Page 56 of Willow Vale

I scooted to the middle seat until I was tucked close to his side. He wrapped his arm around me as he drove the truck out of town and onto the highway. Holding me close.

“I did too, you know,” I murmured as I rested my head on his shoulder, finding it hard to keep my eyes open now.

I did love you too.

Travis stiffened but then his hand started to rub up and down my arm until I finally felt warm. Comfortable in our nearness until I felt all my worries melt away.

I started dozing off when I heard his deep voice say, “Yeah, I do.”

CHAPTER 21

Lila

The soundof a fist pounding on the door startled me awake. My heart was in my throat as I looked around the living room.

My eyes immediately shot to River where he was sitting on the couch next to me, his eyes glued to the cartoons on the TV. I must have dozed off for a while without noticing because I was curled up on my side, holding his blanket in my hand and a toy truck in the other. I’d started cleaning up around the apartment this morning, and when I felt very tired I decided it couldn’t hurt to sit down for a bit.

River looked at me and then to the door. “Someone’s been knocking for a while. But I’m not supposed to open the door for strangers.”

“Exactly,” I rasped an answer through my sore throat. “Good job, buddy.”

I groaned as I rolled off the couch, feeling like death as I struggled to stand without swaying. I felt hot and uncomfortable before realizing that my oversized t-shirt was sticking to my back.

I grimaced.

The pounding on the door continued until I heard a familiar voice booming on the other side. “Delilah, open up!”

Travis?

“Hold on,” I croaked, then slowly pulled the door open. Finding a fuming Travis standing there with his cellphone in one of his hands, the other raised as if ready to knock again. The sun had barely risen over the mountains behind him but even the orange glow made me wince as I asked, “What are you doing here so early?”

“Early? Do you even know what time it is?” he practically seethed.

I frowned before looking back toward the clock on the wall in my kitchen, squinting at the numbers that read…

Oh no.

“Oh god, Travis, I’m sorry?—"

“You weren’t answering your phone. Desi, Jake, Mom—everyone has been trying to call you all day. When I came into the bar and Jake told me you didn’t show up for your shift this afternoon, I tried calling you. You want to know who answered your phone?” he asked and I grimaced, looking over my shoulder toward River as he looked at me with curious eyes, asking who was at the door. “River said you’ve been sleeping all day.”

“I didn’t even hear my phone. I’m sorry?—”

“I don’t give a damn about your shift, Delilah.” Travis ran a frustrated hand through his hair, and I finally managed to lift my head to stare up at him, despite my head throbbing. He looked worried. Really worried. “I’m taking you to the hospital. Go get dressed.”

It was only when he said that, that I realized my oversized t-shirt reached me mid-thigh which hid the pajama shorts I’d pulled on last night after putting River down.

“I can get myself to the hospital. You should head back to the bar.”

“Delilah.” Travis placed a hand on the door as if I had the strength to close it on him if I tried. As if he were expecting me to shut him out. If only he knew the power he still held over me when he looked at me like he was now, pleading with me. “Damn, you’re a stubborn woman. What’s it going to take for you to let me take care of you for once in your life?”

“Okay,” I rasped, suddenly feeling the need to cry and I didn’t even know why.

No one had ever looked out for me. Not even my grandfather, despite him trying later on. I think he did it only out of obligation. He would have had to have been a real monster to turn a blind eye on a kid who had no one else to take care of her.

“I’m not feeling well…I’d appreciate it if you could take me to the hospital,” I said weakly, finally admitting what we both knew.

I felt the door move and before I knew it, Travis was pulling me into his arms. It was only then that I realized I’d started crying.

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