by K E Osborn
I cry out as he continues to pull and tug. I slap at his hand, trying to get him to release me, but it doesn’t work. “Niall, please! If you hurt me, Aiden will never forgive you,” I plead with him.
He scoffs. “Oh please, I’m not going to hurt you. I’m going to kill you. Don’t worry, Aiden will thank me for getting rid of you.”
I gasp as he lifts me to stand me on my feet.
“Aiden, help me!” I plead uselessly while staring at his lifeless body.
A car pulls into the driveway followed closely by a police cruiser. I wave frantically when they finally come to a stop. Killian and Bree rush out along with a man in a white coat.
“Aiden… he’s not breathing,” I call out to them, and Niall freezes.
Niall’s face turns bright red with anger. He pushes me into the table and chairs on the balcony, my legs colliding and twisting with the metal framework as I fall into it. Although it hurts, I know nothing’s broken, so I look over the balcony and see Killian, Bree, and one of the officers arguing with them. They don’t listen long before they take off, running to the front door while the other officer radios something on his two-way on his shoulder. It’s like watching a movie playing out in front of me.
“Niall, it’s Dr. Paterson. Do you remember me from the hospital?” The man in white tries to gain Niall’s attention.
I try to untangle myself from the chair, but it’s hard when every single inch of me is in this much pain.
“What hospital? Where am I?” Niall calls out to the doctor. His confused state is concerning.
“You’re at your son’s home. You need to come downstairs and return to the hospital with me for treatment.”
Niall shakes his head. “What do you mean? I feel fine.”
Bree and Killian run into the bedroom and straight over to Aiden. The police officer moves them out the way and turns Aiden on his side. I watch them intently, hoping for signs of life.
Sirens blare from down the hill as I slowly stand, trying not to gain Niall’s attention, but of course, I fail.
“Callie, where are you going?” Niall calls out to me, taking me by the arm, pulling me to him. I flinch when he places his arm around me, freezing when he strokes my hair. “Callie, I love you.” Suddenly, he leans down to try and kiss me, and I can’t help it, I pull away dramatically but fall over a broken chair.
His eyes widen, and he frowns. “It’s you! I thought you were Callie. You tricked me!” His eyes darken, taking on that evil glint again as he steps toward me.
“Niall… stop!” The doctor uses a stern voice.
Niall halts and looks at the doctor. “Come downstairs, and we will talk about this.”
“Yes, Father,” he answers, stepping toward the edge of the balcony.
I blink a few times, watching it play out in what feels like slow motion. Once I realize what’s happening, my heart leaps into my throat. Quickly as I can, I stand and limp over to Niall when he gets too close to the railing. “Niall, no,” I call out.
He’s so fast as he climbs over the railing, but he slips. Rushing over, I grab hold of his hand, catching his weight. My body screams at me to let go. So does my head as I groan in agony holding the heavy weight all on my own, especially with the injuries I’ve sustained.
The police officer runs over to help me, his hand reaching over to grip onto Niall’s clothing. But Niall’s so heavy, and thrashing about making our grip harder to maintain. Niall’s hands are sweaty, and it’s difficult for me to get a tight hold. Panic races through me as my heart pounds faster. I’m scared shitless that I’m going to drop him. I’m just one girl who’s injured, and he’s this giant of a man, dangling over a damn balcony.
“I’m coming, Father,” Niall calls out.
“Help me!” I scream.
Killian rushes over, grasping my hand, trying to help pull Niall up, but even with the three of us pulling, Niall’s hand still slips.
In an instant…
… he falls.
Crashing headfirst into a large garden rock, his scalp splits open as his body tumbles to the cement below. A scream escapes my mouth as I watch his lifeless body with a river of blood pooling around his open head wound. My body shakes while I watch the doctor running to Niall as the ambulance drives in.
“Father, nooo!” Brielle screams.
Killian stares down at the scene below while he pulls me close to his chest hiding my view. I shake in Killian’s arms as he walks with me back into the bedroom. My attention instantly turns to Aiden. Slipping from Killian’s hold, I rush to Aiden’s side.
