His Always: Book 1 Rhodes Character Series

Chapter 12: Tate

I can't sit here and listen to her sobs through the wall. I try to call Thomas for the hundredth time. Dude - bad time to be a busy corporate attorney. Our girl just got practically smashed to pieces. Natalie's cries are getting louder. Fuck this. I stand and gently open the door. Someone must've turned the lights off. Pen and Madison are on one side of her bed. James looks like he is giving her more meds. Natalie looks peaceful again. She must've just fallen back asleep. I don't speak as I don't want to startle her again. I stand in the back - hopefully where she can't see me. I just need to keep my eyes on her - on her chest taking small, shallow breaths. To know she is physically okay.

She looks out cold again. James turns to the girls before he speaks, "she seems to want you two here. Pen - can I call someone to cover your shift?" I press off the wall before she has a chance to respond. "I can stay - it's fine. I can help with whatever. I wasn't on call today." James scratches the back of his head as if he doesn't know how he wants to word what he is going to say next. "Man - we still don't know what she has been through exactly. She was very clear about needing Mads and Penelope. Let's just start with that. Our biggest concern needs to be keeping her calm and control her pain as much as we can." I huff. Everyone just seems to forget that I know Natalie. I know her better than anyone. "Until Thomas gets here, I think I need to be the one making the calls." Madison stands and walks towards me.

"Tate, I love you. But, something happened to her. Her brain doesn't know what to think. She wants me. I will take care of her, I promise. Did you get a hold of Thomas? I think one of you should go to her apartment and grab some comfy clothes. She is going to want out of this gown eventually." An errand boy. That's what they want from me? To run errands. I won't leave her. "Listen, we still don't know who did this to her. I don't feel comfortable leaving her here." Madison grabs my hand and starts leading me to the door. "Great - thanks that will be so helpful. Don't forget all of products she needs to wash her hair. I want to get that blood out of it as soon as I can. Facetime if you get confused - yah?" The door closes in my face before I can even speak. She has always been a ball buster.

I turn around to be greeted by Eric. He puts both of his hands on my shoulders. "How is she man? Sorry - I just got out of another emergency surgery or I would have been up here sooner. How is she presenting?" Great, probably another person who wants to keep me from her. "Um..I don't know all the details. I basically got kicked out the first time she woke up. It doesn't really seem like she is remembering anything. I don't know - she was in a lot of pain." Eric steps back and looks at her door. "Let me see if I can go grab her chart real quick. Is Thomas here yet? Is that who is in there with her?" He starts to push the door open, waiting for my answer. "Um no, no. He's not here yet. Actually, I don't know if anyone has gotten ahold of him. I have to run to Natalie's place to grab some of her things. She's definitely going to be here a few days." I need to grab some stuff from my place to because I am not leaving her here by herself.

I continue, "James was in there looking over her chart and incisions - he was trying to get her pain managed. She had a panic attack when she first woke up. She was feeling sick to her stomach but that's probably from the anesthetic and the hormones of the pregnancy. I don't know if anyone has mentioned that to her yet. Madison and Penelope are in there. It seems like Natalie is attached to having them right by her side. You have a penis so you'll probably get kicked out." I realize I am rambling.

"I don't know what that means - but got it. I'll see the status when I get in there. Yah - go get her some stuff. Let me know when Thomas is on his way so I can tell Nat. She will feel a lot better once he's here." I snort, right, back to the errand boy tasks. "Yah, yah I am going. Take care of her when I'm gone? Call me when she wakes, please." Eric nods and steps in her room. I take is as a good sign when I don't hear Natalies cries anymore.

—

I turn the key into Natalie's doorknob and step into her place. I don't know what I was expecting but not a thing is out of place. Not a dish in the sink, a pair of shoes on the floor, a blanket unfolded. I make my way down her hallway and turn towards her bedroom. I find a bag in her closet and start throwing some of her comfy sweats into the bag. I make a mental note to grab some extra sweatpants when I get to my house. She might like the bigger, looser material around her incisions. I pause, I need to call Thomas again. I mean dude what the fuck. Where are you?

I grab anything I lay my eyes on in the bathroom. I don't want to have to come back here and leave her again. I call Thomas again. Voicemail again. "Thomas, its me, again. You need to get to our hospital now. Nat's okay but she got into an accident. She is really going to want to see you when she wakes up. She is freaked. Call me back. No - wait nevermind. I see your key on Natalie's key ring. I'm coming over." He better not be asleep. He better be at the office so deep in lawyer shit that he can't see straight. His phone better be dead as - well I don't know what the saying is - it just better be dead.

I walk out of Natalie's building and head back towards my car. Thomas' is only few minutes away. He didn't want to be too far from downtown, where his office is, since he works such insane hours like we all do. I park - probably illegally - but I don't care. I rush out of my car, looking at my watch, I know Natalie is probably awake again already. I hope she is doing even a little bit better than the last time she woke up. The doorman stops me, "sir, who are you here to see?" I try to tone down the annoyance I feel. He's just doing his job.

"Sorry - I am trying to get ahold of a Thomas in this building? He's an attorney. Dating a Natalie. She has been in a terrible accident and I can't get ahold of him. I don't even know if he is here. He might be asleep." He looks at me stunned. "Sorry, that was a lot -"

"Oh - no, please go up. I know what couple you are talking about. Please let her know that I am thinking of her." I nod in response and head in. I can't exactly remember what apartment number he is in but I know it is on the fifth floor. I just keep putting the key I got from Natalie's in the doorknob hoping one of these doors will open. Finally, after more tries than I would like to admit. Apartment number 507 flies open - and my stomach feels like it sink to the floor with the sight in front of me.

"What the fuck?"