“He’s still sick? Maybe it’s nothing,” I say lying, knowing damn well it’s something major.
“Oh it’s definitely not nothing. He’s hiding something, I just hope it’s not dangerous or anything.”
“Did you try asking Parker. They seem to share secret information,” I tell her thinking back to last weekend how Tuck and Parker looked serious and angry at the same time.
“I should. He’s been talking to Parker pretty often lately,” she says angrily. “I mean don’t get me wrong, I’m excited they’re talking more, but I just wish I knew what was going on.”
“So ask him.”
“I’ll send him a text then and see what I can find out. I have a feeling he’s not going to tell me anything though,” she says looking defeated.
“It will come out sooner or later. He might as well just tell you.”
“That’s what I said, and then he just gave me this look, like oh shit I hope not,” she says with a nervous look.
“I’m sure he’ll tell you soon.”
“It’s been months Nat. If he hasn’t told me by now, I don’t think he will.”
“Just keep bugging him until he does,” I say.
“Tried, then we get into an argument and he leaves.”
“He will tell you soon.”
“I hope,” she mumbles before heading in the direction of a waiting customer. I head to my end of the bar to serve the people who are approaching the bar.
The next few hours we are pretty busy. Customers are everywhere. The band started late for some reason, but they seem to be an alright band. Nothing to write home about, though.
Around 1:00 a.m. Harp says, “I texted Parker, he told me that Tuck’s just going through something and to not worry.”
“Well that’s something,” I figured Parker knew.
“Yeah, I texted back asking if he knew, he said he did but it’s not his place to tell. He told me I have nothing to worry about. What the hell does that mean?” she asks looking confused.
“It means Tuck loves you; he wouldn’t purposely do anything to hurt you.”
“Yeah, just like Parker wouldn’t do anything purposely to hurt you either,” she deadpans.
“That’s different and you know it.”
“No, what I know is that you two love each other, but some stupid bitch comes in from God knows where claiming she’s slept with your man and is now having his baby.”
“That’s the reality of it though Harp, he did sleep with her.”
“I still don’t believe it. I see the way he looks at you. He would never sleep with someone else,” she states.
“But he did and now he’s going to have a family.”
“Ugh, I hate men sometimes.”
“Me too Harp, me too.”
Chapter Sixteen
Wednesday rolls around and Harp hasn’t said anything, which can only mean that Tucker has yet to tell her.
I see him on campus and decide to talk to him before Harp gets out of class.
“Tuck, can I talk to you for a minute?” I ask him as I approach him and the guy he’s talking to.
“Sure,” he says bye to the guy and walks in my direction, “What’s up?”
“Have you told Harper what’s wrong with you yet?” I ask, deciding I’m not going to play around the bush.
“What? Nothing’s wrong,” he says lying to me.
I stare at him, not believing he just lied, but yet still understanding why he did.
“Tuck I know,” I tell him with a sympathetic look.
“Know what?” he says still playing dumb.
“About the tumors,” I whisper.
“Fuck,” he yells, “Parker fucking told you, I’m gonna kill him.”
“No, he didn’t tell me anything,” I admit.
“Then how the fuck do you know? Shit, did you tell Harp?” he asks, looking worried.
“No I didn’t tell Harp, she needs to hear that from you.”
“How the fuck do you know?”
“I umm…sort of followed you to the hospital one day.”
“You fucking stalked me?”
“No, but well yes, I mean no. Harp wanted to know if you were cheating on her. I told you that being secretive was making her nuts.”
“Shit, but you didn’t tell her?”
“No, I’ve been waiting for you to tell her over a week now, but you still haven’t.”
“Damn it. I want to be so pissed at you for knowing, but thank you for not telling.”
“You need to tell her. She deserves to know.”
“I know. I just don’t know how.”
“When’s your surgery?”
“Coming up, right before spring break, so I have the extra time off to heal.”
“Tuck…spring break starts next week,” I say confused.
“Yeah, surgery’s on Friday,” he admits nervously.
“That’s two days away. You need to tell her now,” I scold.
“I can’t.”
“Yes, you can, and you will. Do you plan on having this surgery and never telling her?” I ask frustrated.
“Yes, that’s exactly what I was thinking,” he yells back.
“How?”
“I’m staying with my sister for the week. She’s taking me in for the surgery then taking me home once I’m released. I’m gonna stay with her during the week of spring break.”
“Oh my God, I can’t fucking believe you,” I tell him as I push on his chest hard.
“This isn’t your business.”
“She’s my best friend, she deserves to know,” I yell.
“I’ll be fine.”
“Yeah, that’s exactly what my mom said too,” I tell him bitterly.
“What?” he says shocked.
“Tuck my mom went into surgery for a brain aneurysm and she never came back out. You can’t not tell her. If something goes wrong, she needs to know, she needs to be there. That needs to be her choice not yours,” I tell him as I feel the first tear fall.
“Fuck,” he says as he pulls on his hair.
“You have until tomorrow to tell her or I will,” I say before walking away.
