Series Starter : Firsts in Series Collection

by Kaylee Ryan

  Chapter 33

  Allison

  I wake up alone and look at the hotel clock. It’s ten. The guys had to be at the field at nine-thirty. Kick-off is at twelve-thirty. I need to get a move on. I faintly remember Liam kissing me goodbye, but nothing after that. I drag myself out of bed and hop in the shower. I throw on my favorite pair of Rock Revival jeans along with a long sleeve t-shirt underneath my MacCoy jersey. I straighten my hair and place my UNC hat on my head. The weatherman says it’s going to be in the fifties today, so that should be plenty of clothing. The way Hailey and I jump around and cheer, we keep ourselves plenty warm. I venture down to the lobby and find Hailey ready to go, sporting the same jersey as me.

  “Hey, you, are you ready to head out?” she asks me.

  “Yes, Mr. and Mrs. Emerson are headed down as well. How about your parents?”

  Hailey nods. “I just talked to Mom. She said they were walking onto the elevator, so they should all be here at the same time.”

  “Sounds good. I’m going to call Gran on the way and wish her a happy new year and check in.” We gather our phones, keys, pocket some money in our jeans, you can’t watch a purse when you’re trying to focus on the game, lock the door and we are good to go.

  Hailey’s driving, so I hop into the passenger seat and pull out my phone to call Gran. “Hey, Judy,” I say to her homecare nurse. “Can I talk to Gran?” I listen while Judy tells me that Gran wasn’t feeling well this morning and is laying down for a nap. “Okay, well, when she wakes up tell her I called and I’ll call her after the game.” Judy agrees to relay my message, and we say goodbye. Pulling into the stadium, we spot Liam and Hailey’s parents, as well as Aiden’s, waiting for us by the entrance. We all enter together and take our seats. Liam being the quarterback has its advantages, he has scored us the same seats all season.

  The game is awesome. We’re in the fourth quarter, one minute to go, and we’re up two touchdowns. Hailey and I have been on our feet the entire game. I feel my phone vibrate in my back pocket, I pull it out to check it and see it’s Grans’ number. It’s so loud in the stadium I’ll never be able to hear her and there are only a few minutes left, so I hit ignore with the intentions of calling her back as soon as the game is over. I hope to relay a win, maybe she’s watching at home as well. She and I have watched all of the away games together. Gran quickly became addicted to watching football. I smile, remembering her yelling at the television one Saturday when Liam got sacked. She was so not impressed.

  Not thirty seconds later I feel my pocket vibrate again, I pull out my phone and see it’s Judy, Gran’s homecare nurse. I glance at the scoreboard and there’s nineteen seconds left in the game, we have the ball and are still up by two touchdowns. I bump Hailey’s shoulder and tell her gran tried to call and now Judy is trying too, so I’m going to head out of the stands and call them back just to make sure everything is okay. I make it out of the stands to the landing by a concession stand, which has already closed, so there aren’t a lot of people around. I pull out my phone and hit redial for Judy.

  “Hey, Judy, it’s Allison, sorry I couldn’t take your call. It’s crazy loud in here, and I couldn’t hear. What’s up?” I ask her.

  “Allison,” Judy chokes and my heart drops.

  “Judy. What’s wrong?” I ask, fear lacing my voice.

  “I’m so sorry, sweetie, she was sleeping, and I went to check on her and—and—” She’s crying now, and I can’t find my words to coach her to continue to just spit it the fuck out, to tell me what happened. “She—she wasn’t breathing. I tried to do CPR, but it was too late, she was already gone.”

  My body is taken over by wrenching sobs as pain laces through me, and the tears flow heavily down my cheeks. “No,” I sob into the phone.

  “Allison, I am so sorry to tell you this way, but I knew you would want to know.” She sniffles into the phone. “Allison, the funeral home just showed up, so I need to go. I’ll call you back as soon as this is all situated,” she tells me.

  “I…I’m on my way. I will be there as soon as I can,” I tell her as I hit end on my phone. I’m crying so hard my chest is heaving with sobs, without thinking I take off running toward the parking lot. Gran. I need to get there as fast as I can. Through my tears, my vision is blurry, and I’m not watching where I’m going when I feel myself bump into someone. I look up and see Jason and this makes me cry even harder. I don’t need to deal with this asshole right now. What is he doing here anyway?

