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Murphy
“Idon’t think I heard you right,” I hear Brady’s voice speaking from the other end of the phone, but it’s not making sense.
“Nattie, calm down. Slow down. What?” I can hear Sabrina talking to Nat, but she sounds like she’s in a tunnel. I’m not sure when I sat down, but I’m sitting on a hard chair in front of the table. Shifting the curtain back, I look out at the cars moving below.
“Murphy, are you listening to me?” Brady’s speaking slowly like he thinks that’s going to help. “Murph, do you hear me, man? Put Sabrina on the phone.”
Sabrina walks over to me.
She grabs my shoulder and runs her hand down my arm before she takes the phone from me.
Still holding hers to her ear, she tells Nattie, “Okay. We’ll see you soon, Nat. Bye.”
Then she lifts mine to her ear. “Brady? Yeah.” I can’t hear his side of the conversation. I should have her put it on speakerphone. “Okay. Yes. I can do that...We’ll be home soon. That works. Bye.”
Sabrina grabs her bag from the floor and pulls out a pair of jeans and a pretty blue sweater. She drops the white dress shirt she’s wearing right in front of me and shimmies on her jeans. She looks like a contortionist putting on her bra before slipping her sweater over her head. She’s moving quickly around the room, and it’s making my head spin.
“What are you doing?” Is that my voice?
She answers me as she walks into the bathroom. “I’m just getting us packed up so we can get out of here. It’ll only take me a minute. I told Brady we’d meet him at the house, and we could all head over to the hospital together.”
She must finish what she’s doing because she throws a garment bag down on the bed, shoves her gown and my tux inside and zips it up. She places our overnight bags next to it. I see her scan the room before coming to a stop in front of me with unshed tears filling up those big brown eyes. “You ready?” She sniffles, and the first tear slips down her cheek.
I stand and wipe the tears away with my thumbs. “Are they really dead?”
She wraps her arms around my waist and lays her face against my chest. “Brady said Charlotte is gone. The doctors haven’t given anyone an update on Jamie, but Brady said last he heard, it doesn’t look good. Dixon has been letting Sebastian know what’s going on.” I feel her tears soaking through the fabric of my shirt.
“How is this happening? We were with them Friday.”
Sabrina steels her spine and pulls back. She takes a deep breath and pushes her shoulders back. My girl looks like she’s readying for battle, and for the second time in less than twenty-four hours, I think she’s going to be the one to save me.
“Give me your keys. We’ve got to go, and I’m driving.”
I reach into my pocket and hand her my keys on autopilot. I’m in no shape to drive right now. She goes to pick up a bag, but I take it from her. “I’ve got these.” I can shoulder a few bags. I just don’t know how I’m going to handle the rest of this day.
Sabrina hands her bag to me and holds my eyes with hers. “I love you, Aiden Murphy. I’m so glad you came into my life.” She lifts up on her toes and gently presses her lips to mine before heading out into the hallway.
We’re waiting for the elevator when the inevitable happens, because what we truly need right now is another hit. Sabrina’s parents walk toward the elevator. This cannot be happening right now.
“Sabrina, we need to speak to you.” The venom dripping from her mother’s voice is lethal. Cold. Hateful. Her glare is directed at me, but I don’t give a shit right now.
Sabrina doesn’t even acknowledge the woman. Instead, she turns to her father. “I cannot do this now.”
“We need to talk this out, Sabrina. We might as well do it now. Not here. Not in the hall. Why don’t you have Aiden drop you off at our house? Or you could come home with us.” Her father’s making an attempt here. But my girl is having none of it. I move closer to her back, silently letting her know I’m here, whatever she decides.
“You both need to listen to what I’m about to say because I’m only going to say it once. I will not have Aiden drop me off at your house. I am not ready to speak with either of you. Mom, what you did last night was horrible. You crossed too many lines to count. I love Aiden Murphy, and you better get used to him being around. Because if he goes, I go.”
“Sabrina! You cannot be serious,” her mother snaps.
“We. Are. Not. Doing. This. Now.” She finally turns to face them. “Friends of ours were in a car accident early this morning. We’re going to the hospital. Don’t call me, Mother. I’ll call you when I’m ready.” She turns to me, her face softening. “You okay to take the stairs?”
“Yup.” I nod my head at her father, and she and I head down the steps and out the side door.
* * *
By the time we walk into my house, I’ve pulled myself together...Well, as together as I’m gonna get. The house, however, is in utter chaos. Tommy is chasing Rocky in a circle around the kitchen, through the family room, the dining room, and back into the kitchen. I’m not sure who’s enjoying it more, Tommy or the dog. Annabelle and Declan are in the kitchen getting coffee. Bash is on the phone with someone, and Nat and Brady are nowhere to be seen.
Annabelle is the first to see us. She walks to the bottom of the steps and yells upstairs, “They’re here, guys.”
