Left Together (16 page)

Thinking
a shower might help calm me down, I rip my clothes off and drop them into a
pile on the floor, along with a few towels that also need to be washed. I close
my eyes and let the hot water run over my skin, hoping it will take my troubles
down the drain with it. It doesn’t help because a vision of Kacie’s beautiful
smile is tormenting me. When they open, the first thing I see is Kacie’s razor
sitting on the built-in shelf. “Fuck!” I yell, ripping open the shower curtain
and launching it toward the can. I hear it hit, but have no idea if it went in
or bounced off. I wash quickly. The faster I get out of this fucking place, the
better. Staying at my aunt and uncle’s house for a while is my best option, but
I’ll have to stay in one of the other rooms. Kacie’s been in my room there.

Trying
not to look around the bedroom is fucking impossible. She left jewelry on my
dresser. An overnight bag is on the floor near the closet. The damn thing is so
full, the zipper won’t even close. Because she was afraid she’d forget sneakers
for a run, she brought over an extra pair to keep here. They’re thrown in the
corner next to mine. A few weeks ago, we were walking through the mall. In the
window of that stupid store where kids make their own stuffed animals, Kacie
saw a brown bunny that reminded her of one her grandparents had given her as a
kid. Of course, I bought the fucking thing. Half-jokingly, I said she had to
leave it here because it was a guarantee to get her to come back. She took me
seriously. The joke’s on me because that dumb thing is on the far nightstand
where she left it, staring at me. With a towel wrapped around my waist, I go
around to the other side of the bed, pick up Daisy…yes, she named the damn thing…and
sit down. Kacie didn’t let the lady stuff it too much because she wanted it to
be soft and squishy, just like her old one. I smile and tear up at the memory
of how happy she was when she hugged it. It hasn’t been around all that long
and it already smells like her. “I miss her, too,” I say sadly. Am I really
talking to a fucking toy? As gently as Kacie would, I lay it down on the pillow
she used, then stand up to get dressed. Which was worse? Me speaking to it, or
treating it like a human?

While
I look through my drawers for something clean to wear and shit to take to my
aunt and uncle’s, I can’t help but think I might have overreacted today. It’s
hard to remember that I was the one to push Kacie away to begin with. My
intention was never to make her seek comfort from some other guy, though.
Actually, the thought never crossed my mind, but it should have. Realization
that I sent Kacie right to Jake’s bed causes crippling pain to roll through my
chest. Jake’s feelings for her are crystal clear, as are Kacie’s for Jake. She
never saw him as anything other than a friend.

There
are some things I know for sure. First of all, Kacie never looks at Jake, or
anyone else, the way she looks at me. Meg had once pointed out how Kacie
brightens up when I walk into a room. I would’ve just assumed she was always
like that. Second, Kacie isn’t the kind of girl to pretend for anyone. If she
didn’t have feelings for me, she would have kicked my ass out a long time ago.
Also, I’m the one she wanted to sleep with. How many nights did she insist I come
to her house after work? She said even if she fell asleep before I got there,
she’d be looking forward to waking up next to me. Another is that it was wrong
to leave without hearing Kacie’s side of the story. I should have gone over to
talk to her. But the most important thing I know is that regardless of what she
did when she was hurt, pissed, or whatever, I’m in love with Kacie Foster and I
don’t want to live without her.

Instead
of packing a bag, I throw on a pair of khaki shorts and grab a faded blue
t-shirt from the closet. With any luck, Kacie is still at home and she’ll talk
to me. It wouldn’t surprise me if Jade ran right over there to tell her how I
said Jake could have her. Fuck that! She’s mine. Not Jake’s. Not anyone else’s.
Damage control is going to take some effort, but it will be worth it. I look
over at the rabbit and think it could help. Someone banging on my front door
distracts me from picking it up. As I head down the short hallway into the
living room, the pounding becomes more persistent. Who the fuck could that be?

“I’m
coming,” I call out. When I open the door, my uncle is standing there, my aunt
behind him. “What the hell?”

“Where
have you been?” Uncle Tim demands as if I’m late for curfew. They both walk
into the living room and take a look around. I notice my aunt looks awfully
upset. She may have even been crying.

