21. Chapter Twenty-One #2
The moment she says ICU, something in me cracks. I feel a wave of nausea, my chest constricting so tightly that I can’t breathe. “No. No, no, no, he can’t―he can’t be in the ICU.”
Then I spot Ethan and Fara in the waiting section of the hallway, looking like two deranged pieces of shit. Ethan has a slightly guilty look on his face and Fara rolls her eyes at me like I’m overreacting.
I storm to them immediately, yanking him up by the collar of his shirt, not caring who’s watching the scene unfold.
Ethan raises his hands defensively, but the look on his face only fuels my anger.
“Hailey, calm down,” he says, his jaw tight as his eyes dart around. “You’re causing a scene.”
“Calm down?” I snap, my voice rising. “What did you do to him, Ethan? Answer me! How the hell do I leave my son in your care only for him to end up in the emergency room?”
“No one meant for this to happen, okay?” he argues, his voice low like he doesn’t want anyone to hear. “It was a stupid mistake, but he’s fine now.”
I yank him forward, my face red with anger. “What happened to him?”
“I was out,” he says hesitantly, glancing at Fara for backup. She stays seated, uninterested, her legs crossed like this is some boring movie scene. “I was just having a smoke with some friends. I didn’t realize Leo was anywhere near the stuff.”
“A smoke?” I repeat, fury coursing through me.
“Yeah, okay, weed,” he admits lowly. “But it wasn’t like in his face or anything. I didn’t think he’d―”
“You didn’t think?” My voice cracks as I shove him back. “You left Leo alone while you were getting high? What kind of father are you?”
Matthew calls my name from behind, but his voice is drowned out by the storm of emotions surging through me.
“I wasn’t gone long!” Ethan snaps, guilt now giving way to defensiveness. “Fara was watching him―”
“Watching him?” I glare at Fara, who rolls her eyes and lets out an exaggerated sigh.
“I told him to stay inside,” she says lazily, not even bothering to stand. “It’s not my fault he got curious and wandered into the shed. This is your fault by the way. If he wasn’t so spoilt, he’d listen to instructions.”
“The shed?” My stomach drops as I turn back to Ethan. “What the hell was in the shed?”
Ethan actually shrinks under my glare. “Just… some leftover stuff from before. A few edibles, a vape, I don’t know. I didn’t think he’d actually touch any of it.”
“You didn’t think,” I repeat coldly, the weight of his negligence crushing me. My voice rises, shaking the walls, and I feel Matthew’s hold on my arm, tugging me to himself. “You didn’t think, and now our son is in a hospital bed, fighting for his life because of your stupidity!”
Ethan swallows hard, his face tight as his eyes dart to the floor.
I struggle against Matthew’s hold. “If anything had happened to Leo…” My voice breaks, and I clutch Matthew’s arm around my waist, the thought too unbearable to finish.
Fara sighs loudly, drawing my attention back to her. “God, Hailey, you’re so dramatic,” she says, flipping her hair over her shoulder. “He’s fine now, isn’t he? You’re acting like he overdosed or something. It’s just weed.”
Ethan scowls at her and I feel Matthew stiffen behind me.
“Just weed?” I ask, my voice dangerously low. I take a menacing step toward Fara, who for once looks less smug. “He’s five years old, you reckless, useless excuse for a human being. If I ever see you near him again, I’ll make sure you regret it.”
Before Fara can roll her eyes again or Ethan can stammer another pathetic excuse, Matthew’s voice cuts through the tension like a knife.
“Not if I do something first,” he says, his voice stone-cold in my ear.
I turn sharply, my anger momentarily giving way to confusion, and that’s when I see them―two uniformed police officers standing at the edge of the hallway. I don’t even know when they arrived or when Matthew called them.
“Officers,” Matthew nods toward Ethan and Fara, his expression unreadable but his voice lethal. “These two endangered a child. I’m sure the hospital staff can provide the necessary details.”
The officers step forward, their presence imposing as Ethan chuckles in panic. “Wait―what? You can’t―”
Matthew doesn’t flinch. “I suggest you don’t make this worse for yourself.”
Fara tries to protest, her voice shrill and her eyes wide with panic, but the officers are already gesturing for them to step aside. I stand frozen, watching as the situation spirals, the adrenaline that had fueled my anger now replaced by a sinking heaviness in my chest.
As Ethan and Fara are led away, the weight of everything finally crashes down on me. My knees buckle slightly, and before I can collapse, Matthew is there, his strong arms catching me and pulling me to his chest.
“It’s okay,” he whispers softly, his hand cradling the back of my head as I finally let go. Hot tears spill down my cheeks, soaking into his shirt as I sob uncontrollably.
“Why is this happening?” I choke out between sobs. “Why does it always have to be like this?”
“Hailey―”
“This is all my fault,” I hiccup, crying harder. “I should’ve known better than to leave Leo with him. I should’ve―”
“Stop,” Matthew says firmly but gently, tilting my chin up so I’m forced to look at him. His eyes are intense but filled with warmth he desperately wants to send my way. “None of this is your fault, Hailey. You’re doing everything you can to protect Leo. You’re an amazing mother.”
“But he got hurt,” I whisper, my voice breaking.
“And he’s going to be okay,” Matthew reassures me, pulling me back into his embrace, his voice steady and soothing. “You’re here now, Hailey, and you’re not alone in this. I promise, this is the last time you’ll ever have to face something like this. Let me take care of the rest, okay?”
I nod, burying my face into his chest. When I finally reach the ICU, I don’t leave Leo’s side.
I sit by his bed, my hand gripping his so tightly I’m afraid I might hurt him.
But it’s the only thing that keeps me sane, keeping me tethered to the world when everything feels like it’s slipping away.
The machines beep around me, but I barely hear them. My entire focus is on him.
Matthew stays beside me and Jasmine shows up a few minutes later. They don’t force me to talk, don’t try to pull me away from Leo. They’re just there, their presence like a steady pulse, reminding me that I’m not truly alone, even though it feels like I am.
The minutes stretch into hours, and I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t by Leo’s side. My eyes stay fixed on his face, my heart skipping with every breath he takes. But as long as he’s here, as long as he’s alive, I’ll hold onto him with everything I have.