“Raelyn?” Carter’s voice floods my ears. It’s the most wonderful sound in the world. “Raelyn, are you awake?”
“Nugrh,” is about all that I can manage back. My voice box isn’t fully working.
“Oh God, Raelyn. You’re awake. Thank goodness, I’ve been so worried.”
He looms above me, his face surrounded by a glorious white light. He’s like an angel sent from heaven to help me get through all of this. Funny, since there was once a time, I thought he was the devil.
“C… Carter,” I stammer, my voice faltering with emotion. “You’re here.”
“Of course I am! I’ve been here since you were brought in. They wouldn’t let me in the ambulance with you, but I followed behind in my car and I haven’t left since. Even when they told me that visiting hours were over.”
The police… I remember that now. The terror of the shootout, followed by the overwhelming relief as the police broke down that door and came to get me out. They warned me not to look around as we walked out and I did what they commanded, but I’m pretty sure I can imagine what went down anyway. I know what happens with guns, I’m not stupid. People die at the end of them. Even though these weren’t good people, I still don’t like the idea of knowing that I was around so much death. It really isn’t right.
Then I recall seeing Carter’s face again. He swooped in at the last moment as well, looking like a slice of bliss through all the hell. He kissed me then, I felt all the love swooping from him, and it was the most wonderful of my whole damn life. It gave me all the strength that I needed to carry on. Maybe that’s why I’m awake now.
“What… what happened?” I try to sit up straighter, but I can’t. “Am I okay?”
“You’re exhausted.” Carter’s hand slips into mine and I’m flooded with warmth. “And dehydrated. Probably in a lot of shock as well. But you’re fine. You’re going to be okay.”
That’s good news. I soak that in. I’m going to be okay, I’m going to survive this nightmare after all. I was so convinced that I was about to die, but I never accepted it, and now I’m glad. I’ve been through witnessing a crime, being beaten and threatened, then kidnapped, and I’m still here. I’m stronger than I thought.
And Carter is here with me too. Through everything, he’s here with me. We’re strong as well. There has been a whole lot of drama bringing us to this place, but we’ve made it. I think we can make anything now.
“As for what happened to them…” Carter’s face curls up, he looks disgusted. I already know who he’s talking about before he continues. “The gang shot at the police repeatedly. I don’t think they had a clue what they were doing. They want to be in the big leagues, but they don’t have a clue how, and their naivety showed.”
“So… did anyone get hurt coming to rescue me?” I don’t want that; it will fill me with guilt forever.
“No one aside from them got hurt. And the ones who did, brought it on themselves.”
“Hurt… or dead?” I don’t know why, but this feels important to me. Knowing if they are still out there…
“Some dead. Some hurt, but they will be locked up as soon as they are out of the hospital. I don’t even know if they’re going to stand trial, so we might be able to just forget that they even exist.”
I don’t know if I will ever be able to forget. This feels like something that will haunt me forever. The memory of being locked in that place with no hope. But that might be because it’s just happened. I haven’t even washed the experience off yet. Maybe I will be able to move passed this at some point, who knows?
“All you need to worry about is that nothing can get to you. Nothing can get to you. You’re fine.”
I nod slowly, my heart racing that little bit faster. This is wild, it really might be over.
“Does Abbi know?” I ask curiously. “Does my mom? God, no one knows this has happened to me.”
“I actually found Abbi’s number on your phone and called her. I remembered that she was the person you wanted to speak to when I sent you home that day. I know things got a little strained at some point, but I’m pretty sure that this can over shadow everything. She said that she’s on the way and that she’ll contact your mom.”
“Okay great.” It’s going to be so weird having everyone in my life in one place. This really isn’t something that I’m ready fo
r, but yet again here we are, having things just happen to us. “So, they are on the way.”
“Exactly. So, we might not have a lot of time alone until they are here.”
I look at Carter expectantly. He seems to have something that he wants to tell me and I’m all ears. Especially if this is going to be something important that he only wants to say while we’re alone. He wants to speak to me before Mom and Abbi get here which excites me. It has to be something good.
“Raelyn…” He sucks in a couple of deep breaths, trying to calm himself down. “Raelyn, all of this has been so hard. On you, of course. I get that, I’m not trying to diminish what you went through, but it was difficult for me as well, not knowing where you were killed me. It absolutely destroyed me. And it also made me realize how much I care about you. How deep my feelings are for you and I really do feel deeply for you. Deeper than I have ever felt for another person for a very long time… actually, ever. What I feel for you is something different. Deeper, more passionate. More wonderful, and I need to now find a way to express that…”
I chuckle and touch his arm gently “Just say it, Carter. Talk to me. It’s alright.”
He nods and smiles at me, seeing how relaxed he can actually be around me. “Okay, I love you Raelyn. That isn’t the easiest thing for me to say after everything I’ve been through, but I do.”
His words send me flying high. I absolutely relish this incredible sensation. I cannot believe that he actually does love me. I never ever would have thought that we would end up here. I’m so lucky.