by Amber Nation
“Tess, go get your purse, we need to leave,” he said in a hurried breath.
“What? What’s going on, Brock?” I didn’t like the way he was acting, and it was starting to freak me out.
“Tess, honey, it’s Emmalynne…She’s in the hospital.”
“What happened?” I was frantic.
“Corbin accosted her and Charlie outside of the bookstore and beat her.”
The blood immediately rushed out of my head, and I felt myself get lightheaded. Swaying and catching myself on the bar, before I fell down, Grady was at my side in a split second, holding me up.
“Brock, what’s wrong with Tessa? Why did she suddenly get so pale?” Grady asked Brock while steading me on my feet.
“No time, tell Mac to watch the bar, and come with us…NOW!” Brock said, and I hoped that Grady wasn’t going to argue.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Grady
Rushing back to tell Uncle Mac that Brock had some kind of emergency, and Tess and I had to leave immediately, didn’t sit well with me. I knew something was wrong, and since Brock wouldn’t tell me, I knew I wouldn’t like it.
Sensing that it had something to do with Emmalynne or Tucker, I didn’t hesitate to listen to Brock.
Heading out towards my truck, Brock stopped me with a yell, “Grady you need to ride with us. Trust me, once I tell you, you won’t be in any shape to drive.”
Feeling the gravel of the parking lot crunch under my feet, I ran as fast as I could to the back passenger door of Brock’s Toyota.
Brock peeled out of the parking lot, and down the street, to where, I wasn’t sure yet.
Tessa was eerily quiet in the front seat, until I heard her sniffle. Now I knew she was crying.
“Brock, I think it’s time to tell me what the fuck is going on.” My patience had diminished.
“Charlie and Emmy were ambushed outside of her store tonight by Corbin, and she was beaten.” Upon hearing his last word, I lost it.
“WHAT THE FUCK?!” I roared. My heart instantly plummeted, and my stomach reached my throat.
“She passed out at the scene and hasn’t regained consciousness. It was apparently pretty bad. Luckily Charlie was able to kick Corbin’s ass and restrain him, or it could’ve been a lot worse. Mikey was the one that fielded the call and went to the scene.” Tessa then let out a sob, and Brock placed his hand on his wife’s knee to comfort her. Mikey was an EMT, when he wasn’t smashing his hands on car parts or playing the drums for the band.
After what seemed like hours, Brock pulled up to the Emergency Room, which oddly felt like déjà vu, from when Emmalynne and I came here for Tucker. I threw open the door, and hauled ass into the hospital.
The same poor girl who was there whenever Tucker broke his arm, and Emmalynne pounced on her, was sitting at the front desk. Today it was my turn to be rude.
“Emmalynne Morgan, what room is she in?” I roared in her face, not even taking a moment to catch my breath.
“Sir, you need to sit down while she is examined by the doctor,” she said in her snooty ass tone.
“Fuck this,” I muttered under my breath as I took off down the hall to find my Emmalynne.
Running down the halls, like my life depended on it, I looked into each and every single room within the Emergency Department, and then abruptly I came to a halt at the very last door.
Opening up and making my way into the room, I took in the staff that was lurking around the bed. Doctors and nurses were crowded around a woman’s unmoving body. I was not so sure that it was Emmalynne just yet, since they were blocking her face. I took in the cast on one arm, and overheard them say that she had numerous bruised ribs from the substantial blows made with a heavy boot. Everything seemed to be eerily moving in slow motion.
My fists were clenched so tightly that my nails were digging into my hands, causing them to bleed. I continued to walk towards the bed when a Doctor finally notices my appearance. It caused all the nurses to look towards me, ultimately revealing the woman lying unresponsive in the bed.
The woman didn’t look like my Emmalynne. No, this woman had a deep gash at the top of her forehead near her hairline. This woman had two deep, dark black eyes, and a nose swollen twice its normal size. This woman’s face was severely furrowed, as if in agonizing pain.
But this woman was my Emmalynne. My beautiful Emmalynne, who should be smiling, as if she didn’t have a care in the world, instead she was hardly recognizable.
