All of Me? The Trust Me? Trilogy

by K E Osborn

  “Aiden, you don’t have to pay for my bridesmaid dress. You already have given me so much,” Sarah says.

  “No, I want to. And, Jeni, I want you to have an expensive designer gown at any price, and I mean any price,” he says to me.

  “Aiden, I don’t need a designer gown. I’m happy with a normal wedding dress,” I say honestly.

  “No, I want you to have nothing but the best. It would make me very happy to see you in something you adore. I won’t take no for an answer. Money is not a problem,” he says. I look up at him. He leans down and kisses my lips softly. I see how much this means to him.

  “Thank you. Hopefully I can find something that you’ll like.”

  “Yes, thank you, Aiden,” Sarah says.

  “You’re both very welcome, and, Jeni, whatever you find, it will look better on the floor,” he says, smirking. I scoff at him and he chuckles.

  CHAPTER 21

  I wake suddenly as the room fills with light. I am spread out in the bed. Aiden isn’t there when I turn over and look for him. I crinkle my face, get up, and walk into the en-suite, checking around, but I can’t find him. I see a dark figure reflected in the mirror. I turn and Alistair is standing there with an evil grin on his face. I call out to Aiden, but there’s no response. My heart starts to race, and my breathing quickens as he edges closer to me.

  “What do you want?”

  As he steps closer and closer, I back away, and then hit the wall. I realize I have nowhere to go. I scream out for help, but he rushes toward me and covers my mouth with his hand.

  “Hush now. You should be quiet, you might wake Aiden,” he whispers.

  My eyes slowly move toward the end of the bed, and I see Aiden lying on the floor with blood oozing from his head, a broken vase lying next to him.

  I gasp as Alistair’s body edges closer and closer until it is touching mine. He’s wearing pajamas and definitely looks confused, but still as scary and crazy as ever.

  He leans in and whispers in my ear, “You… you took everything from me, you little bitch. Now I’m going to take everything from you,” he says. He moves his hand from my mouth and grabs me by the shoulders, pulling me to the ground. I hit my head on the edge of the vanity as I fall. I look over at Aiden’s limp, lifeless body, and watch the blood draining from his head.

  “Aiden,” I call out.

  Alistair slaps me across my face so hard, he pushes me into the side of the spa bath. He bends down and pulls my hair, dragging me to the bedroom, causing me to scream.

  “Aiden, wake up,” I call out helplessly as he throws me on the bed. I crawl to the other side and jump off, making my way down to Aiden’s side to check on him.

  “Uh… uh… uh…” Alistair says.

  I put my hand in front of Aiden’s mouth to check if he’s breathing. There’s nothing, no air is coming out or going in. I start to panic, but Alistair grabs hold of me by my hair again and throws me across the other side of the room, smashing me into the chest of drawers.

  “Aiden’s not breathing,” I call out, trying to get him to stop and help Aiden.

  “He’ll be fine. It’s you that should be worried, girlie,” he says, storming over to me.

  I run toward the door to get out, but he blocks my path and pushes me to the floor. I cry out in pain as he takes my head and smashes it against the wall, making a hole in it. I fall to the floor feeling dizzy and disorientated. He pulls me up by my arm; my body is limp as he drags me over next to Aiden.

  “Look at him,” he says loudly, making me cringe.

  I open my eyes and look at Aiden who seems lifeless on the floor.

  “Oh God, Aiden,” I call out.

  His father hits me over the head with his open hand. I move my hand out to touch Aiden, but Alistair drags me by my feet toward the balcony as my negligee slides up around my neck.

  “Aiden, wake up,” I yell out, while clawing at the carpet. Alistair keeps dragging me and opens the doors to the balcony. I kick and struggle against him, and he lets go of my feet. I get on all fours and try to crawl away, but Alistair huffs and drags me back by my hair.

  I cry out as he continues to pull at my hair. I slap at his hand, trying to get him to release me, but it doesn’t work.

  “Alistair, please, if you hurt me, Aiden will never forgive you,” I plead with him.

  “Oh please, I’m not going to hurt you. I’m going to kill you, and Aiden will thank me for getting rid of you.”

  I gasp. He lifts me up so I’m standing on my feet.

  “Aiden, help me.”

  I look down the driveway and see a car pulling in, followed by a police car. I wave frantically at them when they pull up. Blair and Bree get out of the car along with a man in a white coat. I call out to them and Alistair freezes.

  “Please help Aiden. He’s not breathing,” I yell, making Alistair angry. He pushes me into the table and chairs on the balcony. Blair, Bree, and the police officer run to the front door while the other police officer radios something on his two-way radio.

  “Alistair, it’s Dr. Patterson. Do you remember me from the hospital?” a man in a white coat calls out.

  I try to untangle myself from the chair.

  “What hospital? Where am I?” Alistair calls out to the doctor.

  “You’re at your son’s house, and you’re very sick. You need to come downstairs and return to the hospital with me.”

  “What do you mean I’m sick? I feel fine,” he calls back.

  Bree and Blair come running into the bedroom, straight 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 from Aiden.

  I hear sirens blaring from down the hill. I slowly stand up, trying not to get Alistair’s attention, but I fail.

