No.
I opened my mouth to say I was sorry for taking so long but the words caught somewhere between my brain and my tongue.
I didn’t want to get out.
I didn’t want to dry off, get dressed, go to sleep, and wake up in this overwhelmingly awful situation. In this world where Drew might not ever be Drew again.
Where he might not exist at all.
I opened my mouth and something between a sob and wounded animal noise escaped.
He could die. He could already be dead. He could be brain dead.
My sweet Drew who literally never hurt a fly.
He was such an amazing human being—the perfect mix of witty and sarcastic. Handsome and athletic. Kind. Compassionate. Intelligent. His long, thick eyelashes and freaking adorable dimples made me jealous.
I closed my eyes and pictured him over the years. He was a pudgy twelve-year old when he’d moved to town, but he had grown into a gorgeous man. And with all of his gifts and talents and abilities, even being the star of the lacrosse team, my precious Drewskie remained one of the humblest people I knew. He was the only upperclassman that stayed after lacrosse practice to work with the freshmen. His dad dying overseas when he was young had forced him to grow up quickly and he took amazing care of his mom and Stacy, never grumbling about taking out the garbage or mowing the grass or cleaning the garage.
He was going to make an amazing husband someday.
Someday.
God, please let him make it to someday.
It was that thought that sent me hurling over the edge to the inconsolable place where Aiden found me. Sitting in his shower hugging my knees to my chest, letting my tears fall freely.
8
Emersyn
-SUNDAY MORNING-
Sunlight streamed in through the blinds, landing in stripes across my face. I blinked myself awake and tried to pinpoint my surroundings.
Unfamiliar walls, unfamiliar bed. I glanced down and saw that I was wearing a faded green and white hockey jersey from Riverside High, my high school’s rival.
When I realized that’s all I was wearing and that I wasn’t alone, I sat up, panicked.
Aiden lay next to me in a navy T-shirt and dark green flannel pajama bottoms. Before my mind processed that I was technically in bed with a man I barely knew, the events afterward came back to me. I’d lost control in the shower. He had dried me, dressed me, and cuddled me to sleep. Because I couldn’t function like a normal human after I saw what happened to Drew.
Drew.
I needed to check on Drew.
I reached for my cell phone and saw half a dozen missed calls from my mom. Then I saw the text I’d been praying for.
Drew’s mom saying he was awake, vitals were good, and his doctor said he was in stable condition.
It was as if I’d held my breath for the last eight hours and could finally exhale.
I threw the covers off and leapt to my feet.
“Aiden,” I said as gently as I could manage. “Aiden,” I repeated louder when he didn’t budge.
His eyelids flickered and for a brief moment, I savored the peaceful, beautiful image of him in bed.
“Drew’s awake. I need to get to the hospital. Please.”