“Aiden, God, please be all right,” I beg and fall to the floor in an emotional heap.
The EMT checks his pulse. “It’s weak, but it’s there,” he advises, then places an oxygen mask over his face. The EMTs converse, then they check my wounds.
“Miss, my name’s Becca. Can you tell me what happened? Where are you hurt?”
“I’m fine, just take care of Aiden,” I plead.
She looks at the other EMT, who shakes his head.
What the hell does that mean?
“He’s going to be all right, isn’t he? Please tell me he’s okay?” I beg.
She puts her hand on my shoulder. “We have to get him to the hospital. He’s had a heavy knock to the head. We won’t know the extent of the injury until he’s been evaluated by the ER doctor,” she instructs.
This is all too much. I start to sob into my hands. I can’t lose Aiden, not now, not after everything we’ve been through.
Mike walks in and watches as the EMTs strap Aiden onto a stretcher. “My God, what happened?” he asks.
“Niall,” I mumble quietly.
“Where are you taking Aiden?” Mike asks.
“St. Richmond’s Hospital.”
“We’ll meet you there.” He grabs my robe off the chair and helps me into it. “Are you all right, Miss Taylor?” I nod my head even though every inch of me is smarting with pain. “Let’s get you to the hospital,” Mike advises. With his arm firmly holding me upright, he helps me to the car.
I’m numb as we drive to the hospital in silence. I stare into nothingness. I feel like I could crack at any moment. I’m beyond worried and terrified that I might lose Aiden.
Finally, we make our way inside the emergency room.
A triage nurse walks toward us. “You look like you’ve had a rough morning.”
I feel like saying, ‘no shit,’ but I don’t. Instead, I say nothing.
“We’re here for Aiden O’Connell, a patient who arrived by ambulance,” Mike informs the nurse.
She nods. “Yes, he’s been assessed by the doctors and is going in for X-rays. I’m sorry I can’t tell you any more right now. Are you family?”
“Yes, I’m his fiancé and this is his father,” I lie, making sure Mike can go with me to see Aiden.
Mike looks at me with furrowed brows. I nod ever so slightly so he goes along with me, and he exhales. “Yes, that’s r-right.” His voice cracks.
“Okay, I’ll let you know when you’re able to go in. Do you need to be seen for those cuts?”
I shake my head.
“Yes, she does,” Mike states with sternness to his voice.
“Okay, take a seat in the waiting room, please. I’ll have a nurse check you when one is available.”
“Thank you,” Mike replies.
It feels like hours since we arrived. They haven’t told me anything, which only heightens my concern for Aiden, and my patience is starting to wear thin. “Why won’t they tell us anything, Mike?”
“No news is good news. Just let them take care of him. They’ll let us know when we can go in.”
Huffing in frustration, I get up and limp around the waiting room. My tears have since dried, and my emotions have turned to that of anger and frustration.
I just want to see Aiden.
Finally, a nurse steps over. “Are you here for Aiden O’Connell?”
“Yes, we both are.” I look back at Mike, who s
tands and walks over to us.
“He’s stable but still unconscious. The doctor says it’s fine for you to go in with him now. Room four.”
“Thanks!”
We rush through the ER to find the room. When I pull the curtain back, the first thing I see is Aiden with an oxygen mask, an IV drip in his arm, and monitors attached to his chest. Just when I thought I was holding it together, the sight of him brings everything back, and then it hits me all at once. Now I know how he must have felt every time I was in here. I feel helpless, like there’s absolutely nothing I can do to help him or make him better. My eyes flood with tears, and they cascade down my face.
Mike pulls me closer to him as Callie rushes in with tears in her eyes. Letting me go, he walks over to Callie.
“Oh God, what did he do to you both?” she asks.
Killian and Brielle both walk in, looking sullen, consoling each other.
I’m left on my own at Aiden’s bedside, hoping and praying for him to be all right. I can’t live without him in my life. He’s my light, my air, my absolutely everything.
Nana steps into the room looking ashen and hugs me tightly.
