Page 84 of Don't Forget Me
“A stinky old cheese,” Owen corrected.
“My own kids betraying me.” Elizabeth sighed. “Guess I’ll just have to do this on my own.”
Both of them bounced on their toes and shouted protests.
“We can help!”
“I wanna subfuge.”
“Yeah, Mom. We’re accomplishes.”
Elizabeth never wanted to be away from those two again. “All right, all right. But you have to do what we say.”
“We always listen.” Evelyn grinned.
Liar. But Elizabeth couldn’t bring herself to contradict her daughter. “All right, here’s the plan.”
Once everyone knew their role in what Jasmine dubbed “Operation Hollywood”—much to the delight of the twins—Jasmine led the kids into the hall.
Elizabeth hung back with her dad, giving him a soft smile. “Thank you.”
“I may not understand, Lizzy, and I may still have my doubts about this story, but I know you would not do this without a reason.”
It was more than she could have hoped for. Even if Booker never believed her story, she’d be okay. Once Nick woke and told them all the truth, she wouldn’t have to worry about anyone thinking she’d lost her mind. But right now, the only opinions she cared about were her dad’s and the twins’.
Screaming erupted in the hall, and Lizzy waited for the signal. She heard Jasmine’s raised voice. “Please, I lost control of those kids. I need your help.”
Owen and Evelyn sprinted past the room and moments later, the two security guards followed them.
“That’s our cue.” Her dad peered out the door. “Coast is clear.”
The two women at the nurses’ station didn’t look up as they passed. Doctor Stephens stood inside the doorway of the room next to Nick’s, talking to a patient. Elizabeth hurried past, not hesitating when she reached Nick’s room. She wouldn’t have long before the guards returned.
Her dad followed her in, but all her attention turned to the man in front of her. Sitting in the same spot she had before, she reached out and took his hand.
“Wow,” her dad whispered. “He’s really hurt.” She knew how her dad felt about people driving under the influence, and how it most likely shaped his opinion of Nick, but he had the decency not to bring it up.
“Nick,” Elizabeth whispered, resting her chin on his hand. “Nick, I need you to hear me.” She breathed in deeply. “I have to leave. They’re discharging me. I’m going home. But I’m only here because of you. I’m healing because of you. You’re the reason I was able to make it back. I once said you give me hope, and it’s still true. So, it’s my turn. I have to give you all my hope, all my strength. You need it more than I do.”
She stood, bending over and pressed a kiss to his forehead. “You’re going to be okay.” Her words whispered across his skin. “I don’t think they’ll let me come back, so just know how much I love you, Nick Jacobs. It took me too long to say it, and now I wish I’d told you every day of our adventure. Whatever happens, just know that someone loves you. You aren’t alone.”
“Who are you?” The sharp words had Elizabeth pulling back. “Excuse you, let me through.”
She turned to find her dad blocking Sherrie Thompson, the woman who was supposed to be in L.A. Nick’s wife.
Sherrie’s shrill voice pierced the air again. “What are you doing to my husband?”
Elizabeth stood frozen, unable to move or to get the words out.
“Speak!”
“Lizzy.” Her dad grabbed her arm. “We should go.”
“No.” Sherrie blocked the exit. “Not until I know who you are?”
More footsteps sounded behind her as the guards appeared with a struggling set of twins. That snapped Elizabeth into action. “Let them go.” She pushed Sherrie aside to get to her kids. “Put them down.”
The security guards did as she asked. “We found them running down the hall.”
