Sweet Affection (Truth Book 3) (34 page)

“What the hell are you two playing at?” He growls out, getting right in between us, but he doesn’t take his eyes off me.

“J. Now is not the time or place. Think about Laurel for God’s sake. I thought I taught you better than that.”

“Get him the fuck away from me. He doesn’t deserve to be here.” I spit out in Tyler’s direction. “What was she doing following you, huh? Why the fuck was she out in her car in the middle of the damn night?”

He just stares at me. He’s not even going to tell me it wasn’t his fault? Well, that’s all the confirmation I need then.

The glare I send him is childish and immature but I don’t have a very good handle on my emotions at the moment and seeing his face is making it a hundred times worse.

Dad puts his arm around Tyler and whispers something to him as he’s bent over against the wall, panting heavily. I have to admit, he’s pretty banged up.

Tyler nods and walks away without saying anything else. I’ve still got so much pent-up aggression I’m kinda pissed he didn’t give me more of a fight.

“Now, you need to calm down before we go up to the waiting room. It’s not going to help Laurel if you’re in prison for GBH is it?” Dad throws his arm round me and squeezes my shoulder before letting it drop.

“J…I need to-”

“Dad, don’t. Not right now. We’re going to be fine. But this is about Laurel. Have you heard anything?” I ask desperately. He looks disappointed too as he slowly shakes his head.

“I just know it’s serious. She suffered a head injury and they’re trying to control the bleeding.”

I didn’t know that. So, he did know more than he was willing to tell me on the phone. Head injuries? Bleeding? God, that’s so fucked up. My legs give out and I can’t walk anymore. I fall against the wall and slide down slowly with my head in my hands. She’s supposed to be my future.
My wife.
I didn’t give much thought to it before her. Now, I don’t see one without her. I can’t move; my ass is rooted to the floor. I don’t know how long I sit there. I ignore the people walking past me. Dad comes and goes. I enjoy the silence. I close my eyes and picture Laurel. Her beautiful smile, the blonde hair that falls round her shoulders in perfect waves, those big blue eyes that look at me like I’m the only one she ever wants to look at.

Fuck
.

I’m crying.

Blubbering like a baby in the corridor of a hospital, waiting for news I can’t cope with hearing.

A soft hand entwines with mine and I don’t even know who it belongs to but I grip onto it tighter that I’ve ever held someone’s hand. My eyes are unfocused and blurry but I still see the mass of curly brown hair as she sits on the floor next to me and I’m relieved it’s Cassie. Blake won’t be far away, he’d never leave her side at a time like this. She pulls my hand over to rest on her thigh and starts to run her fingers over my palm in a soothing gesture. I hear sniffs coming from her, and feel her body shaking gently against mine. Her parents died in a car crash, so this must have brought back some painful memories for her. I don’t feel so weak for crying now, and if there’s anyone I can cry in front of, it’s them. She keeps one hand in mine and her other arm comes up round my shoulder. I burrow into her touch further and my chest falls down heavily until it ends up curled into her lap. She strokes my hair and it eventually calms me enough that my eyes drift shut and I fall asleep.

Something wakes me up. I’m warm and Laurel’s got her arms around me. I don’t want to move.

I open my heavy eyes, then wish I hadn’t. I’m looking at a cold sterile floor, and the body that’s wrapped round mine is my friend’s, not Laurel. Cassie stirs, and I straighten my back and run my hands through my hair. My beautiful girl is still fighting for her life. Or is she?

I don’t know what time it is. I remember then that something woke me up. It’s my dad sitting next to Blake on the chairs opposite our piece of floor.

“What’s happening?” I ask him quickly, trying to decipher his long face and sad eyes.

“She’s out. But they’re keeping her in a coma. The bleeding has stopped but they want to give her body a chance to recover from the swelling on her brain.”

It’s more fucked up than I first thought. She’s not coming out now. All of me had hoped she would wake up and be fine and be out in a couple of days, but it’s going to be way longer than that.

