19. Rebecca
Chapter nineteen
Rebecca
July
T he warmth enveloped me, caressing my skin like a soft blanket. I felt weightless, as if floating through the air. Blinking, I tried to make sense of the blurry world around me, but all I could see was a bright white light shining down on me. The sound of a gentle voice singing reached my ears, and it felt so familiar, like a soothing lullaby from my childhood. Memories flooded back to me as I drifted into this dreamlike state.
“Na ulitse dozhdik, se vedra polivayet, oy, lyushenki-lully, bratt sestro cachaet.”
As the words of a beautiful voice caress my ears, I turn my face towards it. A warm hand reaches out and tenderly cups my face, as if holding something precious.
“Shhh, moya malen'kaya babochka, ” they whisper softly.
That voice... I know that voice.
Timidly, I speak, afraid to be wrong and have my heart shattered.
“Katya...?”
A smile tugs at the corners of my lips and tears prick at the corners of my eyes as a familiar figure steps into view.
“Yes, my little love.”
It can't be... Katya?
Confusion and joy swirl inside me as I try to process this unexpected reunion.
“What are you doing here?” I ask, still not quite believing it.
A soft chuckle escapes Katya's lips as she takes in the sight of me. My surroundings are still a blur, but her presence is clear and real.
“I came to see you, moya devochka . I've missed you so much.”
My heart clenches at her words, and I reach out for her hands.
“I tried to find you! I looked everywhere...” I confess, desperate for answers.
Katya's expression softens as she gazes into my eyes.
“Oh, sweet girl. It wasn't time. I had to hide.”
Tears now freely flowing down my cheeks, I ask the question that has been burning in my mind since she first appeared.
“How did you find me? How are you here?”
With a gentle squeeze of my hands, Katya pulls me closer and places them over her heart.
“It was time. You needed me more than ever. Now, how did you get yourself in this predicament?” Her voice holds a hint of amusement and concern, and in this moment, with Katya by my side, everything feels like it will be okay.
A deep sigh escapes my lips, and my vision slowly begins to clear. My heart is racing as I recount the events leading up to the accident.
"I was angry... I couldn't stop crying," I say haltingly. "I wasn't paying attention."
A rush of fear runs through me as I remember the car that had tried to run me off the road. I close my eyes. "There was this car... I thought they were upset with me for driving too slow. But then they came back. Over and over again."
My voice trembles as I recall the terror of being chased on the road. "I tried to speed up, but they drove faster. They spun their car around and headed straight for me..."
Katya's soothing voice interrupts my thoughts. "Shhhh, take a deep breath."
As I do, I can feel her warmth and support surrounding me.
"I thought they would move. But they didn't..." A shudder passes through me as I try to piece together what happened next. "Everything just went black. Wait… am I dead?”
"No, you're not dead," she says with a smile in her voice. "Open your eyes, Becca."
Slowly, I do as she says and look around the room. Everything is still a bit blurry, but then my eyes land on Katya.
Her face is crystal clear, and tears immediately spring to my eyes. We both cry tears of joy, sadness, and mourning for the years we lost apart from each other. But most of all, there is pure happiness as we finally reunite.
"I have my Katya back," I whisper through sobs.
"And I'm here to stay, love," she replies tenderly.
My gaze shifts upward to meet Katya's, her eyes filled with worry and compassion. And then I see my father's hand resting gently on her shoulder, his own eyes brimming with tears.
"D-dad?" I stammer, barely able to form the word through my shock.
In an instant, he is by my side, pulling me into a tight embrace. "I'm so sorry, Becca. I tried to protect you. But I went about it all wrong. I've been a terrible father. I let your mother destroy our lives."
Tears blur my vision as I try to comprehend his words. Katya reaches out and brushes my hair back from my face, her touch comforting and reassuring. "Don't worry, moy sladkiy, " she whispers. "We will explain everything in due time. For now, you must rest."
My father nods in agreement. "It was all for the sake of keeping you and Katya safe, I promise."
"But... but why am I here?" I ask, confusion lacing my voice.
"We will make sense of it all when we are home," he replies cryptically.
I shake my head, feeling lost and overwhelmed. "But... we don't have a home anymore. I live with..." My voice trails off as the realization hits me.
Danny.
The baby.
Fresh sobs escape from my chest and Katya climbs onto the bed beside me, wrapping her arms around me like she did when I was a child. "Hush now," she murmurs, her voice soothing and melodic. "Everything will be okay." She starts to quietly sing in Russian. “ Te rusty sestrica, rusty poscoree, na dolgiye goda, da na babiou dolyu. ”
The heavy door to my hospital room creaks open, and a team of doctors and nurses flood in. Their footsteps echo against the sterile tile floor and the scent of antiseptic fills the air. The tallest doctor, with kind eyes and a warm smile, makes his way towards me.
