AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I’m tired of sleeping. I’m drowsy because of all these drugs they keep pumping in me.”
“Your body needs to recover.”
“When will you be back?”
“In the morning,” I replied, standing up from my chair.
“Wait. Come closer,” she said. “I have to tell you something.”
Her lips brushed against my earlobe when I leaned in, sending chills down my body. She whispered her question before I met her beautiful eyes and smiled.
“Okay. I will.”
“Promise?”
“I promise.”
??
Vanessa wasn’t home when I arrived in the evening. She’d sent me a text earlier saying she was working late. Now that she was close to launching her swimwear store, her time was more occupied with business. I had encouraged her to stay focused,despite me taking time off from work after the accident. Lately, I had this rising suspicion she was having an affair, and that Aria had been right all along.
Before I went upstairs, I checked my voicemail on the landline. My mother had called and left a message. I knew my brother must have told her about Aria being in the hospital. She wanted to fly down and visit.
Now you want to be a grandmother? Not a chance in hell,I thought, deleting the message.
??
I woke up an hour before my alarm and couldn’t go back to sleep. My body was still worn-out but I couldn’t get my mind to shut down. I was more worried about Aria than anything. I had promised her I’d stop by in the evening. I just couldn’t say no when she asked me. Getting out of bed, I dressed myself, grabbed my car keys, and headed out the door.
It was almost 10p.m. and my wife still wasn’t home. I tried calling her cell but went straight to voicemail. Minutes later, my cellphone vibrated with an incoming message from Nessa.
Sorry honey, I’m over at Hannah’s place. She’s in crisis mode. I’ll explain later. Be home after midnight. Don’t wait up. xox
Since when did she and Hannah become best friends?I found this odd but pushed it aside and drove back to the hospital.
CHAPTER THIRTY
NOAH
The hallway leading to Aria’s room was quiet and dimly lit as I walked past a few nurses. Reaching the door, I opened it and stepped inside.
“What are you doing here?” Natalie looked surprised to see me as she talked in a hushed voice.
“I promised Aria I’d come back later in the evening. Rest for the night. I’ll stay here with her.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
Natalie kissed our daughter’s head before she got up and grabbed her handbag. I felt sorry for her. Our lives would have ended up so differently had I not broken her heart all those years ago. Her life with Rob only proved to have aged her faster. While my wife strutted around in heels, designer dresses, and fake tans, Natalie’s everyday style was modest and conservative. Her dirty blonde hair was short and wavy and needed some touch-ups at the roots. There were dark circles under her eyes, and she seemed to have lost a bit of weight since I’d last seen her in New York.
That prick’s probably putting financial stress on her—and this month of hell hasn’t helped either.I made a mental note tohave a private discussion with her later, to see if I could be of any help.
“Please call me if her condition changes,” she said.
“I will. Don’t worry.”
Aria was sound asleep. Even though I knew she was no longer comatose, it was hard to see her with her eyes shut. I made my way over to the bed and sat down in an armchair, gazing at her. She had her mother’s cute little nose and plump, pouty lips.