  “Callie, where are you going?” he calls out, taking me by the arm, pulling me to him. I flinch when places his arms around me.

  “Callie, I love you,” he says, and tries to kiss me. I pull away in disgust and fall over a broken chair.

  “It’s you. I thought you were Callie. You tricked me, you little bitch,” he says, stepping toward me.

  “Alistair, stop,” the doctor calls out. Alistair stops and looks down at the doctor.

  “Come downstairs and we can talk about this,” he says to Alistair.

  “Yes, Father,” he says, stepping toward the edge of the balcony. I blink and watch as he gets too close to the railing. I quickly jump up and run to his side.

  “Alistair, no,” I say, watching him climb the railing Then he slips, and I grab hold of his hand. Blair and the police officer run to help me. He’s so heavy, I can hardly hold him.

  “I’m coming, Father,” Alistair says, looking at the doctor.

  “Help me,” I call out. Blair gets to my side, grasping my hand, trying to help pull Alistair up, but even with both of us pulling, his hand slips. In an instant, he falls, crashing head first into a large garden rock and then to the cement below.

  I scream as I watch his lifeless body on the ground. The doctor runs to his side as the ambulance drives up the driveway.

  “Father, no,” Brielle screams.

  Blair stares down at his father while he holds me close to his chest, hiding my view. I shake in Blair’s arms while he walks with me back into the bedroom. I rush to Aiden’s side where Bree is sobbing next to him.

  “Aiden, God please be alright,” I say, and I fall to the ground.

  The EMT checks for his pulse and tells us it’s weak and then places an oxygen mask over his face. I sigh with relief that someone is here to help him. A female EMT converses with the male EMT, and then comes over to check out 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 say.

  She looks at the other EMT who shakes his head. What does that mean?

  “He’s going to be alright, isn’t he? Please tell me he’s okay?”

&nb
sp; 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 says.

  Mike walks in and watches as the EMTs strap Aiden onto a stretcher.

  “My God, what happened?” he asks.

  “Alistair,” I say quietly.

  Mike pulls me to him and holds me tight while I cry into his chest. “Where are you taking him?” Mike asks.

  “St. Richmond’s Hospital.”

  “We’ll meet you there,” Mike says. He grabs my robe off the chair and helps me into it. “Are you alright, Miss Taylor?

  I nod my head even though every inch of me aches, especially my head.

  “Let’s get you to the hospital,” Mike says. With his arm firmly holding me upright, he walks me to the car. We drive to the hospital in silence, as I stare into nothingness. My crying subsides, but I feel like I could crack at any moment. I’m beyond worried and terrified that I might lose Aiden after everything. We pull up, Mike parks, and we make our way inside the emergency room. I walk in and a triage nurse walks toward us.

  “You look like you’ve had a rough morning,” she says.

  I feel like saying, No shit Sherlock, but I don’t. Instead, I say nothing.

  “We’re here for Aiden O’Connell, a patient who’s coming in by ambulance,” Mike says to the nurse.

  “Yes, he’s being assessed by the doctors and is going in for x-rays. I’m sorry I can’t tell you any more than that. Are you family?”

  Mike swallows hard.

  “Yes, I’m his fiancée and this is his stepfather,” I say, making sure that Mike can go with me to see Aiden.

  Mike looks at me with furrowed brows. I nod ever so slightly at him to make him go along with me, and he exhales.

  “Yeah that’s right,” he says with confidence.

  “Okay, I will let you know when you are able to go in and see him. Do you need to be seen for those cuts?”

  I shake my head.

  “Yes, she does,” Mike says with sternness to his voice.

  “Okay, take a seat in the waiting room, and I’ll have a nurse check those cuts when one is available.”

  “Thank you,” Mike says and ushers me to the waiting room.

  It feels like hours since we arrived and 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 fucking tell us anything, Mike?”

  “Hey, no news is good news, right? Just let them take care of him. They’ll let us know when we can go in with him.”

  I huff in frustration, get up, and pace the waiting room floor. My tears have dried up and are now being replaced with anger and frustration. I just want to see my damn fiancé.

  A nurse comes over to me “Are you here for Aiden O’Connell?”

  “Yes, we both are,” I say, looking back at Mike who stands up 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,” she says.

  “It’s about time,” I say, starting to walk toward the emergency room doors.

  “Jeni!” Mike says sternly, instantly making me feel bad for talking to her like that. I look back toward them.

  “Sorry, I’m just a bit stressed,” I say.

  We rush through the ER and straight to the desk.

  “Excuse me, where is Aiden O’Connell?” I ask the woman behind the desk. She looks on her computer screen.

  “Room four, sweetheart.”

  “Thank you,” I say as I rush off to find room four.

  We pull the curtain back. Aiden has on an oxygen mask, an IV drip in his arm, and monitors attached to his chest. Just when I thought I was holding it together, I lose it immediately at the sight of my fiancé in hospital. Now I know how he must have felt every time I was in hospital. I feel helpless, like there’s absolutely nothing I can do to help him, or make him wake up. Mike pulls me close to him. Callie comes rushing in with tears in her eyes. Mike lets me go and walks to Callie’s side.