“Good to see you upright, Rebec-” He pauses, correcting himself. “Becca. Missus Rorke made sure I called you by your preferred name.”
I force a sad smile and then turn to my father. “Where are they?”
“At home right now,” he replies with a small sigh.
The doctor nods understandingly. “Now, you’ve suffered a very serious brain injury. There is a slight fracture in your skull. We will need to keep a close eye on you for some time, but if all goes well, you should be able to return home in a few days.”
I feel overwhelmed by everything that has happened, but also grateful to still be alive.
He continues, “This may all seem like a lot to take in, but please know that we are here to help in any way we can. Our team will need to run some tests on you and perform imaging upstairs. Are you feeling up for that?”
I shrug weakly. “Can I have something to eat first?”
The doctor chuckles softly. “Of course. We can get you some crackers before we start. How does that sound?”
A sense of relief washes over me at the thought of finally being able to eat after what feels like ages without food.
“I think that sounds perfect.” I reply with a grateful smile.
S everal days have passed, and the doctors are confident that I can finally head home from the hospital. All of my friends and family have come to visit me during my stay, except for one person: Danny. A knot forms in my stomach as I carefully slip on an oversized hoodie, feeling a mix of disappointment and anger towards him. Despite our fight and his cruel behavior, I never imagined he wouldn't even check in on me while I was in the hospital.
Slipping my feet into my fuzzy clogs, I look up to see the Rorke family standing in the hallway. My heart sinks when I see Danny among them, his familiar green eyes locking onto mine. Katya takes my hand and we walk out together, joined by Danny's mom, dad, and sister, who all hug me tightly. As we make our way outside, Katya gently releases my hand, leaving me alone with Danny.
He shuffles his feet nervously, avoiding eye contact with me. "Becs... I'm so sorry. About everything," he mumbles, his words barely audible.
I glare at him as our eyes finally meet, my cold attitude taking over. Never again will I give him the key to my heart. "We have nothing to speak about," I say firmly. "The baby is gone, just like you wanted. All ties we have together have been severed."
With that, I push past him and climb into the car with Katya by my side, determined to move on from this painful chapter in my life.
With Katya and my father seated in the front of the car, their hands intertwined, we make our way back home. A bittersweet feeling washes over me as I watch them, wondering if they are together now. I shake my head and turn to look out the window, trying to distract myself with happy thoughts. It's a beautiful day outside, the sun shining down on us as we drive through familiar streets.
Katya is back in my life. My father too. The thought brings a smile to my face as I realize how lucky I am to have them both here with me. But then Danny's face appears in my mind, his piercing green eyes and infectious grin that captured my heart so unexpectedly. My heart still aches for him, shattered into pieces.
As we pull up to a stunning blue craftsman style home, my dad turns to me with a smile.
"Where are we?" I ask, taking in the beauty of the house.
"This," he says with pride in his voice, "is our new home."
As we arrive at the house, Katya and my dad get out of the car and come over to me. We all walk in together, the anticipation building inside me as I prepare to see my new home. Katya leads me around, showing me every nook and cranny of the house before finally arriving at a closed door.
"This... this is your room," she says with a warm smile.
My heart races as she slowly opens the door, revealing a serene bedroom. The walls are painted a soothing shade of white, providing a clean canvas for me to make my own. A plush carpet covers part of the wood floor where a desk sits, awaiting my use. Across from the desk stands my bed, adorned with fluffy white blankets and pillows. But it's the deep olive-green throw blanket that catches my attention; the same color as Danny's mesmerizing eyes.
Tears well up in my eyes as I turn away, unable to hold back my emotions any longer. Katya immediately pulls me into her arms, concerned.
"What's wrong? Do you not like it?" she asks gently.
My dad joins us, standing by my side. "We can change anything you want."
I wipe away my tears and slowly make my way over to the bed, sinking down onto its soft surface. My fingers brush against the smooth fabric of the green throw blanket as I try to compose myself.
"I... I have something I need to tell both of you," I say in a shaky voice.
Katya sits next to me on the bed while my dad pulls up a chair from the desk and hands me my childhood stuffed bunny. His loving gesture brings a small smile to my face.
"Don't think I forgot about her," he chuckles softly.
"Thanks, dad," I reply with gratitude as I look back at both of them with tear-stained cheeks.
