Just like he’ll do anything for our baby.
Our baby.
My phone rings across the room, and my heart rate skyrockets thinking it’s Parker. He’s on shift, but sometimes he calls me when he has downtime. I don’t think I can talk to him right now. I can’t tell him over the phone, there’s no way.
Sutton waddles over to get my phone, and when she picks it up her face falls in concern and I sit up. “What’s wrong?”
“Jameson’s calling you.”
“What? Why would he be calling?”
She just shakes her head, handing me the phone with a pit in my stomach as I answer. “Hello?”
“Lily?” Jameson’s deep voice fills the line, and the pit grows.
“Yeah?”
He’s quiet for a second that feels like it stretches on for an eternity. I want to tell him to spit it out because I’m about to lose my mind. He clears his throat before continuing, “I’m calling because Parker has you as his emergency contact and there’s been an accident. He’s in the hospital. It’s best if you come here.”
“What?” I fly up, already grabbing my shoes and keys to leave. “Is he okay? What happened?”
“He’s…he’s stable right now, but unconscious. The doctors can give you more information when you get here.”
I’m already halfway out the door with Sutton struggling to keep up. She does her best without asking any questions as I’m flying out the door to get to my car.
I realized I haven’t hung up on Jameson, but also, I don’t know what to say. I sit in the driver’s seat, turning the car on as Sutton makes her way down the steps to join me because I’m not about to leave her like this. Before she gets to the car, I squeak out the only thing I can think of, “He can’t leave me.”
“Trust me, he doesn’t want to.”
We hang up as Sutton climbs into my car and as soon as she’s buckled, I’m flying off her property to get to the hospital as quickly as possible.
Neither of us say anything. My phone is blowing up, but I don’t dare look at it; I don’t know who could be calling and texting me, but it’ll have to wait. I need to see Parker. I need to get more answers.I need him.
Right before we get to the hospital, Sutton finally speaks. “He’s going to be okay.”
I hardly notice the tears that have started falling down my cheeks because I’ve been so focused on driving, but I reply with a whisper, “He has to be.”
“Go in, I’ll park,” Sutton tells me.
I nod, pulling up to the entrance and hopping out so I can get to Parker as soon as possible. I have tunnel vision as I rush into the hospital and up to the front desk. I can barely speak when the receptionist speaks to me. I’m not even sure what she said to me, my ears feel like I’m underwater
“I need to see Parker.” I gasp for breath and try to stop myself from breaking down right here in the hospital lobby. “Parker Fuller, please. I need to see him.”
The triage nurse must recognize me, and her face softens. She doesn’t question me, and tells me where to go, I’m sure I’m going to get lost, but then I hear my name, and I look up to see Jameson standing by an elevator.
He tilts his head, gesturing me to follow him. I try to read his face, but it’s completely blank.
“You should know Sutton is here parking my car,” I tell him when I approach.
“I know.” He nods, but doesn’t elaborate. I can assume she told him we were coming.
We get in the elevator, and I put my hand on my stomach both because I feel like I’m going to be sick and thinking aboutthe baby that’s growing there, the piece of both Parker and me that we created. I need him to know about him or her. I need him to meet them.I need him.
As soon as the door opens, I’m racing out even though I don’t know where I’m going. Jameson guides me to a room and as soon as I’m in the doorway I break down in tears. I rush over to Parker’s bedside and collapse onto my knees, grabbing his hand in mine, dropping my head onto his arm while I sob.
Eventually, I look up to see him, and my heart hurts; he has a tube in his mouth, his eyes are closed. He’s covered in soot, his other arm is in a cast, he has several gashes all over him, and his light brown hair looks black. But he’s still Parker, the man I’m unbelievably in love with.
“What happened?” I finally manage to ask.