I’ve seen enough medical dramas to know that she could be left with permanent damage. Fucking hell. Our lives have just been flipped in one night.

“I’m going to see her.”

He nods. “Judy’s with her now. But she can have two people there. She wanted me to come and get you.” My shoulders relax, just slightly. I was expecting a fight but at least I can see her.

I bring Cassie’s hand to my lips and kiss her gently on her knuckles. Then I look at her, asking for permission. I don’t want her to hate me for wanting to see Laurel first. They’re like sisters. But I don’t know how much longer I can hold myself together. Yes, me crying on the floor is holding myself together. I could be smashing shit up right about now.

“You don’t have to ask. I want you to be there for her. Give her a kiss for me?” She asks hesitantly.

“Of course, babe.” I breathe out and after getting up, hold my hand out for her to take. I help her up and pull her close to me.

“Thank you.” I kiss her on her forehead and then fist bump Blake, silently acknowledging the fact he’s just let me be comforted by his wife.  

I wasn’t prepared for seeing her. I thought I could cope, but as I walk in the room and my eyes land on her face, unresponsive, cuts all over, tubes covering her, I want to sink back down to the floor and cry again. Judy looks over, eyes red raw but she sends me a tight, grim smile, hand reaching out to grab mine and pull me closer.

“I’m glad you’re here.”

“Me too.” I put my arm round her shoulder and she wraps her arm round my waist, and we stay like that for a few minutes just staring at Laurel, both lost in our thoughts. Eventually she announces she’s going to get some coffee, and walks towards the door.

“Look after my baby girl.”

“Always.” I reply, but in my heart I know that’s not true. I didn’t look after her. I went away with work, pursuing my career instead of being at home with her. She wouldn’t have left tonight if I had been there. Or at least I would have insisted on driving and then maybe we wouldn’t have crashed. Or maybe it would be me lying in that hospital bed. I’d give anything to trade places with her. The realisation knocks me so hard I have to brace my hand on the wall next to me.

I’d give up everything I have for her to be safe and well again.

Everything.

I could say she owns my heart, but that’s not enough. She owns every single piece of me. Every single fucking piece.

If I lost her, oh God. I can’t lose her.

I slide into the chair right next to her and take her cool hand in my shaking one.

“Laurel.” I choke out through the tears attacking my cheeks with a relentless stream of fear and panic.

“Babe, please. You’ve got to be okay. I love you so much. I’ll protect you, I promise. I won’t let anything happen to you again. I’ll be home more. I’ll make you so happy. Please,
please.
” I drop her hand and cry into her side until I fall asleep, and dream of her wearing white, surrounded by the golden halo of her hair, smile beaming at me as she walks down the aisle.

Chapter Twenty

Laurel

I giggle softly as Cassie adds the finishing touches to my hair and hands me another glass of Champagne.

“This is it, Miss Matthews. How does it feel?”

“Amazing.” I reply immediately and Jen comes bouncing back out of the bathroom.

“Time to get you in your dress. I’ll take that.” She grabs my champagne glass, resting it on the table and unzips my gown from its cover.

“You have fantastic taste. This dress is gorgeous.”

I look over her shoulder and stand for a second appraising the Suzanne Neville I ordered for the store, then eventually realised I’d ordered it because it was for me. I was meant to wear it. It’s an ivory pleated organza gown, with a beaded belt and a high, sheer neckline and fitted bodice. The skirt’s full but still fluid, and it has a small train at the back. I love it!

I smile, so wide my cheeks hurt. I’ve been smiling all morning. It may have a little do with the amount of champagne buzzing through my veins, but a lot to do with the man waiting for me. Waiting for me.

He’s waiting for me...

Chapter Twenty One

James

I lift my head and scrub my hands over my face. My eyes feel sore, I’m tired and I’m heartbroken. I’d say I’ve had better nights.

A gentle knock at the door jolts me upright in the chair.

“Come in.”

