There’s no point in arguing with him when I know he’s right. It just means I’ll have to wait a little longer to get clean. I can pack my favorite pajamas so I can put them on as soon as I get out of the shower.
“What are you doing after I get everything you’ll need loaded in the SUV?” my dad asks as he turns onto my street. I don’t live that far from the hospital so the trip home is quick.
“I’m gonna run to the store really quick. I want to grab a few things Axel might not think about. Plus, I can grab some books to read while I’m there. It’s been a while since I’ve just read for fun and because I want to. I’ll pack my tablet so I have my reading apps, but there’s something different about holdinga book in my hands and flipping the pages,” I tell him honestly because I know he’s already worrying about me and what I’ll try to do on my own. “I’m not going to take any unnecessary risks with the baby. I’ll just go to the store and then head to Axel’s house. He messaged me to let me know he’s shopping right now for groceries, but his dad will be there if I beat him to the compound.”
“Good. Hammer can help you get your things in the house. I know you’ll try to do it yourself and that’s the last thing you need to be doing right now,” he says, already knowing I hate asking for help of any kind from anyone. “Is your back bothering you a lot today? I’ve seen you wince a few times.”
“No more than usual. Most of the time I feel as if it hurts so bad but I’m used to the pain so I can’t truly judge how it feels. I’ve had a few muscle spasms as well. Those are almost worse than the pain I feel,” I tell him as honestly as I can.
“Make sure you let Axel know if it really starts to bother you. You’ve got the medicine to take and he can give you a massage to help with the spasms and pain,” my dad reminds me as he pulls in my driveway and shuts the engine of his truck off.
I let him help me out of the truck before he grabs my bag and purse and we head inside the house. There’s a stillness around me that’s not usually here. It’s definitely got a stale smell and I need to clean the place from top to bottom before I’ll feel as if it’s back to normal. That’s not something I can really think about right now though. It’s the last thing on the long list of things I have to get done and worry about.
So, I go through to my room while my dad makes his way to the kitchen so he can clean out the refrigerator and get rid of all the food that’s expired or about to expire. We don’t know how long I’ll be at Axel’s house so there’s no point in keeping all of this food in the house when I won’t be here to eat it. I’m forevergrateful for everything my dad does for me. He’s always going to be my hero and the man I base every relationship I ever have on.
***
I’ve gotten everything I need from the store and my suitcases are loaded into the SUV. One of the guys from the store loaded my bags in the back for me after I asked so I didn’t have to lift them and piss people off. I’ve got my favorite ice cream and a ton of snacks I can keep in the room with me. I also got several books I can read and I bought a gift card to add money so I can buy books on my apps. It took longer than I thought to make my way through the store. I’m not moving around as fast as normal and part of me is stalling because my next stop is Axel’s house. So, I walked slower than normal and looked at things longer than I should have. I’m sure someone will say something about how long I’ve been on my feet after being discharged from the hospital.
After thanking and tipping the guy who loaded everything in my SUV, I get in and leave the store. Axel messaged me to say he was heading back to the house and would see me there. I responded to tell him I was also leaving the store and heading his way. At least he’ll know I’m on my way so if something happens, he’ll be prepared to come out and search for me. I feel okay, but it can change in the blink of an eye.
Pulling out of the parking lot, I head for the stop light and come to a stop to wait for it to turn green. I keep my music down low as I look around at the various shops and storefronts surrounding me. Some of them have that old feeling as if they’ve been in town for longer than most of us who live here. My favorite storefront is the general store. It’s been owned by the same family for several generations and they rarely change anything. You can go there to get penny candy, sit at a counter drinking milkshakes or eating ice cream they make there.Everything inside is made of wood and they stock everything you can think of. I love walking up and down the aisles, smelling the candles and looking at every item I want but don’t have room for in my house.
The second the light turns green, I check the road and make sure no one’s running the light. It’s happened before and I always double-check this intersection because of the accidents that have occurred here over the years. When I’m confident nothing is coming, I slowly pull out and start to turn toward the compound on the outskirts of town. Before I can complete the turn, a truck slams into my side of the SUV. My head slams into the window of my door and my wrist is jerked so hard I swear I hear something snap. As I try to figure out what’s going on, my vision starts to fade to nothing. The only thing I hear is the squealing of tires as I look up to find the truck that hit me racing away from the accident they just caused.
