Total pages in book: 156
Estimated words: 142833 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 714(@200wpm)___ 571(@250wpm)___ 476(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 142833 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 714(@200wpm)___ 571(@250wpm)___ 476(@300wpm)
"He was hit by a car early this morning on his bike."
I close my eyes tight, horrible visuals running through my mind. "No..."
"He's going to be okay, I just don't know exactly what's hurt yet. I'm at the hospital now with Tanner, waiting for the doctors. They just moved him into his own room. His mom is on her way, too."
"I'll be there as soon as I can."
"You don't have to come, Kenzi. I know how much you hate hospitals. I just thought you could take care of his pets until he gets home since you spend a lot of time over there doing things for him already."
"Of course I will. I'm still coming, though."
"Alright. Drive slow. I can hear you're upset, and I don't want anything happening to you, too. He's in good hands, so don't worry."
"I'll go slow. I promise."
I end the call and stare out the windshield, frozen, trying to force my breathing to relax. My brain won't stop chanting. He's hurt. He's hurt. He's hurt. He's hurt.
When I feel like I'm no longer on the verge of hyperventilation, I fight the traffic for an hour to get to the hospital. Grabbing the first empty parking spot I find, I sprint to the main lobby. I'm pretty sure they won't give me a pass to see him since I'm not family, so I text my father:
Me: I'm downstairs. What room/floor?
Dad: 3rd floor, room 312. Take a left off the elevator. I'm in the waiting area.
I learned when my mom was in the hospital that you have to know how to navigate around to get to where you want to go without having a visitor pass or else they don't let you get to the room of the person you're trying to see. If anyone tries to stop me from seeing Tor, I'm going to have an epic meltdown.
The key is to look determined, and in a hurry, and not makes eye contact with anyone. That's what I do as I make a beeline for the elevator and poke at the glowing button with the faded three on it, wait for the doors to close, and then endure that dreaded lurch that almost makes me vomit as it beings its ascent.
When the doors open, I go to the left and find room 312. My heart is shattered to bits at the scene I walk into.
I stand rooted in the doorway of his room and see Sydni sitting on the edge of his bed, her hand clutching his. She kisses his cheek as she cries softly over his battered body that's got tubes and beeping things attached to him and bandages wrapped around his arms and hands.
That should be me comforting him, whispering love to him, begging him to open his eyes. But of course, she came back for him, because it always takes a tragedy to make someone wake up and see what they lost, or could have lost. I force myself to turn away, but I'm too late. His eyes have already fluttered open and are looking into hers. He doesn't even know I'm there. I turn quickly to leave and run straight into my father's chest.
He holds onto my shoulders and leans down to look into my eyes. "He's going to be okay, sweetheart. He's just a little banged up. He'll be fine."
I wrench myself away from him, needing to put distance between myself and what I just saw in that room before I lose control and it becomes obvious that something is going on between us, and my dad follows me to where I've stopped to lean back against the wall in the hallway. The sterile smell of the hospital is nauseating and forces unwanted memories of when my mother was here down my throat.
He tries to put his arms around me again. "Kenzi, he's alright, I promise you. It's not like Mom."
"Why is she here?"
"Who?"
"Sydni," I gulp for air, and my brain screams at me to shut up, but I can't. "They're not even together. Why is she here?"
His brow creases. "Because they have a history, Kenzi. You're too young to understand. Sometimes things are complicated." He pulls me into his arms. "You have to calm down."
I stifle a scream as my body trembles and shakes, trying not to cry but I can't hold it in, and tears start to track down my cheeks as I gulp and cling to him. Seeing Tor hurt, not knowing if he's really going to be okay, and then witnessing another woman with him is all too much. None of this should be happening. We had plans tonight. We're going to make dinner and walk Diogee and watch Kitten chase the laser light. Then he'll kiss me until I can't breathe and we'll make love and dream of when we can be together all the time.