  Jason gently grabs my arm to keep me from falling. I see his arm is still in a cast. Serves him right. “Slow down, Allison, what’s wrong?” he asks me. I’m surprised he even asked.

  Instead of answering him, I back up into the wall, letting my body rest against it, and let the tears flow.

  “Allison, you’re scaring me. Where’s Liam, do you need me to find him for you?” His voice is laced with concern.

  I nod, unable to speak through the tears. Jason puts his arm around me as he pulls his phone out of his pocket. “Okay, can you tell me his number?” I shake my head, but hold out my hand that has my cell phone in it. He takes it and starts to scroll through to find Liam’s number.

  Before he even gets a chance to hit send I hear Liam’s deep voice. “What the fuck did you do to her? I’m going to fucking kill you this time!” he yells as he plows toward us, flanked by security guards. He’s still in his uniform, sans helmet and shoulder pads. The look on his face is pure rage, however, the rage doesn’t register with me. All I see is Liam, the man I love, and I need to be in his arms, I need him wrapped around me. I push myself off the wall, and run and launch myself at him. He immediately lifts me up, and I wrap my legs around his waist and my arms around his neck, squeezing him tight. Liam’s whispering in my ear, “I got you, beautiful, you’re safe.” He kisses my neck. “What happened, baby?”

  I hear Aiden. “You’re going to have more than a broken arm by the time I’m through with you!” he roars as he stalks his way toward Jason. It’s then I realize I need to stop this. Jason was trying to help me, help me get to Liam.

  “Aiden, no!” I scream, and he stops in his tracks. I release my legs from the hold they have on Liam, and he gently sets me back on my feet, keeping me tucked close to his side. I’m still crying, but the sobs ease just a little when I feel Liam tighten his hold on me.

  “Jason—he was—he was helping me.” I start to cry harder. “He was calling Liam for me.” As proof of what I was saying he hands Liam my cell phone.

  “Here, man, she ran into me and she was crying so hard, she couldn’t even see where she was going. I asked her if she needed help and she nodded her head. I asked her if I could call you for her, but she couldn’t tell me your number she was so upset. Instead, she handed me her cell phone. I was just getting ready to call you.”

  I nod my head, agreeing to what Jason is telling them. Liam bends his knees and uses his finger to lift my chin, so I’m looking at him. “Allie, baby, what happened? Did someone hurt you?” I can see the tension in his jaw at the mere thought that someone has hurt me.

  I shake my head. Aiden rubs his hands up and down my back, while his parents stand close by, but I refuse to let go of Liam. I tighten my arms around him, take a deep breath, and rasp out the words, “She’s gone.”

  “Who’s gone?” he asks, still keeping an eye on Jason.

  All of them look really confused except for Hailey. She knew I was going out to return a call to Judy. “Oh, God,” she cries.

  “What? Can someone, please, tell me what is going on?” Liam raises his voice. I tense at the sound. “I’m sorry, baby, I’m scared. I don’t know what’s wrong, you’re upset, and I can’t make it go away unless you tell me,” he pleads.

  “Gran, she’s g...g...gone. J...Judy…” I break down in sobs. “Judy called, she was sleeping, she checked on her, and she’s gone. She tried CPR, but it was too late, she was already gone.” I bury my head in Liam’s chest and let the pain that is tearing through my heart un
leash with my tears.

  He squeezes me tight. “Oh, Allie, I’m so sorry.” He embraces me in his arms. “I’m taking her home,” he says to everyone.

  “No, I need to go to her. I need to go to Grans. Please.” I cry harder.

  “Okay, I’ll take you there.” He looks to Aiden. “Can you get my bag from the locker room and meet us at the car? I have a change of clothes in there I can change into when we get there.”

  “Sure, man, go on, and I’ll be right behind you,” Aiden says, already turning in the direction of the locker room.

  “Dad, can you call the airport and get us on the next flight out?”

  “I got it covered, son,” he tells Liam.

