Chapter 274
Fair point.”
“Damn right it’s a fair point.”
I shake my head.
“That man punched the fuck out of me when he found out.”
She bursts out laughing. The sound echoing through the quiet hospital hallway. For a brief moment, despite everything…We’re just brother and sister again.
And God. I’ve missed that more than I ever realized
The hospital hallway feels a little less heavy after talking to Aria.
Not lighter though Nothing about tonight could ever be light.
But for the first time since all of this started, I can breathe without feeling like my chest is being crushed.
Aria is sitting beside me, curled into the chair with a cup of coffee she hasn’t touched.
Every now and then I catch myself looking at her, just checking making sure she’s still there, making sure she hasn’t disappeared.
Years of grief don’t just vanish because someone comes back.
I don’t think my brain has fully accepted that she’s alive yet.
I don’t think it will for a while.
A movement at the end of the corridor catches my attention.
Lucas.
He’s walking toward us and he looks like absolute shit, much paler than before.
His shirt sleeves rolled up, his expression exhausted.
Good.
Serves him right.
Aria notices him at the exact same moment and hr entire body goes still.
I glance between them, then immediately regret it because suddenly I feel like a third wheel.
A very unwanted third wheel.
Lucas stops in front of us, his eyes move from me to Aria.
Then back to me, suspicion immediately fills his face.
“What?”
I raise an eyebrow.
“What what?”
“What did I miss?”
Aria lets out a nervous laugh and Lucas narrows his eyes.
“You two were smiling.”
I look at him, then at Aria then back at him.
“You donated blood, not your eyesight.”
Aria snorts and Lucas points at us.
“Exactly.”
His expression grows even more suspicious.
“What happened while I was gone?”
I lean back in my chair, crossing my arms.
“Oh nothing.”
“Zane.”
“Absolutely nothing.”
“Zane.”
“Just found out my little sister has terrible taste in men.”
Lucas blinks, Aria’s face turns bright red and I barely have time to enjoy it before she jumps up and smacks my shoulder.
“Stop!”
I laugh and Lucas looks even more confused.
Then Aria does something neither of us expects, she throws herself at him.
The force of it nearly knocks him backward as he freezes for a second. Like his brain short-circuits.
Then his arms close around her slowly, Like he’s afraid she’ll disappear if he holds too tightly.
The look on his face destroys me….years So many years gone, Stolen from both of them and now they’re standing here clinging to each other like they never want to let go again.
Neither says anything, they don’t need to.
Some things are bigger than words.
Eventuall Aria starts crying.
Again.
Honestly, everyone cries too much around here.
Lucas lowers his head, pressing his forehead against hers with his eyes closed and relief written all over his face.
I quietly stand, giving them some privacy.
Because unlike them, I actually have manners.
A few feet away I hear Lucas whisper,
“I thought I lost you.”
And Aria’s answering sob nearly breaks my heart.
I look away, giving them the moment they deserve.
A few minutes later, a nurse appears.
“Mr. Zane?”
Every muscle in my body tightens instantly.
The nurse smiles softly.
“The doctor said you can see your wife now.”
My heart immediately starts hammering.
I don’t wait or hesitate, I move, following her down the hallway, past rooms and nurses.
Until we finally stop and the nurse gently opens the door and I step inside.
The sight nearly brings me to my knees. My baby looks so small, I’ve never seen her look this small before. But lying in that hospital bed…Connected to machines and monitors
She looks fragile….too fragile.
Fear grips my chest all over again, the nurse quietly leaves and suddenly it’s just us.
I move toward the bed, puulling a chair beside it.
Then I sit and for a long moment, I simply stare at her. Taking in every detail, evwrh breath and every rise and fall of her chest.
Making sure she’s still here, still alive.
Eventually I reach for her hand carefully, Afraid I’ll hurt her. Her fingers are warm.
Thank God.
I bring her hand to my lips, pressing a kiss against her knuckles, thhen another.
“You scared me.”
Thr words leave before I can stop them, my voice sounds rough and raw but I don’t care.
“Do you have any idea how badly you scared me?”
She doesn’t answer, she can’t but I keep talking anyway. Because I need to, because if I don’t, I might lose my mind.
“You always do stupid things.”
A small laugh escapes m, broken around the edges
“You know that?”
Silence.
I stare down at our joined hands, thinking about the past few hours.
The blood, the gunshot, the fear. Then the doctor telling me she’d been carrying twins.
Twins.
My throat tightens painfully.
“We lost one.”
The confession is barely a whisper.
Saying it out loud somehow makes it more real and painful.
“I didn’t even know they existed.”
I close my eyes briefly, trying to steady myself.
When I open them again, my vision is suspiciously blurry.
“You would’ve loved them both.”
My thumb brushes gently over her skin.
“And now…”
I swallow hard
“…now we have to love one enough for two.”
The room is silent except for the steady beeping of machines. I lean forward, resting my forehead lightly against the edge of the mattress. Exhaustion finally catching up to me.
“I can’t lose you Little spit fire.”
The words are honest, terrifyingly honest.
“I’ve buried enough people.”
My voice cracks and this time I can’t stop it.
“I can’t bury you too.”
The confession hangs between us then something moves and I freeze.
Immediately lifting my head…..
Her fingers…they moved!.
I stare at her not breathing….Waiting and Praying.