What the hell had he done to God to make this happen? Why was he losing everyone he loved? Not only could he lose Audrey, but he could lose their unborn child. How the hell was that fair? Clutching Fallon, his body shook as he cried. He hated crying in public. There was only one other time he had, and that was the day he put his family in the ground back home, the same home he was supposed to visit with Audrey in a couple months.
He heard someone clear their throat, and both he and Fallon looked up at the doctor. He was gripping Audrey’s file and looked nervous as he said, “I understand that this has come as a shock to some of you, but as soon as the Ob/Gyn comes and I know more, I’ll make sure to relay the message to you. I also wanted to let you know that you all can see her now. Only two at a time, and only for a few minutes, since visiting hours are coming to a close. One person can stay overnight in the room with her, while everyone else is welcome to stay out here. So whoever is first, please follow me.”
William and Nora popped up and followed the doctor. Fallon ran her hand down Tate’s back, and when he looked over at her, he saw the tears rolling down her face.
He felt like killing Levi Moss all over again, but knew he would never get his hands on him. He was already in custody, and wasn’t coming out unless someone posted the seven million dollar bond. Tate wanted to post it just so he could beat the shit out of him, but what good would that do? It wouldn’t make Audrey better; it wouldn’t keep his child and her alive.
When Nora and William returned, Fallon kissed his cheek before she and Lucas went into the room. Nora came over, then held onto Tate as she cried against his shoulder.
“Everything is going to be okay, Tate,” she whispered. “I just know it, she’s going to pull through. She was always the strongest of all of us.”
Tate swallowed loudly as he watched his tears fall onto the ugly green carpet of the waiting room. His palms were sweaty and itchy, and he felt as if his throat was closing shut. He was beyond worried, scared, or nervous. He was broken, and until Audrey looked into his eyes and told him she was okay, he knew he wouldn’t be able to think straight. He knew that it was wrong of him to always think of the bad, but that was all he knew.
“Tate.” He looked up. It was Fallon, her face red from crying. She was hiccupping as she said, “You can go in.” Tate looked over at Lucas, and for the first time he saw tears rushing down his friend’s face.
Oh, this is going to be bad, he thought as he moved out of Nora’s arms and past Lucas and Fallon.
Audrey’s room was the first to the left of the waiting room, and when he reached it, he stood there, frozen, as he looked in at the woman he loved. Her face was unrecognizable. With the blood cleaned off, he could see that her two eyes were swollen shut, her nose was crooked and bruised, and her lips were split in half and held together by a dark black thread that was visible under the ventilator tube. Her hands were at her sides and covered in dark black and purple bruises. Tears gushed down Tate’s face as a sob tore through him. He had to brace himself against the door to keep from crumbling to the ground.
She looked just as Matilda had when he saw her lifeless body in the morgue.
It was horrible, and just as before, Tate found the nearest trash can, which was in the hall, and threw up into it. He couldn’t do it all over again; he couldn’t lose someone else who was his world. After wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, he washed his hands at the nearest sink and then went back into Audrey’s room and next to the bed to hold her hand.