A Masterpiece Unraveled (The Masterpiece Trilogy Book 2) (20 page)

Just a dream? Her imagination? Wistful thinking?

"I'm talking!" she shouted gleefully.

No, most definitely not a dream. She had her voice back! Finally! After what, a month? Becca ran back to the room, jumped in bed and shook Hunter awake.

Hunter bolted upright. "Wha-what is it? Was I having another nightmare?"

Becca shook her head and signed,
"You weren't having a nightmare."
Wait, she didn't need to sign anymore!

"I wasn't? Then why did you- Shit! Bec, you're talking! You're talking? But- you signed too!"

She grinned "It came back! I was stretching and moaned, then realized I couldn't do that before. Signing has become a habit. I actually didn't do that on purpose."

Hunter beamed, then cupped her face in his hands, kissing her lips, her cheeks, and her neck. "Oh, I'm so happy to hear your voice!"

Becca giggled. "You're tickling me with your stubble." Not that she was complaining.

"I love you." Hunter kissed her lips again.

"I love you too," she said softly.

"Say that again. And again and again," he begged.

"I love you! I'm talking again, and I can say it loud! I love you!" Becca threw her arms around him. They both tumbled backwards on the bed, both laughing.

"You really are my angel," Hunter said. "I put you through hell and yet you're still right here with me. "

"You're still here with me, too. I haven't made it easy. I felt like I lost my hero, but what I really lost was myself and faith in my hero. When I always felt safe with you for twenty years and suddenly it was gone, I didn't know how to handle it."

"And you feel safe with me again now?"

"I do. Ever since that trip, I've felt better. I can't say I feel completely safe in general, but that's because I don't know where Carrie is. I know you think she's dead, but I don't."

"I guess if it was me up on that plane not having all the answers, I might feel as you do now."

She didn't want to talk about this any more. "Did you sleep okay after taking the pill?"

Hunter hesitated. "I couldn't do it."

Becca sat up. "You couldn't do what?"

He sighed. "I stared at that damn thing for an hour before putting it back in the bottle. It just ... it doesn't feel right, having to take a pill to help sleep and keep the nightmares away. It feels- I don't know how to describe it, I just don't like it."

Her heart went out to him. Becca clasped his hands. She loved the fact that she could now hold them and talk to him. "It's temporary," she whispered, looking in his troubled eyes. "You won't have to do it forever."

"I know. Here comes Baby Beckman again, wah wah wah, only I can't act as cute as I did when you cleaned up my face after the boat accident a few weeks ago."

Becca laughed, a full fledged laugh that didn't sound strange.

"I love your laugh." Hunter brought her hand to his lips and kissed the middle of her palm.

"I love being able to laugh," she replied.

"You really think it's temporary and I'll be okay again?"

Becca never knew Hunter to be so unsure, but this thing he suffered from really changed a lot of his attitude lately. She got it, considering she had her own fears lately, like never getting her voice back again. And look what happened today.

"You were okay before," she answered. "I mean, as okay as you could be after what we went through, but you weren't always this bad off. This doesn't change who you are as a person, Hunter."

"I guess I do look at myself differently, though I'm not sure why. I thought I had a handle on the past, but with all this resurfacing, I realized how far off from the truth I am. I don't have a grip on anything these days." Hunter frowned. "Did you say I was your hero a little while ago?"

Ahh, there it was. The Hunter she knew with the way he changed subjects so quick. She held back a laugh as it wasn't funny at the moment really. "You've always been my hero."

"Am I still? Even through everything? I keep looking back and wishing I hadn't done some of the things I did. I'm no hero, Bec."

"Hunter," she said slowly, trying to figure out what to say. "That's another thing. You have to stop the guilt. It eats at you. I think deep down you know it's not your fault, but you have to keep telling yourself that. I was terrified! Of you, of myself, of the world ... But you're still, and always will be my hero. Even the best of us fall sometimes. Society paints a hero as perfect. Look at the movies and books. They never show the downsides to someone being a hero. You've made mistakes, you've hurt people, but what matters is your heart is in the right place."

