Page 89 of Together

It’s not lost on me that I can’t see Ashley until the doctors have done their work.

I know this, but it doesn’t change the fact that I don’t want to be in this stupid ass waiting area rather than next to her bed, holding her hand, seeing firsthand that she’s going to walk out of here just as flawless as she always is.

Before Mia walks through the double doors leading to the emergency room, she spins on her heel and tells me something I already know. “Her family needs to be informed. Can you do that?”

“Yeah.”

She gives me a long look, somehow understanding that it’s the last thing I want to do for fear of Grace and Samuel showing up.

As soon as she’s disappeared through the doors, I pull my phone out of my pocket and call the one person I have in my contacts.

“Hey, man. She okay?” Grant answers.

“From the shit show at the restaurant earlier? No. But that doesn’t even hold a candle to what happened after. I’ve got some bad news.”

“Fuck. What now?”

“She was in an accident. I need you to bring Lucy here. Get her parents, too.”

He asks quietly, “Is she…”

“She’s fine, for lack of a better word. Banged up pretty good. They think she’s going to be okay but it wasn’t good. Figured I’d better let them know what happened. Lucy still in town here?”

“Yeah, I think she was heading home but there was an accident… oh, fuck me. She said there was a bad accident in the middle of town and traffic was re-routed because of how bad it was.”

“It wasn’t good,” I tell him, feeling sick to my stomach. “Listen. I need you to call Lucy, okay? Call Ashley’s parents. Tell them to come to Liberty Regional Health. She’s awake and no major injuries but she’s scared and will want her family here.”

“Shit. Yeah. I’ll be there as soon as I can. Lucy will get there first,” he warns me.

“That’s fine. Just as long as Grace keeps her distance. It won’t do Ash any good if I get into a yelling match with her sister.”

“What the hell happened today?”

“Later. I got more important things to worry about now.”

“Right. See you soon. Need anything?”

“Just for Ashley and our son to be more than okay.”

We hang up and I pace around, wondering if I should call my sister, too. I don’t want to worry her or Dean, but I know that if I don’t let them know what happened, I’ll never hear the end of it.

Figuring the phone call to Dean would be quicker, I call him and give him the high level of what happened. “I’ll call Josie. Want us down there?”

“You think you can keep her away?”

“Probably not,” he admits, “but I’ll do my best if that’s what you need.”

“I won’t be good company and honestly, I just want to be in the room with her. I hate this feeling. I’m helpless.”

“Being there is doing more than you realize. Just hang tight and be strong for your girl.”

Before hanging up, he tells me he’s praying for us and he’ll head to the hospital with Josie after bringing baby Jay to his mom’s house.

And I’m back to pacing.

What is taking them so long? If she’s not seriously injured, nothing should take this much time, right? I feel like I’m about to come out of my skin waiting.

The front desk attendant gives me a sympathetic smile that I don’t return. I don’t want her sympathy. I don’t need it.

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