Before It's Too Late (Troubled Hearts Book 3)

by Savannah Brooks

  “Abs?”

  Abbey’s eyes shimmered. “Zach. You brought my baby,” she said, her voice soft and weak, her speech a little slow.

  “Mama!” Taylor squealed, dropping her binky, thankfully hooked to the strap. She bounced and giggled, leaning and reaching toward her mom.

  Zach tightened his hold on Taylor so she wouldn’t fall forward and moved closer to Abbey.

  “Hi, Tay,” Abbey frowned and huffed a quiet sob, so grateful to see her daughter alive and well. Tears lined her lashes as she looked at Zach. “Can I hold her?”

  “Yeah. Just be careful.”

  Abbey nodded, sniffling.

  “Tay-tay, give Mommy a hug.” Zach helped Abbey hold her daughter, careful of her IV and the few other wires connected to her.

  A combination of a laugh and cry escaped Abbey. She hugged Taylor, closing her eyes. “Mommy loves you, sweetie. Mommy loves you so much.”

  With her nose pressed into Taylor’s hair, Abbey looked up at Zach. “Thank you,” she whispered. She glanced past him to Cael. “Hi, Cael.”

  Cael smiled and reached for her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. Abbey’s bones had all healed as had her cuts and bruises. Her brain had been the only thing they’d been waiting for.

  “Welcome back, Abs. We missed you. Zach especially. Mom and Dad should be here soon.”

  Abbey gave them each a heartfelt smile. She kissed Taylor’s cheek and lifted her hand, brushing the toddler’s brown waves away from her face. Taylor lay against her mom’s chest, almost perfectly still, as if she knew and all she wanted was to hug her mom.

  Zach took out his phone to capture the moment. Even if Abbey didn’t, it was one he’d treasure forever. Abbey looked up right after Zach snapped the picture.

  Abbey knit her brow, seeming confused, as Zach pushed his phone into his back pocket.

  “What’s wrong, Abs?”

  “Your hand.”

  “What about it?” Zach held up both hands, palms facing out. His eyes widened when he realized she must have seen the ring. “Oh.”

  Abbey’s eyes widened and her brows lifted, as if expecting an immediate explanation.

  Cael leaned in and whispered in Zach’s ear. “You want to tell her, or shall I?”

  Chapter 20

  The look on Zach’s face was priceless. Cael didn’t think Zach expected her to be as observant so soon, or maybe he’d just forgotten in the rush to get to the hospital.

  “Did you get married without me?” Abbey’s words came out slow and steady. It was obvious she had to focus on what she wanted to say. Seeing her struggle when she’d always been so quick witted hurt, a lot.

  “No,” Cael answered, wanting too much to tell her but doing everything in his power to keep the smile from bursting onto his face. “He got engaged.”

  “What?”

  “Yeah, so… I’m not quite sure how to tell you this.” Zach turned and looked at Cael, his eyes questioning.

  “I do,” Cael said, and without any hesitation, he pressed a chaste kiss to Zach’s lips, eliciting a quiet gasp from him. Cael eased back, a huge grin on his face, and hugged Zach to his side.

  After the initial shock faded, Abbey’s face glowed, her smile reaching all the way to her eyes. The sheer joy radiating from her overshadowed the paleness of her skin.

  Zach’s cheeks flushed, and with a sheepish smile teasing his lips, he shrugged. “We sort of have a few things to tell you.”

  ***

  As Cael’s head hit the pillow, he let out a huge yawn. Zach slid into bed beside him, pulling the covers over them. Nestling close, feet and legs tangling, Zach pressed his back to Cael’s chest and pulled Cael’s arm around him. Cael hugged him from behind and closed his eyes, already drifting off to sleep.

  The day had started off strained with tensions mounting and breaking at Zach’s parents’ house. His grandparents didn’t even show up at the hospital, claiming too many visitors might be too much for Abbey, but Cael knew it was because his grandfather didn’t want to be around him and Zach.

  His grandmother, on the other hand, had seemed to come around a little bit before the phone call from the doctor. Abuela had actually come out of the guest room and made an effort to talk to Cael as if he were a real person. He appreciated the effort and, to his surprise, Abuela seemed to warm up to him. When he’d asked her why the sudden change of heart, she’d paused with a serious look and said, “I’m trying to understand why my grandson fell in love with a man instead of a woman.”