My vision clouded and became red, my anger burst out and I erupted. I heard someone roaring and came to the realization that that someone was me. The voice was completely unrecognizable. Two sets of hands curled around my arms, pulling me out of the room. I didn’t want to leave her. I left her alone once and look what had happened. I started thrashing around, trying to remove the vice-like grips from my arms.
I felt a prick, then something cold being injected into in my neck and suddenly I was limp.
---~~~---
It had been several hours since my breakdown and the hospital staff had to sedate me. I was now planted in one of the shitty ass chairs these hospitals had, but I was right beside Emmalynne, and there was nowhere else I’d rather be.
She was still unconscious, but the Doctor had said from her CT scan results, that there was no swelling in the brain. So, for now they are just keeping her comfortable with pain medication.
Sitting there, watching her not moving really did something to me. I was helpless, and that wasn’t an emotion that I was all too familiar with. If I had any doubt in my mind about my feelings for her, seeing her here and my reaction, sealed it.
I had a niggling suspicion that if all the shit hadn’t went down with Becca, Emmalynne wouldn’t be here, in this predicament, and we would’ve never been apart.
To think, if Charlie hadn’t been there with her, I might have lost her altogether. My heart ached so fucking much. I didn’t know what I would’ve done if I had lost her. Her and her son had come to be my entire world. Sure things were rocky now, but I would get her back. If it was the last thing I ever did, she would be mine again, and she would never go a day without knowing exactly what she meant to me.
“You really love her don’t you?” Toby asked while taking the unoccupied seat next to me. He looked about as bad as I felt.
“Of course I love her. Who wouldn’t? She has a heart of pure fucking gold. If she takes me back, I will be the luckiest guy on earth, and never take that for granted again.” I felt tears well up in my eyes. Getting through Emmy’s barriers before wasn’t much of a challenge, but to break through them again would be tough as fuck, but it was something I had to do. I needed her. I needed her so fucking much.
Getting up out of my chair, I headed into the hallway to call the one person who would give me advice: my mother.
“Hey Grady,” she answered with sleep still clouding her voice. I knew it was early in the morning, but I needed comfort and she would always answer her phone.
“Hey mom,” I said with a long sigh.
“Grady, honey what is it?”
“Mom, I fucked up. I fucked up so badly.” I went on to tell her everything that went down between Emmalynne and myself: Becca’s manipulation, Corbin’s attack, and my feelings towards her. Every emotion poured out of me, and by the end I was exhausted.
“Mom, I need her, what do I do?” I sounded desperate, because I was. I was normally not one to wear my heart on my sleeve, but in this situation it was no hold barred.
“Well, Grady, that isn’t something that I can give you advice on directly. It has to come from your heart. If she is a smart woman and loves you like I think she does, she will come around. You just have to be patient, which I know will be hard for you, and give it some time. Especially, with her needing to heal now, that has to come first, that is most important. So back off and lay low for a bit, and she’ll come around, and hopefully by Thanksgiving, so I can meet the woman who has captured my son’s heart.”
I disco
nnected the call and headed back into Emmalynne’s room. Everyone must have left while I was talking to my mom, because the room was empty.
I took the time to sit close to her bed, and took her hand in mine. Intertwining our fingers together, I focused on the daintiness of her hand compared to mine. Giving her a gentle squeeze, I longed to feel her squeeze back. I was disappointed when it didn’t happen.
I was hoping that she could hear me. This wasn’t the way that I had originally wanted to do this, but it had to be said. “Emmalynne, baby, I’m going to step back for now, so you can heal. I don’t want you to wake up and be upset by seeing me here. But know that I am and will always be here for you. I love you so much Emmalynne. So much, and I’m going to prove it to you.”
I rested my forehead against our joined hands, and did something that I hadn’t done, perhaps ever. I prayed. I prayed that she believed in us enough to be with me again. I prayed that she would get past the attack without any demons, since I had enough of those for the both of us. She was so pure that she didn’t deserve to be tainted by nightmares.