  “I’m coming with you,” Hailey says to Aiden as she follows him.

  “Allison, honey.” Mrs. Emerson is rubbing my back. “We’re changing our flight as well. We’ll meet you there, okay, sweetheart?”

  I nod, but it’s Liam who responds, “Thank you both. Mom, Dad, I’ll call you and keep you posted.”

  “Sounds good, son, you just take care of our girl,” Liam’s dad tells him. Both of his parents give me a hug. I still refuse to let go of Liam.

  He turns to Jason. “Thanks, man, for helping her.”

  Jason nods. “I’m sorry for your loss, Allison.” Then he walks away.

  Liam picks me up and carries me out to the cab that’s waiting to take us back to the hotel. He opens the rear passenger door to set me in the car, and I panic. I keep my hold firm around his neck. “Oh, Allison, baby, I’m so sorry,” he says, tightening his grip on me.

  I hear Aiden talking and the next thing I know Liam’s climbing in the back seat with me in his arms, never letting me go. He holds me close and continues to tell me how sorry he is, how much he loves me, and how everything is going to be okay.

  All I can think is I’m alone, all alone. I have no family left in the world. It’s just me. I feel hollow inside. My tears continue to flow as I fall asleep in Liam’s arms.

  Chapter 34

  Liam

  My fucking heart is breaking. Allison refuses to let go of me, so I’m holding her in my arms while Aiden drives us to Gran’s from the airport. My beautiful girl is in so much pain, and I don’t know what to do to make it better. She falls asleep almost instantly, and I’m glad. She has an emotional journey ahead of her, and I need a minute to get my emotions in check. I went from elation from the win, to full on outrage, to scared shitless, to heartbroken for her. That’s a damn tornado of emotions in a span of what, five minutes. When I thought Jason had hurt her, I was going to kill him. I wouldn’t have stopped until he was dead. Then when she told me he was helping her, fear crashed through me, who hurt her? What happened to have her this upset? When she finally told me Gran was gone, I felt my heart breaking. Not only had I become close to Gran over the last several months, but I knew what this meant for Allison. The devastation of losing Gran is going to take a toll on her emotionally, and I have no fucking idea how to help her.

  We pull into the driveway, and Allison is still asleep. She slept the entire flight as well. I brush the hair off her cheek and whisper in her ear, “Allie, we’re here. Wake up.”

  She bolts straight up in the seat, flings the door open, and runs to the house. It takes my brain about ten seconds to register before I’m right behind her. I catch up to her as she’s going up the steps. I reach around her and open the door. Judy’s sitting in the living room, curled up on the couch with a box of tissues. The chair where Gran always sits is empty. Allison starts to fall to her knees, but I catch her just in time. I lower us both to the floor and cradle her in my lap while her entire body shakes with gut wrenching sobs. Her tears are falling so fast, I can’t wipe them away. I feel tightness in my chest and before I even realize it, I’m crying too. I want to take this pain from her, I want to make it better, and I can’t. I’m scared to death for her, for how this is going to affect her emotionally. God, how am I going to get her through this?

  Aiden and Hailey come in, carrying our bags. Aiden’s parents are right behind them. Aiden has showered and changed. “Ash,” Aiden says, “come sit with me, let’s let Liam get showered and changed.” He speaks softly to her. We left the game, the celebration and went straight to the hotel to pack and then to the airport. Dad was able to get the four of us a flight within a few hours of finding out about Gran. Showering was the last thing I was thinking about, but I did manage to change out of my uniform before Allie was latched back onto me. My girl is broken.

  Allison shakes her head. “Can I—can I come with you?” she asks me.

  “I can wait, baby, we’re good here for now,” I tell her.

  “No, you need to shower and change, but I just…”

  “Allison,” Mrs. Emerson addresses her, “how about you and I take a walk?”

  She hesitates before looking at me with sad worried eyes. “A walk might do you some good,” I tell her.

  “Will you be here when I get back?” she questions me.

  I crush her tighter to my chest. “I’m not going anywhere, beautiful girl. I’ll shower and be here waiting when you get back.”

  “Promise?” she whispers.

