Forbidden Forever

by Christy Dilg

  "Laney's vital are very good. She is bruised and swollen, with several cuts, but she is healing and hopefully her body will get the rest it needs to wake up soon," I assure them.

  Callie stands and walks over to me. "You care for my mom very deeply, don't you?"

  "Yes, I do," I confirm.

  "Can I please go see her for just a minute?" she asks hopefully.

  "Yes, but you need to understand that what you see on the outside is worse than what is going on in the inside. She was hurt pretty badly and the surgery went well, but she is still healing," I warned so she could prepare herself for the first time seeing her mom in that bed, so damaged.

  "Okay, I understand. Will you go with me?" she croaks out, her voice cracking.

  "No place would I rather be." I wrap my arms around her and walk her to her mom's room. We both take a deep breath and walk in.

  Callie pauses the moment she sees her mom, then she turns and buries her head in my chest. I wrap my arms around her and let her have that moment of release. She is a tough young lady; she gets herself together and shakes it off, walks over to the bed, and sits in the chair. The minutes pass and it seems like hours as she sits and stares at her mom, lifeless on the bed. I stay in the corner to let her have her time alone. She is at a loss for what to do because she is only a teenager and has never seen her mother in this condition before. I whisper softly so she can hear me but not enough to startle her.

  "You can talk to her. Let her know you are here. She will hear you even though you don't think she will." I lie because it is the only way to bring some peace to that little girl's mind.

  I don't know if she can hear us, I just hope she can. I sit in the chair off to the corner as she reaches for Laney's hand; she rubs her thumb across it back and forth.

  "Mom, I am here. We are all here waiting for you to wake up. I know you are hurting and need to rest but, Mom, I need you to wake up and tell me things are going to be okay. I hate seeing you like this. Please, Mom. Open your eyes." The tears pour down her face and she puts her head down on the bed and starts sobbing. "Mommy, I love you more."

  I sit and let her have her moment, but the sadness is unbearable. I stand and walk over to her and put my hand on her shoulder, trying to give her some comfort in any way I can. Laney's hand twitches, but only I see it because Callie's head is still down. Slowly, her hand is moving, trying to reach Callie.

  "Callie!" I say with more force than needed, but the excitement in my throat can't control the volume. Callie's head jerks up and, when she looks at me, I nod toward Laney.

  She grabs her mother's hand. "Mom, I am here. That's right, Mom. Come back to me."

  Laney's fingers move to touch her daughter's hand and the love in this moment is unbreakable. These two truly do live for one another and no one can keep them away from each other. Laney tries to open her eyes but they are still so weak, it takes her a few blinks before she finally breaks them open. Tears fill up and slide down her face. We both stare at her, not wanting to frighten her, but relieved that we have seen those eyes open.

  "Laney, are you in any pain? I can have them bring you some medicine if you are?" The thought gives me chills as I say it. She shakes her head no but cringes as she moves. Callie is crying but happy tears, and I can see the relief on her face as she looks at her mom.

  "I am going to get the nurse and then let Kaleb, Sierra, and Brooke know that she is awake." I walk out of the room and make my way to the nurse's station, finding the male nurse who helped us out before.

  I see on his ID badge that his name is John. "Excuse me, John, Mrs. Collins is awake and I think she might be in some pain but not letting on because her daughter is in the room," I let him know.

  "Yes, sir, I will be in there in a moment to take care of that and work her up," he assures me.

  I head to the room where Kaleb, Sierra, and Brooke are. They all three jump up when they see me, probably from my face they know something is up. I tell them that she has opened her eyes and they can go see her if they would like. I warn them about the bruises and her being in a lot of pain, and they understand. We walk to Laney's room and John is already in there administrating the pain medication. He is in his thirties and seems to be a caring person; we need more people like him in the medical field. So many health employees forget that this career is about the people we work with every day and not the paycheck we cash. Sierra and Brooke walk over to the bed and Laney smiles the biggest smile she can manage. Kaleb stands in the back of the room, afraid to get too close.

  I think that seeing his mom in this condition is worse than what he pictured in his head. Once the pain meds kicked in, Laney starts talking since the movement isn't so painful. She looks at Kaleb and reaches her hand out for him. He walks near the bed and takes her hand in his. "I'm sorry I worried all of you. I am fine, really. I must have been so tired from the..." She trails off, watching Callie and Kaleb.

  "I just must have been tired. How long have I been asleep?"

  "Nearly 16 hours," I reply.

  "Wow, no wonder you are teary eyed and looking at me like I awoke from the dead. I basically did." She let out a small chuckle, but stopped once she felt the pain shoot in her abdomen.

  We all stopped breathing until she looked relaxed again. "Man, you all are so serious. What the hell happened? Am I dying?" she says questionably.

