AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I watch on as my dad says something quietly to Anthony who responds with an equally low voice. Their heads are bent together as they talk for a minute. When Anthony turns to come in the room, my dad walks down the hallway. I imagine he’s going to talk to whoever is left in the waiting room. I’m sure he’ll talk to Venom about what I’ve told him and getting someone to go look for the truck at all the garages in the area. It would be better if I’d gotten the license plate or some other distinguishing trait of the truck. There really wasn’t anything though. They made the truck as bland as possible and I have a feeling that was done on purpose.
Anthony rushes to my side and carefully takes my hand in his. He leans over the bed and presses his lips against my hand while keeping his eyes locked on mine. Removing his lips from my hand, he takes the chair my dad vacated and pulls it up closer to my bed.
“Are you okay, sweet girl? How’s the baby?” he asks, looking me over as much as he can with the blankets.
“I’m sore as hell, but that’s to be expected. My head hurts from the wound there. It’s not at a horrible level right now so I’d rather not take anything for the pain. Doc said the baby is fine and the monitors haven’t alerted the nurses to any change in that as far as I know. No one came rushing in here during the night because of the baby. I think they’re going to do another ultrasound today. If you want to be there for it, you can,” I tell him, my voice a whisper as my mom begins to stir on the couch.
“You’d tell me if you were in more pain than that, wouldn’t you sweet girl?” he asks, fear filling his eyes as he looks at me.
“I would. You know I’m a baby when it comes to pain and all that kind of stuff. Have you seen Lyric?” I ask, needing to know how my friend is.
“I haven’t seen her. I know her sister is in the room with her. She should be leavin’ the hospital today just like you. She’s hurt a little worse than you are from what I understand, but nothin’ life threatenin’,” he answers me as my heart breaks for my friend.
“I feel so horrible. Lyric is hurt because of me. If I weren’t driving last night, this wouldn’t have happened. We’d have gone out like she wanted and been back home instead of being in the hospital,” I say, more tears falling down my face at the thought of Lyric being in the hospital just like I am.
“This isn’t your fault, sweet girl. You didn’t know anythin’ like this was gonna happen. I have a feelin’ that even if you weren’t drivin’ last night, this would’ve happened. And then even more people would’ve been hurt. I might not know Lyric, but I’m sure she doesn’t blame you for this shit either,” Anthony says as he moves to sit even closer to me.
“You bet your ass I don’t blame her for this,” Lyric says, her voice filling my room as I jump in surprise before turning to look at the door. “Kasey, this shit happened and it’s not because you were driving or anything else. Someone was a complete asshole and ran us off the road. I could’ve been driving and the same thing would’ve happened. Stop those tears and let go of the guilt. I’m okay. The worst of my injuries is a cut on my head from the window breaking and my wrist is sprained. Are you and the baby okay?” Lyric asks, her voice going lower as she notices my mom on the couch.
“We’re okay. I’m ready to get out of here. I’m so exhausted. For a place where you’re supposed to rest so you can heal and get better, you sure as hell can’t sleep. I was woken up like every hour or two last night. Was it the same for you?” I ask my friend as her sister pushes her up closer to the bed.
“Yeah. I want to go home too. Paige is ready to go home. Haley gave her a few days off with pay so she can take care of me. What are you gonna do? Are your parents gonna stay longer to help you with the boys?” Lyric asks me, looking at Anthony who she still has yet to meet.
“Anthony, this is Lyric. Lyric this is Anthony,” I tell her, introducing the two of them.
“It’s nice to meet you,” Anthony says, barely looking at my friend before turning his attention back to me. “Sweet girl, I was thinkin’ you could come back to the house while you heal. I can help you with the boys and the others will be around when I’m at work. You don’t have to, but I’ve been thinkin’ about this all night long. I just don’t want you to be alone in case somethin’ happens to you or the baby.”
“Are you sure that’s what you want, Anthony? I just moved out of there,” I ask him, my voice barely above a whisper.
“Sweet girl, I want to take care of you and make sure you have everythin’ you need while you heal and rest. You don’t know if Doc is gonna put you on any kind of bedrest because of our little girl as a precaution. Let me be there to help you and take care of you. I know I don’t deserve to be at your side, but I want to be there,” Anthony says, his voice taking on a pleading tone.
“I can keep an eye on the trailer and make sure everything is good there. It’s right next door to our place and won’t be a chore to keep an eye on,” Lyric says, trying to talk me into going with Anthony back to the compound.
“I’ll think about it,” I say as the door opens and a nurse walks in carrying a tray.