  I swallow the lump in my throat. “I promise.” With that she allows Mrs. Emerson to help her up, and they leave out the front door to take a walk. I pull my legs to my chest and rest my elbows on my knees with both hands covering my eyes. She was afraid I would leave her. Oh, Allie.

  I feel Aiden place his hand on my shoulder. “You alright, man?”

  “No,” my voice is deep and thick with emotion, “I can’t help her. I can’t take this pain away and it’s killing me. She’s my world, and I can’t protect her from this. She was afraid I was going to leave her.” I look up and meet his stare. “My beautiful girl is broken, and fuck if I know how to fix her.”

  “She needs you, man, she was clinging to you like you were her lifeline. Just be there for her, hold her. She’ll get through this, we all will. Go take a shower. Dad’s going to pick up some dinner.”

  I rush through my shower, because I want to be finished when Allison gets back from her walk. I make my way back to the living room to find Judy still sitting there by herself. I kneel down in front of her. “You okay? Can I get you anything?” I ask her.

  “No, thank you. I’m going to head home as soon as Allison returns,” she says solemnly.

  I hear the front door open and turn to see Allison, Hailey, and Mrs. Emerson returning from their walk. Allison walks straight toward me, so I open my arms for her. I kiss the top of her head, but don’t say anything. I know nothing I say can take her pain away.

  “Thanks for being here, Judy, and taking care of everything,” Allison says, her voice cracking.

  “Oh, sweetie, you’re welcome. I’m going to head home now, but I’ll be back to check in on you tomorrow. I left some paperwork there on the table, letters, copies of her will, that kind of thing.” Judy stands to leave. “You call me if you need anything, sweet girl. We’ll get through this.”

  Allison turns, buries her face in my chest, and wraps her arms around my waist and squeezes. I hold her tight, hoping I’m relaying to her that I’m here for whatever she needs. We stand like this for I don’t know how long, when finally, she asks me to sit down with her. We make our way to the couch. She pushes me down and sits on my lap, curling up against me. I gently stroke her back. I point to the table. “There’s the stack of papers Judy left you. Do you need me to sort through them for you?” I volunteer. Before she can answer, Hailey walks in to tell us everything is set up for dinner.

  “Let’s get you something to eat,” I suggest.

  “I’m not really hungry.”

  “I know, babe, but you need to keep your strength up. You have a tough couple of days ahead of you. Can you just try to eat a little, please?”

  She nods. Hailey was apparently listening, because she suddenly appears with two plates loaded down. Aiden follows with drinks. Allison starts to get up. “You ca
n stay right where you are, baby, you don’t need to move.” She releases a deep breath.

  “Thank you, Liam,” she speaks softly. “I love you.” Her voice breaks with emotion on the last words, and I’ll be damned but do I tear up again.

  “I love you so much, Allie. We will get through this.” I kiss her cheek, and we both pick at our food, neither of us has an appetite. I increase my effort, just so I can try to convince her to do the same.

  We finish picking at our plates when Aiden’s parents come in to tell us goodnight. They offer for all four of us to sleep at their place tonight. Allison thanks them, but says that she wants to stay here tonight. I’m going to be where she is, no matter where that happens to be.

  Aiden and Hailey stick around until about eleven. They both offer to stay the night, and Aiden offers his house again, Allison declines. I don’t bother to respond, they both know I am with her, no matter where she chooses to sleep.

  Chapter 35

  Allison

  Aiden and Hailey leave to go to Aiden’s for the night, which leaves Liam and I all alone in Gran’s house. I suddenly realize maybe Liam doesn’t want to stay here. “Liam, you can stay at Aiden’s if you would rather.”

  “Nope, wherever you are is where I want to be,” he says as he kisses my forehead.

  “Thank you.” I take a deep breath. “I guess I need to look through the paperwork Judy left,” I say, pointing to the stack on the table.

  “We don’t have to do that tonight, babe. We can just leave it all for tomorrow and try to get some rest tonight.”

  “I don’t think I could sleep now, even if I wanted to. Will you go through it with me?” I ask him. I know I’m leaning on him for pretty much everything, but he calms me.