Through the door to the stairs and up them, I saw Julius was standing a few feet from the opening at the top of the stairs and my eyes narrowed on his back as I alighted the stairs and they did this because he was not hustling.
And I heard him say, “Later, you’ll get this was the only play I had to make.”
I hit the top of the stairs, took three steps in, my eyes unnarrowed and my body froze solid when my eyes hit Ty standing five feet in front of Julius.
Vaguely, I noticed he was frozen solid too; his eyes on me like my eyes were on him.
Well, maybe not the same because I was sure my eyes communicated total, complete, body-rocking, earth-shattering shock that he was standing, breathing, in one piece, wearing faded jeans, a skintight white tee, looking as gorgeous as always and very, very, very healthy.
Healthy.
Alive.
Standing.
Gorgeous.
In one piece.
Breathing.
Ty.
“And baby doll,” I heard Julius say but didn’t tear my eyes from Ty, “you give it time, beautiful, you’ll get it too that this was the only play I had to make.”
I watched, stunned, motionless, as Ty’s eyes sliced from me to Julius.
“What f**kin’ play?” his voice rumbled, so deep, so low, it reverberated against my chest.
Healthy.
Alive.
Standing.
Gorgeous.
In one piece.
Breathing.
Talking (or rumbling).
Ty.
“I told Lexie you got in a car wreck and were dyin’ and she needed to come home and say good-bye. She dropped everything, Walk, and here she is. I may be f**ked in the head but, to me, that f**kin’ says it all.” Pause while I continued to stare at my husband then, “Oh yeah, brother, I see you’re pissed but it was the only play you two gave me.”
I didn’t move, didn’t speak, just kept staring at Ty even after his angry eyes cut to me and changed from angry to something else altogether.
“Lexie?” he called but I didn’t move, didn’t speak, just kept staring. “Lex,” he said.
I stared at Ty and counted them down.
Eleven.
Eleven hours.
Eleven hours I thought the man standing in front of me, the man I loved was as good as dead and then… then… he just would be.