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As soon as she walks through the sliding doors, Angela pulls me into her arms like I’m her son and not the man responsible for her daughter being in the hospital.
“It’s okay, Jake. It’s going to be okay. I don’t know how, but it has to be. God can’t take my girl after he took my husband too early. He’s not allowed.”
I want to laugh at the contempt in her voice because if there were anyone in the entire world that could force an all-powerful deity to bend to her will, it would be Margot’s mother.
“I don’t know about that. He seems pretty content to tear my life apart.” I look down into my hands, ready to sit here forever if I have to.
“Don’t you dare say that, boy. God isn’t responsible for this.” My dad’s voice rings out through the silence of the waiting room, and I look up to see both him and my mother standing less than ten feet away.
When did they get here?
“Oh, Jake. You don’t need to do this alone.” Mom takes my other side and pulls my hands to hers. “We all love her, and we’re all here for her.”
Like two guardian angels, our moms stand vigil with me for over two hours. Two agonizing hours while I wait to hear what’s happening.
“This is unacceptable,” Angela fumes. “I’m going to find out what’s going on. Why they haven’t given us an update.” Right as she gets up, the doors open and the mirror image of Travis walks through the door.
“Jake. You’re here.” His voice sounds strained. He turns to our parents, a grim expression on his face. “I’m Dr. Masterson. You may know my twin brother, Travis.” He adds the last part after the looks my father and mother shoot the man in question, the one sitting two chairs down doing his best not to look at us right now.
Screw niceties. “I need to see her, Tyler.”
“I’m sorry, you can’t do that. She just got out of surgery. Once she’s in recovery and stable, I’ll be more than happy to let family in to see her.”
She’s alive.
“Don’t tell me that. Let me through. Let me see her.” I try to push by the doctor, but Tyler doesn’t budge.
If I were able to think clearly, I’d know that he’s just doing his job. But I can’t think clearly. Not where Margot’s concerned.
“No, you can’t go in. Jake, you need to back up and breathe. Just take a deep breath.” He squeezes my shoulder, offering support. “I’m sorry. As soon as I know anything, I’ll come update you.”
“I can’t live through this again. I can’t do it, Tyler.” I turn away and slam my hand into the wall. “You don’t get it. I can’t lose her.”
“Jake, sweetie. Let him get back to work,” Angela says from where she’s curled in on herself.
Clearly, she’s fighting her own demons where Margot’s concerned.
“Trust me, Jake. We’ll do everything we can.” He walks away, and with him he takes a piece of my soul. I lean against the wall before crumpling to the floor, and that’s where the men I call family find me.
26
JAKE
There’san invisible line separating red and blue in the hospital’s waiting room, and it’s taking every single ounce of self-restraint not to kill someone right in the lobby.
Brian, sensing the agitation growing in my body, leans against me so that we’re practically touching. “It’s not their fault.” Brian nods toward the firefighters who are all talking with low voices.
Logan leans forward in his seat on my other side. “They’re just as sorry as we are, and they work with her too.”
I don’t give a shit about anyone else or the fact that they care about her too.
Fuckin’ assholes had a firebug working with them this entire time and didn’t know a damn thing about it.
A firebug who may have stolen everything from me.
My eyes are fixed on the waiting room doors, hoping for an update. I stay that way for hours, carrying the weight of ‘what if’ in silence. The others are talking in muted tones, Maya and their children. The firemen are huddled around one another, undoubtedly shocked that it had been one of their own who had caused so much damage. All of this is happening while I wait to hear if I’ve lost the love of my life.
“We got him, Jake. You know that. Thanks to her. She told us that it was him. You were there when he confessed in a room full of police officers. You made the right choice, and he’s in custody. I swear, he will be held responsible for everything he’s done,” Brian finally says, although you can hear the regret in his voice.
