a single sound.
The movement and breathing in the room stops. I can feel everyone staring. I have no idea how many people are in here, no idea who is present, just that whoever it is, one of them is Cash and everyone is staring at me. I hear footsteps and then feel the bed sag with his weight as he sits beside me. He takes my hand away from my eye and moves closer to my face, so close that I can feel his warm breath against my lips. It feels wet. I try to lick my lips, seeking any moisture.
Suddenly, I feel a straw being pushed to my lips. The sharp edges attack me, but as soon as it’s in and I’m able to pull in the water, I groan in relief.
“It’s okay, Angel, you’re okay,” Cash says, stroking the hair on my head repeatedly.
I finally blink my eyes open and see him, eyes sagging and dark with circles, stubble coating his face, crinkled shirt that I recognize from days ago, and a smell that makes my nose scrunch up. “Cash,” I manage to whisper, and I squeeze his hand three times.
He stares down at my hand and then back into my eyes. “Yes, Angel, I’m right here.”
“Means I love you, right?” I rasp.
Cash’s smile doubles. “Yes, baby, means I love you. And I do, I love you so goddamn much.”
Behind him I hear a gasp. “She remembers you!” I think it’s Tessa screeching. “She remembers you. Oh God, G, we were so worried about you.”
My best friend is now crowding my space, and my head splinters in pain from her loud voice. “Ow,” I manage to say slowly, and I see Cash glare at her.
Tessa ducks back and offers a simple, “Sorry.”
“Baby?” I ask nervously.
Cash smiles. It’s a big smile, a relieved smile, one that I’ve never seen, and I pocket it for the future, something good to remember after all of the bad. “She’s fine, Angel. You did good. You didsogood,” he whispers as he presses a kiss against my forehead.
I grimace again, and I hear Frank’s laughter in the corner. “I think your girl is trying to tell you, you stink.”
Cash’s smile grows. “Yeah?” he asks as he looks at me, as if the fact that I think he smells is the greatest thing I’ve ever done in my life.
“Yeah,” I say softly, my voice almost lost to the beeping.
“I’ll go get cleaned up now that you’re okay.”
He leans down and kisses me again, and even with the smell I welcome it. I need it. As he goes to get up, I reach for his arm. “Your…dad?” I rasp.
Cash shakes his head. “He’s gone. He’ll never hurt you again.”
I close my eyes, not quite relieved but something…I can’t quite put my finger on it. And then I remember what happened. My mother’s words…her forcing me out of the car…her goodbye. “My…mom?” My voice cracks.
Cash shakes his head. “She didn’t…she’s gone, baby.”
I close my eyes as my throat closes, and I gasp for a breath. Within seconds, Tessa is beside me and she grabs my hand, squeezing it tightly as the warm tears drop from my eyes.
My mother is dead. My mother who never loved me…who traded all her time with me for money…and then saved my life. She saved my daughter’s life.
The tears fall harder.
In the end, my mother loved me. And now she’s gone.
