by Ivy Fox
Rome lets out an exasperated exhale, revealing how tired he is of fighting. He’s done enough of it to last a lifetime.
“None of us deserve her, Ash,” he murmurs under his breath. “Still doesn’t mean we won’t move heaven and earth to keep her.”
A throat clears in the room, asking for Snow’s relatives.
“We’re her family,” Elle instantly replies, facing the man in blue scrubs.
We all huddle around Snow’s doctor as he goes into detail regarding her condition.
“Rest assured she is being well looked after. Her vitals look good, and we’ve been able to flush out most of the poisonous toxin from her system.”
“Are you telling us that Holland was poisoned?” I croak out, baffled at how that could even be a possibility.
“Yes, I’m afraid so. We found traces of a controlled substance in her bloodstream, which we are not at liberty to discuss at this time. The authorities are already conducting an investigation regarding this matter. However, we can disclose the poison was absorbed through the skin. On her neck, to be more precise. We are still running more tests to check on any other effects the toxin may have caused, considering the hallucinations and the nerve damage she suffered. We are hopeful the worst has passed, though. She was fortunate,” the doctor adds, not realizing he just pulled the rug from under our feet.
“So this was intentional? It has nothing to do with her condition?” Elle stutters, overwhelmed by this news.
“You mean in regards to her lupus? No. Although, it didn’t help either, and the flare-up it provoked will make her recovery lengthier. But she’s awake now and in good spirits.”
“Can we see her?” Elle pleas.
“Of course.” The doctor smiles. “Two at a time, though. We don’t want to wear her out.”
“I’ll go first. You guys sort yourselves out. Don’t even think of going in that room with all your bullshit. Understand?” Elle commands, making the doctor frown in confusion.
But we all know better than to go against Elle. Ash starts by saying that he needs some fresh air, while Rome adds that he needs to make some calls; both are trying to get some distance from each other before they do something that Snow might not be pleased with.
I decide to grab some coffee down at the cafeteria, hoping the caffeine will help my tired bones. When I come back up, my siblings are nowhere in sight. However, Vivienne just arrived, looking like she just stepped out of the salon—pampered and beautified.
“Oliver! Thank God, I caught you. I just heard the news and came as quickly as I could,” she sing-songs, as if casually strolling down 5th Avenue to have drinks at The Plaza. “Is there any news on my daughter?”
“She’s fine. Resting,” I sternly explain, knowing damn well that everyone—that is anyone—was at Pembroke last night, which means she knew something happened to Snow yesterday but decided to show her bitch face only a day later.
“That’s good. I’d like to see her, but I haven’t been lucky in finding her doctor. Be a dear and see if she’s up for a visit?”
With you? Unlikely.
I keep my thoughts to myself as I go in search of Snow’s room. I’m not sure about the status of their relationship right now, but if Snow would rather avoid Vivienne, I will make an excuse for her not to see the witch. I don’t blame her.
Luckily, a nurse points out the room Snow is in, but the minute I pass its threshold, I stop dead in my tracks.
My older brother is leaning down over her, carefully wiping away the stray hairs off Snow’s brow.
“Hey,” Rome whispers hoarsely, offering a gentle smile.
“Hey, yourself,” she hushes, still a bit out of it.
“You had me scared there for a minute.”
“Yeah? I didn’t think anything scared the great Roman Grayson,” she jokes, but his gentle smile falls off his face.
“Well, you did, little liar. You can’t do that again, okay? My heart couldn’t take it if I lost you,” he whispers, and even from way over here, I can see how her eyes begin to sparkle with unshed tears.
“You’ll never lose me, baby. I promise you, okay?”
He offers her a tight nod, surprising me further when he begins to wipe away his own tears from his eyes.
He really does love her. And by the tender look in her eyes, she loves him just as much.
I pretend to cough, so they acknowledge my presence, and Rome instantly straightens his spine, wiping any vestige of the vulnerability still remaining on his face.