I hear him curse a few more times as I continue to walk to my car.
Thursday comes and Harp and I both work at PowerTrips. I can at least, find out if he told her or not. He better have.
I make my way in around 7:50 p.m. and see Harp already behind the bar serving drinks. I clock in, put my purse away and start serving drinks.
“Hey,” I finally get a chance to say.
“Hi,” she says looking angry.
“Everything okay?”
“It will be once I punch my boyfriend in the face.”
“What? Why?” I ask almost laughing.
“I told him he has exactly two days to tell me what the hell is going on, if not he can find a new girlfriend,” she says sternly.
“What did he say?”
“Just stared at me like a dumb fuck.”
“Did he say anything?”
“No, just walked out the door.”
“Oh.”
“I think we’re over,” she says solemnly.
“I wouldn’t go that far. Just wait, he’ll come around. He loves you.”
“It’s hard to tell anymore.”
“You know he’s here right?”
“What? Where?” she asks confused and slightly irritated.
“Over in the corner,” I say pointing him out at a booth.
He glances our way when we’re looking at him and a small smile appears on his face.
“I love him, but I want to punch him.”
“I got that,” I say laughing, “He’ll tell you.”
“I hope so.”
We start serving more patrons while people head towards the stage for karaoke night. It’s a decent crowd, not overly full, which is nice.
The evening is going by smoothly and it’s getting closer to midnight. I can’t wait for tonight to be over. I took off tomo
rrow and made sure Harper was off this weekend, even though she doesn’t realize why.
I’m not sure what time it is when people start yelling for help. I rush over with Harp on my heels to see that Tucker is lying on the floor not moving. Eddie calls 9-1-1 as we try to wake him up.
“What happened?” Harp screams, worry written all over her face. He’s on her knees beside his head trying to get him to wake up.
“Shit.” I grab a wet cloth and try to use it to see if he comes too but it doesn’t work.
Thankfully, it doesn’t take the ambulance long to get here. The paramedics keep asking questions and no one’s answering, because no one knows what’s going on.
“I need to go with him,” Harp says sounding scared.
“Okay,” I tell her.
As the paramedics load him into the back I state, “He has two brain tumors and is scheduled for surgery tomorrow.”
“What?” Harp yells from beside me.
I ignore her and answer the few questions the paramedics ask before turning to her.
“I’m sorry, he promised he was going to tell you. I had to let him tell you.”
“How long have you known?”
“Only a few days.”
“How could you not tell me?” she screams as tears roll down her cheeks.
“It wasn’t my place to tell you. It needed to come from him. You need to go with them,” I tell her as I push her towards the waiting ambulance doors.
She quickly climbs in and they leave quickly, heading toward the hospital.
I head back inside and Eddie informs me that I need to go to the hospital and be there for Harper. I agree and grab my things to leave.
It only takes a few minutes to drive to the closest hospital, which unfortunately is not the one Tucker’s been going to. It also happens to be the one I lost my mom at.
Once inside I ask the receptionist for help and she informs me he’s on the third floor. As I make my way up the stairs, I can’t help but feel guilty for not telling Harp sooner. She deserved to know before something happened.
On the third floor I see Harper pacing.
“Hey.”
She turns toward me, “I want to be so mad at you right now for not telling me but I can’t. I need your support,” she says as tears fall.
I wrap her in a hug, “It’s going to be okay, he’s gonna be alright.”
“So you and Rowan, you found out when you followed him?” she asks through sobs.
“Yeah, he went to his sister’s house first and then drove to the hospital. We followed inside and were able to hear what was going on from outside his room. He never saw us. I did tell him that if he wouldn’t tell you before his surgery that I was going to. He promised he would tell you.”
“I don’t understand, what happened today then.”
“I have no idea. From what I heard the doctor saying, the medication he was on to try to shrink the tumor made him sick and he’s passed out a few times.”
“Why would he continue to take the medication then?” she asks confused.
“If it made him sick, but took care of the tumor, then it was worth it. But instead, it caused another tumor to grow.”
“Oh my God, this cannot be happening.”
“The doctors know what they’re doing, he’ll be okay,” I say trying to calm her down.
“You…of everyone you know that’s not always the case. Don’t stand there and tell me it will be fine, we don’t know that,” she yells as more tears fall freely.
“You’re right we don’t. We have to trust that they do everything they can to help him and remove those tumors.” I can’t help it, but this place haunts me. How I stood in the hall outside the waiting room, watching as they rush in and out of her surgery with blood, needles, bags, trying to save her.
I have no idea how long we sit there, in the waiting room. A doctor comes out to tell us that he’s in surgery and its going fine. That does very little to ease the worries though.
Rowan shows up a few minutes later. I sent her a text letting her know what happened. Harp called Tessa, Tuck’s sister to let her know where he was.
We continue to wait for news in the waiting room. Some of Tuck’s frat brothers stop by, along with his sister and Bianca. Not sure how that’s going to play out yet. She came with Tessa and for the life of me I can’t understand how those two are here together or at Tessa’s house.
