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IMANI
I sat in the corner of the hospital lobby with Poison and Ana, who had become fussy in the past ten minutes. While I knew João wanted to take her home, he hadn’t moved from his spot next to me.
Tears welled up in my eyes at the thought of Allie losing her mother.
She looked so heartbroken, lying in Jace’s lap and sobbing for the past few hours. She hadn’t stopped once and had barely looked up from the floor when we walked into the room. But I refused to go anywhere. My best friend was hurting. Badly.
Jace glanced over at me, frowning, and hugged Allie closer. He wanted to know when my mother would come out with any news about Allie’s mother, as she was the only damn person in this hospital who would give us any information.
But I sure as hell didn’t know.
We hadn’t had much time to speak since I had made it to the hospital, but she’d come out every hour or so to give us an update. And everything up until now had been something short, nothing promising.
I feared the worst for Allie and her mom.
Kai rubbed his hands together across from me and clenched his jaw. By the mere look on his face, I could tell that he was just as nervous about this outcome as Allie was. Allie’s mother might not be his own, but he still wanted Allie to have a family. He knew what life was like without any parents.
Landon squeezed my hand and leaned down toward me. “Are you okay?”
Chewing on the inside of my cheek, I shook my head. “No.”
Truthfully, I was scared shitless that Mom would walk through those doors at any minute and tell us that Allie’s mother had passed away. My friends had gone through so much drama and pain these past few months. We needed good news.
Something to give us hope.
A back door opened, and two doctors, along with Mom, walked through them, scanning the emergency room for us. Allie snapped her head in their direction, hopped up, and rushed over, wiping the tears from her cheeks.
“When can I see her? Is she okay? How bad is it?” she asked desperately.
I hurried over to them and grabbed Allie’s hand to let her know that I would be here for her through anything. Mom placed a hand on Allie’s shoulder and showed no emotion on her face. None. No smile. No frown. No sense of relief or despair.
Instead, Mom glanced nervously at me. And I fucking knew something was very wrong.
“Allie, your mother lost a lot of blood,” Mom started. “A lot.”
Before she could continue, Allie took a step back and shook her head, agony on every inch of her face. “Please, don’t continue,” she whispered, her knees giving out and her voice becoming distant, as if she wasn’t here anymore.
I caught her and held her steady. “Be strong, Allie. It’s what your mom would’ve wanted.”
It took her a few moments, but Allie bit back a sob and stood up on trembling legs. She grabbed Jace’s hand as hard as she could. “If you’re going to tell me that Mom died, I can’t … I can’t hear it.” Her lips trembled. “Please, spare me the pain and heartbreak, Mrs. Abara, please.”
Mom swallowed hard and took Allie into her arms, rocking her back and forth. Resting her cheek on Allie’s head, Mom said, “Your mother has fallen into a coma and is in the ICU. We don’t know when or if she’ll awaken.”
“So, she’s alive?” Jace asked, eyes wide.
“You can see her now,” Mom said, looking up at Jace. “Please, come with Allie.”
Scooping Allie’s hand in his, Jace followed Mom and pulled Allie down the hallway toward the ICU. Wanting to go with them, I followed them into the elevator, went up three floors, and paused behind Allie when we reached a frighteningly quiet foyer.
Mom led us down a hallway to a lonely room in the back. She let Allie and Jace in first, then captured my wrist before I made it into the room. “Please, come home tonight, Imani. We need to talk.”
I glanced up at her and nodded. “I will.” And because too many mothers had been dying or close to death lately in Redwood, I pulled Mom in for a hug. “Sometimes, you get on my nerves, but I love you so much, Mom. I don’t know what I would do without you.”