  Cael hadn’t taken it too personally. A lot of people didn’t understand why or how a man could be attracted to another man. Heck, even Cael didn’t understand it. It’s just how he felt. How he’d always felt. And yeah, he’d fallen in love with Zach years ago, but Cael hadn’t imagined Zach would ever fall in love with him.

  Cael hoped his response had opened her mind a little when he’d said, “I can’t speak for Zach, but I can tell you that I love him. There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for him. Zach’s more than my best friend, Mrs. Rivas. He’s everything to me. I didn’t choose to fall in love with him, but for reasons beyond my control, I just… did.”

  Zach shifted in Cael’s arms, rolling partially onto his back.

  “Cael?” Zach whispered.

  “Mmm.” Sleep had already begun to cloud his brain.

  “Do you think they’ll release Abbey soon?”

  Cael focused hard on the question. “Probably.”

  “I want her to stay with us until she recovers well enough to be on her own again.”

  “I figured.”

  “But if she doesn’t—”

  “She will.”

  Zach’s chest expanded and contracted as he took in a deep breath and let it out slowly.

  “But, if she doesn’t,” Cael continued, his voice soft and reassuring. Eyes still closed, he dropped a small kiss below Zach’s ear. “We’ll just have to get a bigger house.”

  “You don’t think this one’s big enough for the four of us?”

  “Sure, but our kids are gonna need space too,” Cael replied, his heart warming without his permission.

  “Our kids, huh?”

  “Mmm-hmm.”

  Zach fell quiet. A haze of unconsciousness settled in as Cael drifted further into sleep, his arms circled around Zach.

  “S’okay, right?” Cael mumbled, snuggling closer to Zach.

  In the distant corner of his mind, Cael heard Zach’s voice whisper to him. “Way fucking better than okay.”

  ***

  Cael stood in the kitchen, dressed for work in an olive green polo and light brown Dockers, pouring himself and Zach each a cup of coffee. As he stirred sugar into both, the doorbell rang. He took a careful sip then set his mug down on the granite countertop and went to open the door, wondering who it would be at six-forty-five in the morning.

  Cael unlocked the door and pulled it open. His jaw nearly dropped.

  “Mrs. Rivas. Hi.”

  “Hello, Cael. I know it’s early, but may I come in? I will not be long,” she said, her English clear and succinct, even with her thick Guatemalan accent.

  “Um, yes, of course.” Cael opened the door wider, and Zach’s grandmother stepped inside, pausing in the entry. He closed the door. “Can I get you anything? A cup of coffee, maybe?”

  “No, thank you. Alejandro is waiting in the van, and I know both you and Zach need to take Taylor to school and get to work.”

  “We have some time. Zach should be out soon. Did you come by to see him?”

  “I’ve come to see both of you.”

  “Oh, okay. Well, you can have a seat if you’d like, and I’ll go let him know you’re here.”

  “Thank you.”

  Zach’s grandmother took a seat in the living room, opting for an armchair over the couch. Cael practically sprinted down the hall to their bedroom, somewhat thankful he hadn’t gotten Taylor up and dressed yet. As Cael reached their bedroom door, Zach came out, almost crashing right into him.
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  Cael’s brain stuttered. “Whoa,” he whispered. Zach wore his new black button-down with its patterned white and plum colored cuffs folded up to his elbows coupled with slim but not skinny gray jeans.

  “What?” Zach asked, looking down as he smoothed his hands over his shirt. “Does it look okay?”

  “Definitely better than okay.”

  Zach smiled and pecked his lips. “Is Taylor up yet?”

  “No, but before she is, you should know that Abuela is sitting in the living room.”

  Zach furrowed his brow. “What?”

  “Yeah. She said she wouldn’t stay long but wanted to talk with both of us. Apparently your grandfather is waiting out in the van.”

  “Fuck,” Zach muttered under his breath. “At least she had the decency to say goodbye before never speaking to me ever again.”