After about three hours Declan, Luke, Nate, and Parker walk through the door. I can see Rowan tense up, probably because Declan’s here. The guys make their way over to us to ask Harp if she’s heard anything, we haven’t.
I can feel his eyes on me and as hard as I try not to look in his direction I can’t help it, he has this pull on me, my body, I just can’t stop it. I look at him and his eyes show worry and sadness. I give a weak smile then turn to talk to Harp again.
“Why aren’t Tuck’s parents coming?” I ask, surprised they aren’t here yet.
“Tuck doesn’t get along with them anymore.”
“I get that but he’s still there son, they should be here.”
“Won’t happen. Doesn’t help that she’s here either,” she says, nodding in the direction of Bianca.
“Yeah…I’m missing something on that,” I admit confused.
“That’s his ex.”
“Yeah the one that slept with his brother Trent and also his dad. She’s the one that ended his parent’s marriage right?”
“Yep.”
“That’s gross,” coming from Rowan.
“Sure is. I want to know why she’s here though,” she says bitterly.
“I think it was something about donating blood or something. She has the same blood type or something and they wanted to keep blood supply on hand in case he needed it. She’s been donating blood for him for a while now,” I tell her, recalling what I heard her arguing with Tuck about before.
“Why her? Of all the people in the world…why her?”
“It wasn’t a choice. I know Tuck, if it was, he would never have picked her. You know that.”
“Why not Tessa? They have the same blood type.”
“She’s overcoming a drug problem; her blood could have caused more damage than good.”
“I hate her.”
“I know.”
“I need some caffeine. I’m gonna run down to the cafeteria. Do you want anything?” Harp asks.
“I’m good. Thanks though.”
“I’ll come along,” Rowan says as she stands.
I watch them leave, still not believing what the hell happened tonight.
“Hey, how you doing?” Parker asks as he takes the chair next to mine.
“I’m alright.”
“You don’t really look alright.”
“I’m mad, sad, angry, and I hate this,” I admit sadly.
“He’s going to be okay.”
“I hope so.”
“Do you think about your mom and being back in this hospital?” he says cautiously.
“Yeah, it’s kind of hard not to. I know what Tuck’s going through is serious. I also can’t help but worry, I know an aneurysm is different than a tumor, but in both of their brains, really? I know how deadly they can be. Harper can’t go through what I did, she just can’t,” I say as tears fill my eyes.
“I know. Let’s just hope the doctor can get both tumors out without any problems. Tuck’s a strong guy; he won’t give up that easy,” he says softly.
“Why didn’t you tell him to tell Harp?”
“I did.”
“You should have pushed him harder. She shouldn’t have had to find out this way,” I say as I feel the first tear fall.
“I know,” he says as he wraps his arm around my shoulder pulling me into his side. I can’t help but fall into him.
About two hours later, the doctor comes out. He informs us that he was able to get both tumors out and that Tuck’s been moved to recovery. He should have a room shortly. He did say the passing out and headaches sh
ould stop now.
It feels like the entire room lets out a sigh of relief.
I can’t help but wish my mom would have had the same outcome.
“You okay?” Parker asks from beside me.
“Yeah.”
“He’s alright,” he says with a smile.
“I know, I’m glad,” I say with a half-smile.
“Just wish your mom had the same outcome?” he says, reading my mind.
“Yeah,” I tell him as I stare at the floor.
“She’s still with you every day.”
“I know, it’s just not the same.”
“No it’s not, but she is still with you every day.”
About twenty minutes later, Tuck’s moved into a room and two people at a time are allowed to go see him. Harp and Tessa go first. Bianca looks pissed, but what does she expect? Stupid girl.
Tessa comes out about ten minutes later telling Parker he can go back. He grabs my hand and pulls me along.
“Only two people are allowed in at a time,” I say reminding him.
“Harp’s not gonna leave. It’ll be fine,” he says showing me that sexy dimpled smile.
We go into the room and see all the wires and machines that are hooked up to him. He’s awake, but looks groggy.
“How ya feeling?” Parker asks, as he walks to the side of Tuck’s bed.
“Like my head got cut open.”
“Ha, I bet it does. But are you alright?”
“Yeah, just a little nervous to leave in a few days,” he says.
“Why?” I ask confused.
“I think this one will probably kill me in my sleep,” he says with a weak smile.
“You’re lucky I don’t try to kill you here. At least then they could try to save your ass,” she announces with a glare.
I can’t help but laugh. “You could just cut his balls off; they could sew him up here.”
“That sounds like a great idea,” she says with a big smile.
“Hey now, ladies, ladies no torture of any kind. I think he’s gone through enough pain,” Parker says, sticking up for Tuck.
“You better hope I don’t kick your ass when you’re back to normal,” Harp says, “I can’t believe you wouldn’t tell me what was going on.”
“I know, I’m sorry. I should have told you,” he says with sad eyes.
Needing You #2 - Wanting Him Page 16