I reluctantly dropped her hand and walked out of the door.
Chapter Thirty-Five
Emmalynne
Sterile smells immediately flooded my nostrils. I could hear the shrieks of a man, who sounded a lot like Grady, followed by grunts and groans of at least two other men. The voices sounded too loud. I tried opening my eyes but my head was pounding so badly. I wished they would quit. Then I started to feel myself fade, not wanting to deal with the acerbity of their voices any longer. I welcomed it.
Sometime later, I tried to wake again, but my subconscious wouldn’t let me. I felt a bit of pressure against my hand, as if someone was squeezing it. I tried my hardest to squeeze back but it seemed as if my brain wasn’t connecting to my body. I heard Grady say my name, but then I felt myself fading again. No, I wanted to hear what he had to say. I tried fighting against the sleep that was trying to overcome me. I tried squeezing his hand again, but it was no use, and I drifted back off to sleep.
Waking up once again, hopefully this time actually succeeding in staying awake, I tried moving my head but the pain was a constant reminder that something wasn’t right.
Where in the world was I?
Why does everything ache?
Confusion swept over me and I tried once again to open my eyes, but they seemed as if they were stuck together. Wincing in pain, I just laid there, trying my best not to move. Maybe that would help the drums pounding in my head subside. Dang, I’d never had a headache this bad before.
“We’ll get you more pain medication, Emmalynne, just open your eyes,” a sweet little voice said to me.
Finally I pried my eyes open, causing the bright light to filter in. I blinked several times, trying to clear my vision, but everything was a blur. Panicking, I jerked my head, generating a cry in pain. Why couldn’t I see? I opened my mouth to speak, but my throat was severely dry so it came out as a croak.
“Hang on sweetie and I’ll get you a glass of water,” the sweet voice spoke again.
I could feel a hand squeeze my arm, the one that didn’t feel weighted down like a ton of bricks. “Emmy, it’s Tess. I have your glasses, but they are broken, so I had to tape them for now, until we can get a replacement pair.” She placed them on my face, and I could see. I was so disoriented I didn’t even realize my glasses weren’t on my face.
My eyes were so heavy they felt swollen, but with being able to see Tessa’s tear-filled eyes, I would take it.
“Do you remember what happened, Emmy?” she asked.
Looking around the room, I spotted Charlie. I could tell he had some bumps and bruises, but he was no worse for wear. My memory came flooding back; Charlie trying to kiss me, and Corbin attacking us.
“Corbin,” I croaked, still not having a drink to clear the dryness.
A pretty young nurse came in with a pitcher of water and a glass. She was wearing a pair of pink scrubs with Hello Kitty sporadically placed throughout her top. She handed me the cup filled with water and I took a sip. It felt cold and refreshing in my dry mouth.
Finally being able to clear my throat, I started again, my voice was still raspy. “I remember Corbin attacking Charlie and I. Did he get away?” Not wanting to think the worst, but I was beyond ready for this to be over.
“No, he was caught, thanks to Charlie who may have roughed him up a bit, but he deserved it. And get this, he was extradited to Vegas where is he wanted under the name of Norman Black, for robbing several casinos.”
Holy shit! I knew he was super creepy, but to go as far as assault and battery plus robbery, wow! I never saw it coming.
Looking up at Charlie, then at everyone else occupying the room, I said, “Can you give me and Charlie a few minutes, please?”
“Sure, sweetie. We’ll be back after we grab a bite to eat, and we’ll be sure to bring you something back as well, so you don’t have to suffer the shitty hospital food,” Toby said while giving me a kiss on my forehead.
“Oh, wait!” I jolted up, instantly regretting my actions, and recoiling in pain. Grabbing a hold of my ribs, I continued, “Where is Tucker?”
“He is still at mom and dad’s. He’s really worried about you, but I didn’t know if you wanted him to…be here,” Toby said, but I understood the meaning behind his words. He wasn’t sure if I wanted Tuck to see me like this. I hadn’t looked at my reflection in the mirror, but with how I felt, and the swelling of my eyes, I could only imagine. So, as much as it pained me to not see my son, it was probably for the best. “I’ll call him here in a bit, see if he minds staying the week there, thanks.” I felt the onslaught of tears forming, the reality of what had actually happened, finally hitting me.