“Out,”
I reply shortly. The only person I answer to is Kacie.

“What
happened here?” Aunt Grace asks softly.

I run
my hand through my damp hair. “I was upset. I’ll pick it up later.”

“Where’s
your phone?” my uncle continues to drill me.

Patting
down my pockets, I remember where it is. “It’s in my truck. Look, I have to
run. I need to get to Kacie’s. Did you want something?” My aunt covers her
mouth with her hand and tries to stop the tears from falling. “What’s up?” I
ask, concerned. She doesn’t cry easily.

“We
came here to find you because everyone has been trying to get in touch with you
for the last couple of hours,” he tells me, going over to put his arm around
his wife’s shoulders.

“Why?”
Suddenly, anxiety takes over. Something tells me I don’t want my uncle to let
me in on the big secret.

“Evan,
you should probably sit down,” he offers.

“No.
Whatever it is, just tell me.”

“Kacie
was in a car accident this morning.”

A car
accident? No! That can’t be. He must have it wrong. This morning? I remember
the fire truck and ambulance that were flying down her street when I was
leaving Jade’s house. Turning to look at the microwave on the counter, I see it
was over five hours ago. I was right there. I was right there and I turned the
opposite way! I left her when she needed me. “Is she okay?” comes out lower
than a whisper, but he hears me.

“I
think you need to get to Tampa General.”

“Tell
me she’s going to be okay, Uncle Tim,” I say just a tad louder.

“I
wish I could, but I don’t really know because I’ve been looking for you for the
last hour or so.” His response takes my breath away. “Come on. I’ll tell you
what I do know on the way.”

“Keys.
Wallet,” I mumble.

“Where
are they?” my aunt asks.

“Dresser?”
I guess. She disappears down the hallway and comes back with what I asked for.

“Let’s
go.” My uncle holds his hand out for my keys, locks up, and directs us down the
sidewalk to his car. He makes a detour to my truck and comes back to hand me
the keys, along with my phone. He opens both the passenger front and rear
doors. Once we’re in, he closes them and runs around the front of the car. He
starts the engine and takes off out of my parking lot. When he gets to the main
road, he starts to talk. “I only know what I was able to get out of Jade.
Kacie’s parents and that doctor, whatever his name is…”

“Sean,”
I say, knowing exactly who he’s referring to. Why the fuck am I not surprised
he’s involved?

“Right.
Sean.” He clears his throat. “Well, they showed up at her house this morning.
Apparently, they all got into a huge fight and Kacie took off. Sean chased her
and, from what the police were told by witnesses, intentionally crashed into the
rear of her car. It had just started raining and the road there was recently
repaved, so it was slick. A flatbed holding a bunch of pipe was parked on the
side of the road. He pushed Kacie’s car right into it. The driver of the truck
and some other people went running over to help, but she was pinned in. She was
conscious through the whole thing. After being evaluated in the emergency room,
she was cleared for surgery for a badly broken arm. Last I heard, Noah was
getting ready to take her to the operating room.”

Surgery
for a broken arm doesn’t sound so bad
, I think to myself,
especially
if Noah is with her
.
She’ll be fine. He wouldn’t let anything happen to
her
. I let out a sigh of relief and lean my head against the back of the
seat. I hear a phone ringing and my chest clenches.
Please don’t be about
Kacie
.

“Hello?”
my aunt answers apprehensively. “Yes, we found him. We’ll be there shortly.”
She’s listening to whoever is on the other end. “What’s taking longer than it
should?” My aunt looks over at my uncle. “Okay, dear. Relax. Take a deep
breath. We’re almost there.” She’s trying to hold it together, but it's
difficult for her. My aunt absolutely adores Kacie. “Hurry up, Tim,” she begs
him after hanging up.

“What’s
going on?” I want to know.

“It
was Jade. She’s nervous because the surgery is taking longer than Noah told
them it would.”

“What
does that mean?”

“I’m
not sure, Evan.”