  “Oh God, what did he do to you both,” she says, crying into Mike’s shoulder.

  Blair and Brielle both walk in, looking sullen, consoling each other. I’m left on my own at Aiden’s side, hoping and praying for him to be alright. I can’t live without him in my life. He’s my light, my air, he’s my everything. Nana comes in looking ashen. She hugs me tightly.

  “I’m so sorry, Nana. This is my fault,” I say.

  “This is no one’s fault, sweetheart. Alistair was sick, and it was the disease’s fault, most definitely not yours,” she says, stroking my hair.

  “What if Aiden doesn’t wake up?”

  “He will, sweetheart, he will.”

  A nurse walks in. “Jenifer?” she asks, raising an eyebrow. “Can I please check your wounds?” She puts on gloves and moves my hair to check out the cut to my head. I flinch when she fiddles around with it. Then she inspects the grazes and bruises.

  “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, my dear,” she says kindly. “I’ll go and grab the things I need to stitch you up and be right back. Also can we please empty this room; there are too many people in here. Please keep it to three people at a time.” She leaves.

  Brielle and Blair decide to wait in the waiting room. Mike kisses Callie on the cheek and goes with them, leaving me, Callie, and Nana watching over Aiden.

  The nurse comes back with a tray of surgical items. Nana sits right next to me the entire time, holding my hand. The nurse starts to put some anesthetic into my scalp, next to my cut, and I wince in pain. Nana tightens her hand around mine.

  “Three stitches in the scalp should do it,” she says, tying the last one off.

  “Now your leg will need a few more,” she says and then stitches my wound.

  “That should do it. How are you feeling?”

  “I’m fine, but I have a pounding headache.”

  “I’ll get you some pain meds,” she says, and walks off with the tray in hand.

  Callie paces up and down the room while Nana and I sit and wait. A nurse comes in to take his vitals: she checks his blood pressure, pulse, temperature and heart rate. Everything seems to be fine. We just need him to wake up. Nana and Callie decide to go grab a cup of coffee.

  “Would you like to come?” Nana asks.

  I shake my head. “I’m not leaving his side, not for anything.”

  “Aiden, please wake up. I need you. I love you so much. I can’t do this without you,” I beg him. I bring my chair over closer to his side, sit down next to him, and hold onto his hand as soft tears flow down my cheeks.

  CHAPTER 22

  We’ve been here for hours, and the doctors seem to think his brain is recovering from all the swelling, and that he will wake up soon. I rest my aching head on his hand while I hold it.

  “Aiden, I love you so much, please come back to me.”

  His fingers start to move. I look up quickly at his face.

  “Aiden, if you can hear me open your eyes.” I see his them flickering, like he’s trying to open them, but can’t quite manage it.

  “C’mon, you can do it. I’m right here by your side,” I say to him, and kiss his lips.

  “Please, Aiden, please wake up.”

  I see them flicker and open. I exhale a sigh of relief as he blinks rapidly and moans slightly. A wave of pure happiness erupts from within me as I laugh and try to hold back my tears of joy.

  “You’re in hospital, try to relax.”

  I push the call button. He raises his hand to his head, touching it. He winces, reaches out to the cut on my head, and then caresses my cheek.

  “I love you,” he says.

  A male nurse comes in. “Aiden, my name is Dr. Baker. Can you hear me?”

  Aiden nods.

  “Good, now I’m going to raise up your bed. Do you under
stand?”

  “Yes,” Aiden says.

  “How are you feeling?” Dr. Baker asks, removing Aiden’s oxygen mask.

  “Just a really sore head,” Aiden says.

  “Follow my finger,” he says, shining the light into Aiden’s eyes. He moves his finger back and forth from side to side. Aiden follows his finger perfectly.

  “How many fingers am I holding up?” he asks.

  “Two,” Aiden says.

  “Do you know what day it is?”

  “Wednesday.”

  “Good work, Aiden. Do you remember what happened?” he asks.

  “My father was at the end of our bed when I woke up. I got out of bed and walked around to see what the hell he was doing in our bedroom. That’s the last thing I remember,” he says.

  “Okay, that’s good. You were hit with a vase and it knocked you unconscious.”

  “What happened to Father? And why are you hurt, Jeni?”

  I freeze. I don’t know what to tell him.

  “I’ll be back with shortly,” Dr. Baker says, leaving.

  “Babe, um… your father… he…” I gulp a lump down my throat. “He fell.”

  Aiden stares at me with furrowed brows. “Fell from where? Is he alright?”

  I can’t help the tears that fall down my cheeks. I hold his hand to my chest.

  “Aiden, he fell from the balcony,” I say.

  “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’s hand shoots up to his mouth.

  “I’m so sorry, Aiden, I tried to help him, so did Blair, but he was too heavy for us. I couldn’t save him. I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.”

  “He’s…” Aiden says.

  I look into his teary eyes and nod. “Yes.”

  A tear falls down his cheek, and I lean over to comfort him. Callie and Nana walk back in, talking and holding their cups of coffee.

  “Oh, honey, you’re awake. Thank God,” Callie says. “Has Jeni told you?”