And Then There Was Us (And The There Was 2)

“I am here,” he exhaled, the sound of him still pacing seeming to grow louder. “I tried calling, knew something had to be wrong for you to leave without saying anything.” I could hear his unspoken words, I hoped like hell you didn’t leave because of me.

“They won’t give me any fucking information, Korrie.” He sounded strained, like he was in a frantic place in his mind. “I didn't know your father’s first name, and giving them his last name, which I assumed was the same as yours, got me nothing.” He sounded pissed, growling out his words. “I’m about to lose my shit on these people,” he uttered.

“How long have you been here?”

He was silent for a moment, and again I could picture him checking the time. “Not that long. They almost kicked me out, because I made a scene about how they better give me some fucking information.”

I could actually picture that, even smiled a little, and it felt good to feel something other than sorrow right now. But then my smile faltered as I thought about Bishop being so worried about me that he’d come here. “How did you know I was here?” My feet were taking me to the bank of elevators before I even knew I was moving.

Then I was inside. The doors closed. My finger pushed the L button for the lobby. And then I was descending. There was static on the other end, Bishop saying something, but the connected kept cutting in and out because I was in the metal box.

“Ko—” The dinging sound as I descended floors filled my head. “Korr—” Bishop’s deep voice kept breaking up, but I could hear it becoming deeper, his panic growing.

My heart swelled, this unfamiliar feeling once again consuming me.

“Hold on, Bishop.” I wasn't sure he heard me, but it didn’t matter because the doors opened a moment later. I waited until a burly man with a bouquet of flowers and a blue teddy-bear-shaped balloon that said Welcome Baby Boy stepped inside. I excused myself around him, the waiting room to my right, a reception desk to my left. “Bishop?” I prompted, but my phone kept going in and out, the reception awful.

Perfect freaking timing.

I pulled the phone away and looked down; the call had already disconnected. I shoved the cell into my pocket and started looking through the throng of people, searching for Bishop. There were so many that it was hard to wade through everyone, but then I saw him across the waiting room, his body towering over everyone else.

And my heart stuttered, the breath leaving me. Seeing him made me feel… right. Centered. Like everything would be okay.

16

Korrie

He was pacing, everyone getting out of his way. He looked angry, moving back and forth, running his hands over his short dark hair.

He pulled his cell away and frowned down at it, his mouth moving in what was a clear curse. He started typing a text out, cursed again, then brought the phone to his ear. I knew he was calling me again, but with no reception, he was probably getting my voice mail right away.

He turned to face me, his eyes locked on the ground as he continued to pace. He pulled his phone away, shoved it in his jacket pocket, and started striding forward, his focus on the reception desk. I knew he planned on trying to push it again about going up to the ICU to see my father. I could see that determination on his face, etched into the very scowl he carried in his expression.

And then he started looking around the room, his eyes moving back and forth before settling on me. His entire body stopped, and I could see how tight his muscles became. We didn’t move for long moments, just stared at each other. The people started parting, as if they knew Bishop and I would want a clear path.

I didn't know what to do. My mind was a whirlwind of emotions, thoughts running rampant in my head. And all the while, I just wanted to run into Bishop’s arms and let him hold me. But I stayed where I was, staring into the amber-colored eyes—even from this distance—of the man I had fallen in love with.

The man I am in love with.

And I was. God, I was so in love with him.

And then he was striding toward me, his expression clearly speaking one thing. Nothing will keep me from you.

I couldn't move.

In my mind I saw the next few moments play out. I saw Bishop stopping a few feet from me, both of us staring at each other yet neither saying anything. We’d stutter through words before I broke down and told him why I left and how worried I was about my father.

But when he was a foot from me, he didn’t just stand there. We didn’t just look at each other. Bishop had me in his arms, holding the back of my head, my face turned to the side as I rested my cheek against his racing heart.