Chapter Thirty
The sounds of wheels scraping against tile mingle with frantic voices shouting back and forth.
Flickers of light dance in my eyes, and everything fades to black before I catch glimpses of moving ceilings.
A finger brushes alongside my floating body.
“Don’t you dare die on me, Ez,” a familiar voice echoes in my mind.
The persistent beeping fades in and out. I gasp and then vanish once more.
The sounds of birds singing float all around me, and the sweet aroma of honeysuckles fills the air.
I hear some rustling to the left of me, catching my attention.
My gaze falls on a vibrant flower garden, bursting with a variety of colors.
As I stroll through, my palms brush against the silk petals, feeling their delicate textures.
Suddenly, I catch a faint, familiar tune, a soft humming that draws me in.
My brows knit together as I venture deeper into the floral maze.
My heart skips when I spot golden hair sparkling in the sunlight.
The sweet smell of lavender and rosemary surround my senses.
A woman kneels with her back to me, carefully sorting through blooms in a wicker basket.
Monarch butterflies fly gracefully all around her, some clinging to her hair and clothing.
As I draw nearer, she pauses, and her humming is silenced.
Standing up, she brushes her knees and tilts her head slightly, a warm smile spreading across her lips.
My eyes go wide with recognition. “Ezra.” Her sweet voice consumes me, breathing life back into me.
I jolt awake, breathless and disoriented.
My eyes squint against an overwhelming brightness as I blink rapidly, struggling to clear my vision.
A shadowy figure towers over me. I instinctively yank my arm, trying to rub my eyes, but something snags my arm, sending a slight sting shooting through me.
A gentle hand presses down on my arm. “Ezra, it’s okay, I’m here,” a soothing voice reassures me.
I clench my eyes shut again, then open them slowly, focusing on the small hand gripping me.
With each blink, my surroundings become clearer.
Gradually, my gaze travels upward, and a sigh of relief escapes my lips.
Raina.
She gazes down at me, her expression a mix of relief and sadness.
My eyes are drawn to the stitches zigzagging along the top of her brow.
I can’t forget how her mouth was busted open; there’s a small cut there, but it’s healing now that it’s been cleaned up.
“Raina,” I whisper, trying to take it all in.
My focus shifts to myself, and I notice I’m hooked up to a monitor and an IV.
Panic begins to set in as fragments of what happened flood my mind.
I attempt to sit up in the hospital bed, but Raina gently presses her hand against my chest, easing me back down.
“Hold on, Ezra, everything’s okay now.”
I glance back at her, feeling a mix of confusion and concern. “How long have I been here?”
She sits on the edge of the bed, gazing out the window. “It’s been three days. You were unconscious for three days,” she replies softly. I can see she’s putting on a brave face for my sake. I reach out and place my hand gently on her wrist, and she flinches slightly at my unexpected touch.
“What’s wrong?” I ask, aware of the tension. She bites her lip, glancing back at me. Her eyes are misty with unshed tears.
“They nearly lost you twice on the way to the hospital.” Her voice trembles as she speaks.
“The twins told me the next morning, I had just fully woken up and was feeling somewhat like myself. I tried to get to you, but the nurses wouldn’t let me leave my bed.
I had to sit in this hospital knowing you were somewhere near me.
” She sniffles, wiping her nose. “They just released me last night, and I’ve been here since, waiting for you to wake up.
The twins and Eric just left about thirty minutes ago. ”
I rub my fingertips along her wrist. “Raina, I’m here, I’ll be okay.” I furrow my brows, trying to recall the last thing I remember. Joseph’s face flashes through my mind. I killed him. That’s the last thing I remember.
I have so many questions spinning in my mind, and I’m not sure where to start.
I’m just relieved that the first face I saw was Raina.
She’s okay. She’s here with me. Raina shifts on the bed to get a better look at me.
Taking my hand, she gently traces her finger around the IV that’s under my skin.
Her eyes glisten with tears as she meets my gaze.
“The twins told me everything you did after the wreck,” she says, her voice trembling.
“You pulled me back from over a ledge and carried me up a mountain?” She pauses, wiping away her tears with her free hand and taking a deep breath. “You really carried me all that way?”
I run my fingers through my hair and nod. “I don’t know how far I walked. It feels like a blur to me.”
Raina gasps, her eyes widening in disbelief. “The police told Blake that it was almost three miles from the crash site to where the couple found us. You carried me all that way.” She raises her hand to cover her mouth in shock.
I take hold of her wrist, drawing her closer.
Rubbing small circles along her soft skin.
“And I’d do it all over again if it meant saving you.
” She gazes into my eyes, a silent thank you for saving her life.
But I don’t care about that, all I care about is that she is here in front of me, breathing the same air as me.
Raina clears her throat. “Um, I got your message.” I tilt my head in confusion.
She falls silent, allowing me to piece it together myself.
Oh no, the voicemail. She searches my eyes, her expression hopeful.
“Did you say those things only because you thought you were going to die? Or did you mean it?” Her voice pleads for answers.
I bite my lip, feeling the tenderness where I cut my lip days ago.
This is it, Ezra, don’t fuck it up. I breathe through my nose and nod my head.
“I did,” I admit.
She smiles. “When did you count my freckles?” she asks.
I chuckle, but it’s cut short as I wince from discomfort all over my body. “The morning after you stayed over, you were asleep.” She laughs softly, glancing down at our intertwined hands.
Her expression wavers, and I sense there’s more on her mind.
I decide to wait it out. “I didn’t get the end of your message,” she says.
“You were saying something when it cut off. What were you going to say?” I look away, struggling to piece together the fragments of that moment and the message itself.
I remember how crucial it was to me, how I never had the chance to say the words.
I draw my gaze back to hers, locking onto her eyes. “That I love you.”
Her mouth drops open. “Do you really?” she whispers.
“I do,” I manage to breathe out. As she covers her face, she pulls her hand away, tears spilling quietly into her palms. Concern etches itself across my face as I grip her thigh.
A wave of negative thoughts washes over me.
Deep down, I knew no one could truly love someone as broken as I am.
I take a moment to collect myself before asking, “What’s wrong? It’s okay if you don’t—”
She stands abruptly, cutting me off. “I need to tell you something, Ezra.” Her voice trembles with nerves.
I glance at the monitor, watching my heart rate spike unnaturally.
Is she going to end things with us? Not that we were ever truly together, but is this it for good?
I shift uncomfortably in the hospital bed.
“Raina, please tell me.” She paces for a moment before stopping in front of me, her hands tightly clenched at her sides. She closes her eyes, takes a deep breath, and then looks at me.
“I’m pregnant.”