Page 38 of Willow Vale

When she didn’t stop calling after the third time, I blocked the number.

Once the tears stopped, I stood up and left my phone onthe counter. I walked out of the bathroom and made my way toward the bed. River was still sleeping soundly under the comforter while he hugged his blanket close to his side. His little snores and peaceful face made more tears sting my eyes.

I crawled onto the bed and laid down next to him, placing my hand over his tummy, comforted with the fact that he was breathing. Just like I used to when he was a baby and I’d sleep in his crib with him.

When he curled into me the same way he always did whenever he’d crawl into my bed after having a bad dream, I finally managed to sleep again.

Pushing Irene as far away from my mind as I could despite the silent tears I shed for my mother.

Only for another dream of the past to come and haunt me.

My hands wouldn’t stop trembling.

Try as I did, they just wouldn’t stop.

The sound of voices around me melded into a faint echo as I stared down at my shoes. I shivered, despite Travis’s jacket warming me up.

After he’d told me what happened to my mother, we drove to the hospital. Up until an hour ago, I felt like I was momentarily floating high above the clouds. Like I was on another world with Travis where no one could reach us. For a few blissful hours, I was at peace.

Only to be woken up to face a storm.

I didn’t understand what happened. Irene had been good all week. She’d been sober and happy…different from the mother I grew up knowing.Better.What had changed?

A hand landed on my shoulder, coaxing me out of my thoughts. I looked up to see Travis watching me with a deep furrow between his brows.

“It’s going to be okay.”

“Is it?” My own voice sounded far away. Distant. “I don’t know about that anymore.” Nothing felt like it would ever be okay.

The doctor who spoke to my grandfather had said that they’d have to see if Irene would survive the night. Her boyfriend had called the ambulance after he’d found her in the bathroom, unconscious. Apparently, she’d hit her head pretty bad, along with other things the rest of the adults around me didn’t want to divulge to me. But I knew.

I knew exactly what had happened.

I also knew none of this would have happened if I hadn’t left the house tonight. All so that I could be with Travis. I knew Irene was trying to stay sober and needed my help, and yet I still…

I dropped my face into my hands, unable to keep the tears at bay anymore.

“If she doesn’t wake up?—”

“Hey, don’t think like that.” He wrapped his arms around me and tugged me to him. His large hand smoothed down my hair and the comfort he provided for me only made this heaviness in my heart weigh me down further. “She’s going to be okay.”

We sat there until my grandfather finally came back into the waiting room to tell me that I could go in and see her. I tried to steel myself before we walked down the hall toward her room. I tried to force the tears back and not feel anything when I’d see her lying on that bed.

But all it took was one look at her pale complexion and the machines around her for me to feel sick to my stomach. I cried more than I ever had before, because I knew in that moment that my mother would never be okay.

Travis drove me home a few hours later. Neither of usspoke. I couldn’t even bring myself to hold his hand even though he held onto mine like a lifeline.

When we pulled up to my house, we sat in the truck for a long moment.

Eventually, Travis turned to face me. “I’ll take you to the hospital first thing tomorrow.”

Before he could get out of the truck, I murmured, “You don’t have to.”

He didn’t answer me as he got out and walked around to open my door. He gently took my hands and helped me out. We walked up the short steps of the porch. Irene’s boyfriend wasn’t here which I thought was one small blessing at least. We never interacted with each other, and I wanted it to stay that way.

“Thanks for driving me home,” I said, hoping he’d take that as an indication that I wanted to be alone right now. The last thing I wanted was for Travis to see me like this. He’d already seen too much.

“I’m not leaving you alone, Delilah.”

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