Chapter 31
Chapter Thirty-One
JOEY
“Can’t this thing go any faster?”
I don’t think I’ve ever been more anxious in my life.
“Unless you want me flipping this truck on the way to the hospital, I don’t think I can push it any harder.”
I scrub my hand over my forehead, trying to keep the panic inside. I can't imagine how terrified Max is right now. My poor sweet little baby fell off the swings at school and broke his arm. I wish I had been there.
I rub my fist over the center of my chest, trying not to let every bad thought overtake me.
It seems like we’re crawling into town, but no matter how fast Sam drives, the town just seems to get farther and farther away.
“Hey.” He grabs my hand and squeezes it.
“It’s going to be okay. This happened to Lennox all the time as a kid. ”
“She broke her arm all the time?” I ask, trying to ignore his soothing touch.
“Well, bumps and bruises, but it happens with kids.” He gives me a wry smile. “Max is in good hands.”
“I don’t even know whose hands he’s in right now.” I throw my hands up. “God, I should have been there.”
“You can’t be there for everything, Joey. Look, we’re already in town. We’ll be there in five minutes.”
Thank God. Because if it took any longer, I don’t know if I could keep my feelings in check. It seems like all the men in my life have been pissing me off. Dad for freaking out on us. Sam for letting me go. With worrying about Max, I’m ready to break.
Max is the only thing that matters. My sweet baby boy is probably scared out of his mind. Sam pulls into the emergency room drop-off and I leap out before he even has a chance to put it in park. I ignore his shouts as I go running inside.
“I’m here for Max Andrews,” I call out as I rush over to the reception desk.
“And your relation?” An older nurse gives me a warm smile.
“I’m his mother. Joey, Josephine Andrews.”
“Give me one minute and I’ll see where he is. I think they just took him up to get X-rays.”
“Is anyone here with him?” I ask.
“I don’t know who, but I believe so, yes.”
“Thanks.”
At least the one bonus of being in a small town is there’s no one clogging up the waiting room.
I’m pacing in front of the desk as Sam walks in with his hands stuffed in his pockets.
He casts a nervous glance around. No doubt he’s looking for my dad.
But I couldn’t care less about whatever’s going on between the three of us right now because my only concern is for my son.
“It looks like they're bringing him back down now. We’ll read his X-rays and then we’ll get a plan of action for you.”
I blow out a breath. “Okay.”
“I can show you to his room if you’d like.”
“Yes, that’d be great.”
I look back at Sam, who gives me a questioning look.
“Do you want me to come with you?”
“Yes,” I answer without thinking.
I hold out my hand to him and he looks at it before taking it. The squeeze he gives me helps to wash away some of the panic.
The nurse leads us back to a private room with balloons and animals all over the walls.
“He’ll be right down, okay? Just a few more minutes.”
She smiles at us before leaving the two of us alone.
“Why don’t you sit?” Sam points to the chair next to the hospital bed.
“I can’t.” I shake my head, starting to pace. “I mean, what if something more serious happened?”
“It didn’t,” he says, walking over to drop his hands on my shoulders.
“But it could have.”
“Hey.” Using his knuckle, he tilts my chin up to meet his eyes. “Don’t go there. You’ll make yourself crazy if you start thinking about worst-case scenarios.”
“Even if I feel like the worst mother in the world?”
“You’re not.”
I drop my head to his chest. There’s a brief hesitation before Sam wraps me in his arms. This is exactly what I need right now.
This will probably be the only chance I have with him since he sent me away, but I take it for what it’s worth. I let his warmth wrap around me and try to push all the nerves out.
“It’s going to be okay,” he says, running a soothing hand over my back. “I promise he’ll be just fine.”
I don’t know how long the two of us stay like that until the doors burst open.
“Mommy!” Max’s voice has me jumping out of Sam’s arms.
It’s not only Max coming through the doors, but a gaggle of people. Two nurses, his teacher, my brother and Rylee, but also…my mom and dad.
Great. Just what I need.
