Chapter 14
Fourteen
Jaclyn
River squeals with laughter with a plastic tiara crooked on her head as she jumps around the living room with her stuffed unicorn.
Junior and Easton are on the couch, playing Mario Kart, yelling at the TV, their voices overlapped with chaotic joy. I’m on the couch with my legs curled under me, smiling to myself while working on my laptop.
I have written two chapters today despite all of the noise and chaos happening.
It’s been a day since Natalia came over with Lilah. They are staying in a hotel nearby although I told them they are more than welcome to sleep over in the guest room. But they already got the hotel booked and they didn’t feel like canceling it.
I haven’t heard from Hayden since he texted me late last night. He said that if everything goes well today, he should be home tomorrow and all I’m thinking about is having him in my arms again and being the family we were before he got involved with Killian again.
Things were pretty calm today, the usual calm at least in my opinion.
Natalia and Lilah are coming over tonight for dinner but until then, the kids kind of just did whatever they wanted today which was play video games and for River it was just running around the house and begging her brothers to play with her.
My phone rings and I look down to see if it’s Hayden.
It’s not, it’s Rowan.
I stare at it for a second too long, heart doing that tight, painful squeeze as if something is wrong.
Rowan never calls unless it’s to see how me and the kids are doing or if it’s regarding Hayden.
“Hey,” I answer, trying to sound normal like my stomach isn’t already shrinking.
“Jaclyn.” His voice is calm, too calm. “Hayden’s been hurt.”
Everything around me drops out of focus.
“What?” my voice cracks.
“He was shot. In the stomach. He’s stable but unconscious. He’s at a hospital here in Oakland. I thought you’d want to know right away.”
I move my laptop and get up from the couch. “Is he-” I can’t get the words out as my lungs tighten.
“He’s alive, just in a light coma. Doctor says it’s a waiting game now.”
“What happened?”
Rowan sighs. “He called me last night, sounding like he was in pain. I called Killian and got a flight here with him. He’s been sleeping since I got here.”
“Killian’s there?” I ask, my hand clenching the phone in my hand.
“Yea.”
“I’ll be on the first flight there.”
Rowan is about to argue but I hang up on him.
My body moves on autopilot and I dial Natalia’s phone number.
She answers on the first ring. “Hey,” she answers, in her usual cheery tone.
“Hey, Hayden’s been shot in California. I’m taking a flight there right now. Can you-”
“I’ll be over in twenty minutes.”
I force myself not to cry. “You’ll stay with the kids for me?”
“Of course. Go be with my brother and make sure he stays alive and comes home. I’ll grab my bags and check out of the hotel early for you.”
“Thank you, Nat. I appreciate it a lot, seriously. You have no clue.” I hang up and go to the living room. “Kids.” All three heads turn to me, confused at the tone in my voice. “Natalia is going to be staying here to watch you guys while I’m gone.”
Junior furrows his eyebrows. “Why? Where are you going?”
“California. Something happened.”
“Is it Daddy?” Easton asks, his voice too sharp for his age.
I freeze for a moment. “Yes, he’s hurt. But he’ll be okay.”
“You’re leaving us?” Easton’s face crumples.
“No, no. I’m not leaving you guys forever,” I say, walking towards them on the couch. “I just have to go see your dad and Natalia and Lilah are going to be staying here for a little while until I get back.”
“But I don’t want you to leave,” River shrieks, starting to cry.
“Me too,” Easton chimes in, getting up to hug my waist with River. “We want to see Daddy.”
“I know, baby,” I say, my throat burning. “But he’s in the hospital right now. You can’t be there. I need you guys to be brave for me, okay?” I look at River and Easton as they hug my waist.
“You always say we’re a family but why can’t we all go?” Junior stands, his jaw clenched looking just like his father.
“I am doing this for our family. I need to go and make sure your father is okay and make sure he gets home. We’ll come right back, I promise.
I never broke a promise to you guys.” Easton and River let go of me and look at me with tears in their eyes, breaking my heart to pieces.
“Here.” I hold out my pinkies to them. “I promise you guys that I’ll be back and with your father.
” Easton and River hook their pinkies around mine and I lock the promise with my thumbs pressing theirs.
“I need you guys to be good for Natalia, okay?”
“Yes, mommy,” Easton says, trying to hold in his cries.
“You guys promise me to be good for Natalia while she watches you guys? I don’t want to get any phone calls from her telling me that you guys are acting out of control while I’m gone.”
“Okay,” Junior says.
I look at him and rest my hands on his shoulders.
“You are the oldest. You know better and I need you to watch your sister and brother and make sure they act right with Natalia while I’m gone.
I swear I’ll be back within the week and I’ll call every single day or minute if you need me to.
I just need you guys to be good while I’m gone, okay? ”
They all say yes before River hugs me again, crying.
This will be the first time I leave River.
Since she was born she’s always been by my side or Hayden’s side so I know she’s taking this hard. “Natalia will be here soon so I’m going to go pack okay?” I stand up with River still in my arms.
“Okay, mom,” Junior says, not sounding happy but he gets it.
He knows it’s probably serious.
He’s a smart boy.
I go upstairs with River still crying in my arms. I set her down on the bed and try to calm her down while I pack a quick bag.
I try not to cry to myself as I pack, the worry and overthinking getting to me. My heart splits because I have to leave them but also go to Hayden because he needs me.
I don't even know what I’ll find when I get to Hayden.
But I know one thing.
I can’t lose him. Not after everything we’ve been through together.