Cowgirl Up 2 (Sequel) ✔️

Chapter Twenty Six

Monday morning I once again went back to the hospital with Grandpa, Uncle Lukas and Heath, leaving the fancy Hotel Jaxon had us staying in by 8AM.
Yesterday Jaxon and Heath went to the Rodeo Grounds to grab some of Blayze's belongings and bring some clothes back for him.
But he was remaining shirtless thanks to the fact that the hospital kept the heating at a nice temperature, because about four times a day Doctor's were wanting to check his wounds so it was easier to just not have his torso covered.
Call it a sixth sense, but as we walked into the hospital that rainy Monday morning, I knew something was very wrong.
I could feel it.
Emergency and ICU were on the same floor, but in opposite wings.
Emergency was to the left behind a set of large blue double doors.
ICU was to the right, behind a set of large red double doors.
Arden Hawkins and several other guys in Rodeo attire were gathered in the foyer between the two sections, talking with each other.
"Nothin' the Doctor's could do."
Arden explained in a low, saddened tone, his gaze cast on the shiny hospital floor.
"No!"
Somebody I didn't know denied, his eyes widening.
He was wearing a black shirt with a badge on the front that read Riverston Rodeo Corporation and a pair of dark wash jeans, along with a light tan pair of Cowboy boots.
"Complications."
Arden explained.
"They thought he was out of the woods but it turns out..."
My heart almost stopped inside my chest.
I was beginning to feel light headed.
Reaching out to my sides, I grabbed for whatever I could reach.
It turned out my grasping points were Uncle Lukas and Heath's arms.
"Arden!"
Grandpa's voice was strong as he strode towards the gathered group.
Arden turned around, looking surprised.
"Isaiah Harley!"
He greeted, reaching out to shake Grandpa's hand.
"What exactly are you talking about?"
Grandpa asked as he shook the man's right hand.
A solemn expression covered Arden's face and he pressed his lips together.
"Xalan passed away about an hour ago."
He said very quietly.
Expression's of pain flickered over the faces of the crowd gathered around him.
My breath caught in my throat.
As terrible as it was of me, I'd forgotten that Xalan was involved in the same wreck as Blayze and he too had been brought to hospital.
He's died?
I clutched harder at Uncle Lukas and Heath's arms, my nails no doubt digging into their skin, but neither one of them complained.
Doors banged open.
All head's including mine, turned to the ICU doors in time to see Peyton burst through them, tears streaming down her face and her cheeks red and blotchy.
Sob's wracked her body as she ran down the corridor.
I should probably go after her, except I couldn't make my feet move.
The door's opened again and Adina appeared, tears streaming down her cheek's too, except she did her best to attempt to wipe them away even though they were immediately replaced.
She glanced at our group, but didn't say a word and headed down the corridor after Peyton's now small, retreating figure.
A sombre weight hung around the foyer, that was almost tangible.
It was real.
Xalan Reynolds didn't make it.
I sucked in a shaky, unsteady breath.
Xalan and I might not have exactly gotten along most of the time, but I'd never have wished anything like this on him.
Hot, prickly, big fat tears burned the back's of my eyes.
"I n-need to g-go see Blayze."
I squeaked and released my tight grip on Uncle Lukas and Heath's arm's.
"Are you sure you wanna be the one to tell 'im?"
Uncle Lukas all but whispered.
"I have to."
I muttered and headed for the Emergency wing's blue doors.

