I wake up a little later. I feel a hell of a lot better.
I open my eyes and move my hand.
My eyes search the room. My family is here, but my children and Spencer are not.
"Where's Spencer?" I ask quietly, sure I already know the answer.
Everyone looks at my father, who crosses his arms.
"He is giving you custody of the kids. You'll have to share them, obviously, but you are officially single. He's giving you the house also, but he's at home packing."
It takes a second to settle in, me just glaring at him.
Spencer's family isn't here either.
It's just mine.
I shut my eyes for just a second. My heart monitor starts going nuts.
"No. You bitch!" I start to flip, ripping chords off of me.
I guess Spencer dropped off clothes for me.
Panicked, I get up and grab my clothes.
"Natalie, you can't leave." Dad says.
"You can't tell me what I can and can't do! Just like you can't tell Spencer!"
"I didn't tell Spencer to do anything. I just told him he's a horrible person for hurting you. I told him he no longer has my blessing."
I slam the bathroom door and pull on clothes as fast as I can.
I shove past him as he blocks my door.
"She's running!" he yells.
I start to sprint.
I'm admitted to the ICU.
I sprint towards the elevator, but then change my mind and run for the stairs.
I sprint down them, panicked, and run as fast as I can down them, down the five stories.
I sprint past doctors trying to stop me, shoving people out of my way.
I don't have any money for a taxi and my keys are upstairs.
If I run to my house I can probably get there in about a half hour.
Only if I run the whole time.
So I do. I run as hard as I can.
Around thirty five minutes later, I turn onto my street. I run harder and run into the house, gasping.
"Natalie." Jeremy says blankly.
"Where is he?" I demand.
He sighs.
His whole family is here.
"Where is he, dammit!" I grab the front of his shirt.
"He's upstairs." He says quietly. "You won't be able to change his mind."
"Don't tell me what I can and can't do." I say.
"You don't need to get snappy with me." He says. "You aren't mad at me, or any of us. You're mad at your father."
I take a deep breath.
"You're right. I'm sorry."
I go upstairs the door is locked.
I jiggle the doorknob and hit it hard.
"Spencer, open the damn door!"
Silence.
Justice, Gavin, Olivia, and Seth were at the hospital.
They walk in the door.
"How the fuck did you get here first?" Justice demands. "You need to come back to the hospital, Natalie."
"No!" I snap.
I pick the lock.
The room is only full of my things.
"No." I whisper. There's a note on the bed. I grab it.
It's a full letter.
My dearest Natalie,
I know you're probably going crazy right now, but I had to leave fast because I knew it was a matter of time until you woke up and found out what happened and did something crazy like breaking out of the hospital. For that, I am sorry. The kids are in their rooms asleep. I will send someone to pick them up Wednesday afternoon and someone will drop them off Wednesday morning. We'll share them that way, I suppose. The reason I'm sending someone and not coming myself like a man is because I know if you see me, you're going to beg me to stay and I'll give in. Here's the thing, love. I don't want to stay. I'm continuingly hurting you. This has to stop. I'm sorry. The wedding is off. I love you so much. That is why I must do this. If things go according the plan, you will never see me again.
pleasetry to understand.
Love,
Spencer Key
P.S. Keep the ring, and also, my family will be leaving once you show up. They're staying to take care of the kids until you get home.
My parents pull up. I lash out at a lamp when they come inside.
I go downstairs, numb everywhere.
"Do you know what you fucking did?" I ask my Dad. My face is blank and my voice is emotionless.
He sighs. "Natalie-"
"No." I shake my head. "Go fuck yourself. You made the one person, the one fucking person that I can't live without leave! Every time you show up, we end up breaking up! Get the fuck out of my house, stay the fuck away from me, my kids, and Spencer, ad any of his fucking family, and if I ever see you again, don't think for one fucking second I won't call the police."
He stares at me for a long time.
"You would kick out your own father for him?" he asks.
"I'm doing it right now, aren't I?" I ask.
He's quiet for a long time, and then he walks out.
After hesitating, Mom follows him.
I turn to his family. "You have to tell me where he's staying." I beg.
All of them sigh.
"We swore we wouldn't." Mr. Key says. "No matter how much I want to, I can't. I promised my boy."
He hugs me, and then slowly, all of them walk out.
I stare at the wall for a minute, and then a plan slowly starts to form in my head.
Relax, you guys. Natalie is a hell of a lot smarter than you all may think.