“Jenifer?” A nurse asks as she walks into the room. “Can I please check your wounds?”
I slowly nod as she’s putting on latex gloves. Moving my hair, she checks the cut to my head first. The pushing and prodding make me flinch, wanting to pull back away from her. Once she seems satisfied, she moves to inspect the other grazes and bruises my body has sustained.
“I think you’re mostly okay except for that cut on your head and the one on your leg. They will both need stitches unfortunately,” she says kindly. “I’ll go grab the supplies I need and be right back to get you all taken care of.” She looks around. “Can we please empty this room? There are too many people in here. Please keep it to three at a time.”
Deciding to wait in the waiting room, Brielle and Killian follow the nurse out. Mike kisses Callie on the cheek, joining them. That leaves Callie, Nana, and me watching over Aiden.
The nurse comes back with a tray of equipment.
Nana sits right next to me the entire time, holding my hand.
“Three stitches should do it for the gash in your head,” the nurse says. “Your leg, however, will need a few more,” she informs me before she gets started. “How are you feeling?”
“I’m fine, but my head is pounding,” I tell her.
“I’ll get you some pain meds after I have finished stitching you up.”
It takes a while but finally she’s finished, and she heads out of the room for painkillers.
Callie paces up and down while Nana and I sit and wait.
A nurse comes in to take Aiden’s vitals—she checks his blood pressure, pulse, temperature, and heart rate. Everything seems to be fine. We simply need him to wake up.
Nana and Callie leave to grab a cup of coffee, leaving me alone with Aiden.
I lean in, grabbing his hand, and holding on as tight as I can while my heart feels like it’s breaking. “Aiden, please wake up. I need you. I love you so much,” I beg, but I have no idea if he can hear me.
I have no idea if Aiden is still in there or not.
What I do know is, Niall is gone, and the asshole may have taken Aiden right along with him.
We’ve been here for hours, and the doctors seem to think Aiden’s brain is recovering from the trauma and swelling, and that he’ll wake soon. I rest my aching head on his hand. “Aiden, please come back to me,” I mumble under my breath.
Aiden’s fingers start to move, so I snap my eyes up to his face. “Aiden, if you can hear me, open your eyes.” He flickers them like he’s trying but can’t quite manage it. My heart flutters and starts to race. “C’mon, you can do it. I’m right here by your side,” I tell him, then kiss his forehead. “Please, Aiden… wake up.”
His eyes squeeze together, then open. Aiden blinks rapidly and moans. A wave of pure happiness erupts from within me as I laugh and try to hold back my tears of joy. “You’re in the hospital, try to relax, babe,” I say, reaching to press the call button.
He raises a shaky hand to his head, touching it ever so lightly. He winces and slowly reaches out to the cut on mine, then caresses my cheek. “I love you,” he murmurs, making me smile.
A doctor rushes in followed by a nurse who checks the monitors and vitals as the doctor stops by his bedside. “Aiden, my name is Dr. Baker. Can you hear me?” Aiden nods, then winces in pain. “Good. I’m going to raise your bed. Do you understand?”
“Yes,” Aiden responds.
“How are you feeling?” Dr. Baker asks, removing Aiden’s oxygen mask.
“Got a real sore head, doc,” Aiden replies.
“Follow my finger…” The doctor shines the light into Aiden’s eyes. He moves his finger back and forth, side to side, and Aiden follows his finger perfectly. “How many fingers am I holding up?” he asks.
“Two,” Aiden answers correctly.
“Do you know what day it is?”
“Wednesday.”
“Good work, Aiden. Do you remember what happened?”
“Yeah, I think so. My father was standing at the end of our bed when I woke. I got up and walked around to see what the hell he was doing...” his eyes dart around like he’s trying to figure things out in his mind, “… and that’s the last thing I remember.”
“Okay, that’s good. You were hit with a vase, and it knocked you unconscious.”
Aiden raises an eyebrow. “What happened to Father? And why are you hurt, Jeni?”
I freeze.
Shit! I don’t know what to tell him or how.
