45. Annabelle
Annabelle
“ M y headache is gone,” I tell Hudson and Sawyer, who have both been here all night, Sawyer never leaving my side.
“Good,” Hudson says as he scribbles something down on my chart. “I’ll organize some breakfast for you now. I think you should be fine to eat a little something. I’d like you to stay here again tonight, just to keep an eye on you, but Sawyer can take you home tomorrow.”
I nod. I’m not ready to go home just yet anyway. My body feels like I went through the washing machine. Bruises all over, my head heavy, my face with abrasions and cuts. I haven’t looked in the mirror, but I’m sure I look terrible.
“Thanks, Hudson.”
He grins. “Anytime. I’ll leave you guys to it.” Slapping Sawyer’s shoulder, he walks out the door, and I look at Sawyer.
“You look like a mess,” I tell him honestly. He obviously hasn’t slept. He also has a gash on his head, a white bandage now taking up the side of his head above his ear.
“You look beautiful.”
Shaking my head, I smile. “You should go home, take a shower, get some sleep.”
He shrugs, narrowing his eyes at me playfully. “Superman doesn’t sleep.”
I huff a small laugh before I grimace a little at the pulling in my head.
“So it was Steve,” I say tentatively. I’m sure he knows, but we haven't spoken about it yet.
“It was.” He nods, watching me. I see his jaw clench a little, and I take a deep breath.
“Never in a million years did I ever think that was a possibility.” I still don’t understand it. “Before you came, he told me that he took a life insurance policy against himself and faked it all. Not sure how. That car was a wreck.” Thinking about it all makes my head hurt.
“I had an inkling it could be him,” he says, and I frown.
“What? What do you mean?”
“I spoke to the sheriff a few days ago. I asked to see the police reports of his crash. There were no remains. So I questioned it.”
When I don’t respond, only look at him with a pinched brow, totally confused, he continues.
“When a car with a full tank of fuel crashes and bursts into flames, the heat can cause a lot of damage. Soft tissues burn away quickly, but bones are tough, so they don’t usually disintegrate completely unless the fire burns superhot for a really long time.
Teeth are even tougher because of their enamel, which is why they’re usually still around and can be used to identify people.
But larger bones, like parts of the skull or pelvis, also tend to survive.
So, if there are no bones left at all, it’s unusual.
It just made me think that it could be possible.
The sheriff was going to investigate it some more, but in the meantime, he offered this solution of me leaving town so they could catch whomever it was. ”
Wow. I knew Sawyer was smart, of course, but his knowledge on these things is extensive. Thank God.
“Well, it worked.”
“It worked because I came back. God, if I hadn't come back…” He looks to the ceiling, his expression pained.
“But you did. And we’re all fine.” I know the emotions that he must be feeling are leaving him riddled with guilt over nothing.
“I love you, Annabelle.” He looks right at me, his eyes glassy, and my breath halts in my chest. “I never want to leave you or the boys again. I’d really like to stick around more permanently, if you want that?”
“I want that. I want that more than anything,” I whisper, almost too scared to say what I want out loud, but he grins before lifting my hand to his lips and kissing it.
“But…” I start, and he looks at me with worry. “But what about your work? You have your firm in the city, Sawyer. I can’t ask you to leave that. I mean…”
His answer is simple. “I sold it.”
I lose my breath for the second time in a matter of minutes.
“You… You what?” I ask, trying to understand. Wondering if the bump on my head left me with cognitive issues.
“I sold eighty percent of it to the Rothschild Law Firm. They’re a firm in Baltimore, but they’ve wanted a presence in New York for a while, so I called them and made them an offer.
They’ll take all my criminal law business and some of the commercial and contract business, and I’ll keep Tanner and Whiteman’s, my LA office and clients, and a few other business clients from New York that I’ve worked with for years.
I’ll still need to fly back there a little bit, at least initially, to do a handover, and then perhaps once every few months or so, but I’ll base myself out of Whispers now, just like Tanner wanted after all. ” He huffs a laugh at himself.
He's really done this… for me. “So you’re staying in Whispers?”
“Yeah, well, I met someone… She’s the most beautiful, amazing, stubborn, prideful, most perfect woman…” He looks at me with pure admiration, his voice trailing off and his mouth turning into a grin.
“She sounds like a real catch,” I tease, grinning, finally feeling like my life can now start.
“She is. She thinks I’m Superman.” His smile widens even more.
“Maybe she needed a Superman?”
“Nah, she doesn’t need rescuing. She can rescue herself. But I sure like trying to keep up with her.” He kisses each of my knuckles, and I try to breathe slowly.
“I love you, Sawyer. I never wanted anyone or anything, but I’m sure glad you found me.”
“Good, because now you’re stuck with me. I’m not leaving you again, Annabelle. You and the boys mean the world to me.”
“I miss my boys…” I really want to hug them right now.
He squeezes my hand. “They’re on their way.”
My happiness level rises even more, and I smile wholeheartedly.
“Just tell me one thing?” he asks me tentatively.
“Anything,” I say firmly.
“Are there any other skeletons in your closet?” he asks jokingly, and I decide to tease him some more.
“Well… there is Gladis.”
He looks at me with wide eyes. “Who is Gladis?” he asks, and I can’t stop the snort of laughter that comes from my mouth. But I’m quickly reminded of exactly why I’m in this hospital as my head thumps.
“The baby goat Victoria gave Kevin last week that we’ve adopted…” I tell him, and he rolls his eyes.
“With you, me, the boys, and now Gladis, I know life is going to be amazing. Nothing is going to ever stand in our way again,” he says, just as the door opens, and my boys run in, jumping up onto the bed, the pain in my head worth it as the four of us snuggle together.
I finally got my happy ending.