“I… uh… I’ll leave you two alone,” he says, leaning down to give Snow a kiss on her temple, ready to retreat.
“No, Rome. Stay. I think we three need to talk.”
“I don’t think now is the right time for that, Ollie,” he defends, obviously worried about the girl lying before him.
“Actually, I think now it’s the perfect time.”
I walk to the other side of Snow’s bed and lean down to press my lips on hers. Her warm lips tell me she’s still feverish, but her gray eyes are clear enough to remember this conversation. She doesn’t pull away from my kiss, and for that, I’m fucking grateful.
When I stand back up, Rome has the same puzzled look on his brow as Snow.
“Are you okay? Do you feel better?” I ask first, wanting to hear the confirmation of her recovery coming directly from her lips.
She gives me a shy nod, and it’s like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders.
“Good.”
She throws Rome a reassuring smile too, and he squeezes her hand, thankful she’s out of the woods.
“So, it’s true. You two really are together now,” I state plainly, needing to give them both my feelings on the subject. I feel Rome’s body stiffen, but Snow grabs my hand in hers and nods.
“Yes, Ollie. We’re together. We love each other. We’re in love with each other. Isn’t that right, Rome?” She tilts her head toward him, and his eyes soften, appraising her face.
“Yes, little liar. We are,” he beams at her, and the smile that crests her face makes my heart rejoice.
“I’m happy for you. Honestly, I am.”
“Thank you, Ollie,” she murmurs, her heartfelt tears not being able to conceal themselves.
I take a seat at her bedside and wipe them away.
“I know I’ve probably missed my shot, but I hope maybe one day, your heart remembers it used to love me, too.”
Her tears fall even more freely now, her hands clutching mine with all the strength she has.
“My heart never forgot to love you, Ollie. It still does. It never stopped,” she confesses in a whisper, and with that proclamation of love, my own tears burn my eyes.
I lean in again, and this time I kiss her with all the words that I still yearn to say, but I can’t as my emotions take the best of me. When I break free from her lips, her luminous smile far outshines the stray tears falling down her cheek.
I hear a choking sound and look over to Rome, who also looks like he’s about to lose it. The broad grin that overpowers my face can’t be withheld, so a loud laugh of joy rips out of my throat. And just like that, all three of us are crying and laughing, knowing full well the magnitude of this moment.
“Huh? Am I interrupting something?” Elle questions, entering the room suspiciously.
“Nah, Elle. You’re good. Everything is all good,” Rome beams, hugging our sister to his side.
“God, you’re weird when you’re happy,” she mumbles, but her cheeky grin is also plastered to her face. “Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the wicked witch of the east is outside wanting to see you. Do you want me to let your mother in?”
I totally forgot about that vile woman waiting outside, but as panic strikes my love, frantically shaking her head, I vow never to let that woman near her again.
“No. Don’t let her in. Please. Keep her away from me!”
After the fashion show scare, this Christmas is just th
e reprieve our family needs. Without my father around or Vivienne casting her ugly shadow over Snow, it’s almost as if this house decided to use this festive day as an excuse to celebrate the hurdles we all endured and overcame these last few months.
I can’t help but chuckle, watching Snow and Elle giggling around the Christmas tree, shaking boxes with their names on it like two little kids restless to start ripping through the various colorful wrappings. I know both girls couldn’t care less for what’s inside. Material things never did seduce them. But the excitement of being together on this day, where nothing seems impossible anymore, has both girls relaxed and happy.
Rome smiles widely as he leans back on the love seat, watching the two women—the ones he would go to the ends of the earth to make happy—talk animatedly amongst themselves. Rome’s bright grins are going to take a little getting used to, but I, for one, am happy for the change in his demeanor.