Where the hell did that truck come from?
I didn’t see anything before I started to turn. Otherwise I would have waited a few more seconds.
“Ma’am, you’re gonna be okay. I’m on the phone with emergency services right now,” a woman says after my door is opened. “Keep your eyes open if you can.”
“Tired,” I mumble, my voice sounding as if it’s coming through a thick fog. “Protect my baby.”
I fight like hell to keep my eyes open as I hear sirens. There’s a woman at my side who hasn’t left since she opened my door. I’m not sure who she is, but she seems very familiar to me. Like it’s someone I’ve seen but can’t quite place where. She’s been talking to me non-stop since she showed up even if I can’t remember what she’s saying. I know she’s asked me questions I haven’t been able to answer as I remain locked in a daze. It’staken every ounce of energy I have left just to keep my eyes open and I’m not sure I’m doing all that good of a job.
“Ma’am, can you hear me?” a man asks as I try to turn my head to find out who’s next to me now. “Don’t move. Just answer if you can. Can you hear me?”
“Y-Y-Yes,” I stammer, my voice breaking as I feel something wet sliding down my face and cover my eyelids.
“Do you know your name?” the same man questions me, his voice gentle and coaxing.
“S-S-Sheridan,” I respond as I feel a sharp pain in my stomach. “Baby. Save my baby.”
My voice is a broken whisper as I feel my eyelids flutter closed again. A second pain surges through my stomach and fear consumes me that something is happening to my son. Thoughts of Axel fill my mind and I know I have to get in touch with him, but I can’t seem to get a single part of my body to cooperate with my silent demands. I know my phone is in the cupholder as I feel something placed around my neck while I’m still instructed not to move. It seems as if there’s nothing but chaos surrounding me that’s happening in slow motion. I can’t distinguish a single person or sound as everything blurs together.
I’m getting asked one question after another by some guy. They’re questions I should know the answers to, but I’m unable to process much of anything at the moment. I can hardly hear what’s actually being asked of me. There are several people surrounding me within my SUV as I’m placed carefully on a stretcher. Once I’m outside the SUV, everything is completely overwhelming. I can no longer hold on as my eyes flutter closed once again. This time, they don’t open and I’m sucked down into a dark, blank abyss. There’s no pain, sound, or chaos surrounding me. The only thing I see is images of Axel over theyears from the time we met until he left the hospital room earlier in the day.
Chapter Eleven
Tease
I’M BACK AT the house with my dad. The two of us unloaded everything from my truck. I bought a ton of groceries and other things I believe will make Sheridan’s stay here more comfortable. I even bought her a book. I remember in high school she loved to read when she wasn’t doing homework. She would rather read than go to parties or hang out with a bunch of people. Sheridan always kept her circle small and allowed very few people in her life as anything more than an acquaintance. Honestly, I’m surprised she let me in as quickly as she did. I’ve wondered why she chose me out of everyone around her, but I wasn’t about to take our friendship for granted. Especially when the more I learned about her, the more I wanted her to be mine. It soon became necessary for me to learn everything about her and find out what made her the amazing woman she is. Shelly helped me as often as she could so Sheridan didn’t catch on to what I was doing.
Putting the groceries away with my dad helping, my phone vibrates in my pocket. I rarely have the sound on and today I haven’t turned it on after leaving the hospital. I know Sheridan is on her way here from the store. Dr. Matthews allowed her to walk around enough to stop there before coming here. I wanted to tell her just to give me a list of things she wanted so she could skip the trip, but I knew she wouldn’t be happy with that. She’s already not happy with me about havingto stay here instead of her dad’s house. Today it’s been more than enough upheaval on her life for one day. Our goal is to keep her calm so her blood pressure goes down.
“Hello?” I answer the phone after pulling it from my pocket.
“Axel, it’s Mr. Russell,” Sheridan’s dad says and instantly I’m on high alert. He never calls me for any reason. “There’s been an accident. Sheridan is being rushed to the hospital as we speak. One of the paramedics called me. Sheridan couldn’t really answer any questions, but he knows me from working on his truck. I don’t know any details at this point. You should head out now if you plan on showing up.”
