Chapter 35
Chapter Thirty-Five
KEELEY
After spending time catching up with Callum, I make my way around the room, mingling with family and laughing with friends. The more I distract myself—by actually enjoying the night like I normally would—the easier it is to push Sal from my mind.
At one point during the evening, Camilla taps her glass in an attempt to call for a speech, but Paige is quick to wave her off, reminding her that they want to keep things casual.
Around nine p.m., the lights soften in the grand room and the mood instantly changes. Guests relax, the vibe shifts from a wedding to a party, and the music changes to match.
Bodies drift toward the dance floor and the bar, while for the first time since leaving the ceremony, even Easton looks comfortable.
Hayley rushes over when the DJ plays a country song, and I preemptively laugh when Reed follows behind her.
“You have to see Reed boot scoot,” she tells me.
“Boot scoot?” I mouth to Reed and he jokingly rolls his eyes.
“I already told Hayley, I’m happy to dance with her but I’m not boot scooting. That’s something between her and me.”
“Right.” I raise my hands. “Best you keep that between the two of you. I think we should dance without any practiced moves.”
“Ugh, fine,” Hayley huffs, while her smile lights up her face. “Let’s get this party started.”
Paige, Amelia, and Blair join us on the dance floor, along with Luke and Zane. Zane reluctantly, but that man would do anything for Blair, even if that means shaking his ass while his friends give him shit.
For the next hour, I light up the dance floor, and while I can’t see Sal—which is a good thing—I can feel his presence. The stronger it gets, the more I throw myself into the music, letting the beat consume me, taking me away from the situation I’m in.
I’m a hot mess when Paige beckons Easton over for what must be the tenth time tonight, and when he shakes his head again, I laugh loudly, taking over the fight.
“I have an idea,” I tell Paige, before heading over to Mom and Isaac, calling in reinforcements.
“Isaac, sweetie. Do you think you could do me a favor?”
Isaac stares at me puzzled until my smile widens and I raise my eyebrows enthusiastically. Mom eyes me suspiciously and I have to say, her look is warranted.
“What do you say you help me get your dad on the dance floor? Your mom would love to dance with him.”
Isaac’s eyes light up at the mention of Paige and he nods, rushing off toward Easton.
“That’s playing dirty, don’t you think?” Mom purses her lips but she fails to hide the smile threatening to come through.
“It’s his wedding day and he’s refusing to dance with his wife.”
“They danced.”
“They swayed for about thirty seconds.”
“It’s not his thing.”
“Come on, admit it. You were contemplating the same idea.”
“Fine, I was. You beat me to it.”
We both glance back toward the dance floor to find Easton walking toward Paige, holding Isaac in his arms, and I can’t help the gloating grin that lights up my face.
“I know I give him a hard time, but that brother of mine is not so bad.”
“Of course he’s not. He’s my son.”
“You’re so funny.”
“I try.” Mom shrugs and I wrap my arms around her, giving her a squeeze. “When do you think it’ll be your turn to find a man?” she asks as she pulls back, her mischievous grin making me laugh.
“Not tonight, that’s for sure. I’m going to dance some more; want to come?”
Mom glances over her shoulder toward Phil, and he waves from where he’s talking to Addie’s husband, his loving expression making my chest ache.
Do I want that? God, I think I do. “I’m in,” Mom says, grabbing my arm for support, pulling me out of my head.
“I haven’t embarrassed your brother nearly enough today. ”
My smile widens as we walk toward the dance floor, and it expands farther when I catch Easton’s glare. I’ve signed myself up for some major payback, but I don’t care. Seeing him dancing is worth it.
Mom sways to the beat, her feet unmoving while her beaming smile warms my heart. She can’t move like she used to; she lacks the control over her body that she once had. But I know that being out here with the rest of us is important to her. If I have to hold her the entire time, I will.
Paige’s mom joins us after a couple of songs, and I stupidly find myself looking for Sal. Wondering where he is. Who he’s with.
My attention shifts for less than a minute and when I look back, my world spins on its axis, with everything moving in slow motion.
Mom’s knees buckle as she falls toward the ground, knocking the side of her head on the steps leading to the bar.
My chest heaves as I rush forward, dropping to the ground beside her, seconds before Easton does the same. “Mom? Mom?”
I grab her hand as Easton lifts her slightly, cradling her head in his arms. “Mom, can you hear me?” Easton asks, his voice much less panicked than mine.
She doesn’t answer, but squeezes my hand, pulling a relieved sigh from within me.
“She squeezed my hand,” I rush out, my eyes still wide with panic as I search the room for Phil.
