Sweet on You

Chapter 33

Audrey was over for a cup of tea and some scones. Well, she was simply dropping off a book for Xander, courtousy of Nathan, when she saw Lydia had baked a fresh batch of blueberry scones, she slyly convinced Lydia to stay.

Now, they sat at the counter, munching on scones, sipping tea while they spoke. Audrey eyed the bookshelf Xander began to build. "Bodyguard, boyfriend, Bob the Builder, this guy is the whole package."

Lydia nearly choked on her ginger tea, setting it down on the counter so she didn't drop the cup while fighting through her coughs. When the coughing subsided, Lydia nodded her head, following Audrey's gaze to the wall to wall bookshelf Xander began working on. "I told him to do whatever he pleased to make the space more his as well as mine. I expected him to paint the walls blue or something, and somehow, I got myself a new bookshelf."

"Gotta give him credit for his passion. I don't think even Nathan likes books enough to build a shelf from scratch. He damn near had a mental breakdown putting a crib together from IKEA," Audrey mused, grinning behind her mug.

"He's so passionate he wants to start selling books at the bakery," Lydia laughed with a shake of her head. "He said the best place in the whole world is one where you can buy books and cake. He's not wrong, but we don't have the space to make it happen."

Audrey smiled as she thought to herself for a moment. She glanced at the clock by the television. "What time did you say you needed to meet Xander?"

"One, why?" Lydia questioned.

Audrey pointed to the clock. "You have fifteen minutes."

"Crap," Lydia muttered, pushing herself off the stool. Xander had told Lydia he had a surprise for her and wanted her to meet him at some restaurant, although, when Lydia checked the address, it said the place was closed permnantly. She wondered what the man was up to. And now, she was going to be late finding out.

Audrey chuckled at Lydia's dismay and offered her farewells, not getting past Lydia that she had taken the rest of the scones Lydia had baked before she arrived. Lydia gave her a pass, blaming the baby hormones for Audrey's scone theft.

Lydia raced to her car and immidiately dialed for Xander, the ring of the phone blaring through the bluetooth speakers. "Is everything okay, angel?"

"Yeah," Lydia replied while pulling out of the driveway. "Audrey stopped by and I get a little distracted, so I'm running a bit late."

Xander sounded like he was releasing a breath of relief before saying, "That's fine, take your time, angel."

Lydia felt guilty for running late, but the guilt quickly subsided as she drove, Xander keeping her company, talking about his grand plans to eventually open up his own bookstore. Lydia smiled as she pictured it, Xander surrounded by books, rambling to customers about which ones he reccommends. She even pictured him having a designated bookstore cat, a unique one who would have one eye or a scarred ear, which Xander would love as a companion while he worked.

She had been so lost in her imagination she hadn't realized she was nearly at the spot Xander told her to meet him at.

"Are you nervous for tomorrow?" Xander asked over the phone, his voice crackling over the bluetooth connection in her car, snapping out of her thoughts.

Lydia shook her head despite the fact she could not see him. "No, I'm excited, actually. I finally can focus on the bakery, Kelly can have her rightful title of owner, and we can have more time to plan your latest career endeavour."

"Speaking of which, I had an idea--"

"--I'm one second away, hold that--" Lydia began but was quickly cut off by something obstructing her vision on the right. A truck, a large black one bombed through the intersection despite the fact it had a red light, making it Lydia's right of way. Yet, the truck kept moving forward and before Lydia could respond, it was too late.

#

"What the hell happened?" Nathan demanded, his voice breaking.

Lydia couldn't see him, but she could hear him, along with the hustle of the people around her.

"The truck came out of nowhere and didn't stop," Xander replied quickly, his words trembling. "It just rammed right through the four-way."

Lydia remembered the sudden impact, the scream that escaped her lips as her car toppled over, the sound of the glass smashing on the road. Her world spinning as she saw Xander waiting for her on the other side of the street lurching forward to get to her.

"Lydia?" The doctor said loudly. "Lydia, you're going to be okay. You're at the hospital and we are going to bring you into surgery."

Lydia's eyes widened, but they couldn't focus on any one thing, the flourescent lights on the ceiling overpowering her vision. She tried moving her lips but nothing came out.

"Lydia you can't talk, you're in shock and you have an oxygen mask on," the doctor explained.

She tried to talk again, but she winced at the pain it brought on.

Nathan swooped in beside her, not looking at her though, but the doctor. "Is she trying to say something?"

The doctor nodded her head, looking down at Lydia sympathetically.

The doctor stopped moving the stretcher, informing Nathan and Xander they could wish her luck before her surgery quickly.

Nathan leaned over and kissed her forehead. "I'm so going to kick your ass if you do anything stupid in there."

If it didn't hurt, and if she wasn't as panicked as she was, Lydia would have laughed. She blinked in response instead.

Xander took Nathan's spot, the definition of a wreck. His eyes were bloodshot, hair askew. He leaned down and kissed her forehead, she felt a tear of his escape and land on her. "I love you."