32. Luke
luke
. . .
Blonde hair glowing in the sunlight pulled me from the darkness.
I was home, wrapped in so much warmth.
Her warmth.
I followed her laugh, to the river where we used to spend the hot summer days. Where we first kissed and where I…
For a moment the warmth disappeared and I shivered… a darkness falling over me and then I felt like I was falling.. NO…. no. Bailey… my Sunshine… I need my…
“Luke…”
Bailey… where are you?
“Luke, I love you!”
Golden eyes came into focus, she was leaning over me, the sun creating a hallow behind her hair. Her eyes were so bright and warm and looking at me like I hung the moon. Looking at me like I was her everything. My heart hurt with how much I loved her.
Her laugh was like music, then her soft lips found mine… but then… it felt like she was slipping through my fingers… being pulled away.
No
“Luke, I love you. No matter where we end up. In a trailer like Sadie and I grew up in or a house big enough for all our babies… I love you…”
I love you sunshine… I….
I shivered. Why was I so cold?
I felt water splash against my face… but I wasn’t near the water anymore…
I was….
“Luke…”
Sunshine?
“LUKE!”
A icy cold splash of water had me gasping for air as I sat up and the room around me came into focus. I wasn’t home or with Bailey….
“Luke… for fuck sakes. How much did you drink last night?”
My eyes finally focused on my surroundings, on the sterile hotel room and on… Dave.
Not Bailey… not my warmth… my love.
I closed my eyes wanting to go back to her, to be with her in any way I could. Another splash of Ice water hit my face and I thrashed and then fell out of bed. The movement sent me heaving and I didn’t get to move, on all fours on the floor of the hotel room until my body decided it was done.
What day is it?
I heard things being tossed and moved around in the room but the light was too bright to lift my head and look. The room spun again and I closed my eyes to try and centre myself.
Golden eyes… my sunshine…
“Luke!”
I groaned and then slowly sat back on my heels. Dave was stomping through the room throwing bottles in the garbage.
“You need to get up and make yourself presentable.”
I groaned again, the idea of doing anything right now… my whole body hurt.
“Luke, are you listening to me. You’ve been fucking up and the label is about to ditch you… we got the chance of a lifetime…”
My whole body swayed. Why am I so hot?
A breeze brushed my face and I closed my eyes and smiled. Bailey… home…
“Luke! Get your ass in that shower. I got us a meeting that will make your career…”
“I don’t…” Why is it so hard to find my words? “Bailey… I want…”
“Yes I know… but she doesn't want you. Get your ass in the shower.”
I blinked and I was sitting in a conference room, the air felt stale, my shirt felt too tight.
A bottle of water lands in front of me…
Where am I?
Dave is in front of me with a stern look on his face. “Drink some water, pull it together. You can not fuck this up.”
My hands shake as I try to unscrew the cap. I take a couple of sips and as I put the bottle down Dave’s hand comes into view… a pill I recognize in his palm.
I don’t feel good.
“Now that sure doesn't look like vitamins.” A voice I knew broke the silence.
Wait, was she with him?
Dave tensed and then closed his hand, tucking it into his pocket before stepping away from me and turning to the voice.
“Our boy Luke partied a little too hard, I was just trying to help him with his headache.”
My eyes locked on fucking Jackson Reed, but he wasn’t looking at me. His eyes were on Dave, a look I had only ever seen from him that night…. Bailey…
“I am sure you are, Dave.” Jackson said with a smile that didn’t look right.
Why was I here?
I just need to close my eyes for a minute. I don’t feel good… I want…
“Jackson I was so happy when your team reached out asking for a meeting. Thank you for taking time out of promoting your new album.”
The sound was muffled and for a while it sounded like I was under water.
I am so tired.
But Dave’s voice turned sharp and pulled me back. “What the fuck are you doing here Noah?”
“Now that is no way to talk to one of our close friends…”
I knew that voice… but it wasn’t Jackson… or Noah…
“No… no of course not Rhett. I am sorry…”
Was Dave nervous? Scared?
A hand touched my shoulder and I forced my eyes to open, to look up.
Noah.
“Why do you look sad?” I croaked.
“Are you ok?” he asked.
I felt Dave’s eyes on me and I knew I was supposed to say yes… I am ok… but I called someone… I told them…
“No… I don’t feel… Noah. I… help.”
I felt something wet on my cheeks, but I was so tired. Am I crying?
I felt the hand on my shoulder squeeze. Then voices raised and… I was moving.
Where am I?
Bailey…..
When I opened my eyes next, my head was splitting. So much pressure pushing behind my eyes. I was….
This place looks familiar. This couch… is…
My… our house…
Voices filtered in and out.
“How did it go with the fucking snake?”
Noah?
“I have my team on it, but we may need to get creative to get your brother out of the fucked up contracts he has him twisted in.”
My mouth tasted like ash… everything hurts.
I tried to open my eyes… focus Luke…
“I love you Luke…”
Bailey… is she here?
Light comes into my line of vision, I see… a cowboy hat in a hand… dark hair.
Jackson?
“Bailey…” the voice doesn’t sound like mine, but I feel like it came from me.
A sound pulls my attention and I see… Blonde hair… not Bailey…
“Bailey, baby… Rhett Hayes is in our kitchen…”
I hear someone laugh and then a grunt.
What is happening?
I don’t know how much time has passed or if I am stuck where I am?
“What are you going to do with him?”
Me? Home… I want to go home!
I focus really hard to get the words to work… Did I say that out loud?
“Home…”
I hear Noah, “You are home, Luke.”
I try to move, to open my eyes.
“No… Home…is… Bailey…”
I hear someone curse… and it feels like I am slipping under water…
“She doesn’t need more shit to deal with. Bailey has enough on her plate right now.”
Bailey?
“He isn’t just some shit for her to deal with. He is my brother and he is still her husband.”
“That is a fucking joke and you know it Noah.”
I need to open my eyes… I need…
“Do you honestly think she wouldn’t want to know what is going on? Look me in the fucking eye and tell me she would turn him away. That she wouldn’t help.”
Everything is spinning… Why am I so hot?
“...you may not understand because you’ve only seen him… them like this. But trust me when I tell you, I have never seen another couple so…. She still loves him…”
Bailey?
“I love you, Luke."
I feel a smile on my face, “Sunshine…”
Why is everything so fucking bright?
“Luke… Luke, can you hear me? My name is Doctor Johnson and I am here to help get you well enough so you can go home.”
Home… Bailey…
I am coming home sunshine…