“Hi, lovey,” I say, and I start to cry.
“I wath scared,” she whispers, and she reaches her hand out to me. I take it and hold it in my lap.
“I’m fine,” I whisper back.
“So you’re not going anywhere?”
“Nope. I’m staying put.”
She grins.
“Good.” She turns around and runs into Cecelia’s arms.
“You gave all of us quite a scare, Evianna,” she says solemnly. I see Frank take Bria from her, and then they’re gone, leaving me alone with Cecelia. “Nick has been out of his mind, worried.”
“I’m sorry,” I say, but I can’t help but smile a little bit that Nick was so worried.
“It was hard for him… you know… this is where Isabel and Matthias died.”
“What?” I whisper, and I look around. “This hospital?”
“Yes.”
I look down. God, I would’ve just fucking hit the dog if I’d known that.
No. I wouldn’t have. But still… ugh.
“Is he… is he okay?”
“He’s glad you’re alive.” She just watches me, and suddenly I feel guilty.
I feel guilty for falling in love with Nick. I feel guilty because now everyone knows we were planning a booty call, whether or not he would ever call it that or not. I feel guilty because I put him, Cecelia, Frank, and Bria through something like this again, just over a year after they all lost Isabel.
“I’m sorry,” I say quietly, and I twiddle my fingers nervously.
“Evianna, do you know why I hired you?”
I shake my head, but I laugh when I think of my first emails to Nick.
“Because of my embarrassing emails?”
She chuckles.
“No. Because you’re happy. I wanted someone happy for Bria, but especially for Nick. I didn’t intend to play matchmaker, but the moment I met you, I knew that if Nick were to fall in love with anyone again, it would be you. I wanted that for him. I missed how happy he used to be with Isabel. And Bria needs a happy father.”
I take in her words, and I look out the window. It’s overlooking a forested area, and the sky is bright blue. There’s no sign of the rainstorm that put me here.
“How did you know?” I ask meekly. “How did you know we would…”
“I didn’t know, per se. But I hoped. Prayed. And I think it worked, if I’m not mistaken.” I look down at my hands, and I blush. “Sweetie, I like you, so I’m going to be honest with you. I’m not saying this lightly. He was married to my daughter, after all. I can see the change in him. You’ve woken something up in him, something that’s been dormant for over a year. I wanted you to bring him back to life.”
“Do you think I brought him back to life?”
She just smiles, and she gets up to leave.
“Oh, yes. You certainly did,” she says quietly. “So thank you.”
“He brought me back to life, too,” I whisper, and she nods, smiling.
Before I know it, she’s gone, and I’m alone in my room. That’s when I notice flowers and cards on the table next to me. One of them catches my eye, and my stomach drops onto to the linoleum floor. I recognize Dan’s handwriting.
I struggle to move myself, but it’s a lost cause. I must’ve broken a rib, because even trying to lift myself is excruciatingly painful. Even lifting my right arm a few inches makes me yell out in pain. I hear footsteps running into the room.
“Oh my god, you’re awake,” Violet says, and she runs over to my bed. Like Bria, she doesn’t embrace me.
“Do I have a broken rib?” I ask, wincing.
“Yes,” she says, laughing. “And a broken leg, and a concussion. Oh, and you had your spleen removed.”
“What?” I holler loudly, and we both laugh. “What ever will I do without my spleen?”
She smiles gently down at me.
“I was so worried,” she says, and she bends down to kiss my cheek.