He planted another kiss on her lips. "I wanna take you somewhere, if you have no objections. Then I want to dance you around the house, sing with you and hear your beautiful voice over and over again."

Becca laughed again. "This is the Hunter I've missed. Welcome back."

"Yeah? Well this is the Becca I've missed. And I'm damn glad she's back." He flashed her a dimpled grin and she couldn't help but reciprocate.

*****

Hunter pulled up in front of the large building and turned to Becca. From where they were parked, there was no way she could see the sign to indicate where they were. She eyed the building, then met his gaze. He chuckled. "Curious?"

"Very."

"Any guesses?"

As they climbed out of the car, Hunter headed for her side to take her hand.

"Are you just doing this because you want to hear my voice some more?" she teased.

"You caught me," he shot back playfully. Now this was what he'd missed with her. Hopefully it would continue and they wouldn't go through any setbacks.

Somehow he doubted it.

Now get those thoughts out of your head, damn it!

"So, are you really going to make me guess, or are you going to tell me?" Becca asked.

"How about I just show you?" He squeezed her hand, then he led the way up the sidewalk and to the front of the building. When the sign came into view, Becca gasped.

"This is-"

"Yep. This is the research center and facility. The Lange Center. I thought it was high time I show you around. I know everyone will be interested in meeting my inspiration."

"Okay, I knew you named the fund after me, but the building too?" Becca covered her mouth and shot him a wide eyed gaze. Then she dropped her hands. "I'm kind of glad you waited until I could talk again."

He stopped and turned to face her. "Why, Bec? You met most of the doctors and researchers at the fund raiser anyway when you didn't have a voice."

She shrugged. "It's easier."

No, it wasn't easier. Becca just had a hard time with her muteness. She always had. He'd seen how people acted back then, and he saw it recently. It wasn't about waiting until she could talk again. This was just how it happened.

"No matter what problems you face, no matter the things you can or can't do, you're perfect, Rebecca Lange. Absolutely, breathtakingly perfect. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise."

She shook her head. "I'm not-"

"Shh." He pressed a finger to her lips. When he moved it, he went to kiss her. "No doubting thoughts for you, either. Since we both don't listen to ourselves very well, maybe we should be adamant about reminding each other. Deal?"

Her lips curved upward. "Ouch. You totally caught me and you're so right. Don't you dare let that go to your head, either."

"Too late. Oooh. I think I just felt my head expand from that compliment. Tell me again that I'm right!" He put a hand to the back of his head and feigned surprise.

Becca rolled her eyes, but burst into giggles. "Some days I'm not sure what to do with you."

"Keep me together when I feel like I'm falling apart," Hunter said seriously, his tone going low. "Come on." He led the way inside.

Becca stalled before they entered the lobby. "I hope what happened that night is long forgotten."

"Angel, not everyone saw what happened. I tried to keep it as low key as possible, and everyone knows what you went through before. No one is going to say anything. You were just startled and afraid." He touched her shoulder.

"I practically attacked that woman," she whispered.

He sighed. "No you didn't. You might have roughly tried to get her to turn around so you could see her face, but that's it. It's not an attack. If you're really concerned, we can come another day. I've been eager to show you around, but if you aren't ready..."

She seemed torn, but after a few seconds, Becca shook her head. "I can do this. I have to stop letting those fears of what people think of me get in the way. I know I try to say and even act like it doesn't always get to me, but it kind of does. I don't like it."

Inside the lobby was nice and cool. Hunter headed to the desk to see who was there. "Anyone have time for a tour?"

"Hey! Didn't know you were stopping by!" Greta Grey, one of the older receptionists, waved. "And who's this?" Her gaze slid over to Becca.

Hunter wrapped his arm around her. "This is my girlfriend and inspiration, Rebecca Lange."

"
The
Rebecca Lange?" Greta's jaw dropped and she got ecstatic after that. "I have heard so much about you, Rebecca! You're like a legend around here!" She ran around the desk and shook Becca's hand.

"A legend?" Becca's cheeks were rosy pink and she glanced at Hunter, seeming slightly intimidated.

