Page 73 of New Growth
“I’m okay. I promise,” I assured him, steadying my breathing. “Besides, you got me like, a million EpiPens, remember? No need to get worked up.”
He nodded, but I could see the tension still tight in his jaw. “I know, but fuck, Ellie. You gotta understand, you stopped breathing in my arms. I was carrying you for half a block, thinking you were dead.”
Wow.That made me think back to the night Daddy died. How I rode in the back of the ambulance, wondering if he would make it. A cold dread crawled up my spine, like a ghost of a memory I’d tried to bury. I knew that feeling.
The panic. The helplessness. The desperation of trying to hold onto someone who might slip away.
I knew that dreadful feeling of not knowing what could happen to someone on your watch.
I swallowed hard. “I’m sorry. I know that must have been hard.”
“Don’t apologize,” Elliot said firmly, shaking his head. “You didn’t ask for that. I just want to prevent anything like that from happening again.”
I stared at him. And for the first time all night, I didn’t know what to say.
He grinned in return. “Sorry if I brought the mood down a little. I guess I’m still shaken up.”
I remained quiet. He leaned in closer to me, trying to get a sign from me that he had not completely ruined the evening.
“Thank you for the face mask,” he continued. “Let’s just watch the movie, okay?”
Finally, I nodded. Satisfied with proof of life, he exhaled heavily and crashed into the couch, hitting play on the remote.
?
I didn’t remember falling asleep, but when I woke up, I was warm.
My head was on Elliot’s chest, his steady breaths rising and falling beneath me. One of his arms was draped over my waist, the other tucked beneath his head. I blinked slowly, my brain still foggy from sleep.
And then—
“Well.” The lights flipped on.
I jerked up a little, my eyes landing on Esther standing by the couch, arms crossed, grinning like she just caught me doing something scandalous.
“‘Me night,’ huh, Ellie?” she teased.
I shot her a glare, my face heating. “Shut up, Esther.”
She laughed, throwing her hands up in surrender. “Oop! No need to get hostile, I’m just heading to bed.”
With one last look between El and me, she laughed again then disappeared up the stairs. She called over her shoulder: “You two enjoy your night.”
I will be hearing about this tomorrow.
El groaned beneath me, stretching. Realizing I was still lying on his chest, I sat quickly to give him breathing room.
“I should get going too.” He said, rubbing his eyes free of sleep. The mask I applied earlier had dried up completely.
I glanced at the clock on the wall and frowned.2:04 a.m.
“But it’s so late.”
“I know.” He smirked. “But at least I don’t have to be up early like you. I get to sleep in.”
His teasing tone did not land with me.
“You shouldn’t be driving,” I stated flatly.
