The next day the nurse allowed another wave of visitors. The only two people Violet hadn’t seen yet were Parker and Ava. Ryder had just left. He could barely look at her. That was fine by her; she was tired of seeing the horror in everyone’s eyes as they tried to mask it in their features.
Minutes ticked by. Violet feared another day would pass and she wouldn’t get to see the one person she wanted to.
Her mom came back.
Both her parents had been with Maggie, allowing Violet’s visitors alone time.
She was envious they got to be with her sister, who she missed and was getting desperate to see.
Her heart sank when no one else followed her mom in, “No more visitors?”
“Not for today.” Her mom took the seat next to her, taking her hand. Sensing her daughter’s thoughts, she straightened out her bed while she talked. “Parker hasn’t left. He even sleeps in those God-awful chairs. His moms have to force him to eat.” She paused, fluffing a pillow, contemplating how much to disclose. “Tylor spends the whole time at his hotel except for the few minutes he gets to be in here. Ava’s been here too, although she and Wes go home at night to sleep. She doesn’t think you two would want her in your rooms. I told her that was ridiculous.”
It was ridiculous. Violet may not be happy with her, but Ava was family. She didn’t always have to like them, but she always loved them.
“How is Maggie?”
Her mom tried her best not to cry, sniffling into a well-worn tissue, “Still sleeping.”
Lily refused to say the word coma, choosing to believe her daughter needed a deep rest in order to recuperate. Nobody called her out on it.
“How about you, Mom? When was the last time you slept?”
Lily waved her hand, “You sound just like your father. I sleep at night, like the rest of you.”
That was bullshit. The staff had been accommodating to her parents, bringing them cots to sleep on at night; still, she had heard her tossing and turning all night. Her dad was no different.
Her mom went to work doing the lymphatic drainage techniques a nurse had shown her how to do on Violet’s body. Lily had wanted to be the one to do it every day instead of one of the nurses.
“I love you, Mom.” Violet hadn’t told her that nearly enough.
“I love you too, sweetie.”
Chapter 48
More Than Anyone
Violet spotted Parker walking past her observation window.
Her monitors went wild.
She tried to steady her breathing, taking in long, calming breaths, not wanting a nurse to come in and see what had caused them to spike.
It took so long for the door to open that for a moment Violet feared Parker was only passing to see Maggie. When it did, it was slower than slow.
Parker’s head poked in.
He gave her a sheepish turn of the lips, unsure as he slid in, “Okay if I come in?”
She smiled, “You already are.”
He eased the rest of the way in and shut the door.
First his eyes remained glued to hers, then they began soaking in the rest of her.
Violet had never seen him appear vulnerable before as tears watered his eyes.
“Are you in pain?” He asked in such a soft voice that it reminded her of Ava.
“Sometimes. Then a nurse comes and gives me my next dose of pain meds.”
“God, Vi,” Parker choked on his words, putting a fist to his mouth.
She needed to talk; if he cried there would be no stopping her, “I thought I’d see you sooner.”
“I didn’t think you’d really care to see me.”
“Don’t be stupid,” she tried smiling bigger, but it hurt. Everywhere hurt. “Sit. Distract me with a story or something. I’m going crazy in here.”
He took the seat next to her bed, eyes on the gauze wrapped over her head. His palms uncontrollably wiped his thighs.
“Please stop staring,” she begged.
“Ha,” he scoffed. “How am I not to? Have you seen yourself, Vi? It’s fucking huge.”
“That’s what she said,” Violet tried joking.
“Wow,” Parker laughed. “I can’t believe you just said that. You’re such a nerd.”
“Takes one to know one.”
He grinned, “Oh, okay. I see how this is going to be.”
They began bantering back and forth until his time was up.
Violet’s head pounded from all the smiling and laughing, but it had been worth it. For a moment life had been normal again.
Ava came out of the single stall restroom with flushed cheeks, checking to make sure her sweater hadn’t gotten stuck in her pants.
Wes was right behind her.
“You were supposed to wait a few minutes before coming out,” she uttered out of the side of her mouth as they walked towards the waiting room.
He only laughed, giving her ass a squeeze before he veered to the left to make his way towards a nurse that would let him into the ICU.
The first thing Ava saw upon entering the room was chestnut brown hair smothering her face, arms wrapping around her neck.
“I’ve been a mess,” Dakota broke down into Ava’s shoulder. “I keep having nightmares over the accident. I don’t know how I’m going to get past this.”
Ava patted her back, “It’s okay.”
She led her to two side-by-side chairs to comfort her friend.
“I’ve barely slept and look like a complete disaster,” Dakota further wailed.
Ava thought she looked pretty fantastic in weathered denim jeans, an off the shoulder blouse, hair in soft waves, and makeup expertly applied. Compared to Ava, who had been in the same clothes since yesterday, had dark circles under her eyes, and hair a knotted mess on the top of her head.
Ava continued to soothe her distraught friend long after Wes went to be with his sisters.
Parker was pacing the room, calming his anger that Violet’s boyfriend had interrupted their time together.
