“Hey, April.” A tear slowly runs down my cheek, but rather than wipe it away I let it fall naturally. “I have something to tell you, and I’m hoping this will help us both, baby. I’ve met someone, but I’m sure you know that already.” I chuckle quietly.
“It’s been so hard without you. I know we only had a short time, but you stole my heart. I never thought anyone would be able to compare to you and that’s exactly what I was doing with Acacia. I compared her to you, I tried to find you in her, but she is so different than you, and with every difference, she got beneath my skin more. God April, if I could have one more day, just one more hour with you; I would give up everything in this world - but I can’t. I’ve finally found my way, with Acacia’s help. I love you, and you’ll always have a place in my heart baby, but I have to let you go now… go find your place. Go be the angel I always knew you were.”
I wipe the wetness from my face, blow out a shaky breath and say the words that have been lodged in my throat, “Goodbye April Estelle. I love you. See you in another life.”
As I stand the wind picks up; the leaves on the trees rustle, and I know that’s her letting me know that she’s here. Smiling I kiss my fingers and place them on the headstone.
As I turn a vision appears. “April?” I call out to the air, hoping it will answer me back. But as quick as it appears, the vision disappears, and I know that’s her goodbye. Looking back at the headstone, I smile again.
I’m happy.
Time to move on.
I get back in the truck and look at my phone. There are five missed calls from an unknown number. Frowning to myself I wonder who they could be from. Pressing the call button, a frantic voice answers on the other end.
“Ashton! Where have you been? There’s been an accident, she went looking for you and…” he chokes.
I cut him off, knowing it’s Toby as everything dawns on me - that he said ‘she’ and the happiness that coated me has turned to dread in the pit of my stomach.
No, not Acacia. Please no! Not again...
“Toby, where is she?” I shout down the speaker at him.
“She’s in the hospital, but you need to come now!”
“Which hospital?”
“Gate,” he answers.
The same hospital that I lost April in… and now it’s trying to take the life of my new-found love.
“On my way,” I choke the words as I throw the phone on the passenger seat and put the truck into gear, making my way to the hospital.
Gripping the steering wheel tightly, I send a little prayer. There’s only one person I can call on to help her through this. “Please April, I can’t lose her. I can’t stand this again. I love her, please watch over her for me.”
I drive faster with only one aim in mind: Acacia.
Pulling up at the hospital, I park my truck up and run towards the entrance doors. As I walk through, I see Toby pacing the floor.
“Toby, where is she, is she okay?” Turning around at the sound of my voice, he runs towards me and hugs me.
“I’ll take you there, but I have to warn you she doesn’t look good.”
“Just take me to her.”
We ride the elevator up to the first floor. It isn’t moving fast enough, but I try to keep calm. When we step off, Toby leads the way down a corridor into Acacia’s room. Landon, Toby’s boyfriend, is sitting with her. I look at her lifeless body, a needle going into her hand with some kind of fluid. She has scratches and cuts over her face, her neck, and up her arms.
I drop to the floor on my knees as the tears fall for the second time today, only here is where the sadness lies. Yet again my heart is bleeding. I feel a hand on my back, but I don’t lift my head from my hands to see who it is.
“Come on Ashton,” Toby helps me from the floor as I walk to Acacia’s bedside.
“Please don’t leave me, baby. I need you more than you know.” I place my forehead on the mattress and let my tears flow as I take her delicate hand in mine, kiss the back of it and will for her to wake up with every piece of my being.
CHAPTER TWENTY ONE
ACACIA
It’s dark. The voices are muffled I can’t comprehend any of it. My head feels fuzzy. My body is numb and heavy. My muscles don’t listen to my commands. I want to open my eyes, but my eyelids stay closed. I’m feeling some pressure on my body, and I can hear my name being shouted in the distance, but before I can respond to any of it, the darkness begins to take back over; the voices get further away, and I don’t fight it, I can’t. I’m sleepy...