Brantley's POV
I bowed my head saying a silent prayer for a safe flight and good news when we landed as I felt the plane lift off the runway. She just had to be okay, she did. That woman was my best friend, my wife, my whole entire world. I lifted my head looking at the boys, Ben, and Alec as I bounced my right leg up and down while tapping my fingers on my knee. Ben tugged a pack of gum out of his ripped jeans tossing it my way. Stephanie had finally talked me into quitting smoking a few years ago and the need for the cigarette to combat my fears was getting to me.
I popped gum in my mouth hoping this would help. Hell, for the first time in a long time I craved something else to ease the worry coursing through my veins. But if I even attempted that my wife would beat my ass even in a hospital bed. I heard Hunter sniffle and I reached over to lay a hand on his shoulder squeezing gently. Carson was staring out the window at the clouds lost in thought. We all sat quietly for a while until I heard Ben snort and I looked over at him with an arched eyebrow wondering what in the fucking hell could be funny right now. Ben gave me a small smile as Alec shook his head at him.
"What the hell is so damn funny Ben?" I growled unbuckling my seat belt then crossing my arms over my chest.
"Dude," Ben said shaking his head before standing up to stretch his tall frame. "Whoever the idiot is that hit Little Bit is gonna be in so much trouble. She loves that car more than anything you have ever bought her."
"Oh damn," Alec said with a quiet laugh. "Remember when Kolby put a scratch on it with his truck door a few years ago?"
"I thought Mama was going to skin him alive," Hunter said with a grin relaxing his tense shoulders a little. I couldn't help but smile myself. Ever since watching Gone in 60 Seconds as teenagers, Stephanie had always wanted an Elanor, a 67' Shelby Mustang GT 500 fastback. For our tenth anniversary, I had gotten the guy who did the work on my Cougar to track one down for me.
Didn't care what it cost me. Stephanie had stood there in shock when they unloaded it then had tackled me. She had caught me off guard when she flew into my arms that I had fallen over backwards onto the driveway with her landing on top of me. After kissing me breathless, she had pulled back with a smirk challenging me to a race. It was a good thing we were such good friends with the sheriff because we would have racked up a stack of tickets. Chris had on more than one occasion threatened to impound both cars if we didnt slow down.
"Or..." Carson drawled with a grin. "She will be as mad as she was when y'all wound up on the no-fly list two years ago Dad."
"Fuck son," I grumbled as everyone started laughing. "She still reminds me of that anytime we fly anywhere now. Never would have thought of investing in my own plane until that shit happened."
"Shouldn't have booked that hunting trip without her," Ben snickered as I flipped him off with a sigh. "Only you and Little Bit would almost get into a fist fight right before take off."
"That was a long ride home let me tell you," I said shaking my head remembering glancing over at my severely pissed off wife as I drove. Every hundred miles or so Stephanie had punched my arm before turning to glare out the window that trip.
Everyone else stretched out to nap on the short flight but I couldn't. I got up and paced the rest of the way terrified of what I was going to find out when we landed. I dropped down onto the leather couch in the back looking at my two boys. I leaned my head back closing my eyes saying another prayer for strength. I wanted to break down so bad right now, but I was doing my damnedest to keep it together for them. Those two and their Mama were my everything.
I felt my eyes start to water as I racked my brain trying to remember if I had told Steph that I loved her earlier. I had made it my mission to tell her every day. Just prayed that I had time left to still do that. I opened my eyes to glance down at my right arm. I had been saving that one for years trying to decide what to put.
Then Carl Grace had sent me a design that I had fallen in love with that could be added around as time went on. I slowly traced my finger over Stephanies name that was in the same script as Psalms on my left hand. Underneath was a quote that heaven help me fit us perfectly. My Brave Girl, you were made for beautiful things. Chaos is only understood when it is loved by the wild, not the weak. I am your Wild. I am your protector. You are my Woman, my Faith. The light of my life, my saving Grace. My Kind of Crazy.
I thought through the lifetime of memories we had shared. I wanted more. If that was me being selfish then I could live with it. We haven't had enough time together. I heard Rex come over the loud speaker announcing we were close to landing and I went back to my seat squeezing Carson's shoulder to wake him up as I walked by. A couple minutes later when we received the all clear to get off, I was the first one out the door and down the steps.
I paused when I looked up halfway down to see Eli standing there leaned against Ashley's SUV. I jogged the rest of the way down then stopped in front of him. I clenched my jaw against bracing myself from the news I was afraid to get from him. I had expected Kolby to be the one to come and get us but I should have known better. If I wasn't there, he wasn't going to leave Stephanie's side.
"Coop," I said quietly looking at my oldest friend. "How is she?"
"B," Eli said looking at his feet then looking at me as the boys, Alec, and Ben walked up behind me. "She was still in surgery when I left. They were worried about some bleeding on her brain. From what Kolby has said the impact of the truck hitting her spun her car around before it flipped. Also said they will be removing her spleen while they are in there. To be honest, it's touch and go right noa. But we all know Steph is tough. Nurse had updated us right before I left so that's all we know for now. Mama Becky has already gotten then to secure a private waiting room once she explained about the family all flying in."
"Get me there now," I growled before storming around to the passenger side. "Please."
