Open your eyes, Lottie. Come on.
I’ll try. Everything hurts just moving.
Don’t let them win. Fight.
I can hear the rushing of air ventilation, warm air pushing through. My eyes flutter, trying to close again blocking out any light. I don’t know what day it is, how long I have been out. But the two main people I need are my boys.
Open your damn eyes.
My eyes resist the change but my body overpowers the temptation to shut back down. But the light burns what sight is granted. I force them to stay open, at least to take in my surroundings. The club wouldn’t risk more if they had taken me to the hospital. My voice is gone, nothing but a squeak. Every sensation slowly comes alive, every rush of feeling, enough for me to feel a hand clasping mine.
When my vision comes, I see Brayden by my side, resting his head on the spare part of a table I’m laying on. His grip loose, but enough to stay together. I don’t see them.
I don’t see my boys, my heart aches for it.
I try to stir again, my arms finally feeling in them. I know. I try to move my arm, brushing my arm on the other side to wake Brayden. He shakes his head, mumbling something under his breath. Words try to rasp out.
“Bray,” my voice comes softly. The dryness of my throat stings. “Bray,” I try to say louder. His face comes to view, his disheveled face blinking away the sleep he was trying to have.
When he realizes who was calling him, his face twists in sorrow, his eyes softening.
“Oh my god. You’re alive,” he bellows.
“I would hope so,” I rasp out.
He squeezes my hand harder, testing the reality of this. I try to sit up closer. But he shakes his head. “Brayden, I need to sit up,” I wasn’t limited to movement, just sore.
“I don’t think you need to do all of that. You’ve been out the past couple days.”A couple of days?
My heart sinks “I’ve been on this table for two days?” Fuck, I’m missing work, the kids are returning to school and back to the programs.
He nods.
My boys.
I search for them, again. They’re not here.
“Go get them.” I start to say, but he tosses me a look, I roll my eyes, “Please!”
“Got it bad,” He laughs softly.
I do. I have it bad. I have something that’s worth fighting for. I don’t have to be alone anymore.
Brayden leaves me alone and to my thoughts. I’m not dumb I know who did this, the real question is how did they know?
We’ve been careful, but maybe we’ve mistaken. But they sent their own message, my only hope is that we were going to send one back. I can’t lay here and do nothing. I sit up but everything in me hurts.
Bruises have formed, cascading along my sides, I haven’t looked at my back yet but I can only imagine what pathway has formed. I can only imagine what construction my face has.
I’ll show them and everyone, surviving has been a superpower, they just renewed it.
The doorknobs twist slowly, the door creaking open as a bush of red hair welcomes my sight.
“Lottie!” Finn's voice cracks.
My high flying boy.He rushes to me, wrapping his small arms around me. He’s trying not to squeeze too hard but still giving the warmth of his heart. Flashes of him on the porch watching things unravel. The pain and confusion he must have felt. The fear of almost losing me, losing me too soon.
“Mon petit bébé.”