Ash is sitting on one of the chaise lounge’s armrest, taking stock of the girls, too, not concealing how happy he is for all of us being together with no impending threat to ruin our Christmas joy. He hasn’t said much to Rome since Snow returned from the hospital, which I’m grateful for. She didn’t need to hear his criticism or accusations. He might not have broken Rome’s nose for making Snow fall in love with him, but that doesn’t mean he’s held his tongue about the way he feels betrayed by our older brother.
Unlike Ash, I see both sides perfectly. I understand why Ash feels hurt, especially since we pushed Snow away based on Rome’s accusations. But I also understand Rome, too. He didn’t know the kind of girl Snow was, to begin with. If he did, he’d never make such damaging accusations. He saw her like any other person who tries to get close to us. But that was before he knew her. And of course, once that happened, there was no way he couldn’t fall for the gray-eyed girl. She makes it too damn easy to love her. Can I really blame my brother for falling just as hard as I did? No. No, I can’t. And sooner or later, Ash will come to the same conclusion. He just needs time to lick his wounds and to see reason.
Elle announces that she’s had enough of a wait and is going in. Throwing box after box until she finds the one she wants to open first.
Snow is less in-your-face about choosing the first gift to open, preferring to hand another one for my sister to tear.
“Elle can grab her own, babe. Why don’t you pick one meant for you?” I coo behind her. She turns to face me, offering me a shy smile and then shifts her attention back to all the presents lying on the floor, searching for any that might be for her.
She picks up a present with her name written in Rome’s distinguished handwriting. As the paper is torn to shreds, she opens the box, revealing a scrapbook of sorts. She opens the first few pages of it, and I see various pictures of New York images dwell inside it. Some with only her beautiful face in it, others with Rome and her with the city backdrop behind. I also notice that below each picture are some words engraved under each photograph, but I’m too far to make out what they say. But it must be something important and heartfelt, since her fingers graze each phrase delicately and with care, her face blooming with love as she reads each word.
She doesn’t get up from the floor, nor does Rome go to her, when she mouths the words ‘thank you.’ And in those two simple words, three others lie beneath them. Their underlying meaning takes my breath away. My girl has such a huge heart that she found a space to love Rome, too. They haven’t shown affection in front of us yet, and I think that’s more for Ash’s benefit than anyone else’s. I’m honestly fine with her loving my older brother. I was never the jealous type, nor the territorial one. That has always been Ash’s thing. I’m just happy to be back in her heart after I fucked up so extremely.
Last summer, I remember telling Rome that as long as I had Snow, she could have whoever else she damn pleased, as long as it wasn’t some asshole. Guess she went all out and fell for the biggest one our family has to offer. Surprisingly, I’m glad she did. She gave Rome something he’d been lacking—unconditional love. It revived my soulless brother, and for that miracle, I love her even more.
“Here.” I put my gift in her hands, unable to contain the secret any longer. The piece of paper has been burning my pocket for the past three weeks, waiting for this day. Now that it’s here, I can’t wait to see the look on her face. “Merry Christmas, Snow,” I beam at her.
“What’s this?” she asks, surprised to see a small box with only a post-it inside with a bunch of numbers on it. Unable to stay away, I crouch beside her, my wide grin splitting my face in two.
“What does it look like?”
“It looks like a phone number.”
“That’s exactly what it is. The phone number is for the head of Juilliard. Damian is waiting for you to call and book a session with him. I sent them the voice clips of your songs, and he’s interested in hearing more about you. So interested, that he has a vacancy for freshman year with your name on it. All you have to do is to call.”
“You sent him my songs?”
“I did. I hope that’s okay,” I murmur when the elation I expected from such a gift is met with concern. Her brows pull further together, her teeth chewing on her bottom lip—both dead giveaways that she’s not happy. “Did I do something wrong? Overstep maybe? I thought you’d be excited. I swear I didn’t do anything but send him your music, Snow. You got his interest all on your own,” I add, wondering if her concern stems from thinking I might have thrown money at the prestigious school to get her in. I didn’t. And even if I did such an underhanded thing, there would be no point. Her talent speaks for itself. “Snow?” I probe again, reaching out for her hands. She clings on to them and under half-mast eyes looks up at me, concern tainting her beautiful silver eyes.