A doctor walks in with his clipboard, eyes going straight to the monitor as he moves in further, then back to me.

“I’m Dr Bennett.” He extends his hand to me and I take it, eager to find out if he has any news. “I was the first doctor here with Miss Matthews when she came in last night.” I nod, and that takes care of one of the questions I was asking myself, what time it was. I must have been asleep for a good few hours.

“I know you’ve probably had quite a night, but I’m signing off soon, and I just wanted to see if you needed anything before I go. I’ve spoken to other family members but not yourself. Do you have any questions?”

I swallow hard and fist my hands in tight balls. I have so many fucking questions swimming around my head, but none of them can be answered by him.

“Doctor, the questions I have aren’t medical. They’re more of the
why her
variety and I’m sure you can’t answer those so I’ll just let you off the hook.”

He nods. “I can understand that.” He crosses the room to her bed and takes down a few details from the screen. “She was a healthy young woman before this, and the coma’s the safest place for her to be at the moment. It will give her body a fighting chance at a full recovery but-”

“But you can’t give me any guarantees. Yeah, I get it.” I look at her face and feel my heart break all over again.

“There are no guarantees in life, Mr Dawson. I was going to say there are a few things you can do. Every patient reacts differently to being in a coma, but plenty have reported they remembered things going on around them. Just holding her hand may give her comfort. You could play music, talk about your day, plans for the future.”

Anything is worth a try.

I’ll try it all.

“Okay.” I say resolutely. Now I want him to leave so I can talk to her. I’ll have to ask Blake if he can get me some music.

“Thanks for stopping by. I’m glad she has people like you taking care of her.” I shake his hand again and he moves closer to the door.

“I promise, we’re doing everything for them we can. And we’re monitoring them very closely.” He nods and there’s something in his words that startles me. I think it over quickly. He said
them.
It should be
her
.

Them?

“W…What do you mean ‘them’?”

He frowns and looks back down at his notes, searching for something, then shaking his head looking frustrated when he can’t find it.

“I’m sorry, I thought you knew.” He looks back at me and he blows out his breath, and I have a feeling I’m seeing one of those times when the calm and controlled doctor has been thrown off kilter.

“Laurel’s pregnant. Around eight weeks. The baby’s fine. It’s getting all the nutrients it needs through a tube at the moment. We’ll have to judge what happens next over time, it’s all dependant on how long Laurel stays in the coma for. We just need the swelling to go down then we can bring her out. I wish I were telling you that under better circumstances but at least you now know.”

I feel like my hand’s independent of my body as it reaches for the back of the chair and I lower myself down gently into it, my eyes still staring at him.

Shit, she’s pregnant?

“Well, I can see that’s a shock. I’ll leave you to digest the information. I’ll be back on shift tomorrow night. I’ll come back and see you both then.” He quietly leaves the room and so many emotions roll through me I have a hard time distinguishing between them.

I look over at the body lying unconscious on the hospital bed and shake my head in disbelief.

I’m going to be a father.

“Beautiful.” I clear the croak out of my voice and try again. “Beautiful girl. Did do you hear that?” I take her hand in mine and place gentle kisses to her knuckles.

“You’re going to be a mum. You’ll be the best mum in the world, Laurel. We’re here waiting for you.”

Chapter Twenty Two

Laurel

I’m here waiting for you.

I gush as I read the text and then frown when I realise he must be in the Church texting me. That is not allowed!

“Give me that phone. No contact, naughty. You’ll see him soon!” Cassie tells me off as she rips the phone from my hand and drops it in the bag dangling from a loop wrapped round her wrist.

Jen finishes doing up the buttons against my back. I’m glad I have patient Bridesmaids, because they’re really tiny and there must have been about fifty.

“Phew. Done.” She spins me and adjusts the side so it flows out properly. “You look stunning Laurel.”

I tilt my head in the mirror then look at them both. “This is it, girls.”

“We’ve got another ten minutes before the car gets here. Let’s toast.” Cassie picks up the glasses and hands one to each of us.