Taking a deep breath, I begin to share my heartbreaking news. "I... we..." I struggle to find the right words.
Katya pats my hand reassuringly. "Take all the time you need."
I nod, grateful for their understanding and support. "I... was. I was pregnant," I finally confess, unable to hold back the tears any longer.
More tears flow as Katya gently rubs my back, her maternal instincts kicking in. "Oh sweetheart," she coos sympathetically.
My dad's gaze drops to his shirt, guilt evident on his face. "I... I'm so sorry, Becca."
"I'm sorry too, dad," I reply with a heavy heart. "It was... it was dumb of us not to be more careful."
He pulls me into a tight hug, his love and forgiveness woven into in his embrace. "It doesn't matter now. You're here, you're safe, you're home."
“I love him, daddy,” I whisper, my voice trembling as Katya steps away and gives us a moment of privacy. My father's embrace is warm and comforting, a welcome respite from the chaos and confusion that swirls inside me.
“How long have you been together?” he asks softly, his voice laced with concern.
I shake my head, unable to meet his gaze. “We’re… we aren’t…” I pause, struggling to find the right words. “It’s complicated.”
My father's hand rubs soothing circles on my back. “But you love him.”
The tears start to flow again as I nod my head. “Yes. I do. I did. I don’t know anymore.”
Feeling overwhelmed, I lay my head down on the pillow and hug my stuffed bunny tightly against my chest.
My dad's gentle smile brings some comfort amidst the turmoil. “Sometimes things don't always make sense. And that's okay. You don't have to figure everything out right now.”
His words are like a balm for my troubled heart, and for a moment, I feel a glimmer of hope that maybe things will eventually make sense again.
Katya's gentle knock on the door echoes through the quiet house. I straighten my back, taking in a deep breath before she opens the door to reveal Cat and Penny, their smiles lighting up their faces.
My dad and Katya make their way downstairs, leaving me with my two dear friends. We catch up on life, laughter filling the air like a warm embrace.
Penny's eyes wander around the room, her playful nature coming out as she surveys the blank walls. "Girl, we need to add some personality to this place. It's too bare."
I simply shrug, feeling content in the simplicity of my room. "I like it this way. It feels calming and gives me the freedom to decorate whenever I want."
Cat's phone suddenly rings, and she steps aside to answer it. I can sense the worry in her voice as she speaks into her phone.
When she returns, I ask with concern, "Everything okay?"
Cat shakes her head with a heavy sigh. "It was Kaid. Danny..."
Penny grumbles under her breath, clearly familiar with this type of situation. "Not really the best time to talk about it."
My hand reaches for Penny's, offering comfort and support. "It's okay. He's your friend. Please tell us."
Cat nods, her expression pained. "Danny showed up at Ryan's house, completely drunk."
Penny curses quietly under her breath. "Shit. He doesn't handle pain very well..."
Confusion fills my mind as I tilt my head slightly. "What pain? From who?"
Cat looks at me with sad eyes, silently conveying a truth that has yet to be spoken aloud. "You, Becca. These boys... they may seem cold and distant, but when they find someone who calms their soul, they cling on tightly."
My head is spinning as I try to process this new information. "I... I don't understand."
Penny gives me a sad smile. "You understand Danny's darkness. Your own demons resonate with his."
My eyes fill with tears as I struggle to comprehend these words. "But he hates me. He told me that himself."
Both Cat and Penny let out soft laughs, almost like they were sharing a secret. "They all say that, but deep down, they are obsessed. They crave you in every form."
The enormity of their words hits me like a tidal wave, leaving me speechless and emotional.
"He..." I whisper, my voice breaking.
Penny nods sympathetically. "I know. It doesn't make sense, but I can tell you one thing for sure - Danny rushed to the hospital when he found out. And ever since then, he's been a shell of himself."
"He came?" My heart swells with a mix of emotions - disbelief, confusion, and hope.
Cat confirms it with a nod. "He did."
I sink back onto my bed, overcome with feelings I can't quite put into words. "I didn't know... nobody told me."
Before anyone can respond, my dad's knock on the door interrupts our conversation. A bright smile graces his face as he announces, "You have more visitors."
And just like that, Liz and Jim come bursting into my room, engulfing me in a warm hug before we all make our way downstairs to join Katya, who is busy cooking dinner for all of us. The love and support from these people fills me with an overwhelming sense of gratitude and comfort in this difficult time.
The house is warm, inviting, peaceful, and happy.
But I still feel this empty part of my soul. Like it’s missing something.
And I know exactly who it’s missing…