Aubrey
Iknock gently on the hospital room door and slowly ease it open, my eyes immediately landing on Kade, slouched in the chair beside Liv’s bed. The dark circles under his eyes a clear indication that he hasn’t slept in days.
“Hey,” I whisper, careful not to wake Liv as I quietly close the door behind me. “How is she?”
“She’s getting stronger every day,” he says softly. “No long-term concerns, just… tired, but we should be able to go home in a few days.”
Saying things have been tough for our family doesn’t even begin to cover it.
Tough feels like a cruel understatement.
Both Liv and Trent being in hospital over the last week—casualties of one man’s cruelty.
The very man Liv moved to Mayridge to escape managed to find her, drag her from her home, and force them into a nightmare.
He ran them off the road, their car plunging into the lake between the hospital and Mayridge.
Since the moment Liv was brought in, Kade hasn’t left her side. Not once. He’s been sitting in that same chair day and night, like if he looks away for even a second, she might slip away again.
It’s been gut-wrenching to watch. Kade’s always been the one holding everything together—the big brother who never cracked under pressure, never letting anyone see him fall apart. But now? He looks shattered. Like the weight of what almost happened is crushing him from the inside out.
He nearly lost Liv. We all did. But for Kade, it’s different.
The fear, the guilt, the helplessness—it’s written all over his face, in the tight set of his jaw, the way he grips her hand like it’s the only thing keeping him afloat.
I’ve never seen him like this. And honestly, I don’t know how to help him.
I sit down in the chair beside him and gently rest my hand on his arm.
“And what about you?” I ask quietly.
Kade doesn’t look at me. “What about me?” he replies, his voice guarded.
“Kade, you haven’t left her side since she got here. You’re no good to her if you don’t rest.”
He shakes his head. “Strawb, I’m fine.”
I give him a look, not buying it for a second. “It’s okay if you’re not. You’ve experienced trauma too. You’ve been looking after everyone else—making sure Liv’s okay, that Trent’s okay. Let me help you.”
He exhales sharply, jaw clenched. “I can’t leave her,” he says, his voice breaking slightly. “I’m too fucking scared to leave her alone.”
“She won’t be alone,” I assure him. “I’ll stay with her until you get back. But I need you to go home, shower, eat something—maybe sleep for a few hours. If anything changes, I’ll call you straight away.”
“Aubrey…” he murmurs, finally looking at me. The use of my full name makes my chest tighten. No one in my family calls me that—not unless something’s really wrong. The way he says it tells me everything I already knew, he’s not okay and barely holding it together.
I squeeze his arm gently. “She wouldn’t want you to drive yourself into the ground, Kade. You’ll be no use to her like this. If she’s going home soon then she needs you at your strongest,” I say, holding his gaze. “I’ll be here with Liv.”
Kade runs a hand down his face, the weight of the past few days etched into every movement. For a moment, he doesn’t say anything—just stares at Liv, his jaw clenched, his chest rising and falling in slow, tired breaths.
Then finally, he nods.
“Just a few hours,” he says quietly. “You call me if anything changes, okay?”
“I promise.”
Inside, I quietly celebrate this small victory. Knowing how much he needs this break—and that he’s finally letting me help—eases the knot of worry tightening in my chest.
He stands up and leans over Liv, pressing a gentle kiss on her sleeping head and whispers something I don’t quite catch.
He turns to me, resting a firm hand on my shoulder, his eyes locking with mine. No words come, but the raw gratitude—and exhaustion—in his gaze says everything. His voice stays silent, but the slight tremble in his jaw and the way his eyes glisten speak louder than words ever could.
Before the weight of it fully settles, he pulls away and heads for the door. With one last, lingering look back, he slips quietly out of the room.
The door clicks softly behind Kade, and I finally let out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding. Relief washing over me—he needed this break, even if he won’t admit it.
Just as I start to settle into the chair, a soft voice breaks the silence.
“Thank you.”
I freeze, startled, and turn toward Liv. Her eyes open wide, watching me carefully.
“You were listening,” I whisper.
She nods faintly, a tired expression flickering across her face.
“I’m glad you made him go home,” she says quietly. “He hasn’t let me out of his sight since I got here.”
“Can you blame him?”
“No, I’d probably be the same if I were him,” she admits quietly.
“But seeing how much he’s hurting—how every little sound makes him jump—it breaks me.
” She pauses, swallowing hard before continuing.
“Caleb’s actions affected me and Trent physically, sure, but that’s nothing compared to what it’s done to Kade, mentally.
” Her voice softens, heavy with worry. “He was crushed the night he came home from the hospital after Trent fell, and then for something to happen to me too… when he was already carrying so much, I just don’t know how much more he can handle. ”
I reach out, covering her hand with mine. “We’re all here—ready to support you, Kade, and Trent however we can.”
The mention of Trent’s name tightens something in my chest. He was discharged yesterday, and I didn’t go to see him. I haven’t responded to his text but I quickly push those thoughts aside.
Today isn’t about whatever’s still unresolved between us.
Today is about Liv.
When I look back at her, I catch the shimmer of unshed tears in her eyes. Liv’s family was never like mine, and moments like this—when we close ranks and carry each other—always seem to hit her the hardest. Seeing that ache in her expression makes me hate her parents even more than I already do.
But I decide not to dwell on the sadness—not just because Liv needs a little cheering up, but because I need a distraction too. I lift my bag onto my lap and smirk at her.
“What you got in there?” she asks, wiping away the tears with a soft smile.
“Girl, you’re in for a treat.” I grin. “I’ve got a selection of nail polish colors, face masks, and your favorite shampoo. How about we get you looking—and feeling—a bit more like yourself before your man gets back, especially if your being discharged soon.”
Tears well in her eyes again, but this time it’s different—more gratitude than sorrow.
“You know I love you, right?”
I shrug with a smile. “You kind of have to. I’m going to be your sister-in-law one day.”
She chuckles softly, reaching out to squeeze my hand. “No, seriously, Aubrey. I’m so thankful for you and your friendship. You’re amazing, and we’re all so lucky to have you.”
Her words hit me harder than I expect. For a moment, my throat tightens and my eyes sting, but I swallow it down. Now isn’t the time to fall apart—not when Liv needs me strong.
I reach into my bag and pull out the small collection of nail polish bottles, holding them up with a grin. “Alright, enough of the mushy stuff. What colors do you want? Bright, dark, sparkly? Your call.”
Liv smiles, the kind of genuine smile that lights up the room, and I feel a flicker of hope stir in my chest.
“Let’s start with something fun,” she says, her voice lighter. “Maybe a bright pink?”
I laugh softly. “Bright pink it is. Trust me, you’re going to rock it. And, I have the perfect playlist for our pamper sessions.”
She grins. “Just don’t get us kicked out of here.”
“I’d like to see them try,” I shoot back with a smirk.
As I unscrew the cap on the bottle of polish, I realize that, despite everything, these small moments of laughter and friendship might just be what we all need to keep going.