But she might still be here…
If she’s changed her mind, then she’ll still be here.
I shouldn’t look.
But like the masochist I am, I need to know, and I’m turning my head and looking over my shoulder before I can stop myself.
She’s still here.
My heart soars for a split second, but then my mind is quickly telling me that something’s wrong.
She’s standing not far from the exit, faced away from me, her hand tightly gripping the top of a nearby chair. I can see the white of her knuckles from here. Her head lulls forward, and her free hand clutches at it.
She must be having another one of her headaches.
I might be hurting and angry and bitter, but I don’t want to see her in pain. I know how bad these headaches can get for her.
“Taylor,” I call out, as slip off my stool, taking a few steps toward her. “You okay?”
She doesn’t respond.
I think she hasn’t heard me, so I part my lips to speak again, but then she turns. It’s a slow turn.
Her face is pinched in pain. Her hand is still pressed firmly to her head.
She lifts her eyes to mine. It seems to hurt her to do so.
Something in her expression makes my heart start to race.
“Taylor…what’s wrong?” I’m moving toward her.
She winces, lips pinching. Her eyes close. Then, they open, and it’s like the light in them has been turned off.
Her lips part and whisper the words, “I’m so sorry, Hunter.”
And then she just drops to the floor.
“Taylor!” I run to her, falling to my knees beside her. I pull her into my arms.
She feels limp.
Fuck! No!
Eddie is here in seconds, and he’s in doctor mode.
“Taylor, honey.” He lifts open one of her eyes by gently pushing her lid up with his thumb, and he shines a light in it. A little torch he got from his pocket. “Taylor? Can you hear me, honey?”
She doesn’t respond.
Her eye…it looks…blank.
No.
My heart stops.
Leaning over her, Eddie presses his cheek against her chest.
Cam falls to his knees beside me. “I called an ambulance. One is on its way.”
“Is…she…” I stare at Eddie as he lifts his head, the words stuck in my throat.
“She’s breathing,” he says.
“Thank God,” Cam says.
All I can do is exhale as my heart starts back up.
Eddie picks up her wrist and starts checking her pulse.
My mouth is dry. “Ed…what’s wrong with her?” My voice sounds small.
Eddie’s stare meets mine. “I don’t know yet.” He looks back at Taylor and puts his hand to her face. “Taylor, honey, open your eyes for me.”
Nothing.
“Come on, Taylor. Wake up, honey. You’re scaring the shit out of Hunter, and you know what a giant * he is.” Eddie pats her cheek. “Come on, Taylor. Wake up, and I promise, I’ll buy the next round of drinks. Anything you want.”
But she’s not waking up. She’s not responding at all.
“Why isn’t she waking up?” My voice is panicked.
I’m scared. I’ve never been so afraid in all my life.
And helpless, so very fucking helpless.
“I don’t know.” Eddie slowly shakes his head.
“You don’t know?” I yell. “You’re a fucking doctor! You’re supposed to know! You’re supposed to help her!”
Knocking his hand from her face, I cup her cheek and turn her face to mine. “Come on, Taylor. Please open your eyes for me, baby. Please.”
I’ll beg, do whatever is necessary to get her to look at me again.
Please, Boston, please wake up.
I need you to be okay.
But she’s not responding, and I have never felt fear like this before in my life.
Unadulterated fear.
“Has she been ill at all recently?” Eddie asks me.
“No—well, yes. I mean, she gets these headaches from time to time.”
“What kind of headaches?”
“I don’t know! Headaches!” My fear is coming out as anger, and it’s directed at Eddie.
“Do the headaches last for long?” Eddie continues, my anger just brushing over him.
“No.” I shake my head, frustrated. “Well, yes. I mean, they come out of nowhere. She’s fine one minute, and then bam. They knock her off her feet—literally. One time, she vomited from the pain. But she takes these pills that her doctor gave her, and she’s fine a few minutes later.” I look him in the eyes. “That’s what I thought was happening just before she collapsed. She was clutching her head, like she always does when a headache is coming on.”
“Liam”—he slowly says my name. There’s caution in his voice, and it scares the shit out of me—“you say her doctor prescribes her these pills?”
“Yes.”
“What kind of pills are they?”
“I don’t know.” I grit my jaw, frustrated. And she doesn’t have her handbag with her so it’s not like I can check.
I look back down at her, rubbing my hand over her cheek, patting it.
Please, Taylor, please wake up.