And then in walked Cassandra. The fiery blonde, who was as beautiful as she was stubborn. She threw my entire plan to the wolves, and left me confused and bewitched. Cassandra meant something to me no one else in my life ever had other than Oliver, not even Natasha could stand up against her.
Cassandra was sweet and loving but also guarded much like myself. So eager to live life, she just needed the right person by her side to help give her the push. I wanted to be that person and now…now she was in the back of an ambulance, the doors shutting in my face, fighting for her life.
I sprinted back to my car, adrenaline coursing through me as I ran every red light, blew through every stop sign on the tail of the blaring siren and flashing lights in front of me.
As I pulled up behind the ambulance, I watched Cassandra disappear inside and be taken straight to surgery. Slumped against the metal elevator door, I was left waiting, praying for the first time since I was a young boy that someone was listening.
As I paced across the dreary waiting room of the small hospital, every horrible outcome played through my mind. I wanted to fly her to the city, get her the best care possible, but it was out of my hands.
Hilary was there crumpled around Caleb on a small stiff looking sofa. Occasionally a sob would spill out from her direction of the room, but he would only hold her tighter, stroking her head and whispering into her hair.
The tender act filled me with envy. I wanted to be with Cassandra—holding her and helping her—not waiting.
A silver-haired doctor emerged from the double doors just past eight o’clock in the morning. All eyes flew up, and watched him anxiously. I stopped instantly in my tracks and stared, my breath caught.
“Hilary Robinson?” the doctor called out.
Hilary jumped from her spot, shoving away from Caleb and crossed the room in one swift move. “Yes, that's me. Is Cassandra all right?”
“Follow me,” he replied, his voice giving nothing away. He turned back to the doors he had just appeared from and disappeared with her at his side.
An hour ticked by and still no word from Hilary.
I continued pacing, unable to sit, unable to think without the weight of the night crushing me. By noon, my body begged to use the restroom, piss out the booze I ingested, but I couldn’t pull myself away from the room. The chance that I might miss an opportunity to speak to Hilary or possibly see Cassandra was too great.
“You should go get something to eat.” Caleb's voice broke through my silent wallowing.
“I'm not leaving.”
I didn’t look up from the floor. How dare he even suggest I step an inch from that room? Not without Cassandra.
“I understand, but if Hilary comes out I'll—”
“I'm not leaving!” I growled, shifting up my gaze from the floor to him, and closing the topic.
Caleb stood, holding up his hands in defeat. His expression was calm and I knew if things were reversed, he wouldn’t leave Hilary.
“I'll just go down to the cafeteria and bring you back something. Anything in particular sound good?”
I stared at him, scowling, not caring what he did. I just wanted the damn doctor or Hilary to give me an update, anything.
He nodded, understanding. “All right, I'll bring you whatever looks edible.”
With that Caleb walked in the direction of the elevators and I returned to pacing back and forth, wondering how many men had trudged over that same patch of carpet while they waited for news on the women they cared about. No doubt out of all the men stuck waiting over the years in that room, I’d been the only one who deserved to be in those shoes.
“Damn,” Luke said to himself.
I cocked my head to the side, watching him stare down at his phone.
When the yuppie came in a little while after Hilary and Caleb, I chose to ignore the guy. I didn’t know anything about him other than what his brother told me, and I had no intention of getting to know him now. I did however overhear him trying to console Hilary. Telling her Cassandra would be fine, that she was tough and would come out of this with a smile on her face, ready to take on the world.
I just shook my head at his comments. What the hell did he know about Cassandra? She was a fighter, yes, I saw it several times, but I also saw the scared girl hiding inside, holding her back. There was a woman in there desperate to break free, yet she chose to hide in her tiny house in the woods, reluctant to accept her true significance.
“I um…I got to go.” Luke tucked his phone back into his pocket and stood. Throwing on his coat, he looked over at me, as if I cared.
“Something came up at work. Can you tell Caleb I'll stop by later and if there is any word, let me know?”
I nodded once, simply to avoid speaking to him, and turned my focus back to the floor.
The day passed painfully slow. I watched every second, of every minute, tick by with no news and no return from Hilary. The growing frustration inside me began to pour over with each passing hour. Caleb had brought me a sandwich and coffee but my stomach was too knotted to eat.
It was after six o’clock in the evening when Felicia barreled out of the elevator and raced over to Caleb, bracing herself against his forearms.
“Where is she?” her voice broke.
Her eyes were bright-red and swollen. She leaned into him, panting. She looked like she ran a marathon trying to get there.
“Still in ICU. Hilary went back this morning and we haven't seen her since,” he trailed off in a soft somber tone but Felicia was already walking toward the nurses’ station before he could finish.
“Cassandra Clarke. I'm her mother.”
“Yes, right this way, ma'am.”
I watched as she disappeared behind the double doors, wanting nothing more than to follow behind her.
Several minutes later Hilary appeared and I my entire body stiffened, watching her walk defeated over to Caleb, she collapsed into his arms. She cried, and beat against his chest rambling but all I heard was muffled pleas.
Unable to stand there watching knowing she had more information than me I walked over, hands shoved deep in my pockets. I needed answers, now.
“How is she?” I asked, standing in front of her.
“Give her a minute,” Caleb mouthed. His hands running through Hilary's long dark hair trying to soothe her.
I needed to soothe Cassandra, I was tired of waiting.
“Damn it! Just tell me how she is.”
Hilary pulled back from Caleb and wiped her sniffling nose.
“Please,” I begged, my voice nothing more than a breath of air.
Hilary cleared her throat and dabbed at her eyes while I impatiently waited desperate to hear anything.
“She's still asleep. The doctor said she should wake at any time. They won't be able to get a full diagnosis until then.”
“How did she…look?” I asked, relief washing over me. At the scene, I was terrified I was going to lose her. It was a thought I couldn’t bear. I’d just found her and finally she wanted to be with me, I could see it in her eyes as we danced and kissed. She wanted me as much as I wanted her. Oliver adored her and would welcome her with open arms. To me she was the woman I never thought existed, and gave up dreaming about long ago. Losing her wasn’t an option.
“She’s pretty beat up. They said the biggest problem could be her—” Hilary swallowed and looked away. “—her legs…she hit the pavement hard, and the doctors say they won't know the extent of the damage until she’s awake.”