Chapter 78 Boyfriend, my ass.
Louisa looked torn. She kept shaking her head, just a little.
“I was wrong,” I said, my own voice rough. “I ended it because I thought it was right, but I was wrong. I never should have left. We should have told you and Dad from the beginning, but we were just kids. We did not know how to handle what we felt.” I paused, making myself look right at her. “I know I am not the person you want to see right now. But you have to believe me. I love your daughter. There is nothing in this world I love more. I want her to be happy. I will spend the rest of my life proving that to her, and to you. So please.”
Louisa pulled her hand back and crossed her arms. I watched her, more afraid than I had ever been in my life.
Then she let out one long, slow sigh and gave a small nod.
“Alright. But if she says she does not want to see you, you will leave. You understand?”
I nodded fast. She gave me a tight, small smile.
This was not going to be easy. I knew that. But I was not backing down.
A few hours later, visiting time in the ICU was over. We moved to the waiting room. Clement sat beside Louisa. I sat a few rows behind them. My eyes were locked on the hallway that led to Saraphina’s room. Every time a nurse or doctor walked by, my whole body went still, hoping they were coming to tell us she was awake.
But no one came.
After a while, I could not sit anymore. I had been on a plane for hours, and now this. I stood up and headed outside to try and clear my head.
The second I walked out of the hospital doors, I saw him. Cole was sitting on a bench by himself. He looked up as I came out, and his eyes turned hard and cold.
“You are still here,” I said, my voice flat.
“How is she?”
“The same. No change.” I could see how tired he was. He looked like he had not slept in days. “You should go home. We can handle things here.”
He glared at me. “Why are you here, Ryan? You should not be.”
“Yeah? Why is that?”
“Look at what you did to her. I think you have done enough. She does not deserve this.”
“Me?” I took a step closer. “The last time I checked, she was with you when she ran into the street and got hit by a car. What the fuck were you doing, Cole? Playing with blocks?”
“She ran because she was panicking over you! And if you did not notice the marks all over her, she hurt herself. She cut her own wrist because she wanted to forget you! You see? You are nothing but poison to her.”
“She did those things because I was not there when she needed me. But that changes now.”
“What, you think you are some kind of hero? You show up and everything is just fixed?”
“Wow, Cole. Wow.” I let out a harsh laugh. “You always know exactly what to say to make me feel like shit, do you not? Like I do not deserve her. Like I was never good enough.”
“That is because you are not.”
“So what? You are saying she should love you instead?”
“She does love me.”
“Bullshit.”
“It is true. We have been together for a while now.” He paused, his gaze challenging. “I know she still loves you. But she loves me, too.”
“Well, is not that just perfect?” I said, my voice dripping with bitterness.
“If you care about her at all, you will leave her alone.”
“Like you do? If this was a year ago, before I saw what my leaving did… maybe I would listen to you. But not now. I am not going anywhere.”
“Well, I am not going anywhere either,” he shot back.
We stood there, just staring each other down. My hands were fists at my sides, thinking about how good it would feel to knock him right off his feet.
“Cole?”
We both turned. Louisa was standing there.
“Louisa, are you okay? Is Saraphina okay?” Cole was at her side in a second.
“I am fine. She is fine. I just needed some air. What are you still doing out here?”
“I can not leave without knowing how she is.”
“Oh, you sweet boy. Come inside. You can wait with us.” Louisa motioned for him to follow. He glanced back at me once, then put his arm around her and walked away with her.
“She is really lucky to have you,” I heard Louisa tell him as they disappeared through the glass doors.
This really was not going to be easy.
Dad, Louisa, Cole, and I sat in that waiting room all night. No one talked. Louisa fell asleep on my father’s shoulder. My own eyes were heavy, but I refused to let them close.
I needed to be the first person she saw when she woke up.
Cole must have had the same idea. He kept shifting in his seat, stretching his legs, fighting off sleep. Every so often, he would look over at me and shoot me a dirty look. I would just shake my head and laugh quietly to myself.
Boyfriend, my ass.
Dear S,
Can you hear me calling for you?
Please come back home.
To me.
Your Ry.