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I sigh and roll my head. “So Harrison proposed to another woman today. I am not sure what happened, Dad. I thought he was the one. I really truly did. I told him everything last night. All of it. How the accident was my fault, how I ruin everything, killed innocent people, and he didn’t run. He didn’t leave me. He held me all night. But then today…” My voice falls away as Mrs. Rothschild’s face comes to my mind.
“I don’t know. I just don’t know what is going on,” I say, shaking my head, the world becoming too much. I squeeze his hand. “Tell me what to do, Dad. I don’t know what to do anymore.” I lean my head on his bed and rest silently for a while. The steady beeping of his heart machine lulls me to sleep.
* * *
“Beth.”I hear my name and feel a small touch on my shoulder.
“Beth, wake up,” the voice says again, and I open my eyes and sit up, my neck sore from laying uncomfortably.
“Beth, are you okay?” Doctor Standford says from beside me. I look around the room. It is quiet still except for the machines. I look at Dad, and he isn’t any different.
“He is still the same, Beth. You have been here for hours. Why don’t you go home, get some rest, and come back in the morning. I will call you if anything changes.”
“I don’t want to leave him,” I say honestly, because I am scared that if I leave him, he won’t be here when I come back.
“He is in good hands. I promise I will call you with any changes. We will run some more tests and monitor him closely,” Doctor Standford says, and he helps me to stand. I nod, knowing he is right. I need a shower, need to freshen up.
I look at Dad for another beat before I turn and walk out of the room, the bright lights of the hallway shining and hurting my eyes.
As I look around, I see a man sitting on the hard plastic chairs, and my heart stops.
“Harrison?” I whisper out, shocked to see him there. His head flies up at my voice, and he stands. His suit is crumpled, his tie and shirt open at the neck. He is on his own, no Eddie or Oscar, and he looks like he has been here for hours.
“What are you doing here?” I whisper again, tears starting to well in my eyes.
“I’m here for you. I told you last night, Beth, I’ve got you.” he says, standing up tall, his broad shoulders looking prepared to carry the world.
“What about Lilly?” I ask, because my mind still can’t wrap around the situation.
“My mother set it up. It was all a surprise to me too,” he says, taking my hand in his, rubbing his thumb across my palm. We stand like that for a beat before he lifts my hand to his lips and kisses my fingers, one and a time, with small pecks. His other hand scoops around my waist, and he pulls me closer.
“Harrison...” I whisper, looking up to him. The tears run down my cheeks, and I grab onto his jacket to steady myself. The relief I have of him coming back for me sweeping through my body.
“Don’t cry, baby. I’m here now. I’m not going anywhere. You’re not alone anymore.” Harrison’s words create more tears, and he cups my face, brushing them aside with his thumb. Holding me firm, not letting me go.
“I missed you,” he says, looking into my eyes. I notice he has the crinkle between his brows as I lean my head against his chest, and he wraps me up in his arms.
“I missed you.” My tears wet his shirt, not unlike the champagne all those months ago.
“How is your dad?” he asks, his hand rubbing up and down my back, and I feel like I melt into him. I can’t talk so I shake my head, and I bury my head in his chest. The tears come again then. I don’t think I have cried as much in my life as I have these past twenty-four hours.
“I’ve got you,” he whispers as we stand there in the hospital hallway late in the evening.
“Come on. Let me take you home. We can have a shower and come back in the morning.”
“But the elections?” I question, pulling back from him, looking at him in surprise.
“What about them?”
“You literally have days, Harrison. You can’t be with me. You need to be doing your final canvassing, meeting the people, shaking hands...” I say, knowing that Oscar and Eddie must be run off their feet at the moment.
“I have a few things I need to do, but that can all wait until tomorrow. Tonight, I am taking my girlfriend home, going to undress her, then put her in a warm shower before I tuck her in tight and sleep with her in my arms. The rest of it will all be here in the morning. I will drop you off here early, before I get back to the city.”
“Okay…” I whisper, a small smile gracing my lips.
“Okay… Let’s go.”
And I lean into him as we walk toward the elevator and take the lift straight to the basement, where Harrison has a car waiting to take us home. Together.
