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“Dead,” Emmy replied sadly, wrapping her hand in mine.
“What?”
“She shot herself. I know she was your sister, Tan. I’m so sorry.” And as the last band broke; my lungs filled to capacity, and I took the first full breath I’d taken since all this drama with my mum.. well, actually, my sister, started.
“Fuck, she tried to kill Frankie and threatened to kill you… kill you all, so I’d poison myself to save you. I hope she fucking rots in hell.”
I heard her sobs again, and I forced open my eyes. Even that hurt.
“Don’t cry, angel. I’d die a million times to keep you all safe. But I drank.” I looked at her, disheveled, her eyes red and puffy, but as beautiful as ever, even through my blurry vision.
Her lips found my cheek. “Not out of choice, Tanner. Do you want to drink again? Are you craving it?”
“Not a chance. Fucking stuff will kill me,” I answered, honestly.
“And that’s the difference. You’ve changed, Tanner. But just to make sure you’re okay, Levi is coming to stay nearby for a couple of weeks, so he’s here if you need him. I think he’s feeling super guilty about the news stories.”
She laid a light kiss on my lips and my exhausted eyes start to close, but my desire to sleep was interrupted by the voice of a doctor.
“Mr. Hastings. You gave us a scare. Do you want to explain? Relapse or something else?”
“Poisoned. Forced to drink shots she’d laced with a cocktail of drugs,” I strained out, every word hurting my head.
“I thought as much. We’ve given you some drugs to help counteract the effects of what you took, but I can’t stress this enough, Tanner, one more drug, and I don’t know if your body would take it. If that’s not a reason to reclaim your sobriety, then I don’t know what is.”
I took a deep breath, fighting to find the energy to say what I wanted to say. “Dr. this won’t change things for me. It might make them harder for a while, but they won’t change me wanting to be sober.” Emmy smiled at me proudly as she squeezed my hand.
“I like the sound of that. You will need to stay in for about a week while we make sure you don’t have any more seizures. We can help you with someone to speak to while you’re here or your own therapist is welcome to come in if you need them. Make sure you buzz the nurses if you’re feeling unwell in any way and I will come and see you later.”
Once the doctor left, I tried to push my body up the bed. I refused to feel like a victim. But everything felt numb and disconnected. Then she was there, wrapping her arms around me as she helped me sit up.
“Em, I dreamed that you stood in front of me, in front of the gun. You tried to protect me. You came to save me.”
“Not a dream, rock star,” she whispered as she lay next to me, raking her fingers through my hair, pushing it from my face. Her touch made keeping my eyes open feel impossible, but I fought harder, needing to have this conversation with her.“Why? Why would you do that? I was drunk. I took drugs. Why would you risk your life for me?”
“Because you’re worth fighting for, Tanner. Because, forevermore, I will always come back for you. You are never alone.”
And with those words, I lost my battle with sleep as it swaddled me in darkness, finally feeling like I’d found a place where I belonged.
With Emmy.
Epilogue
Emmy - 2 months later
Wherearewe,Tanner?Can I take the blindfold off yet?”
He pressed his hand against my lower back, steering me in the direction he wanted me to go. “Nope. Just a few more steps and then I can show you.”
“I hate surprises, Tan. You know this.”
“That I do, angel, but that’s why they’re so fun,” I swore I could hear him smiling. He was loving all this.
“You’re so annoying, rock star. Good job. I love you.”
“Okay, we’re here,” he announced excitedly.
Nerves bounced around my stomach. “Where?”
