This is our time now.
CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR
ACACIA
I watch as Ashton walks from the room and look at Toby.
“What if he doesn’t come back, Toby?” Toby looks at me in total confusion. Landon has gone to fetch them both a coffee so it’s just us.
“What? Girl, are you crazy? Why wouldn’t he come back?”
I just shrug as an answer, not trusting my voice.
Shaking his head Toby takes my hand in his. “That boy loves you! He hasn’t left your side, I’ve tried so many times to get him to go home and he refused every time.”
I watch the door hoping to see him walk back through, but he only left a few minutes ago. The emotions from everything that has happened overwhelms me. The tears fill my eyes, but I can’t stop them. I thought I was dead, I thought that was it for us. I just want Ashton, I want him to hold me and tell me we’re gonna be fine. Toby’s arm goes around my shoulder and he pulls me into him the best he can. “Hey, come on Sia, don’t cry. Everything is going to be good, turn that frown upside down huh?”
Sniffing loudly I nod my head and smile when Landon passes me a tissue. I blow my nose and dry my eyes as Toby speaks, “Do you wanna talk about it?”
I shake my head. “I want to talk to Ashton first.”
“Okay babe, I’m here when you’re ready.”
I nod and settle down on the pillow. I’ve started feeling sleepy again from the pain meds they gave me. Closing my eyes I let the medication takeover and fall into a deep sleep.
***
No, no!
I watch as the bird hits the window.
Then swirling begins... out of the way.
Shit! A loud thud… then pain.
I hit the barrier.
Screams… loud, painful, and horrible. Is that me?
“Acacia?! Baby, wake up you’re dreaming,”
I open my eyes to Ashton stroking my face, he’s talking to me softly.
“You’re okay now, baby,” he smiles as I frown, my mood is down; I can’t get out of my head why he left. I shake off the nightmare and look into Ashton’s eyes and ask him,
“Ash, why did you leave me?”
“Is that what you think? Is that why you were in the car?”
Nodding my head, I drop my eyes to the bed covers, suddenly feeling guilty and ashamed of thinking he’d left me, but there was no other explanation. His finger finds my chin as he forces me to meet his eyes.
“Talk to me. I know you don’t fully trust me and that’s my fault. I put insecurities there with all this back and forth, but I won’t do that anymore.” His face is lined with concern and I hate to see that I’ve caused that.
“That morning when I woke up alone, I thought you’d left me, that you’d regretted it again. Only I wasn’t going to let you go this time. I was gonna fight for you but I was a mess when I got in the car. On the mountain road I should have stopped and schooled my emotions, but I kept driving to your place. I didn’t see the bird and the rain was really heavy. Everything happened too fast. One moment it hit my window, the next I lost the control and was sliding on the road. I could only stop when I hit the barrier. I think I hit my head too, because I don’t remember anything else; everything was black.” Shaking my head I take a deep breath. “I remember calling for you. I was reaching for you, but you were so far away. All the time I was asleep I heard muffled voices, but I couldn’t make out whose they belonged to.” Ashton wipes my tears from my face. Hitching myself across the bed I make room for him so he can get closer to me. I need him in close proximity now. I need to be sure my heart won’t be shattered by him. He wraps his arm around my shoulder and pulls me into him. I rest my cheek onto his chest as he kisses the top of my head.
“I didn’t leave you Acacia, I went to do the one thing I should have done before. I said goodbye to April, baby. I set her free to be able to do the same for myself. I want us, Acacia. I want to be with you. I love you.” I look up at him as he
leans down and captures my lips tenderly. He pulls away, kisses my forehead then hugs me closer to him, tighter. “I’m not letting you go anymore; never again.