I realize I haven’t said anything. I am focusing on Em’s sweatshirt that’s currently draped over the desk chair.

“Dani? Are you still there? Dani?”

Somehow, I find the strength and voice to say, “Yes.”

Mom responds by saying, “Is your brother still there? Please put him on for me, sweetheart?”

I reach for my brother to hand him the phone, and he talks to Mom softly. Or maybe it’s regular-voice volume, but I have begun to tune it all out. I am trying to process what she said. Let’s see if I got it all… Emmett was in an accident. They are all headed here to the hospital. Zach and I need to meet them there. Emmett was in an accident.

Em. Was. In. An. Accident.

I happen to look up at my brother the same time I see him close his eyes as he processes what Mom is saying to him. I feel the air leave my chest, and my legs give out beneath me. The next thing I know, I am on the floor shaking and screaming and feel my brother’s arms wrap around me. “Dani, we don’t know anything, okay? We should head there. Can you walk?”

I don’t even acknowledge him. I continue to stare at nothing. He cups my face, forcefully pulling my attention to him, but I stare through him. “Dani, I need you to get up so that we can go, okay? I’m sure he’s fine and we’ll walk into the room and he’ll be wondering what the big fuss was all about.”

I manage a nod but make no attempt to move. Suddenly, I feel myself lifting off the ground. Zach is now carrying me. I reach out and grab the hoodie that was on the chair and pull it close to my chest, inhaling Emmett’s scent—he must have worn it recently—as Zach carries me out of the apartment and to my car. A sense of calmness quickly overcomes me as if he were here holding my h

and.

Zach opens the passenger door and sets me down in the seat before kneeling down to look me in the eye. “D, Em is a fighter. You can’t think like that. We don’t know anything. Don’t let your thoughts go there.”

He rises to his feet and shuts the door before walking around to the driver’s-side door. I close my eyes and begin to pray that it isn’t what I’m thinking.

Why is my brain even going there?

Why hasn’t he called if he’s just fine?

Why are our parents and the Hanks family rushing to get here if it’s minor?

I beg my brain to stop thinking, but I can’t. I am so lost in my thoughts that I don’t even realize we have arrived at the hospital already.

Zach grabs my hand, and I turn to face him; his eyes are red and rimmed with tears as are mine. My heart races even more after seeing the emotion on my brother’s face. He squeezes my hand three times to signal “I love you.” Ever since we were kids, when we needed to channel each other’s strength, we always did that. I nod and open the door. I freeze and take a deep breath, trying to compose myself. Zach exits the car first, walking around to my side. He helps me out of the car and puts his arm around my shoulders keeping me close to him as we walk toward the entrance.

T hrowing the hospital room door open in a frenzy, I can finally breathe when I look up to find Emmett sitting up in the hospital bed, a few cuts on his face and his left arm in a cast. I release the breath I’ve been holding since Zach came running into the apartment when his eyes meet mine.

“Hey, Cupcake,” he says with a smile.

I run over to the hospital bed and fling my arms around him in a force that knocks him back, and he lets out a gasp and winces a bit. “Ow, careful, baby. I’m fine, just a little sore.”

I pull back and look into those baby blues of his before I slam my mouth on his and kiss the hell out of him. After a few moments, the heart rate monitor starts getting louder, and Emmett pulls back breathless. “Wow, what a hello.” His smile takes over his face, and it instantly brings me peace of mind. He’s okay is all I keep telling myself.

I can feel the tears spilling from my eyes. Emmett places his palm on my cheek, and I lean into his touch while he uses his thumb to catch the falling tears. “I…I’m sorry. I…I…was so…so…scared. You said you would be home soon, and then I fell asleep and…and woke up when Zach came racing into the apartment screaming my name like a madman. Then Mom called and said you were in an accident, and I felt like I couldn’t breathe. Baby, it was awful. Zach had to carry me to the car. All I could think was what if…”

Emmett cuts off my words by pulling me by the back of my neck into another kiss. He begins stroking my hair as we come up for air. The softness in his eyes tells me all I need to know: I need to calm down and stop thinking what if.

“I’m sorry you were so worried, baby. I’m fine. I’m okay, just some bumps, bruises, and a broken wrist. Can’t say the same for the Jeepster though.” He shrugs with a smirk. “Guess we’ll just need to start shopping for our family vehicle.” He follows this with a wink. Emmett has been saying that as soon as we get married, we will start popping out kids. He jokes that he wants three kids, two boys and a girl. I always joke back saying, “Well, you better let your balls know that because I’m pretty sure it’s your body that decides that.”

“You’re really okay?” I ask as he leans back in the bed, pulling me with him. I wrap my arms around his body, being careful not to squeeze too hard knowing he’s sore everywhere. I lay my head on his chest and listen to his heart beating. My head rises up and down in time with his breathing.

He kisses the top of my head. “I’m sorry I ruined our big celebratory night. I am so proud of you, baby girl. I’ll make it up to you, I promise.”

“Shhh! I don’t care about that. We have the rest of our lives to celebrate. I’m just so happy you’re okay. I don’t know what I’d do if you weren’t. I love you, baby.”

“I love you too, Cupcake. Forever and always,” he says so softly that I almost don’t hear him.

“Dani? Dani?”

Emmett’s voice sounds so far away at this point. Where did he go? Why does his voice sound so far away when he’s right here with me?

Tags: Stefanie Jenkins I Never Romance
Source: readsnovelonline.net