Page 132 of 2204 Hunter Lane
We’d been here for so long, yet it felt like no time had passed. Probably cause I just kept trickin’ myself into thinking the worst.
“You think he’s dead?”
“Dex!” Payton whipped, slapping my shoulder. “Don’t wan’ hear that again.”
My whole body fell forward, defeated, ready for the worst. If I prepped for it, maybe it wouldn’t be so bad. “Do you?”
“They would’ve told us if there were any complications, don’t you dare say that again.”
Maybe they forgot. Maybe results got lost in translation and he was already at the morgue.
Tears burned my eyes. Fuck this. Fuck this goddamn situation. Fuck the cars. Fuck the streets. I’m never leavin’ my damn house again, neither is Payton, or Marley, or anyone close to me cause this is bullshit.
I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t sit here and wait for them to tell me my boy had joined his mother, my wife. If they told me that, I’d run myself into the river no doubt. Might as well lock me away now.
But as I stood up to collect my coat, a man wearing a bright blue coat with a paper bandana strode towards us, removing his gloves.
Payton kicked Marley’s shoe as she stumbled away, wiping a trail of drool off the corner of her mouth.
“Mr. Lane?” The man asked, directing his attention towards me.
His tone was impossible to read. It was calm, but not overly calm and not overly enthusiastic.Jesus Christ if he’s about to tell me…
“I’m Dr. Brinstead. Hunter just got out of surgery.”
“And?” Marley piped, on her feet within seconds. “Can we see him? Is he okay?”
The doctor pressed his lips into a fine line and pulled out a clipboard, flipping over a few pages before he cleared his throat.
“Tell me he’s fuckin’ alive.” I ordered. I needed to hear it. I didn’t give a damn shit about any autopsy or labs or anythin’. My boy was alive. I had to know it.
With a slow nod of the head, he replied, “Hunter will be okay.”
The salty liquid busted through the walls of my eyes before I had time to stop it as I yanked the doctor in for a hug and submerged myself in the relief.
Had I lost Hunter, I was ready to go. I was about damn ready to fall off a cliff and dive headfirst onto those rocks. I was the one who told him to go to the store. Me.
All those years, I never knew what Hunter felt. I didn’t understand why he blamed himself. But there I was, guilting myself into oblivion cause I pushed my boy into leavin’ and then he got hurt.
But he was okay. He was going to be okay. My boy was still breathin’. That was good enough for me.
Payton’s arms wrapped around my waist as she tugged me back, drawing me closer to her side.
Before the doc could open his mouth again, Marley jumped onto him and sobbed like I knew she would. That girl loved my boy more than anything, and knowing that she could see Hunter again softened my heart.
She brought the best outta him. Never had I ever seen him as happy as Marley made him. They were total opposites, don’t get that fuckin’ twisted. But I saw Leslie in her. That light in the darkness, the precious, innocent spirit that could yank out all the bad in ya and turn you into somethin’ sweet.
My boy deserved that.
They both deserved that.
“I’m sorry, Dr. Brinstead. Carry on. We’re all just…” Marley turned to us with a quivering lip. “We’re just emotional, and happy. Happy that’s he okay.”
He nodded in understanding, returning his gaze to the clipboard. “He is. Though he needs to stay in recovery for at least three weeks. That doesn’t include the physio treatments which will be an extension of six months, regular weekly sessions.”
The fuck?
“Three weeks? Physio? ” Payton gasped. “What the hell happened?”
