ever need anything—anything—call me. I’ll be here.”
I nod, too choked up to say anything as he leaves the room. I can’t believe I know someone as great as him who is still willing to help me if I need anything. I don’t know if he actually would at the end of the day. His wife probably hates my guts.
All I can do is make them proud. I hope I can be a good mom and I hope Jackson can be a good dad.
Jackson.
“Where’s Jackson?” I wipe my eyes as I look over at Rose. She looks shell-shocked as she stares at the empty doorway. Maybe she assumed it would’ve gone better than that, or worse. I don’t know, but my question snaps her out of her gaze, and she glances at me. This time with worried eyes.
She shakes her head.
My body locks up, and it feels like someone placed a meteor on my chest for how difficult it is to suck in a breath.
“What does that mean?” I mimic shaking my head. “What the hell does that mean?”
“I think you need to calm down and rest before we talk about Jackson. You just woke up and have already made some pretty huge decisions.”
I push myself to a sit, wincing when the sutures in my abdomen protest my movements. “I’m fine. Tell me.”
Rose bites her lip as she stares at me, saying nothing.
“Rose!” I slap my hand on the bed beside me. “Tell me right now or I’m getting out of this bed to go find out myself.”
“Okay! Okay, okay.” She walks over and lays the baby down in its little hospital bassinet before grabbing a nearby chair and pulling it over to the bed. “You need to promise me you won’t panic, or freak out, or do anything that’s going to hurt you more than you already are.”
Acid bubbles in my throat and I swallow down the nausea. “You’re freaking me out. Where is Jackson?”
“Promise me, Cara!”
“I promise, now fucking tell me!” I grit through my teeth.
She takes a deep breath. “Do you remember anything before the hospital?”
I think back, trying to remember where I was or what I was doing.
“I remember going to The Pit.” I bite my lip. “Jackson was late. I was so mad at him.”
Rose nods sadly.
“You guys went… somewhere.”
“To get the cars.” Rose says.
I nod. “Yeah, you were getting the cars when Randall showed up.”
“What happened when he showed up?” She asks softly.
“Jackson went to the back because he didn’t want to get in a fight with him around a ton of strangers.”
I remember hearing grunts. I knew something was wrong, I shouldn’t have waited so long.
“I heard some noises and went to the back.” I shake my head. “They were fighting pretty bad.” My heart rate picks up. “I thought he was going to kill Jackson. I-I did what I had to.” I hiccup as I think about stabbing Randall.
“It’s okay. Keep going.” Rose grabs my hand and gives it a small squeeze.
“I s-stabbed him, and he stabbed me! My water broke. It was so painful. Then you guys showed up and…” I try to think… “Then I woke up here.”
“You don’t remember anything else?”
I squint as I dig deep into my brain, trying to pull any other thoughts or images from the other night. I shake my head. “Nothing… it’s just… gone.”
Rose sighs as she unfolds my hands and starts tracing the lines on my palm. “Jackson was stabbed, Cara.”
I freeze, my entire body going ice cold as I my first thought comes to mind.
“Jackson’s dead?”
Rose shakes her head. “No. He’s alive.” My body deflates into the mattress. I don’t know what I would have done. Just the thought of losing him… losing another man that I…
I, what?
“So, he’s fine then?” I ask her, ridding the question about me and Jackson from my mind. I can’t think about it right now, that’s something I will have to sit and contemplate when my mind isn’t freaking the hell out.
Rose shakes her head again. “No, he’s not fine, Cara. His dad stabbed him in the spine. He can’t walk.”
He can’t walk.
He can’t walk.
He can’t walk.
The words echo through my mind like I’m in space and they continuously orbit around me. My body starts trembling as the realization that something is very, very wrong with Jackson.
“He’s paralyzed?” I whisper.
Rose nods, tears pooling in her eyes. “He’s been through countless surgeries. They’ve tried to repair everything they can. Tried to get it so he can walk again…