  Chapter 16

  Laney's POV

  All the people I care about are staring at me like I am about to kick the bucket. I have news for them; I will be around a long time just so I can drive them crazy.

  "Baby, you were injured pretty bad and had to have surgery. Your spleen ruptured and they had to repair it, so you will in the hospital for a few days," Chance explains to me as calmly and doctorly as he can.

  I close my eyes and try to remember the details of the night. Michael! He hit me; I reach my hand up and feel my head. Ouch! There is huge knot on the back of my head. I slowly glide my hand down my face and it is swollen and sore to touch. I feel stitches and some gooey ointment on my forehead. On my abdomen, I feel the bandage across where they must have cut me open. I lift my arms and they are sore like the rest of me, but the meds are working now so they aren't as painful as when I first woke up. My arms are purple and look like I have at least three cuts.

  "Michael," I say out loud this time as I remember what happened. The flood gates come crashing open; tears sting my eyes and down my swollen face.

  I stutter through my words and shiver at the pain from the sobbing. "I made it to the store fine. I don't understand, I thought I was okay. Sore, yes, but I am okay. Never knew it was this bad."

  Sierra says, "Honey, you were going on adrenaline and once your body knew you were in good hands, finally gave out. The ambulance brought you here and we were notified."

  I am so overwhelmed by what Michael did to me. Why?

  "Where is Michael?" I bark.

  "Michael is in jail as we speak. The cops went and got him as soon as you were driven away by the ambulance. You told them the address and his name." She smiles with approval.

  "Good for me. It's nice to know that asshole didn't get away with it," I murmur.

  Three long days I have been in this hospital room waiting for them to release me to go home. What home? I have no home. I can't go back to that house after what happened there. Where will we go? Sierra's is so small and I know she will insist, but there is no way we can get all of our stuff in there. I guess I will need to get a storage unit. That will be helpful. I mean, really, we just need Kaleb, Callie, and my clothes. We can make do without the rest. My poor kids and what they must be going through. They are being so strong, but I know they are worried about what is going to happen and what is happening with their dad. I haven't pressed charges because I am not sure if I will. He is in jail and that is enough for now. My heart aches for my children and I don't want to send their dad away even though I know he deserves it. Callie and Kaleb deserve to have their dad around and he has never harmed them.
I believe, without a doubt, he never would.

  Callie comes bursting into the room like the building is on fire. I hold my side and giggle. Behind her is Chance, and he expresses his love for my giggle. I smile and shake my head at his remark because I know it means more now than before when he said that.

  "Mom, guess what? No, don't! I will just tell you. I know you have been worried about where we are going to stay until we find our own place, but I have come up with a solution," she says excitedly.

  "Okay, honey. Spit it out."

  Bouncing up and down, she says, "I have talked it over with Chance and he is going to let us stay at his place with him. He has plenty of room and he is a doctor, so it's the perfect place."

  I look at Chance with disbelief; he conned her into this. I just know it. I smile at both of them.

  "Well, I guess we need to talk. Please go get Kaleb." Callie looks at me confused.

  Chance walks over and grabs my hand and then leaves us alone. Callie walks right out the door to get Kaleb and returns.

  I am scared more now than when I was with Michael. I am finally ready to tell Callie and Kaleb my secret—the one secret that could destroy our bond and break their heart's even more. Callie sits next to me and I hold her hand in mine while Kaleb stands at the end of the bed.

  "I don't even know where to begin and I know that when I tell you this, you might hate me forever, but I hate lying to you. I know we said we never would lie to each other. So here goes. I have been having an affair with Chance for several months." Callie's mouth sets in a thin line and she sits thinking about how to react. Kaleb has no reaction.

  I go to speak but Callie raises her finger up to my mouth. "Mom, I have seen things you wouldn't believe and I have heard things that no one should hear. I know that Chance loves you. I can see it all over his face when he looks at you or talks about you. The way he treated us after you were hurt, and how he never left this hospital since you have been here, except to take me home to get some things for us. Mom, I am happy for you! No one more than you deserves to be truly happy and treated like a princess. Chance is going to do all those things for you. Now, can we please go to my new house? I am dying to get in that lazy river."

  Kaleb says, "Yeah, whatever she said, Mom. No big deal. I don't want to go back to a home where everyone is always on guard. You might have thought we didn't see it, but why do you think I stayed away as much as I could? I couldn't stand the things he said when he thought we weren't listening. Let's move on. You deserve better." I smile and finally, after months of worrying, I am at peace with the choice I made to be with Chance.

  He is beaming from ear to ear when we reach his condo. He insists on pushing me in this wheelchair and waiting on me hand and foot. It is endearing to watch him care for me and watching the way he is with the kids. They have really bonded over all this and for someone who doesn't have any children, he has really done well with them. Once we get into the condo, he pushes the wheelchair over to the couch and helps me get up and sit comfortably on the couch. I notice that things seem different somehow. I realize it's because there are things from my house here. Over on the table are pictures of Callie and Kaleb when they were little, along with some photos of Sierra and Brooke.

