Total pages in book: 171
Estimated words: 162003 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 810(@200wpm)___ 648(@250wpm)___ 540(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 162003 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 810(@200wpm)___ 648(@250wpm)___ 540(@300wpm)
It didn’t change what happened to Ryland. There was a gaping hole in my heart, and I didn’t know if it would ever be the same. I had no choice but to move forward. To focus on each breath. Each task that needed to be done. I would do it for Ryland.
“Mrs. Bennett?”
I glanced up to see Dr. Kelly standing in the doorway. I tore my gaze back to Ryland and pretended not to notice. I didn’t want to hear whatever he had to say.
“I’m glad I caught you.” He came into the room and stood with his chart, the same neutral expression on his face that he always wore.
I didn’t like him. I didn’t like that he had no faith in my husband or that he had no idea how much of a fighter Ryland was. That he would never give up on me. I hated his cold, clinical words and everything about him right down to his stupid white coat.
Dr. Kelly didn’t know I’d requested a specialist to come and see Ryland. I’d already set everything up, and he was flying in tomorrow. That was the benefit of being Ryland’s wife. Money talked, and I had plenty of it to throw around. I’d give it all away to the highest bidder that told me they could bring him back to me.
There were things that could be done in these cases. Things that could be tried. But Dr. Kelly didn’t want to try them. He told me it was all junk science when I’d begged him. And now he just lingered there awkwardly, waiting for me to take the bait. I wouldn’t. His words didn’t affect me anymore, and I was sick of hearing them. If it had been safe to move Ryland from this hospital, I would have. But for right now, I just had to stick it out. Like everything else.
“Look, Mrs. Bennett,” he spoke in a monotone voice. “It’s been a week since we last discussed your husband’s condition. There have been no signs of improvement, no indications I’m afraid. A decision needs to be made…”
“The decision has already been made,” I snarled. “I told you that last week. I’m telling you that today. I’ll tell you again next week. And the fucking week after that. Why are you badgering me about this?”
His lips flattened, and he looked down at me with pitiful eyes. As though I were a complete moron who just didn’t understand what he was telling me.
“We aren’t equipped to deal with long term care in this facility for cases like this,” he said. “So if you are committed to your decision, then I’ll have to advise you that he’ll need to be moved…”
All the anger inside of me boiled over at his tone and his careless indifference. He was talking about Ryland like he was a sack of potatoes. And I was so fucking sick of his disdain. Of all of this.
“Fuck you!” I spat. “Fuck all of you! You don’t know what he’s capable of. You don’t know what he’s survived. I can still feel him. He isn’t gone. I don’t give a shit what you say because I feel him! He’s going to come back to me. He always comes back to me!”
Dr. Kelly took a step back from me as though I were a crazed animal, and Nicole ran into the room just in time to see me dissolving into hysterics.
“Brighton?” her voice was filled with concern as I collapsed against Ryland’s chest and sobbed against him.
“What did you say to her?” she accused.
I didn’t hear Dr. Kelly’s response. Because a sharp pain rippled through my back and down my abdomen, causing me to lurch forward. It felt like something was tearing inside of me, and I didn’t understand what was happening.
When I looked down at the hospital chair beneath me, there was blood leaking out from my pants.
“Oh God… something’s wrong.”
White hot pain speared through my body as spots filled my vision. I briefly saw Nicole and Dr. Kelly rushing to my aid before I slumped forward and everything started to fade away.
Epilogue
Brighton
I felt his fingers ghosting over the tattoo on my chest, and I smiled.
It happened so often that I thought I was going crazy. There were times when it felt so real, but he wasn’t there. It was like he was touching me from somewhere else, and it scared me. I was so afraid that one day I was going to wake up and it would all just be a dream. That I’d really lost him, and I’d imagined everything else somehow.
I blinked open my eyes and felt my heart stutter when I saw him staring down at me. I would never tire of looking into those beautiful eyes. I held his face and kissed him, deeply and passionately.