“What if Maggie doesn’t come out of it?” Dakota pondered, reaching into her purse for a compact.
“She will,” Ava responded with assertion.
She refused to believe that she wouldn’t. This was Maggie, her best friend since she was seven. This couldn’t be how it ended.
Dakota was wiping the black mascara under her eyes, “Well, if she doesn’t, Wes will need someone to comfort him.”
“Maggie will be fine,” Ava somewhat snapped, getting annoyed, not wanting to talk about Maggie being anything less than a survivor.
“I don’t know. I once watched this episode–”
Ava cut her off, “Please. Stop.”
“Just keeping it real.”
“Well, don’t, okay?”
“Geesh, fine.”
Ava felt bad for snapping at her, “I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine. I just wish you’d be a little more empathetic towards other’s feelings right now.”
Dakota was right. Ava wasn’t the only one hurting. Everyone dealt with things in their own way.
She decided to appease her friend and find a middle ground. Instead of talking about Maggie not making it she shared something she had been stewing on the past day or so, “I keep wondering if it would help if they had Maggie and Violet in the same room. The three of them are so connected. She needs to know Violet’s okay, hear her voice, feel her close by.”
Dakota shrugged, reapplying lip gloss, “Maybe. So when does Wes come back?”
“Not until visiting hours are over.”
Dakota frowned, “Oh. Well, that won’t do.”
Dakota got up, exiting the room. Out of curiosity, Ava followed.
Dakota flagged down a nurse, “Excuse me, nurse.”
“Yes?”
“My dear friend Maggie Baxter is here and I desperately need to see her. What room is she in?”
“Family only,” the nurse’s brusque manner was lost on Dakota.
“Surely you can find out if the
y will allow us? Tell them Ava Stone was asking.”
The nurse grumbled and went on her way. A few minutes later she came back, ushering them through the security system to the ICU.
Ava hovered outside the door to Maggie’s room while Dakota strode right in, offering her condolences to Mr. Baxter.
Mr. Baxter lifted his brows, looking at Ava in a “Who the hell is this?” kind of way.
She couldn’t respond. Her eyes had landed on Maggie, covered in casts.
She placed a hand on the door frame to steady herself, her legs giving out.
“Whoa,” Wes wrapped an arm around her waist from behind, his mouth inches from her ear, keeping her standing. “First time seeing her?”
Ava nodded. Wes squeezed the hip he was supporting.
“She’ll be glad you came,” his free hand tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. His finger trailed down her jaw.
“I doubt that,” she mumbled, unable to remove her eyes from his.
“Ava, she loves you.” The word love was said with such depth and intensity that Ava felt it all over her body.
Dakota cleared her throat, forcing Ava and Wes to lose their focus on one another.
Wes kept an arm around Ava’s waist as he greeted Dakota.
“Oh, Wes, I’m so sorry about your sisters,” Dakota poured out her grief. “I haven’t been able to sleep thinking about Maggie and what could be done to help her.”
“Yeah,” Wes’s features turned to stone, the hopelessness of what to do weighing down on him. He forced Ava into the room with him.
“It finally hit me this morning, and I had to come rushing over,” Dakota eagerly carried on. “I got to thinking about the bond the three of you must share. What if they could have Violet and Maggie share a room? I know it’s a long shot, but I just thought that if Violet was here, that somehow Maggie could sense or even hear that her sister was alright.”
Wes dropped his arm from around Ava’s waist, moving over to Dakota, wrapping his arms round her and twirling her around, “That’s brilliant.”
His lips smashed against hers for a fraction too long, “Why didn’t I think of that?!”
Still holding Dakota off the ground, Wes turned his head to his dad.
Mr. Baxter was already striding out the door, “I’m on it.”
It was childish of Ava, but she wanted to mention that it had been her idea. She kept her mouth shut. What did it matter?
The next few hours were a whirlwind of activity as the Baxters fought whoever they could to make it happen.
Dakota left, giving Wes her number, “Call me, let me know what happens?”
“I will,” he pulled her in for a tight hug. “Thank you. I can feel that this will work.”
“I’ll pray that it does.”
Ava had to look away from the obvious way the two held each other a bit too long.
“Are you going to the funeral tomorrow?” Wes asked Dakota as they separated.
“Of course.”
“Come find me.”
Chapter 49
Young and Beautiful
“I’ll stay with her,” Tylor announced to the room on the day of Xavier’s funeral, which was the exact same day the hospital arranged for Maggie and Violet to share a room. They had finally agreed, thanks to the sizable donation the Baxters made. Who needed retirement anyway?
Noah and Lily were having a hard time wanting to leave, worried they’d be gone when Maggie woke. They knew, however, that they needed to be there for the Kings and the chance to say their goodbyes to the boy who had been an important part of their lives.
Lily gratefully accepted Tyler’s offer, placing a kiss on both of her girls’ foreheads before leaving.
On his way out, Noah patted Ryder’s shoulder. The two didn’t talk much, even during the hours they were in the same room together, yet it had never been the awkward kind of silence. The two had found comfort in the fact that there was no expectation to talk, share, or bond, and because of that they had grown closer in their silence.