  With his lips pressed into a thin line, Zach put his hands on his hips and closed his eyes, inhaling deeply through his nose and letting the air out slowly. He opened his eyes and looked up at Cael.

  “Sorry,” Cael said, his lips twisting and brow wrinkling.

  Zach shook his head. “Don’t be sorry. None of this is your fault.” Zach clasped Cael’s hand. “Come on. Let’s get this over with.”

  Hands linked, Cael and Zach walked into the living room and sat on the couch together. Cael tried to slip his hand out of Zach’s, but Zach only tightened his grip.

  “Cael said you wanted to speak with us,” Zach said, his tone impassive.

  “Yes.” She paused, looking between them. “When I first brought your grandfather home to meet my parents and grandparents, not one of them approved of him. He was a farmer with little money to his name, and I was the governor’s daughter. My mother and father forbid me to see him again, more concerned about public embarrassment than their daughter’s happiness. Do you know what I did?”

  “No,” Zach answered. “You’ve never told me that story.”

  “I ran away. In my heart, I did not care. I loved him.”

  “Abuela, why are you telling me this?”

  “This man makes you happy, does he not?”

  Zach gave Cael a heartfelt glance. “More than you know.”

  Abuela smiled, keeping her lips pressed together. “I lost my family when I left to be with Alejandro. I do not want that for you, mijo.”

  Zach straightened. “Cael and I are getting married, Abuela. I’m not changing my mind on that.”

  “I know, and perhaps you and Cael are not so much different from me and your grandfather. You did not choose to fall in love with a man just as I did not choose to fall in love with a poor farmer.” Abuela smiled knowingly at Cael. “I imagine I am in my grandmother’s shoes now, but in praying for God’s guidance, I was reminded that God does not choose who to love either. God loves and accept all his children. It was wrong of me to judge you and Cael, and I apologize. I do not wish to treat you the way my grandmother treated me, and that is a choice I can make. I believe, in time, your grandfather will make the same choice.”

  “So, this isn’t goodbye?”

  “Only until next time.” Zach’s grandmother pushed to her feet. “I should be going. We are driving back to El Paso today.”

  Zach stood and hugged her.

  She hugged him back.

  ***

  It turned out Abbey had to learn how to do a lot of normal things again. Mostly physical things—gross and fine motor movements. Things like how to hold a pencil, how to write… how to walk. She had a lot of strength to rebuild too, her muscles having weakened over the last few months.

  Her memory had remained intact with the exception of the day of the accident. The doctor said she’d likely never regain any memory of that day simply because her brain never had the chance to move it from short term to long term memory. That was likely a good thing.

  Abbey’s speech returned to normal fairly quickly, but it still took her a little extra time for her brain to process things. That was the hardest part for Cael to see. Abs still had her sense of humor, but her quick wit had died. For Cael, it felt as though a part of her was missing, still lost in the coma that had taken up two and a half months of her life, and he wondered if she’d ever get it back.

  Regardless, Cael was just thankful to have Abbey back with them again. Zach had his sister back, mostly, and Taylor had her mom. Things were going to be okay.

  The scars from this battle would be far deeper than the other battles she’d fought, but Abbey would recover. She was stubborn, and it’s what she did.

  As for he and Zach, they were well on their way to finally having everything they’d always wanted. Each had his best friend and love of his life at his side, and if Cael had anything to say about it, it would stay that way until long after neither of them had the hand-eye coordination to tear it up on the screen, blowing up tiny little pixels, until they were old and gray.

  Epilogue

  Four years later…

  With Abbey to one side, beaming with nothing but pure joy, Zach sat on a cushioned chair on the back patio, his legs outstretched and crossed at his ankles. Bringing the beer bottle in his hand to his lips, Zach couldn’t help his own smile as he watched Cael trying to teach Taylor how to ride a bike without training wheels. Fuck, he could hardly believe she was coming up on six years old.

  “I won’t let go until you’re ready,” Cael said. “I promise.”

  “I know.” Taylor situated herself on the seat again, getting her feet on the pedals as Cael kept her bike steady and upright.

  “Ready, Tay?”

  “Don’t let go until I say, Uncle Cael.”

  Zach chuckled at the commanding yet sweet little voice. That kid definitely had her mom’s confidence.