“I’m alive…”
“Emmy,” Brock said in a soothing voice meant to comfort me.
“No, it’s ok. I’m just so happy to be alive. I feel like I’ve cheated death twice now. Someone up there must think I’m worth it,” I said while pointing towards the ceiling.
“Of course you are worth it, Emmy,” Toby stated, sitting on the edge of my hospital bed and running his hand over the top of my hair. “Honey, I know you don’t think it, but you are worth everything. You deserve happiness, you deserve love, you deserve peace, and you deserve to live. You need to quit being so hard on yourself and go after what you want. I bet things may just surprise you.”
“But what I want isn’t even here…” I yelled while sobbing, hysterically. Grady was here, I knew he was, I had heard him. Why wasn’t he here now?
They left me with a pile of Kleenexes and Charlie.
---~~~---
“Charlie I just wanted to thank you for saving me, and I’m so sorry you got caught up in the middle of all this.”
“Emmalynne, shh,” he said, pressing his fingers to my lips. “I know you heard me last night. It was my job, so I was already caught up in the middle of it.”
“So, now that Corbin has been caught, you’re leaving?”
“Well, not exactly. I’ll be here a bit longer. But you have to promise not to say anything about my job, to anyone, Toby and Tessa especially.”
“You know I won’t. I honestly thought I was hearing things... But, you tried to kiss me.” I didn’t mean to blurt out the last part. I was preparing to ease into that conversation. Real subtle, Emmalynne.
“You have nothing to worry about, it was a lapse in judgment.” I scoffed, being utterly offended. “No, no, you misunderstood. I didn’t mean any offense, you are a very beautiful woman, and if you were my woman I would never let you go, I’d be the luckiest man on earth. But I can see it clear as day that you still love Grady. And the light that shines in your eyes whenever you think or talk about him, I could never compete with that.”
“Well.” My cheeks felt heated, and I was sure they were a nice shade of red. “Thank you. But I don’t think Grady feels the same way, and if he does, he sure has a great way of showing it. I thought I heard him here a few times, bu
t he isn’t here now. Besides, he cheated on me, I saw it with my own two eyes.”
“Emmalynne, you saw what you wanted to see. If you let him explain I’m sure everything could be sorted out.”
“Why does everyone keep saying that to me? If you know something, freaking spit it out already, instead of speaking in code!” Reigning in my temper, I apologized for my outburst. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have snapped at you. You didn’t do anything wrong.”
“It’s ok. You’ve been through a lot. He was here, sweetie. I don’t know if I should be telling you this, but he mouthed off to the lady at the front desk and went rogue, running through the halls of the emergency room, trying to find you. And once he finally did find you, and saw you lying here, unresponsive, he flipped out. I have never seen anything like it. He tried to tear through Security just to be by your side. They eventually had to sedate him, if that isn’t caring, I don’t think you could be any clearer.”
I was completely stunned. That’s what all the shrieking and yelling was about. He was trying to get to me. My heart mended just a little more. But that didn’t explain why he wasn’t here. “Why did he leave?”
“He sat by your side for hours, then asked for a moment alone with you, and left. I’m really not sure why. It was only about an hour before you woke up.”
Charlie and I continued talking for a bit longer. I thanked him again, and he left so I could get some rest.
The pretty nurse strolled in a few minutes later to check my vitals.
“Sorry, I didn’t have a chance earlier, I didn’t want to interrupt your friends. You’ve had quite the entourage here waiting for you wake up. I’m Maggie Walker, and I’ll be your nurse, if you need anything at all, please let me know.”
She had such a small voice. I was relieved to see that I had been assigned a nice nurse, who seemed to love her job, and not one of those who made everything seem like an inconvenience to them. Seriously, they picked this job, at least show respect towards the patients. You had to give respect to earn it.