I ignore the disdain rolling off my father and go straight to my son. “Oh, Baby, I’m so sorry I wasn’t here. Are you okay?”
His eyes are red and tear marks stain his cheek.
“I got a sticker for being a really good boy.” He holds it up to show me.
“You were?” My voice is watery as tears start to collect in my eyes.
He nods.
His arm is wrapped up and secured to his chest. I’ve never seen him look smaller than he does right now in this bed.
“They said he was very brave and brave boys get stickers,” Chase says.
“That’s right.” I kiss Max’s forehead.
“I was really brave, Mommy. But I cried when I fell.”
“That’s okay. I bet it hurt.”
“A lot.” He nods.
“Excuse me, Miss Andrews,” the nurse interrupts. “The doctor will be in shortly to go over the results and then we’ll have someone come cast his arm, so you should be able to go soon, okay?”
“Thank you.” I smile at her, wiping a stray tear away.
“I’m so sorry, Miss Andrews. I don't know how this happened. One second—”
“It’s okay,” I cut off Ms. Anderson. “These things happen.”
I hear Sam chuckle behind me and I ignore it. No doubt because he was telling this to me earlier when I was having my freakout.
“I appreciate you coming to check on him.”
“Well, his grandparents came quickly to bring him here and it helped put him at ease,” she says. “I called them when you didn’t pick up the first time.”
“I appreciate it.” I cast a quick glance at my parents who exchange a look. At least they brought Chase and Rylee along. Maybe that’ll help keep things civil.
“If you don’t need anything else, I’m going to head home.”
“Thanks again.”
She waves at Max. “I’ll see you at school. Maybe we can have everyone sign your cast.”
“Can they draw silly pictures?” he asks.
“Yeah, whatever you want.”
“Okay.”
She leaves, taking the air out of the room with her. The tension starts to twist as my dad looks to Sam.
“What’s he doing here?” Dad’s voice is dripping with anger.
“He brought me to the hospital.”
“That job is done. He can go now.”
“Dad,” Chase says. “Really?”
Sam doesn’t say another word as he moves toward the door. If there is any hope of reclaiming what the two of us had, it’s now or never.
“No.” I stop him.
“No?” Dad quirks a brow at me.
I pull my phone out of my pocket and pull up one of Max’s shows.
“Why don’t you watch some TV while I talk to Grandma and Grandpa, okay?”
“Okay.” He doesn’t question it.
“Why don’t we go get some drinks for everyone?” Rylee says, grabbing Chase’s shirt and pulling him out of the room.
“Can I talk to you over here?” I nod toward the corner.
“I really should go,” Sam says.
“No, I don’t want you to.”
Making sure Max is still occupied by his show, I turn to face the other three adults in the room.
“I want Sam here, Dad, and you know what? You don’t get to dictate who I date or don’t date. Yes, he’s older than I am, but he is the first person that has ever treated me with the respect I deserve.”
His jaw grinds as the furrow between his brows deepens.
“I’m sorry you found out the way that you did, but I love him.”
“You love him?”
“You love me?”
Sam and my dad speak at the same time. Sam grabs my hand and squeezes it. Mom lets out a gasp, tears softening her face.
“How can you know what love is?” Dad asks.
“Considering the string of bad guys I’ve dated, I have a pretty good idea of what I deserve and Sam is it. He treats me well, he treats Max well, and he shows up. It’s pretty easy. I love him, and I want him to be a part of our lives.”
“If you’re so in love, why did you go behind our backs?” Dad asks, crossing his arms over his chest.
“Because we knew you’d react this way.”
“Can you blame me?” Dad scoffs.
“I’m sorry you didn’t hear it from us,” Sam says, stepping closer. “But it’s true. I love Joey. As hard as I tried not to, I do. She’s the first person I’ve felt like this about since Casie died.”
“But you’ve dated,” Dad points out, his face starting to soften.
Well, that has to be a good sign.
