Total pages in book: 46
Estimated words: 43518 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 218(@200wpm)___ 174(@250wpm)___ 145(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 43518 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 218(@200wpm)___ 174(@250wpm)___ 145(@300wpm)
“No, she wouldn’t do that, would she?” I say the words already knowing deep down in my gut that she absolutely would.
“I was hoping it wasn’t Krissy. When I asked her point blank, that’s when she told me, then proceeded to break down. I held her little body as she sobbed in my arms. How a woman could carry two precious babies in her body only to do this, something is mentally wrong with her.” He has one hand gripping his hair, taking his anger out on not only the floor but also the hair the I love so much. His world is currently spinning like one of those tilt-a-wheel roller coasters, the one that turns in circles, and no matter how much screaming you do, begging to get off, you’re stuck for the whole duration of the ride. I feel so helpless, having no idea what to say and even less what to do, probably doing something that will get me yelled at. I’m going to do it anyway. “Forest, go tell the nurses we’re going home now.” The girls are at home, and that’s where we need to be.
“Wait. Are you out of your mind? We can’t leave. They said tomorrow at the earliest.” At least he’s stopped tugging at his hair.
“I’m fine, and I’m ready to go home. If you can’t do it, I’ll call Madden. I’m sure he can pull some strings. We have two girls at home. They don’t need to be coming and going to the hospital in another car while Krissy is out there! I can’t even believe you’ve stayed here this whole time.” I flip the covers back and move my body until I’m in a sitting position on the edge of the hospital bed. My sock-covered feet touch the ground, and I really hope Hendrix thought to bring me a pair of shoes because I have no idea where the ones I was wearing are.
“The girls are safe, I promise. There’s added security at the gated entrance. Madden is currently working on making sure it was in fact Krissy. Not that I doubt she was wrong, but we can’t go to the police with only Cammy as a witness. I refuse to put her through that.” That’s one thing we can agree on.
“Take me home, Forest. I want to be with the girls, and I want you to be with the girls. You have millions, so does Madden. Put it to good use. Hire a nurse or whatever the hell you have to do, but either way, I’m going home today.” What would take me five or six strides, Forest covers in two. His long, thick legs are no match for mine if it were me walking to him.
“Bailey, I almost lost you once. I’m not going to let that happen again.” He dips down so we’re on the same level, hand engulfing my check, calloused fingers sliding into my hair on the good side. We won’t talk about the other side, where there’s a good chunk of hair missing.
“I’m fine. This is a formality. Plus, I need to see them with my own two eyes, please.” My eyes fill with tears, knowing that he’s been away from his girls except for the times his mom has brought them up here.
“If, and that’s a major if, you rest, no running around, listen to what the doctor says as well as the nurse, and at the first sign of trouble, your ass is back here.” My head probably looks like one of those bobbleheads old people have on the dash of their car.
“I don’t care if they tell me to stand on my head, I’ll do it. Now chop, chop. It’s time to go home.” Forest gives me that smile, the one that has me tingling on the inside, warming me up from the cold hospital room.
“Yes, ma’am.” It breaks up the tension inside both of us, a bottle of emotions ready to explode. I lean up, my lips seeking his. He gets the memo. It sucks that I know he won’t deepen the kiss, but I’m happy just the same with the way his mouth feels against mine.
THIRTY-THREE
Forest
“I told you it was okay for me to come home,” Bailey says the minute we walk through the door. Resilient is what she is, almost as if nothing happened, minus the stiffness in her body from the impact. Her wrist is back to normal, out of the brace. The bruising is turning into funky colors. It’s not holding her back though.
“You’re still not overdoing it. Shower, which I’m helping you with while my mom is still here with the girls, then it’s off to rest and recover,” I state. I’d have much rather Bailey stayed in the hospital one extra day just to be sure. I also understood her need to be home after I told her what Cammy said.