Bonus Chapter
Milow
In all the years I’d known Scottie, I had never seen her like this. She was completely and utterly distraught. She stood in front of me, her face streaked with tears, and her body trembling as if it could shatter at any moment.
The words she had told me just seconds ago hadn’t even had time to sink in, and as her sobs wracked her frame, I found myself frozen and unable to move. My body felt numb, and my head felt light, as if it were floating. As if I weren’t entirely tied to reality.
Nothing made sense.
This had to be a nightmare.
Scottie was okay.
She had to be okay.
Another sob tore through her chest, and her knees buckled beneath her.
I finally moved, catching her as she sank to the floor of her bedroom, letting her weight press against me.
All I could do was hold her, keep her from collapsing completely, and try to steady myself at the same time.
My lips were dry, my mouth open in silent panic, and no matter how hard I drew in air, it felt like my lungs refused to fill.
All I could do was stay there, holding her trembling body and praying that somehow this was just a horrible dream.
It felt like hours before her bedroom door finally opened, and Stan came storming in, his face tight with worry and determination.
Ashby was right behind him, and before I could react, Stan squeezed between Scottie and me, taking my place without hesitation.
I slid back until my spine pressed against the bed frame, and Ashby’s arms immediately wrapped around me, holding me close as I watched.
I stared at Scottie and Stan. Her body was shaking with sobs as he whispered words I couldn’t hear clearly. He rocked her back and forth, and Scottie kept crying, her voice so broken and pleading.
“It hurts,” she cried over and over again, each word making us flinch.
“You’ll be okay. I’ll make sure of it. I’m here. I’m here, baby,” he murmured, his arms holding her tight.
I glanced up at Ashby. His expression mirrored mine, but he was doing everything he could to stay calm. His eyes met mine, and he offered a comforting smile.
“Scottie’s strong,” he whispered to me, squeezing me tighter against his chest. “She’ll fight this.”
I nodded because I wanted to believe it. Because I had to. But as I watched Scottie tremble in Stan’s arms, her sobs echoing through the room, I knew this wasn’t going to be an easy battle.
But one thing I knew for sure: Scottie didn’t have to fight this alone.