Chapter 26 – Ted
“I can’t believe you did that, Mom,” I gush into the phone as I pace up and down in the hospital waiting room. “I mean, I’m grateful. If you hadn't contacted the cops and got them to follow me, I wouldn’t be alive right now.”
“I know that you told me not to, Ted, but I couldn’t sit back and not get involved. I could see from the haunted look in your eyes that you were going to die for her, and I couldn’t stand the idea of losing you.”
I smile to myself grateful at how this turned out. It’s almost like the happy ending I always wanted…
“You saved my life and Chloe’s as well. Plus, the people who did this to our family will now get what they deserve. Especially the guy who killed Dad.”
“Those monsters don’t deserve to be out on the streets.”
I feel like I can breathe a little easier now too, no more constantly looking over my shoulder, wondering when they will find me.
“And Chloe? She is still being seen by the doctor?” Of course my mom is still concerned about her.
“She seems okay. Just glad to be out of the situation. I don’t think she’s been too hurt.”
“Well, you stay with her and take care of her. Do you hear me?”
I’m shocked to hear those words coming from my mother. I thought that she would want me back with her the moment I called to tell her I was okay. “But, what about you, Mom? I thought that you needed me.”
“Chloe needs you more,” she insists. “You will always have a place here should you need to come back, but if not, you take care of that girl. I will be just fine.”
A ball of emotion gets lodged in my throat. I can’t believe my mom is saying this. “Thank you.”
We talk for a little while longer, before it’s time for me to hang up the phone. Chloe is going to need me soon, someone is supposed to be coming for me as soon as she is ready to see me. I’m looking forward to holding her close to me, and showing her how much I love her.
Right now, that feels like the most important thing in the world.
“Ted Landon?” The sound of my name makes me jump. I spin to see a nurse with a crooked smile on her face indicating for me to follow her.
“Is she okay?”
“She’s doing just fine, you don’t need to worry,” she says. “She’s a fighter, that one. And she’s also a very good patient for someone who is a medical professional herself. Doctors and nurses, especially ones who work in different hospitals, are usually the hardest people to treat.”
I smile proudly to myself. “Oh, I know. She’s absolutely incredible.”
My heart skips about ten beats as I see her lying in the hospital bed, looking more beautiful than ever. Chloe is perfect in every single way.
“How are you doing?” I manage to get out breathlessly.
“Much better than I was.”
She shoots me a playful wink. “Amazing what a shower can do.”
She nods to the chair next to her and I perch on the edge of it, running my eyes over her face to make sure the nurses didn’t miss anything.
“I really do love you,” she suddenly spills out as if she can’t contain the words any longer. “I don’t want you to think that I just said that in the heat of the moment.”
She reaches out for my hands and I take them happily. “You mean it? Because I love you too.”
“I know you do. You wouldn’t have put yourself in so much danger if you didn’t. Thank God you called the cops.”
“Oh, that wasn’t me,” I admit. “That was my mom. She was scared, so she made them follow me. I don’t know what I was thinking going in there without a backup plan. She saved both of our lives.”
“We don’t need to worry about it anymore. It’s over and we’re both here. The police told me that everything will unravel with that gang now anyway, they weren’t as big as we thought.”
“So, when are they letting you out of here?”
“Soon, I think.” She nods slowly. “And actually, there is something that I want to talk to you about before I leave here… I have something that I want to ask you.” Her cheeks turn a funny shade of red. “Don’t worry about saying no if this is something that you don’t want to do. I don’t want to put you in a weird position or anything…”
“What is it?” My heart pounds heavily against my rib cage. “You don’t need to worry about anything. Say whatever you need to say.”
“Well, I thought… I’ve missed having you around… and I liked having you staying with me, and now that we said I love you …” She’s bumbling over her words looking absolutely adorable. “I thought that it would be nice if you moved in with me. I thought… well, I know that it might be a bit fast, but we have known one another for our whole lives…”