She shakes her head. “No, Nate, I’m telling you to choose Cara.” Ryley slips the ring I bought for her off her finger and places it in my hand. “I don’t know what’s going to happen with Evan, but I’m not going to be the one who holds you back from happiness. This decision is made wholeheartedly, Nate. There’s nothing rash about it and I’m not hurt. It feels right. I love Cara, and she’s the one you need in your life, not me.”
Tears prick my eyes as I clutch her ring. I pull her into my arms and hold her. I don’t want to admit it, but she’s right. When we kissed earlier, the spark I used to feel wasn’t there. It felt like I was kissing my sister. Maybe that’s why I can walk away knowing everything will be okay.
When she pulls away, she kisses me, and I still only feel her lips and nothing else. “Cara’s here. She’s waiting for you in the parking lot. I came with her, but my mom is here to pick me up.”
I turn to look and there she is, dressed like she’s going to work. I take
Ryley’s hand in mine and we walk back toward the street. She releases my hand and waves at Cara, but I don’t take my eyes off of her until she’s in Carole’s car.
Putting my hands into my pockets, I walk over to Cara who greets me with a smile. We both wave when Carole honks her horn, our eyes following her car out of the parking lot. Cara steps to me and it’s as if everything moves in slow motion. My head turns toward the deafening sound of metal crunching against metal, the nauseating smell of rubber on fire and the heart-shattering wail of blood curdling screams.
Carole’s car is upside down in the middle of the road with flames coming out of the engine. “Call 911,” I yell at Cara as I take off running toward the car. The explosion knocks me back and all I can do is scream.
I’LL NEVER KNOW WHAT Ryley went through when she was told that I had died, but if it’s anything like what I’m currently going through, I’m going to have to find a new way to worship this woman. Telling her I love her, or how much I want to be with her, is never going to be enough. I have never been the type of person that can describe my emotions very well and Ryley knows that but right now, pacing outside the emergency room doors that separate me from her, I’m about to use every word possible to describe how I feel. Scared, nervous, hopeful, I don’t know. My body is zinging with anticipation to see her, to hear from the doctors, anything to calm my nerves. I feel like if I sit down my body will shatter into a million pieces.
When my phone rang and I saw that it was Nate, I almost didn’t answer it. After having gone six years without a cell phone, I’ve grown used to the nice feeling of not being attached to anything. I know it’s a necessity, but it’s probably one that I could’ve lived without for a little while longer.
Nate may have come clean, twice, but it doesn’t erase the fact that when I came home he had claim on my girl. I know others are to blame and if I ever find out who has done this to my family and me, the punishment will be severe.
But I answered the call and to hear Nate’s broken voice on the other end was enough to stop me in my tracks. It was the first time since I’ve been back that I cared about what he had to say. After hearing the words, “there was an accident, but she’s okay,” I froze. I dropped to my knees and felt my axis shift. I just got her back. I can’t lose her now.
Ryley and Carole were in a car accident. Cara and Nate were there, in the parking lot, when it happened. How or why they were all together, I don’t know. I haven’t asked and right now I don’t care. What I do care about is finding the asshole responsible for running them into the semi-truck. According to Nate, Ryley and Carole drove off and not seconds later he heard the crash. He went to them, only to be knocked on his ass when the car exploded.
That wasn’t enough to keep Nate down and he burnt his hand trying to save Ryley and her mom. His efforts were futile because the motherfucker who insists on trying to harm my family committed this act in front of a military base and so many sailors saw what had happened and were there before Nate. They saved my family. They also saved Nate before Carole’s car exploded for a second time. The triage nurse that treated his hand told him that he wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for them.
I may be pissed at my brother. I may have hatred toward him, but I’m not ready to lose him.
I’ve been asked multiple times to move, but I refuse. I want to see the doctor first when he comes through the double doors. Jensen is standing next to me, helping me put up a solid “don’t fuck with us” wall. Our women are back there and we need to know what’s going on.
I never wanted to think that a job I love and trust would be behind whatever fuckery is going on, but the more evidence that we uncover the deeper the bullshit becomes. I have no doubt that today’s accident is a result of that phone I found in River’s house. He’s here, waiting with the rest of my family, but Frannie isn’t. I haven’t asked him where she’s at because I don’t care. In fact, when I see her, I may strangle her until she tells me what I want to know. Hell, for all I know River could be in on this, but my gut is telling me otherwise. No one spends six years in a damn jungle by choice. As our fire team leader, he did everything possible to keep us safe and to get us home. But someone didn’t want us home and we have to find out why.
If Frannie is involved, I feel sorry for River. I don’t know what’s worse: Finding out your girl moved on with your brother, or finding out your wife knew you were alive the whole time and played along with it. Both are pretty shitty, but his situation would be just plain fucked up.
“What’s taking so long?” I groan, tapping my fist against the wall. I’ve never really been in a hospital until today, but I can see why people hate them. Everything is white and plastic. The chairs are uncomfortable, hard and uninviting. It’s the same way I feel when I go to the therapist’s office, but I’d take Doc Hudson over this place any day. When I look around, I see death. It’s something I’ve experienced and standing here now, you see how it’s affecting people. The nurses don’t smile when you look at them even though they’re supposed to be here to reassure loved ones. The doctors walk with their heads down to avoid eye contact with people because they can’t mask the pain and agony they feel when they’ve lost a patient. The white walls and floral prints can’t brighten a place like this.
“Precautionary measures, I’m sure,” Jensen says as calmly as possible. How he can keep a cool head right now is beyond me. His wife and daughter are back there and we know nothing. We’re being kept in the dark. All someone needs to do is tell us if they’re okay.
Nate was in the ambulance with Ryley while Cara rode with Carole. Both of them were unconscious, battered and bleeding from the wounds on their heads, but they were alive according to Nate and Cara. I fought to go back there, to watch the doctors as they did what they had to do, just to make sure they’re on my team and not working for whoever tried to kill them.
“They need to come out soon or I’m going back there.” I rub my hand over the top of my head, moving my hat back and forth. My other hand holds a bear, some stupid bear that I bought for her today which I thought she’d like. Why I’m holding it now, I don’t know, but something told me to bring it in when I got to the hospital.
“They’ve only been back there for forty minutes.”
“How do you know?” I ask, looking at the man who should be my father-in-law.
“I’m timing them. I’m giving them twenty minutes to give us an update before I let my son-in-law loose.”
I try not to laugh, but it’s funny. He’s my voice of reason right now because he knows that these double doors aren’t enough to keep me away.
“Any word?” Nate asks, as he joins us. His left hand is bandaged in white gauze.
“Nothing yet. Are you okay?” I ask, signaling down to his hand. He holds it up and nods.
“Just a burn, nothing I can’t handle. I’m just sorry I didn’t get there fast enough.”
“You did fine. You were there for her when she needed you.” I don’t know why I’m giving him the affirmation he’s looking for, but he did what he could. He has to know this wasn’t his fault and he couldn’t have prevented it. Some sick bastard is on the loose right now.
“There are people in the waiting room. Everyone is here except for Mom, she’s staying with EJ,” I say, but hold back on telling him that I think Frannie is involved. I don’t have the proof, but everything in my mind is telling me she’s guilty.