Blayze's hospital room was lighter today, with the main lights on the roof turned on.
That was probably because it was dark outside thanks to the heavy, grey, raining sky.
"Hey you!"
Blayze greeted, setting his phone aside.
Jaxon had grabbed his phone and charger from his Ute yesterday when he and Heath went to grab his important belongings, so I guess he had a bit to catch up on from the last few days.
And people were probably hounding him about his condition.
"What's wrong?"
Immediately he shifted in the stark white hospital bed, organising himself so that he was sitting up straighter even though he grimaced from discomfort.
I had no clue how to tell somebody that their friend, let alone a friend that had been in the same wreck as them, had passed away.
Would Blayze feel guilty?
But it's not his fault!
"Bailey?"
Blayze asked, wearing a frown.
I moved around the end of the bed so that I could walk up the left side which put me at Blayze's right side, so that I could hug him.
Tucking my face into the crook of his neck as I wrapped my arms around his broad shoulders, it was a relief to my heart to breathe in his familiar scent.
It was Blayze but tainted by chemical hospital smell's.
"There's little I can do while they're not lettin' me leave here, Babe, so you're gonna have to tell me what's goin' on."
Blayze said in a quiet, still slightly raspy voice as he gently rubbed my back in an effort to comfort me.
I swallowed thickly.
How do I even say this?
"I have some bad news."
I croaked, squeezing my eyes shut even though I was aware he couldn't see my face.
"What's wrong?"
Blayze insisted, urging me back and gently grasping either side of my face.
I blinked hard and bit into my lower lip, trying to hold back my tears and stop the tremble of my lips.
"You're okay?"
Blayze asked, his eyes worried as he scanned my face.
"The baby's okay?"
His voice got a little somewhat breathless as he looked down towards my bump that was approximately a little over the size of a soccer ball by now.
Oh man he's worried about that?
"We're fine."
I promised, several tear's splashing onto my cheek's as I gently grasped his face between my hands.
"What is it?"
He asked, his hands gripping my shoulders.
"Xalan's died."
I croaked, the floodgate in my eyes opening so that tears streamed down onto my cheeks.
Blayze froze.
Through my vision that was blurry thanks to my tears, I could see his eyes widen.
Several long, silent seconds ticked by and I tried to bite back a pained sob.
"When?"
Blayze finally whispered.
I shook my head.
"Not long!"
I croaked.
"We just came across that Arden guy and some other's talking about it."
I explained as I wiped at my tear's.
Suddenly Blayze was tossing the hospital blanket aside and swinging his legs over the side of the bed.
I had to scramble backwards so that he had room.
"Wh-what are you doing?"
I atammered, bewildered.
He wasn't supposed to be getting out of bed yet!
"I needa find out what's goin' on."
He muttered, his face twisting in discomfort as he moved to stand.
"I told you what's going on! Get back in bed!"
I insisted.
He ignored me of course and braced his hands either side of himself as he forced himself to stand.
He was wearing a pair of black track pants with BULLZYE written down the left leg in large white block lettering.
On the right leg there was a badge image of the traditional Bullzye bull head.
He remained shirtless with his white bandages a stark contrast against his golden tanned skin.
He even had straps around his chest that were apparently designed to aim at giving him some stability for his broken and fractured ribs.
"Blayze please sit back down!"
I pleaded, running my fingers into my hair in stress as I watched him wobble slightly before he regained balance.
There was no way I could pick him up if he fell, even if I wasn't hindered by pregnancy.
"I'm fine."
He dismissed in a slightly breathless voice before he headed for the door.
Damn it!
Swiping fresh tears away from my eyes, I followed after him.
He might have longer legs than me, but because he was injured and taking shorter strides, it didn't take me long at all to catch up with him in the corridor.
"This is nuts you need to go back to bed!"
I insisted, begging him to see reason.
"I need to talk to people."
He denied through a clenched jaw.
"What the hell are you doin'?!"
I snapped my gaze from Blayze's face, down the corridor to find Jaxon striding towards us.
"Where's Arden?"
Blayze asked, ignoring his cousin's question.
Jaxon looked bewildered.
"Who?"
"The guy Grandpa was talking to."
I explained.
Jaxon nodded.
"He's out there still."
He explained and jerked his thumb behind himself to the large blue double doors.
Blayze determinedly kept walking.
"Why the hell's he up?"
Jaxon whispered to me as Blayze walked.
I shook my head.
"He wants answer's."
With a grimace, Jaxon sighed.
We followed after Blayze, almost catching up with him before he reached the large blue doors.
He grimaced slightly before he extended his right hand to push one of the doors.
The grimace grew as he felt even that slight action of pushing the door, clearly right through to his ribs.
But he got it open though and Jaxon and I followed him out.