Ryder was in his usual seat by Maggie’s side, holding her hand. He had made the decision to stay. He had never been close to the Kings and felt Maggie needed him more.
Violet was talking nonstop, hoping it might get through to Maggie.
Parker had wanted to stay and be with Violet, but Ryder had convinced him that he needed to be there for their sister who, without a doubt, would need the extra body to hold on to.
Parker reluctantly left with his family, following behind the Baxter’s car.
The funeral was hard to be at. Sorrow and grief capsized the room.
Ava held his hand, leading him to where the Baxters sat. She had already informed him she wanted to sit in between he and Wes.
Parker almost tripped over Ava when she unexpectedly halted a few pews behind the Baxters.
There was already somebody sitting next to Wes, and it was clear that person was holding his hand on her lap.
“Why is Dakota here with Wes?”
Ava put on a fake smile, the one he hated because it didn’t fool anyone, “It’s fine. It’s good he has someone to comfort him today.”
“I didn’t even know they were close.”
Ava shrugged, still not moving forward, “He’s grateful to her for coming up with the idea for Maggie and Vi to share a room.”
Parker frowned, “Wasn’t that your idea?”
Ava avoided the question, turning back down the row, “Let’s sit in the back.”
Their moms joined them. The four compacted their bodies together, seeking comfort.
Parker held it together until Wes delivered a speech that transgressed from their childhood all the way until Xavier’s last moments.
He may not have been close to Xavier, but the man had had his life cut far too short.
Parker, like so many who witness death, contemplated how short life was. He didn’t want to have regrets. No matter when his time was up, he wanted to ensure that he never held himself back, and that every day he made decisions from not only his mind but his heart.
Wes sat back down after his eulogy in a bit of a fog, not fully able to absorb that he had just spoken at Xavier’s funeral. He still expected his best friend to be there with him. Would it ever sink in that that day would never come?
After the service was over Carol hugged Wes, crying into his shoulder, thanking him for his beautiful words. Wes consoled her, knowing her heartbreak was immeasurable.
Next, Malik did the same, thanking him over and over for being such a great friend to his son.
Wes felt he should be thanking them for being the type of parents to raise such an amazing person.
Still holding on, Malik spoke, “Any news on Maggie?”
“Not yet.”
“You let us know when you do, yeah?”
“Of course.”
Malik gave him a pat before ending the embrace and going to his wife.
Their lack of blame was a testament to the kind of people they were. No resentment or anger were felt towards Maggie, only concern.
“You doing okay?” Dakota took his hand in hers, running the other up and down his arm.
He was grateful she was there offering him her support. Ava would have been his first choice, but he had yet to see her. It confirmed that he was no longer an important part of her life. If she didn’t care enough to be there next to him during Xavier’s funeral, didn’t that speak volumes about how she felt about him?
He tried to let his anger go, allowing Dakota to fuss over him during the reception, although near the end it started to get on his nerves.
Violet couldn’t believe this was happening. On the day of her friend’s funeral nonetheless.
“You’re breaking up with me?”
“I’m sorry. This is just too hard,” Tylor pathetically admitted.
Bitterness seeped into her veins, sarcasm spilling out of her, “I’m sorry my almost dying has been so rough on you.”
He pointed to his hea
d, to the area her scar was on, “I’m still so young, it’s too real life for me.”
What an asshole.
“There’s no need for name calling,” he remarked, as if she was the one acting immature.
Violet hadn’t meant to say that out loud. She didn’t regret that she had.
“Well, I’m sorry–”no she wasn’t“–I can’t relate to the young part. After all, I am a few months older than you, so it’s hard to truly understand your desire to want to be without burdens.” She couldn’t stop the callousness. It wasn’t even that she cared all that much, she just couldn’t believe she had fallen for such a jerk.
“I’m going to leave now.”
“Please do.”
He left, brushing past Parker on his way out.
Parker pointed a thumb behind him, “What was up with him? He looked like his family’s dog just died.”
“He broke up with me,” Violet divulged in disbelief.
“You’re shitting me?”
“Nope.” She gently touched her stitches, “Apparently this is all too ‘real’ for him.”
“Want me to go kick his ass? Believe me, it would be my pleasure.”
Violet laughed, regretting it from the instant pounding of her head.
Concerned, Parker took the chair next to the bed, “Seriously, though. Are you okay?”
“Honestly? Yeah, I am. I think what hurts the most is knowing that he was more concerned with how I’d heal, that I’d have this massive scar disfiguring my scalp and part of my face. He didn’t want to have to look at it.”
The doctors had predicted that if she let her hair grow long enough it would fall over the scar, minimizing its appearance. However, it would most likely show if she ever pulled it back, and nothing could hide the part that extended to her temple and cheek bone.
“What an idiot,” Parker grumbled under his breath. “Even in a hospital bed with bandages you’re still breathtaking. Far more than he could ever hope to find.”
Her damn monitors spiked. They both pretended they hadn’t.
“This is going to sound pathetic,” Violet had to focus on the wall behind Parker in order to finish. “I’m scared that’s all people will see when they look at me.”
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