Hunter chuckled. He should have anticipated this and given a warning to Becca. Whoops. "Okay Greta, let her breathe a little."

"I do apologize. I've been following your story from the moment Hunter told us about you. I've also seen your art and I'd love to know where I can buy a piece for my own?"

"I-" Becca stammered. "Are you serious?"

Hunter wanted to nudge her and say "Told you so", but Becca was so flabbergasted. "We have something in the works," he informed Greta.

"I'm sorry. I'm totally putting you on the spot. I do get ahead of myself sometimes. It really is great to meet you. This is a beautiful place, so let me see who's around to give a tour." Greta hurried away.

Hunter took that time to face Becca. Her cheeks were still pink with a blush. "You're a hit around here."

Footsteps approached from behind. They both turned to see who was there.

"Hey there, Hunter. And Becca, it's good to see you again!" Dr. Liane Velez, one of the original founders stood before them. "I hear you want to take a tour of the facility?"

Hunter nodded. "It's the first chance we've really had for Becca to see it. If you have time, that is. I could take her through myself, but even I can't explain everything the way you can."

"I'll always have time for the two of you. Come on." She gestured with a smile. Dr. Velez stopped in each hallway by certain rooms and explained to Becca the process of everything from how patients are selected, what the doctors do, and some of the outpatient rehabilitation services. She opened up a door and motioned at them to walk in.

Becca stepped in the room first. Hunter stood behind her with his hand resting on her shoulder. A few teens were in the room, one of them in a wheelchair with her head still wrapped from a recent surgery. She looked to be the youngest of the bunch, not much older than he'd been when the crash happened.

It reminded of him of Becca right after her first surgery. He'd begged to just peek at her even though she couldn't hear him anyway, but he'd been insistent. Through the help of the social worker he'd bonded with, Hunter had been allowed. He remembered how much they bent the rules for him.

*****

Hunter thought Becca would look better after the surgery for some reason, but he was even more afraid for her. Her head was wrapped in white bandages and he couldn't even see her long hair any more. Did they have to cut it all? The constant beep of her machines at least told him she was still there. He didn't understand all the lines and strange stuff on the screen next to her bed.

"What happens now?" he asked Dr. Ross.

"We wait." She stood behind him, her hand on his shoulder.

"What do those lines mean?" He wanted to understand.

"She doesn't have much brain activity, Hunter. They had to do some extensive surgery to fix the bleeding."

"Is her family coming to be with her? I don't want to leave her alone like this." He leaned over and picked up Becca's limp hand, wishing for her to squeeze it as she had when he'd talked to her on the island.

"I'm not sure when they'll be here."

"I hope they're nice. She deserves nice." Hunter tried to be strong. Becca just had to make it! Could he have done something more for her? Was this his fault? He rested his head on the bed right beside her hand he still held. Thinking about his family and hers, Hunter wondered what was next for them both. It wasn't fair! Becca was so young and had so much ahead of her. What would happen to her if she made it past this?

"Do you want to go back to you room? We can talk or you can get some rest. Maybe we can check the rec room for some games. I bet there might be a few other boys your age, and I think we have a TV with video games."

Hunter sat up and shook his head. "I don't want to leave her," he whispered.

"You can't just stay here all the time Hunter. You have to get better, too."

"I know, but I'm not hurt like Becca is," he argued.

Eventually, he had to let her take him back to his room. Letting Becca's hand go was hard, not because he couldn't do it, but because he didn't want to. He kept glancing back to her room.

Hunter tried to sleep that night, but couldn't. He slid out of bed on shaky legs and peered out of his hospital room door. No one was around, so he hurried to Becca's room. He made it without anyone seeing him and slipped inside, closing the door quietly. The light in her room was dim. Becca was so still, so eerily still.

Not really thinking, he climbed up on the bed and laid beside her, taking her hand in his again. "I'm scared, Becca."

Beep Beep Beep was the only response.

"Did I do enough? Should I have brought you more to eat and drink? Maybe I should have covered your wounds more? I didn't know what to do. I hope you won't be mad at me when you wake up."