Chapter Twenty-Eight
Judge
WREN HAS SPENT timeevery single day with Leah over the last week while they’re both in the hospital.Even when she’s asleep, which is more often than not, my girl is right at her side.She holds her hand, brushes her hair, puts lotion on her arms, hands, and face, and talks to her about everything.Wren’s been telling Leah about the twins and how she can’t wait to find out what we’re having.I’ve heard her say she thinks she’s having boys.The only thing we know for sure right now is that the twins aren’t identical.I couldn’t help but laugh when Wren told me how relieved she was that they weren’t identical because she has a feeling it’s going to be hard enough for her to tell them apart as fraternal twins.
Today, I’m heading back up to Leah’s room to sit with them after going to grab the breakfast I ordered and had delivered here for Wren and myself.I’m tired of hospital food.Leah hasn’t woken up in the last two days.I’ve watched Dr.Sanchez examine her before shaking his head because things are looking worse each day.
“Wren,” I hear Leah’s voice as I stand outside the door without entering so I don’t intrude on this moment.
“Leah, you’re awake,” Wren says, her voice full of fake excitement because she knows this isn’t going to be good.
“Sweetheart, you’re like a daughter to me.I’ve been so worried about you since I left you alone in the bar.I want you to do two things for me.The first thing is take care of yourself and those twins.Don’t push away Judge.Give him a second chance, Sweetheart,” Leah says, pausing as she wheezes for a few minutes before speaking again.“Secondly, if anything happens to me, I want you to contact my lawyer.He has all the paperwork and everything is already in place for me.You’re the only family I have and I know you’ll be upset when I leave this world behind.Just know I’ll be happy and with the love of my life once again.I’ll watch over you and guide you when I can.Love you, Wren.”
“I love you, Leah.You’re like a mother to me.You’re gonna be fine.Nothing is going to happen to you, Leah.You can fight this.You’re so strong and such a fighter every single day.This won’t take you out,” Wren says, tears falling down her face as she looks at the woman laying in the bed.
I walk in the room just as Leah flatlines.The alarm goes off in the room and I instinctually grab Wren’s wheelchair to move her out of the way as the first nurse rushes in the room.In seconds, the room is full and Dr.Sanchez moves to stand next to Leah’s bed.
“Someone mark down the time of death,” Dr.Sanchez orders as Wren starts to sob while trying to stand from her wheelchair.“Leah has a DNR, Wren.I can already see your need for us to save her.I would if I could, please believe me.Leah has lived a good life and knew her time was near.I spoke with the doctor who signed off on the paperwork.Leah was very clear that she wanted this.”
“I know.We talked about it one night.Thank you for doing all you could to save her,” Wren responds, her voice breaking as her sobbing becomes uncontrollable.“Can I say one more goodbye to her?”
“Of course you can.We’ll give you a few minutes alone with her,” Dr.Sanchez says with a sad smile on his face as he ushers the nurses out of the room.
“I can leave you alone, too,” I tell her as Wren shakes her head.
I push her chair forward as close as I can to the bed.Wren grabs Leah’s hand once again and rests her forehead on their clasped hands.She whispers something so low I can’t understand what she’s saying as I remain at her back with one of my hands on her shoulder.It’s hard to touch Wren a lot right now because most of the time it hurts her.Right now, if she’s in pain, Wren doesn’t seem to notice as grief consumes her.I give Wren the time she needs with Leah before she finally lets her go.
“Can you take me back to my room, please?”she asks me, her words unsteady as she rests her hands in her lap.
“Anythin’ you want, Little Bird.I’ll put our food in the nurses’ station if you want me to?”I ask her because I don’t know if she’ll want to eat with how upset she is.
“No.Leah wants me to take care of myself and the twins.That means eating even when I’m not hungry.I might not eat a lot, but I’ll try,” she says, her voice giving out completely on the last word as I wheel her back down the hall.
I help Wren back in bed and cover her up completely before adjusting the bed so she can sit up and eat.Today she has a grilled chicken sandwich with mayonnaise, fries and gravy, along with her chocolate milkshake.I’ve got the same thing minus the gravy for my fries.I’ve tried it for Wren and didn’t like it.I’ll keep using ketchup or nothing at all for mine.Sitting in my chair once I know Wren is okay, we both begin to eat.I don’t try to talk to her as she takes one bite after another.This is going to hit my girl very hard when she lets herself think about things.Right now, it’s all new and hasn’t fully sunk in.I need to prepare the guys for her to break.
***
The last two days havebeen insane.Today Wren is discharged from the hospital with orders to take things easy.I stepped out of her room long enough for her to get dressed in clothes Kelsey and Bronwan packed for her.By the time I went back inside, she hadn’t gotten changed and was sobbing in the hospital bed.My heart broke as I went straight to her and picked her up in my arms to hold.Wren wrapped her body around mine and just cried in my arms as I sat on the edge of the bed with her held tightly in my arms.Leah’s death is finally starting to hit her.
When I finally managed to get her calmed down, Wren allowed me to help her change.I got her out of the hospital gown and into the oversized sweatpants and hoodie that was packed for her.I know they belong to Zach and Tristan because most of her clothing is theirs.It kills me to know she wears their clothes, but I can’t help it right now.I’ll put her in mine the second she’ll allow me to.
As we’re leaving the hospital, Wren’s phone rings.Zach gave it back to her in the hospital on her first day of being awake.She answers the call from Leah’s lawyer.Leah gave him the information days before she was kidnapped by mistake apparently.I listened as he outlined that Leah had already made all the arrangements for her funeral and paid for everything in advance.All Wren has to do is pick up Leah’s ashes and then be there in a few days to hear the will reading.Again, my girl cried her heart out as soon as she got off the phone with the lawyer.
“Sis, it’s gonna be okay.You were at Leah’s side when she took her last breath.She wasn’t alone and you made her happy,” Zach says as I push her out of the hospital and toward the club’s SUV so we can go back to the compound.Wren really hates being in the wheelchair but understands it’s protocol.
“I’m glad she wasn’t alone,” Wren says as she keeps her gaze straight ahead and doesn’t look at anyone when she talks.“I think I still want to have some kind of ceremony for Leah.She deserves something special done for her.”
“We’ll make it happen, Little Bird.Anythin’ you want,” I promise her as Tristan opens the door of the SUV and I lift her inside.After buckling her seatbelt, I close the door and walk around to the driver’s side.“Tristan, take my bike back.Zach, you’re in the back with me.I’ll follow you, Tristan.”
Tristan nods in response and grabs the keys I toss in his direction.I pull away from the main entrance of the hospital so others can pull in to pick up their loved ones.Tristan gets on my bike and starts it up while putting on his helmet and tying a bandana around his face.He pulls out of the spot I parked it so long ago.I follow Tristan out of the hospital parking lot and toward the compound.Zach tries to get Wren to talk, but she doesn’t say a word.She stares out the window as I rest a hand on her thigh.Wren doesn’t even acknowledge my touch.
It doesn’t take us very long to pull into the compound.I park close to the front door and shut the SUV off before getting out and moving around to pull Wren into my arms.She doesn’t let me put her down this time.So I carry her into the clubhouse with her body wrapped around mine and her face buried in my neck.I can feel her body shaking as she starts to cry once again.
“Do you wanna sit in the common room or go up to my room and lay down?”I ask her without stopping as everyone watches me hold her in my arms.
“I’ll sit down here,” she whispers just loud enough for me to hear and I move toward the table that’s mine.