For
the rest of the ride, we all sit silently, lost in our own thoughts. She’ll be
okay. I know she’ll pull through this and be torturing the entire nursing staff
at any minute. By the time we get to her, she’ll be awake and looking to bribe
someone to bring her a strawberry milkshake. A grin spreads across my face as I
picture it. Hell, if it will shut her up, any one of those unfortunate nurses
will gladly volunteer to be the one to go get it for her. I’d have my uncle
stop and get it now, but we need to get there as soon as possible.

The
second Uncle Tim pulls into a parking spot, all three of our doors swing open.
We bolt for the entrance to the hospital. This place is huge. I really hope he
got us to the right spot. My uncle takes charge when we reach the desk.

“My
niece was admitted through the ER for surgery a little while ago. Can you
please tell us where to go?” he says calmly to the lady behind the main desk.

“Name?”
she asks.

“Kacie
Foster,” I blurt out.

We
watch as she types away on her keyboard. “Ms. Foster is still in surgery. You
can meet the rest of your family in the waiting room. Just take the elevators
located behind you to the fourth floor. Make a left out of the elevator, then
take the first right. You’ll see the waiting room at the end of the hall.”

“Thank
you,” my uncle calls out while I dash across the lobby to hit the up arrow on
the wall. Thankfully, the doors open right away, but we have to wait because
there are people getting off. My aunt grabs my hand and doesn’t let go. I don’t
know if it’s to support me or because she needs the support herself.

Once
everyone has exited the elevator, we climb in and I hit the number four about
twenty times. As the doors begin to close, someone yells out for us to hold the
elevator. “Fuck!” I grunt. My aunt leans into me, as my uncle grabs the door
for the intruder.

“What
floor?” my uncle asks the lady.

“Second,
please,” she announces, smiling. Couldn’t it have been one of the floors above
the fourth? Now the fucking thing will have to stop before it gets to our
floor. “My daughter is about to have a baby. It’s my first grandchild.”

“Congratulations,”
my aunt tells her nicely, as I’m ready to wring her fucking neck.

The
chime indicates we have reached the second floor and the lady practically skips
out, but someone in a white lab coat comes in and hits the number three. You’ve
got to be fucking
shitting
me! Couldn’t the lazy motherfucker take the
stairs? My uncle sends me a warning glance to calm down. My free hand runs through
my hair. Again, I hear the chime and the guy disappears. He never said a word
or looked anywhere other than at his phone. This time, the doors slide together
without any further interruption.

It
feels like it takes forever for us to get to the waiting room. As we approach
it, I can see Kacie’s dad, on his phone, sitting in the far corner. A woman,
I’m assuming to be Kacie’s mom, is sitting next to him with her legs crossed.
Her top leg is bouncing up and down as if she’s annoyed, while she glances at
the magazine laying on her lap. When I walk into the room, Jade crashes into my
chest, punching me repeatedly.

“Where
the hell have you been?” she cries. Kyle stands up to grab her, but I wave him
off. If this makes her feel better, so be it. “You should have been here. She
needs you.” The girl must have used up every last bit of energy she had beating
on my chest because she falls against me, letting her tears fall.

“I’m
sorry,” I whisper into her hair as I wrap my arms around her. “I’m here now.” I
let her finish crying before asking what’s going on.

“We
should have heard something at least forty-five minutes ago. You’d think the
dickhead over there would find out what the hell’s going on, but he hasn’t
gotten up since he sat down.” I don’t have to look around to know who she
means.

Addison
comes over to greet me. I momentarily let go of Jade with one arm to return
Addison’s hug. “Hey, Evan. I’m sure Noah will be out as soon as he can. He must
not want to leave her side.”

I nod
at her. “I’m sure it won’t be long.”

Kyle
brings over some tissues for his girlfriend. My aunt and uncle say hello and
offer support to Kacie’s friends. That’s when I notice Jake sitting along the
wall, but I really don’t care to deal with him at the moment. The only other person
I recognize in the room is Robert, the Fosters’ driver. Kacie took me to meet
him a few weeks ago. Of course, her parents have no idea Kacie meets him for
lunch once in a while. I give a quick nod, careful not to bring attention to
the fact that I know who he is.