Anthony moves just enough for her to set it on the table and move the table over my bed so I can eat. I raise my bed just enough to be comfortable and upright to eat breakfast. While I’m getting comfortable, Anthony removes the lid from the plate and I see I’ve got eggs, toast, bacon, orange juice, milk, and some fruit for breakfast. I’ve already been given my prenatal vitamins and soon I’m going to see the baby again. Then I’m sure Doc will let me know what she wants to happen in order for me to be released from the hospital. I’m more than ready to get the hell out of here. I want a hot as fuck shower and a warm bed to sleep in.
Lyric asks Paige to take her back to her room so she can eat her breakfast. She lets me know that she’ll see me soon before they leave the room. When she’s behind Anthony, she gives me a thumbs up and a large smile while nodding at Anthony. My friend is very giddy and happy at all times. I guess she approves of Anthony and wants me to go stay with him so we can figure things out or some shit. I can’t help but laugh a little at her antics. Anthony looks at me and tries to figure out what’s going on, but I can’t seem to stop the giggles from escaping.
Anthony watches me eat my breakfast like a hawk. When I’m full, he moves the table from over the bed so it’s out of the way and helps me lay back down. Anthony does what he can to help me get comfortable in the bed, but nothing seems to work. Hospital beds are the worst and I’ve always thought that. The sooner I can get out of here, the happier I’ll be.
My mom wakes up and sees Anthony sitting next to me. She smiles at him before standing from the couch and letting us know she’s going to go find my dad and a decent cup of coffee. We all know that hospital coffee sucks ass and tastes like days old sludge. So, with a smile, my mom leaves my hospital room and heads out to do as she’s said. I’m sure part of it is to give Anthony and I a few minutes together without someone watching over us. Now, I have no clue what to say to him.
“Sweet girl, I’m so fuckin’ sorry. For everythin’ I’ve done and said over the last few months. Instead of tryin’ to figure shit out on my own, I should’ve been talkin’ to you and workin’ shit out together. By not doin’ that, I hurt you, broke our family, and almost lost you without you knowin’ how much I fuckin’ love you. I do, Kasey. I love you so damn much and last night scared the hell outta me. I fought and tried to get to you but they wouldn’t let me. I had to stand back and watch them load you in the ambulance and they wouldn’t even let me get inside with you. I had to follow you and not know what was goin’ on in there,” Anthony says, pure fear filling his voice as he looks at me. “I’ll spend the rest of my days makin’ this up to you, sweet girl. We can take things as slow as you want, but I’m askin’ you to forgive me and give me another chance. Everythin’ will be different this time. I promise you.”
“I want to say yes, Anthony. Last night as I was losing consciousness, the boys and you were on my mind. Your face is the last thing I saw before the darkness sucked me completely under. I’m just not sure I can forget everythin’ that’s been done or anythin’ over the last months. You’re gonna have to prove yourself to me, Anthony. I don’t want to hear your fancy words or all that other shit. What I want is for you to show me things are gonna change. That our family is important to you and that we’re worth fightin’ for,” I tell him honestly.
“I will prove to you every fuckin’ day that our family is worth fightin’ for. That starts with you lettin’ me take you home and takin’ care of you. I’m ready to show Andrew, Griffin, our baby girl, and you that I’m all in. Our family is what I want and you’re never gonna doubt me again. I won’t let it happen. We’re gonna talk every day and figure this out,” he promises me, his voice just above a whisper as he leans in and presses a kiss softly against my lips.
The familiar butterflies fill my stomach that I’ve always felt whenever Anthony touches me in any way. It’s been so long since I’ve felt them because he either hasn’t touched me or the confusion has taken over everything else so I couldn’t feel them like normal. This has always happened even before Anthony and I got together. The second he was close to touching me, the butterflies would start swarming and wouldn’t go away until he stepped away from me.
“I’ll stay with you, Anthony. Just don’t play games with the boys and me. None of us can take it,” I tell him, pain filling my voice with everything that’s been done over the last few months.
“I’m not playin’ games with any of you. I love you, sweet girl,” he says, laying his head down on my bed and wrapping his arm carefully around my stomach.
The rest of the day passes in a blur of activity. I’m given another ultrasound and everything still looks good with the baby. Doc wants me to rest but doesn’t put me on complete bed rest. I’m not supposed to be up and moving around a lot though. The most she wants me out of bed is to go to the bathroom and I can move from the bedroom to the couch and back again. Anthony pays rapt attention to everything Doc is saying. I know he’s going to make me stay in bed and not do a damn thing. He’ll make sure someone is constantly with me so I don’t have to lift a finger. I’m going to go stir crazy being in the house with him. I guess it will give me plenty of time to figure out if he’s being truthful or not about his intentions.
Chapter Twenty
