Save the Date (Modern Arrangements, #1)

"Yes, who I made sure got there until I could arrive," he informed me smugly.

"Thank you." He was killing me. I wanted to kill him two days ago for being a jealous idiot. Now I wanted to kill him for giving me, yet another, reason to fall in love with him.

Damn thoughtful, sexy Aidan Iverson.

"Don't thank me. There isn't anything that I wouldn't do for you." He paused, almost as if he was going to say something else, but didn't. "I'll see you soon."

We said goodbye and hung up.

Millie and Phoebe were going to take Phoebe's rental car back to the house to collect some things before heading to Eastern Maine Medical Center. I was leaving immediately, so I could be there as quickly as possible. I knew that I should have left before they took Donald to the rooftop, but I couldn't leave him until I knew he was on the move. They were pulling him out of his room when I stopped them.

"Wait," I shouted and ran to him. I pressed my lips firmly against his forehead, tasting my own salty tears as they ran down my face. "I love you, daddy," I whispered into his ear before I let them pull him down the hall toward the elevator.

Once I was in my car, I sucked up my tears and began my journey. When I saw the signs informing me I was only fifteen minutes away, I got extremely anxious.

Switching lanes for my exit, I moved over. All of a sudden, a large truck swerved into my lane, I gasped.

I slammed on the breaks. The breaks squeezed before the sound of crushed metal and shattered glass resonated. Then there were blackness, the smell of gasoline and burnt rubber. The last thing I heard, before succumbing to the darkness, were mumbling voices.

~

Aidan

As soon as I touched down, I went straight to the hospital. On the way my phone cell phone rang. I grabbed it from the seat next to me, Dixon.

"I should be there in—."

"Aidan, there's been an accident." He sounded like he was going to break down at any minute.

"What happened, Dixon? Is Don—?"

"It's Lilli." Dixon choked.

"What happened, Dixon?" I shouted into the phone and accelerated the car dramatically.

"She was in a car accident on the way to the hospital," that was it, Dixon couldn't take anymore, he broke down. I heard shuffling on the other end of his phone.

"Dixon! Dixon?"

"Aidan, she's alive...but just hurry here, okay?" Phoebe had taken over the phone.

"I'll be there in less than twenty minutes." Hanging up, I sped to the hospital.

I had Phoebe back on the phone before I arrived. She was waiting for me at the entrance.

"Oh, Aidan," Phoebe threw her arms around me. I could feel the sobs ripping through her.

"Where is she, Phoebe?" I pulled back, holding Phoebe by her shoulders so I could see her face.

She sniffed.

"Come on," she grabbed my hand and pulled me through the hospital and to the elevator. When we stepped off, I realized that it was the intensive care floor. My heart dropped.

"Phoebe—"

"She's okay," before I knew it, Phoebe was in front of me holding me by my face. I looked down at her grief stricken face. "She’s alive. They are watching her closely due to the head injury. Come on."

"Head injury?" She didn't respond. Phoebe pulled me through some double doors and past the nurses' station.

"Excuse me?" the nurse stood, but Phoebe kept moving with me.

"She is in there, room 425." Phoebe motioned.

"Excuse me!" The nurse was now at my side and grabbing my arm.

"He's her husband," Phoebe pulled the nurses hand from my arm.

I moved quickly into the glass room and saw a much paler Lilli, lying lifeless on the hospital bed. Machines beeped and blipped around me as I moved closer to her. If it weren't for the rise and fall of her chest, I would’ve never believed that she were alive.

As I got closer the scratch on her cheek became more evident and I could see the hint of brownish red seeping through the white gauze wrapped around her head. I took in a sharp breath and swallowed the large lump in my throat.

Placing my hand on her arm, she felt cool, not like her normal warm self. Without thinking twice, I slid into the bed next to her and laid my head on her chest. As her heart beat filled my ears I finally broke down. Sobs ripped through my chest as I wrapped my arm around her waist and held her tightly.

"Sir?" "Mr. Iverson?" I woke up with blurry vision from having cried myself to sleep next to Lilli.

"Yes?" I croaked out.

"Visiting hours are over and—"

"I’m not leaving." I said sternly.

"I'm sorry, sir, but the rules for the intensive care..."

"I don't give a shit about your rules." I snapped at her and stood from the bed. "If need be, I will have my wife moved to a private care center where I can be with her. But I will not leave her until she wakes up." I glared at the nurse, daring her to attempt to send me away again.

"I understand your circumstances, but we have other patients as well to consider—"

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