“I haven’t touched an instrument or wrote a song since… since that night, Ollie. I don’t know if I can anymore.”
I exhale the pent-up breath I was keeping in, and kiss her palms one at a time.
“It’s okay, Snow. You need to heal, and you’ve come so far already. I have faith that you will find your music again. It lives here already,” I cajole, placing my open palm on her heart. “You just need to uncage it. I believe in you, Snow. Call him whenever you’re ready. This is your future. Don’t let him steal what’s rightfully yours. You’re destined for greatness.”
Her eyes begin to water, and before she’s able to let the dam break, I lean in for one sweet kiss. Thankfully, she doesn’t pull away. Since that night back at the hospital, she hasn’t once. I let out a long exhale, grateful we are both finally on the right path. Sure, it will be slow and not without its hardships, but at least she’s let me in, and that’s everything I could ever hope for.
“Here, Holland. This one is for you, too,” Elle interrupts, handing her a small box that easily fits in her delicate hands.
Snow rips through the fancy paper, suspicious to see a velvet box underneath the wrapping.
“Is this one yours?” she asks Elle, only to gain a little shake of her head in reply.
Snow opens the velvety casing, gasping at its content. Inside lies a one-of-a-kind piece of jewelry—a necklace with a gorgeous snowflake pendant in the middle. I have no doubt that it was tailor-made for Snow. When her eyes land on a shy Ash, it dawns on me who took such time and effort to design such an elegant gift.
She’s about to say something when Rome’s phone starts ringing, interrupting her actions. My brother’s scowl had been absent throughout the night until this very moment, and my own uneasiness sets in, wondering what could have brought it back. He leaves the room to answer the call, leaving us even more baffled, but when he returns, his face is one of both anger and despair.
“I’ll have to go to the hospital,” he announces, making both Snow and Elle rise to their feet.
“Why?” Elle asks worriedly.
“Our father just woke up.”
And with that awful sentence, our blissful Christmas is ruined.
&n
bsp; Ash and I immediately volunteer to accompany him, while Elle stays back with an obviously agitated Snow.
The car ride to Liberty General is gruesome. All three of us are in our own little hell. It’s only when Ash punches the car roof with his fist, which is the first thing I’ve seen him punch in ages, do we start talking.
“We should have let the fucker die when we had the chance,” Ash belts furiously.
“It’s done now. We’ll deal with whatever comes next,” Rome counters back. I’m grateful he didn’t give me shit for being the one responsible for letting our sicko of a father live.
“What if he goes for Snow? What if he tells the police she’s the one who cracked his skull?” Ash continues on, demonstrating where his head is at.
“He won’t. I’ll make sure of it.”
“How?” I question, unsure of Rome’s certainty.
“I just have to remind him he has his own skeletons. If he goes after Snow, I’ll make sure that each one of them makes the light of day.”
“We have to protect her,” I huff out, pushing my glasses to the bridge of my nose.
“And we will. All three of us,” Rome affirms. I catch Ash’s stare on the rearview mirror, his expression confirming that he’s onboard to do whatever it takes to keep Snow away from our father’s grasp.
We get to Liberty General in record time, and I’m starting to agree with my twin’s feelings about this place. I hate being here, too. Especially tonight when I’m seconds away from seeing the one man I hate most in the world. The one who tried to ruin my girl.
However, when we reach the hall to the intensive care unit, I see that something doesn’t add up. Vivienne is crying on Dr. Nasir’s shoulder, and behind them are the Mannings and the Hursts, all dressed up in their finest evening ensembles. Then it clicked; the Mannings always host their annual Christmas dinner and invite only the crème de la crème of high society to their table on this day. I guess Vivienne made the cut and they must have accompanied her here when she got the call from the hospital.
But why the tears then?