  I glance up at the wall and see my grandmother's picture that was given to me in her will, and the table I love so much. I see the blanket covering me is the quilt from my old baby clothes sewn together that my mom made me when I turned sixteen. I keep asking her to make one for Callie and Kaleb, but her hands just aren't quite like they used to be.

  "Welcome home, baby." Chance kneels beside me on the couch. "Sierra and the kids went back to the house and packed up everything and brought it here. This way you don't have to ever go back. Callie thought you would like to have some things that are sentimental here at our home."

  "Yes, it is perfect. Thank you for doing all this for me."

  "This is for me as well as for you, Sapphire. I don't ever want to watch my treasure disappear again. I was so scared I had lost you forever when you left and I didn't hear from you. You will have to tie me up before I let you get that far again," he jokingly threatens. He grabs my face in between his hands and tenderly kisses my lips.

  Not wanting to pull away, but dying to tease him, I push back, tilt my head and bat my eyes. "Well, Dr. Turner, just wait until I can move freely and I will have to test that theory. I've always wanted to tie you up. That stethoscope you wear every day would work quite well." I laugh.

  "Baby, don't tease me now. I have been waiting for days to feel me in you and I still have to go another six weeks. Doctor's orders." He pouts.

  Damn, he has no idea what a turn on that is. Seeing the playful side of him is fucking hot as hell. If it didn't hurt when I move, I would have hog tied him right there. The elevator opens and Callie and Kaleb come walking through with Sierra and Brooke. They have a seat next to me on the couch. Callie gives me a hug and lays her head gently on my shoulder.

  "I'm so glad you are home," she says softly.

  "Me, too. Thank you all for everything you did by bringing some of me here, packing up our things so I don't have to go back there. It means so much," I tell them with a warm smile.

  Chapter 17

  I have the best people in my life. Chance brings me a diet Dr Pepper from the fridge, something I guess he noticed I brought to work sometimes. Just one more reason I love this man; the way he remembers the small things about me without even telling him. He leans down and kisses my forehead, which has to be the sweetest thing ever.

  I reply, "Thank you, baby." Chance has ordered take-out for everyone so they can visit with me instead of cooking and cleaning.

  My new favorite place is where he first told me about his feelings, The Taco Shop, and they were kind enough to deliver almost everything on the menu, including extra garnishes. He sets everything up on the bar in the kitchen area, then he makes me a plate, setting it up on a TV tray table in front of me. I am pretty sure he has thought of everything and I may possibly never have to lift a finger again. Kaleb walks over with sweet tea and sets it on the table for me. No meal is complete without a big glass of sweet tea. We sit and relax most of the day and tell stories about how Sierra and I first met, our girls who didn't like each other, so we hit it off by laughing at the looks Brooke and Callie would give each other. At that age, anything they did was cute even if it was rude. They ended up spending more time together since Sierra and I were inseparable, and now they are like sisters. We talk about Kaleb and the silly pranks he plays, which bring up all the pranks Chance played when he was younger. That is more than enough for them to bond over.

  Callie has been waiting patiently, but I can see it every time she walks to the balcony; her eyes light up but she wants to be with me, too. I decide it's time that she has her time in that lazy river. If I could get these stitches wet, I would be in it, too.

  "Callie, why don't you and Brooke get swimsuits on and go get in the lazy river? Kaleb, I know you are dying to surf. I am about to lie down and take a nap, and Sierra has to leave to do some errands."

  "But, Mom, I..." Callie wants to argue because she fears leaving me.

  "Chance will let you know if anything happens, but really, honey, I am fine. You no longer need to worry about me. I love you for it, though."

  "I love you more." She walks over and gives me a hug, then bounces off to her room with Brooke's arms entangled into hers. I just love those girls; they seriously have the best personalities and hearts. Kaleb heads out with his board as quickly as I spoke the words. Sierra gives me a hug and leaves for her mommy errands, such as the grocery shopping, which leaves me alone with my man. After everything that has happened in my life, I never dreamed I would have walked away from Michael. I thought I was weak but it turns out that I finally realized I was worth more when I met Chance and he showed me what he sees through his eyes. The whole package of me; it isn't my size, but my beauty inside and out. He helps me up and makes me get into the wheelchair a
nd pushes me into the bedroom. The room has changed a little from the last time I saw it.

  Now I see photographs of my family and friends and as I look, I see a photo of Chance and me when we were dancing at the company proposal party. I pick it up and look at it, curious as to how it got there.

  "Sierra had taken it with her camera and she thought we would like it," Chance chimes in, knowing my thoughts before they are spoken.

  "I love it," I squeal.