“Yeah, but I was never in a relationship. Joey keeps me on my toes and is the best person I know. Largely because of you two.” He turns to look at me. “And I know we haven’t said it to each other before now, but I do love you, Joey.”
“Christ, you haven’t?” Dad asks.
“Greg. Really?” Mom slaps him on the arm.
“Well, now I feel like a real asshole,” he mutters.
“We didn’t make it easy on you,” Sam says. “I’ll regret not telling you first how I felt about Joey and talking to you, but I was scared.”
“And now?” he asks.
“I’m not anymore.”
“Look, Dad, I’m sorry you had to find out this way. But Sam has always been your best friend. You know what kind of man he is. Don’t you want that for me?”
“Oh, hell.” He rubs a hand over the back of his neck. “I can’t say this is something I’m going to move on from quickly, but do you really love him?”
I bite down on my bottom lip, trying not to get my hopes up. “I really do.”
“Come on, honey. Are you really going to deny our daughter the man she’s in love with? My dad didn’t like you when he first met you.”
“Really?” I ask. “I never knew that.”
“He thought he was trying too hard and came off as cocky,” Mom whispers.
“We can all hear you, Gail,” Dad says, shaking his head, before turning back to Sam.
“Are you going to take care of her? She’s a package deal. You can’t take her and leave Max behind. It’s not easy raising a kid.”
Max giggles and we all turn to face him. He’s not paying any of us any attention. Thank God.
Sam rubs a hand down my back. “Yeah, taking care of the two of them will be pretty damn easy.”
“And you’re not going to run when it gets hard?” Dad takes a step closer. “Because I don’t want you breaking my daughter's heart. Because if you do, no one will find where I bury you.”
“Really, Dad? Threats?”
They ignore me.
“Yeah, I'll even load the shotgun for you if I break Joey’s heart because I don’t plan on doing it,” Sam says.
The two of them stare at each other, as both my mom’s eyes and mine dart back and forth between the two of them.
Please don’t punch each other. Please don’t punch each other.
Instead, Dad sticks his hand out.
“It’s still going to take some getting used to, but I guess if Joey loves you, I can get on board.”
“Are you serious?” I cover my mouth with my hands.
Dad looks at me and nods. “Yes. I’m sorry I reacted the way I did, but you’re my little girl, and I only want what’s best for you.”
“I’m sorry we hid it,” I say, hugging my dad.
“Well, I shouldn’t be surprised. You always used to sneak out of the house in high school to meet guys.”
“At least there’ll be no more sneaking out of the house anymore.” I laugh.
“Just wait until Max is doing it,” Mom says.
“Is everything okay in here?”
Turning to the door, Chase and Rylee are hovering in the entryway.
“Yeah, everything is good,” I say.
“Thank fuck.” Chase blows out a breath. “I thought I was going to have to break up a fight.”
I roll my eyes at him. “Would’ve been hard since you weren’t in here.”
“Listen, why don’t we let the two of you be and we’ll wait outside for when Max is discharged, okay?” Mom says, looking around at all of us.
“Thanks, Mom.”
I give all of them a hug as they leave the room. Taking the juice box Chase gave me, I stab the straw in it and take it over to Max.
He is unfazed by everything that is happening as the nurse and tech come in to start wrapping his arm.
I step back, watching as they work, giving Max a blue cast.
“Thank you for being here.”
Sam looks down at me, cupping my cheek. “Thanks for standing up to your dad.”
“One of us had to.”
“Hey. I was working on it.”
“I guess I work faster.”
He nods. “I’m okay with that. I’m sorry that I let your dad stand in the way of our happiness.”
“I’m glad he’s going to get on board with this. Because I love you, Sam.”
“Fuck.” He drops his forehead to mine. “Not nearly as much as I love you, darlin’.”
“Mmm. Say it again.”
“I love you.”
“I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of hearing you say that.”
He kisses me. It’s brief, but I don’t care. Because I’ll get every single one of his kisses for the rest of our lives.
“I’ll tell you every damn day, darlin’.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.” He nods. “Anything for you.”