AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I need you, Cole,” I whisper to the silence. “Please...”
Despite the wires and tubes, he looks so peaceful. And a part of me hopes he’s in a deep dream where no monsters can hurt him. Kissing his hand, I gently tuck it back into his side and slump back on the cot.
A tsunami of emotion rises inside me, threatening to pull me under. Uncontrollable tears flood my eyes as my body wracks with despair.
I shouldn’t have let everyone leave. I thought I wanted to be alone, but now, sitting here, I can’t stand the silence. The endless desperation.
My cell phone taunts me, and I reach for it just as the door creaks open.
“Conner,” I gasp.
“I couldn’t just leave you here alone.” He steps into the room, closing the door quietly behind him. “It didn’t feel right.” His eyes are bloodshot, and I know he’s been crying as well.
“I’m glad you came,” I sniffle.
He doesn’t say another word as he crosses the room and drops to his knees in front of me, wrapping his arms around my shoulders.
I don’t know how long we sit there, holding each other, purging our souls of all the confusion and grief and pain, but after a while, he holds me at arm’s length, giving me a weak smile. “You should have called.”
“I was going to.”
“Good. I know you’re Cole’s, Hadley, but I will always be here for you. No matter what.”
“T-thank you.” His admission sends a fresh wave of emotion crashing over me.
“Come on, let’s try and get some sleep. You’re no good to my brother exhausted.” He gets up and toes off his sneakers, shuffling behind me on the cot and lying down.
I stare at the sliver of space beside him and he chuckles. “I don’t bite, promise.”
Laying on my side, I lift my feet and let Conner cover us with the thin blanket. I’m not sure sleep will find me, but I close my eyes anyway. Conner’s right, we need to be strong for Cole, for what comes next, once he wakes.
“Sleep, Little Dove,” Conner whispers and my eyes go wide.
He knows.
Conner knows what Cole calls me.
It should freak me out, but for some strange reason, it doesn’t. I love Cole, part of me will always love Cole. But I also care about Conner. He’s been there for me when his brother couldn’t be.
They’re twins, they share an unbreakable bond. So I guess it is only natural I feel something for both of them.
“Sleep,” he says again, as if he knows my thoughts are going haywire. “This doesn’t mean anything, Hads... he’ll understand.”
“I know.”
And weirdly, I do.
When I wake, Conner is already up, sitting in the chair beside Cole’s bed.
“Morning,” he says.
“Morning.” I sit up and rake my fingers through my hair. “Anything?”
“Not yet. But the nurse came by and said his vitals are good.”
“She was here?”
“You were out for the count.”