“I’ll give you some time. I will be back with you shortly,” Dr. Baker says, leaving.
“Aiden, um… your father… he… he… fell.”
He stares at me with furrowed brows. “Fell from where? Is he all right?”
I can’t help the tears that glisten in my eyes. I hold Aiden’s hand to my chest feeling so bad for him. Regardless of how he feels about his father, I know this will break his heart.
I exhale and take in a steadying breath to tell him what happened. “Aiden, he fell from the balcony.”
“But he’s okay, though. Right?”
Even with the torment his father put us through, Aiden still loves him. I exhale and sigh, trying to find the right words, but I can’t find any, so I shake my head.
Aiden looks away, his bottom lip trembles ever so slightly. Seeing him emotional is bringing tears to my eyes, but I blink them away.
“I’m sorry, Aiden. I tried to help him. So did Killian. But he was too heavy for us. I couldn’t save him. I’m so, so sorry.”
“He’s…” Aiden hesitates.
I look into his eyes and nod. “Yes.”
A single tear falls down his cheek, and I lean over to comfort him as Callie and Nana walk back into the room, holding their cups of coffee.
“Oh, honey, thank goodness you’re awake,” Callie chimes and then hesitates. “Has… has Jeni told you?”
“Yes.” His voice is full of emotion.
Nana walks to Aiden, and I move out of the way while they console each other. Feeling a little dizzy and in a lot of pain, I sit back in my seat.
The nurse enters the room again with my pain meds. She looks at me sympathetically and hands me the pills with some water. “Glad he’s awake.”
When the doctor comes back a little later, he tells Aiden he needs to stay overnight for observation, that he will be moved to a private room, and he will be fine to go home tomorrow if he continues to improve.
Sitting on the edge of the bed, Aiden holds my hand while everyone talks to him. When my mom enters the room, I get up to hug her tightly. “I’m so glad you’re both all right. I’m so sorry for your… loss. Sorry, I never know what to say in these situations,” Mom admits.
“Thank you, Ev,” Nana says kindly.
After a while, everyone leaves except for my mom. She chats with us for a short time. “Darling,
I think I’ll go and give you two some time together.”
“Thank you so much for being here, Ev. It means a lot to me,” Aiden assures.
“Don’t be silly, I wouldn’t be anywhere else. And call me Mom. You two are practically married, anyway, and I consider you my son,” she says kindly to Aiden.
“Thanks, Mom.”
She leans in, giving him a kiss on the cheek. “Let me know when you get home tomorrow,” she says as she walks out of the room.
Once we’re finally alone, Aiden scoots over in the bed so I can lie next to him. I cuddle into his chest while he strokes my hair and kisses my head.
“I was so worried about you,” I tell him, honestly.
“I’m worried about you. Look at what Father has done to you.”
“Stop worrying, I’m fine.”
Jolting awake with a start, I try to get my bearings. Confusion hits but as soon as I hear the monitors, I’m reminded that I’m still in the hospital with Aiden.
My cell alarm sounds, and I get up as quickly as my body will allow to turn it off. Digging for my phone in the bottom of my bag, I’m finally successful at silencing it and walk back to the bed. The noise and me jostling the bed must’ve woke Aiden as he’s sitting up just as I’m about to sit down on the edge of the bed.
“Morning, beautiful.” He leans in to kiss me.
“How are you feeling?”
He shrugs. “A bit tired, but otherwise fine.”
“I know the feeling,” I say.
A nurse steps into the room to check on Aiden while I disappear into the bathroom. When I return, Aiden’s bed is propped up. He’s reading the newspaper and looks relaxed.
Eventually, the doctor comes in to check Aiden. He gives the all-clear to go home and sends a nurse in with the discharge paperwork. After Aiden is done filling it out, he changes, and we head to the car where Mike is waiting to drive us home.
Stepping inside the front door, there’s nothing left of the horror from the morning before, not even in the bedroom where Aiden’s blood soaked into the carpet.
Someone’s done a great job of cleaning everything up. Thank goodness.