Easton’s sigh matches my own, and he leans closer to whisper in her ear. “You’re going to be okay, Mom. Just rest for now.”
Phil and Addie push through the frantic bodies, joining us on the floor.
And when it all gets too crowded, I stand and step back, my mind whirring with all the things that need to be done.
“Can we get the music turned off and the lights brightened over the dance floor?” I call out, turning in circles as I bark instructions at anyone who will listen.
“We need to clear the area. Please.” I turn to look for someone who might have a phone and find Blair holding up a cell, showing me that she’s already calling 911.
I mouth thank you and search for Paige next.
“Paige?” I wave to get her attention, and she gives me the thumbs-up, letting me know she’s listening.
“I think you mentioned your uncle’s a doctor?
” Paige frowns momentarily before nodding and whispering to her mom, the two of them disappearing into the crowd, and it takes a second for me to realize her reaction may have been because it wasn’t her that told me that fact. Only I can’t think about that now.
After creating a circle of space around my family, I find a cushion from one of the lounges and hand it to Easton, moving on to calming Addie down. Easton and Phil take over caring for Mom, along with Paige’s uncle, all of them assessing her condition while we wait for an ambulance to arrive.
I’m not sure how much time passes, and though it feels like a lifetime, it’s probably no more than fifteen minutes later that Mom’s being wheeled away toward the exit, with Phil holding her hand.
“I’ll go with her to the hospital and call you as soon as I know anything,” he tells us with a smile. “She’s still squeezing my hand. She’s going to be okay.”
I stand, frozen, unable to look out the windows until the flashing lights disappear from my peripheral vision.
I have to stay strong. I have to. I’ve always been the strong one. I can’t stop now. With a deep breath, I convince myself I’m okay. Only when I finally look up to find half the room staring back at me, my composure lasts all of thirty seconds before my entire body trembles from the shock.
My throat constricts, the air catching in my lungs, making it harder to breathe. I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to talk myself down. I’m okay. I’m okay.
“Keeley?” Luke’s voice cuts into my thoughts, and I open my eyes to see Sal pushing through the crowd from outside, his determined gaze locked on mine. Luke must notice my attention being pulled away, because he turns and steps aside just as Sal reaches us.
“Fuck, Keels.” Sal grips my shoulders, his fingers warming my skin as he stares into my eyes. Tears blur my vision, but I can see enough to catch Sal’s anxious expression before he pulls me into him, wrapping me in his arms.
I bury my face in his shirt as my emotions overwhelm me, but it’s not until Sal whispers in my ear that I completely fall apart.
“I’m here, Keeley. I’m here.”
Every last ounce of strength leaves me as I pull back. “I asked her to dance, Sal. I should have been holding her.”
“You didn’t do this.”
“I didn’t help.” My voice cracks as the first tears fall, and I curl into Sal once more, holding on to him like a lifeline as my head spins, thoughts of my mom plaguing my mind.
At some point, a warmth spreads through me from my head, as though Sal kissed my hair, but it’s so fleeting, I have to wonder if I imagined it.
The lights dim as the soft tones of the music start up again and I reluctantly stand tall, smiling up at Sal. “Thank you,” I whisper, the words catching in my throat.
“She’s going to be okay. I saw her before the paramedics loaded her into the ambulance.”
“You did?” I blink a few times, confused.
“I was outside when the ambulance arrived. I had no idea anything had happened until I saw her. Phil said she was telling him that everyone needs to stop being dramatic.”
I snort out a laugh, wiping my eyes. “And here I am, more dramatic than anyone else. God, I don’t know why I reacted like that.”
“She’s your mom. You don’t have to be strong all the time.”
“Yeah, I kind of do.”
“Why?”
“Because when I let my emotions control the situation, I ruin really expensive, custom shirts.” I gesture to the mascara stain on Sal’s white silk shirt, and he huffs under his breath.
“I know what you’re doing.”
“What?”
“Deflecting. You’re allowed to show your emotions.”
“I’m fine.”
“Really?” He waves a hand in front of his shirt, much like I did, and I let out something between a laugh and a cry. I’m about to apologize again when Sal’s smile turns sympathetic, and another wave of emotion wells in my throat.
“Can I be real for a second?” I rasp, wiping at his shirt as if I can magically remove the black stains.
Sal grabs my chin, lifting my head to face him. “Of course.”
My chest tightens at the concern reflected in his eyes, and the room around us fades away.
“I’m terrified, Sal. I don’t want her to die.”
Without saying a word, Sal drags me back into his hold, and I allow myself to collapse into him, feeling safe in his arms. Feeling supported. Loved.
And while I know I’ll have to face reality again soon, for now, I’m exactly where I need to be. Consequences be damned.