  “I won’t.”

  Cael pushed her along, gradually picking up speed. The huge, grassy backyard made for a great practice zone. After he and Cael got married several years back, Zach sold his home and together they bought a new one—a six-bedroom, ranch style a little further out of town on a large lot.

  “Mommy, Uncle Zach, are you watching?” Taylor looked over her shoulder, searching.

  “Yes, we are, honey” Abbey replied.

  “Watch where you’re going, Tay,” Cael said.

  “I am. Go faster.”

  “You sure?”

  “Yes. Faster, Uncle Cael!”

  Taylor pedaled faster. Cael ran with her. When she had enough speed, he let go. Taylor rode on her own for about fifteen feet before slowing and putting her feet down.

  “I did it!” she screamed. “I did it! Mommy did you see?”

  “I did, sweetie.”

  “Awesome job, kiddo.” Cael walked to where she stopped and high-fived her. “Ready to try again?”

  “Yeah!” Taylor looked toward the patio. “You guys watching still?”

  “We’re watching, munchkin!” Zach hollered.

  The screen door opened behind him. Riley appeared with a dark-haired little angel on her hip. Well, his hip, actually. It turned out Riley was transgender. It was no wonder Riley always seemed more like one of the guys. Apparently, he was.

  “There’s daddy,” Riley said.

  Zach shifted in his seat. “I was beginning to wonder about you two. That must have been quite the diaper change.”

  “We stopped to read a book, then she wanted a snack, so I gave her a banana. Hope that’s okay.”

  “That’s fine.” Zach sat his beer on the resin table as Riley came around in front of him. Riley passed Peyton to him and walked around the table. Leaning down, Riley pressed a chaste kiss to Abbey’s lips.

  Riley and Abbey. Their relationship was one Zach had never seen coming. Within days of Abbey first coming home from the hospital, Riley, Zach’s friend from work, had come to visit and help out. He and Abbey had hit it off right away. They were friends for a while before Riley came out to Abbey as a transman. He started testosterone therapy and after about a year, confessed to Abbey that he was falling in love with her. They’ve
been together ever since.

  Zach had asked him once why he’d asked him out back on his first day of work. He remembered chuckling at and agreeing with Riley’s simple reply. “You were cute, but I’m glad you said no, because your sister is cuter.” Riley didn’t care about gender. He liked who he liked. Zach could definitely relate, and he couldn’t have asked for anyone better to take care of his sister.

  “Hey, babe.” Riley sat down. “Did I miss anything?”

  “Only Taylor riding her bike without training wheels for the first time.”

  “Oh my God, really?”

  “Don’t worry. I got it on video,” Abbey said, grinning at her fiancé.

  “Good.”

  Zach kissed his daughter’s cheek as the two-year-old tried to squirm out of his lap. He let her down and Peyton ran straight to their lemon beagle, Daisy. Yes, Taylor had picked out the name. Cael had adopted Daisy when she was about six months old, just a few weeks after Abbey had come home from the hospital. He’d made the excuse that dogs were good for therapy. Regardless of the fact that he was right—Daisy brought a lot of extra joy to their lives when Abbey was in the early days of her own physical therapy—Zach knew it was less about the therapy and more about the fact that Cael had fallen in love the first time he’d held her.

  Cael’s big heart did him in every time, but it was one of the many reasons Zach had fallen for him.

  “I can’t believe Taylor and I won’t be living here anymore,” Abbey said.

  Zach gave her a thoughtful look. “It won’t be the same without you guys.”

  Abbey pressed her lips into a sad smile. “I know. But look at you. You’ve got your own family now, and it will be growing again soon.”

  “Yeah.” Zach puffed his cheeks, blowing out a breath. “Not sure I’m ready for that yet.”

  “Yes, you are. Besides, you and that gorgeous, amazing husband of yours need your own space. You’ve both been helping us for long enough.”

  “You’re still part of this family, Abs.”

  “And you and Cael are the best brothers a girl could ever have. Seriously. The Best. I can’t imagine where Taylor and I would be if it weren’t for the two of you, but it’s time, Zach. I need to do this for myself.” Abbey clasped Riley’s hand, looking over at him. “And for us.”