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LAUREL
Lying awake in this hospital bed, I’ve never been in so much pain. Lorelai is here to keep me company and help me direct my mind off it. They provide me with a morphine drip, but I don’t want to overuse it.
My injuries are minute compared to my sister’s. We both have cheekbone fractures and broken ribs, but she has multiple stab wounds, thankfully missing any vital organs. Right now, she hasn’t woken up since being brought in and going through surgery. We are right back where this started. Same hospital and all.
“Baby? You’re awake still?” Hudson walks in with a huge smile. I hug him tightly and see the bag in his arms. He smiles. “I brought you the things you requested, my queen.”
Hudson helps me take a shower and get cleaned up. What happened to Shawn? Did he get away? I pull on my sweats and t-shirt before getting back in bed.
A doctor comes in to let us know that Lacey can have visitors. Hudson gets a wheelchair to take me to her.
When we make it to her room, my tears start. Seeing her that way for a second time is as emotional as the first. I never want to be used to seeing someone like that, let alone my sister. She looks peaceful, at least.
Hudson moves closer to the bed so I can hold her hand. “Sis, I’m here. You’re going to be okay. Just fight. Heal. Whatever you need to. But until then, I’m here.”
I feel a tight squeeze on my hand. “I’m okay.” Her voice is scratchy.
“Honey, I need to call my parents. Can you sit with her?”
“I’ll have Leo come in. He asked to see her anyway,” he says, with a smile.
I go down the hallway, hesitating to call my parents, but finally press the call button.
“Honey, finally, how are you?” my mom asks.
Lacey made me promise when she got out of the hospital the first time to never mention it to our parents. I did as she wished then, but this time I have to tell them.
“I’m fine, Mom. Listen, Lacey’s in the hospital. She is out of surgery.” I try to make it somewhat positive, but my mom cries hysterically. I can hear my dad in the background asking her what’s wrong, but she didn’t reply. Instead, he takes the phone from her. “What’s going on?”
“Dad, take a deep breath. Now, Lacey is in the hospital. She was attacked and out of surgery,” I reply.
Neither one of them spoke. I stay on the phone, knowing that once my parents calm down, the questions will come.
“Dad, listen. Can you make it out here?”
“We will be out there tomorrow. I need to get off here and schedule flights. Please call if anything changes.”
When the visitors for Lacey stop, she asks for some time to rest. This is my cue to go back to my own room and do the same.
Morning arrives, and Hudson comes in to check on us as well as the doctors. I’m sure they come in throughout the night to check, but I’ve been so tired that I never woke up. My body is exhausted. When my parents get in, they will have many questions, and I need to be prepared to provide them with answers. Lacey will get pissed at me, but she will get over it eventually.
Hudson can tell I’m not ready for my parents to arrive. They took the red-eye out last night. If I know them, they won’t even go to a hotel until after they come here.
I shower with assistance and change, then I hear my mom’s voice down the hallway. A deep breath is gathered before seeing her.
The doctors want me to maneuver a wheelchair instead of walking everywhere because they don’t want me to hurt myself more. “Mom, I’m in here.” I wave them down, and they rush over to me, taking me into their arms.
“Baby, why didn’t you call us sooner? How are you doing? Lacey?” my dad asks.
“There has been no change. We are both recovering. In pain, but that’s all,” I say, giving my dad a kiss on the cheek.
They follow me into my room, where I climb up on the bed. “Hudson, this is my dad, Robert, and my mom, Kasey. Mom, Dad, this is Hudson, my boyfriend.”
Hudson greets my parents, then moves to the back of the room, giving us the space we need to talk this through.
“So, what happened? Who did this to you girls?” my mom asks. I take my time to answer.
“This isn’t the first time. I’m going to tell you the truth because you deserve to know. When I moved to Dallas, I did so because Lacey’s boyfriend, Drew, had pummeled her. I decided to stay here because I wanted to protect her. Last night, Lacey and I were attacked by Drew and Shawn.”
