He knelt in front of me, clutching the sides of my face.
“I’ll always be here, and you never have to thank me. I’m not with you because I have to be. Ineedto be. But let’s go see your mother before we get into all you have wrong lately.” He stood from the floor, extending a hand to me. I slid my palm against his and let him pull me up, not fighting him when he wouldn’t let go of my hand all the way back to the emergency room.
“My poor baby, are you okay?” Mom asked in a barely audible, groggy voice. I held back a cringe at the dried blood visible under the bandage along her hairline.
“I’m fine, Mom. I’m just glad you’re okay.”
Helen gently pushed her back on the pillow when she tried to sit up on her elbows.
“I wish they’d let me come home tonight. I don’t like leaving you alone like this.”
“Now who’s hovering?”
She clenched her eyes shut and smiled.
“I’ll stay with her tonight, Carla. She won’t be alone.” Tyler raised a brow when my gaze slid to his, challenging me. Too exhausted to argue, I only nodded when she blinked her eyes open.
“Thank you, Tyler. Even though I have a splitting headache, that makes me feel much better.”
“Yes. Tyler, take Olivia home so she can get some rest and maybe eat something. I can stay with Carla until she gets a room.”
Helen looked between us with the same smile that played on my mother’s weak lips.
“Okay,” I agreed and came up to my mother. “I love you. Get some rest,” I whispered, pressing a careful kiss to the top of her head.
She grabbed my arm as I pulled away. “I love you too. It’s all okay. I promise.” She gave my hand a weak squeeze. “I’m sorry I scared you.”
“Don’t be. I’m just glad you’re all right. See you in the morning.”
Tyler led me out of the emergency room, still by the hand, until we made it to his truck.
“I won’t break, you know,” I said while gazing out the passenger side window. “I’m an adult, not a child. Everyone is regarding me like I’m a ticking time bomb.”
I didn’t turn around as he parked behind me in the driveway, Mom’s usual spot.
“You’re a pregnant woman who’s had a rough couple of days. And the people who love you are trying to take care of you, if you’d only stop being so damn difficult and let them.”
I gaped at Tyler as he climbed out of the driver’s seat and made his way around the vehicle.
“Let’s get inside. I have a lot to say.” His eyes seared into mine as he held the passenger door open. “And you’re not moving an inch until you’ve heard it all.”
THIRTY-FIVE
TYLER
Olivia and I didn’t speak when we first arrived at her apartment, but I watched her every move. I searched her face for any signs of pain, remembering one of the books in the pregnancy stack back at my apartment mentioning cramps in times of stress. She seemed fine. Exhausted and quiet, but fine. When she trudged into the bathroom and shut the door, I rummaged through her kitchen to make her something to eat or drink even if she’d fight me. I settled on a bag of decaffeinated tea and filled up the kettle after I grabbed a mug from her cabinet.
“Making me tea in hopes that I’ll calm down?”
I turned and found her at the kitchen table in a T-shirt and yoga pants.
“Maybe. You need to get something in your system besides water. I can make you something, or we could order whatever you want.”
She rested her chin on her hand and shook her head. “I have a box of scones leftover from what you gave me the other day. I’m good with one of those.” She pushed the chair back to get up, but I grabbed the box and set it in front of her before she could stand.
She exhaled a loud sigh and opened the box, shooting me a tiny glare from behind the lid.
“Something to say, Sanchez?” I sat next to her and crossed my arms.
