I blow out a breath, flexing my hands on my thighs. “You did an unforgiveable thing. You hurt me badly. Worse than Rally ever did.” My lip quivers. “All the shit with him, I expected. I expected Rally to let me down. But not you. You were the one person I trusted above everyone, and you betrayed me.”
“God, I’m so sorry.” His voice breaks on a sob. He wraps his arm over his stomach like he’s in pain. “If I could take it back, I would. I’d give anything to go back and do it differently. I wouldn’t go near Chad. I would tell you upfront how I was feeling about him before anything could happen. I wouldn’t do what I did.” Tears are streaming down his face.
“The betrayal wrecked me so badly—not because it was Chad—but, because it was you. You were my fucking hero, Dex. I adored you. I never thought you would hurt me like that.”
“Neither did I,” he says sadly. Using the sleeve of the hospital gown he’s wearing, he wipes his tears from his face.
He lowers his hand to the bed, and tentatively, he reaches for mine. I let him take it.
“Ly, I know I don’t deserve your forgiveness or to have you back in my life…but will you to consider trying…”
My eyes lift to his and I see them shining with fresh tears. I let out a breath. “When I got that call from your mom, for a split second…I feared the worst.” I rub my eye with the heel of my hand. “It made me realize that no matter how mad or hurt or betrayed I feel by you…nothing would be worse than not having you here, alive and well. I knew if you were gone, and we hadn’t fixed the broken between us, then, regret would eat me alive. I’m not saying we can go back to how we were because we can’t. But I’m saying, I’ll try and work toward something…forgiveness. But you need to promise me that you’ll go to counseling, and get real help.”
A soft smile touches his lips. “I will. I promise.” He squeezes my hand.
“You get help, and then you and I can start talking…with someone’s assistance. Knowing you and me, I think we’re gonna need a mediator in this.” My lips lift at the corner, attempting a smile.
“Anything. As long as I get to have my sister back in my life, I’ll do whatever it takes.”
I see a shadow by the door, and I lift my eyes to see Dr. Lowe there. He lifts his wrist and taps his watch, letting me know that it’s time to go.
“I have to go.” I nod in the direction of the door.
Dex looks at the doctor and then back to me. He gives me a joyless smile.
“You’ll see me again.” I squeeze his hand before letting go. I get up from the chair and start to leave. I stop when I remember something. “Sonny asked me to tell you that he’s here, him and Cale.”
Surprise touches Dex’s face.
“Sonny and…Cale? They’re here?”
“Yeah.” I smile lightly. “Came as soon as I called. They wanted to come in and see you, but the doctor said family only.”
He nods in understanding. “Will you tell them I said thanks…for coming?”
“I will.”
I’m at the door when his voice pulls me back.
“Ly…I know you said I have to get help first before you and me can start to work on things…but I was wondering…if I can maybe…call you tomorrow? Just to say hi.”
I pause for a moment. I turn to him and shake my head. “You don’t need to call. I’ll come back in the morning. Your mom and dad will be here. I’ll pick them up from the airport and come in with them. I’ve got a feeling that you might need the support.”
He smiles. “Tomorrow, then.”
“Tomorrow.”
I close the door to his room behind me, and I let out the breath I’ve been holding all night before making my way back down the hall.
Cale, Sonny, and Shannon are all sitting where I left them, sipping on machine coffee.
Sonny gets to his feet. “How’s he doing?”
I lift my shoulders. “He’s doing okay, considering what happened. We talked. He’s real happy that you guys came to the hospital.”
“And how are you doing?” Cale asks, coming over to me.
“I’m okay,” I sigh, feeling mentally and physically exhausted. “I said I’d come back in the morning…that we can try to fix things.”
“Sonny and I will come back with you.”
“Aunt Steph and Uncle Paul will be here then.”
“I know,” Cale says. “But I need to talk to Dex, too. Figure some stuff out with him.”
I meet his eyes, understanding.
I think we all have a lot to figure out.
“We gonna get out of here?” Sonny asks. “I fucking hate hospitals.”
“Let’s go,” I say.
We all start walking toward the elevators. I get my cell from my bag.
I missed two calls and a text from Tom.
I check the time on the first call. He called while I was here, about thirty minutes after I saw him on the street with that woman.
Does he know about Dex? But then, who would have told him? Why did he call? He told me he doesn’t care about me.
Fingers trembling, I open up the text.
We need to talk. Call me.
That’s it?