Nico comes up to me after he finishes his quick conversation with Snake. Snake sends a nod my way and I know the job is done. I send him a nod back.
Careful not to wrinkle his suit he pinches his slacks before bending down. He unbuttons his suit and gives me a level look. “As far as I’m concerned what you confessed to on the phone earlier never happened.” He casts a look over his shoulder to Snake who gives a wicked smirk. When Nico’s eyes meet mine again he winks at me. “It’s amazing how certain people just disappear. And that’s all it is, Oak. A disappearance.”
I don’t know how the fucker Snake accomplished it but he did. I glance back at him with his arm slung around Alice’s waist.She leans into him, his body completely supporting hers. But when her eyes meet mine she gives a subtle nod of her head with the smallest smile. And it’s then that I know.
Snake and Alice had taken care of Steven Alexander’s body by burning it.
And Snake had his crew come in and clean up the scene of the crime.
They took care of it.
I breathe a little easier.
“Thanks, Nico.”
A long sigh expels as I run the rough pad of my fingers over my face.
I feel my mother’s worried yet caring eyes on me before I turn my head to meet hers. She reaches across the back of the chair to extend her hand and with my long wingspan I meet her the rest of the way. She clutches her fingers in mine, giving me a firm reassuring squeeze.
“I’m sorry, mom,” I choke out.
She squeezes my fingers harder, tears pricking those loving eyes of hers. “My dear sweet boy, stop apologizing for what has already been forgiven.”
I swallow back the tears yet the guilt doesn’t go down as easy. “But I should have-”
“I have my son back,” my mom says hoarsely. “All I’ve ever wanted for you was to realize your worth in this world. And you found that, Ethan. You found that with Grace and I can never thank her enough. But it takes the strength of the person within to do what you have done. It is not easy to ask for help nor is it easy to see it through, but you are doing it my sweet boy, and there is nothing on this earth that makes me happier.” It’s the rawness in her voice that strikes me down to my core. I see the pride in her eyes. And it feels monumental, to have my mom proud of me.
The PTSD I suffer and the depression I have will always be a battle I will have to fight, but it’s a battle I don’t have to fight alone.
I know that now.
I see the light that I have denied myself.
And I have all these people to thank for that.
“I love you, mom.”
A tear falls from her eye as she smiles. “I love you, too, my sweet boy. Always have, always will.”
My smile back to her is full of love. As our hands release I see the nurse who helped me earlier, Trevor, coming down the hallway with a doctor by his side. His eyes meet mine and he says something to the doctor before pointing in my direction.
This is it.
This is where I learn the fate of my woman.
Everyone stands to attention as the doctor and Trevor make their way to our takeover in the waiting room.
Connor stirs awake in my lap, eyes blinking against the harsh hospital lights. He sits himself up, letting go of my hand in the process but stays close to me.
I wrap my arm around the little guy, protecting him in the only way I know how.
Trevor stands before the doctor and I as he introduces us, “Dr. Ambrose this is Oak, Gracie Mae’s husband.” Trevor shoots me a look to not argue with him and I don’t. I subtly nod my head, hoping my eyes convey all the thanks I have.
Dr. Ambrose, an older man who looks to be in his mid fifties but keeps himself in physical shape stands before me with a stoic expression. His eyes, a pale green with flecks of gold stay unwaveringly on mine. “Your wife suffered quite a few injuries, Oak,” he tells me bluntly in a voice that’s monotonous. “Internal bleeding was our main concern. The bullet lodged in her calf missed major arteries but tore through the tendon. She’ll have toattend physical therapy to regain full strength in her left leg. The bullet in her shoulder shattered her collarbone. We went ahead and reconstructed, physical therapy will be needed for that as well. As for her head, she suffered quite a few blows leading to a concussion. Under all the stress her body has been under and all the surgeries we’ve had to perform we advise on keeping her here for the next five days under observation. After, when we see she’s healthy and her vitals are stronger, she can go home with you.”
I can’t seem to get past hearing how she’s alive.
My woman survived.
