Yours Truly

Chapter Thirty Six: No Matter What

“You need to make sure she stays in her bed, alright?” Dr. Davis repeated for about the millionth time. Landon rolled his eyes and I nodded vigorously.

“Oh Flynn will make sure of that.” Caleb joked, elbowing Damon. The two boys laughed and I sent them the nastiest glare I could muster.

“Is everything set up in her room?” Dr. Davis asked. The boys and I all nodded. We had decided, with everyone’s approval, that Iris stay with me in my room, and not for the reasons Caleb implied. She would be stuck in bed and wouldn’t want to be alone, and I was in the cabin more often than Briar and Paisley, so the boys and I all agreed to take turns watching after Iris. Pat, Cindy, Briar, Paisley, and the boys all agreed that it was a good idea, so we went with it.

“Can we get her?” I asked anxiously, peering around Dr. Davis’ shoulder. A few feet away, seated in a wheelchair, Iris was lightly snoring. Dr. Davis stepped aside and the boys and I crowded around her.

“How are we going to get her to the car?” Mason asked, eyeing her.

“I can carry her.” Landon offered. I opened my mouth to protest but Damon shot me a ‘don’t even start’ look, and I closed it. Landon gently lifted her from the wheelchair and she lifted her eyes.

“L-Landon?” She said sleepily. Landon smiled down at her with all the love a big brother could have. He nodded and she smiled, leaning into him. “Where’s Flynn?” She asked quietly. My heart beat out of my chest. Even when she was half asleep, drugged up and leaving the hospital, she was thinking of me. How did I get to be this lucky?

“He’s right next to you, princess. We wanted to keep you out of the hospital, not in it.” Damon answered. She gave him a loopy smile and all of us laughed before piling into the car.

“How are we going to do this?” Caleb asked, peering at the backseat uncertainly.

“We can sit in the backseat and have her lay across us.” Mason offered. Everyone seemed to agree, and we piled into the car.

I drove as carefully as I could up the mountain and to the ranch. I kept glancing to the backseat, checking on Iris. She was sleeping peacefully, though she looked anything but peaceful. Her hair was splayed in every which way, she was drooling slightly, and my eyes were constantly drawn to the layers of bandages wrapped around her stomach. I couldn’t help but feel a pang of guilt. Technically speaking, that injury was my fault. Even though the horse bucked her off, I was the reason why she jumped on him and startled him in the first place.

No matter what, I always hurt the girl I loved.

“Eyes on the road, tiger. She’ll be all yours soon enough.” Damon said, bringing my attention back to the road. Damon was right, before I knew it, we pulled into the familiar ranch. Briar and Paisley were waiting patiently at the field where all the other cars were parked. When they saw me pull into a spot, Paisley squealed and ran as fast as she could to the car, crashing into it in the process. Her face was pressed up against the glass, and she looked like a little kid.

“IRIS!!! IRIS IS OKAY!” She hollered, though her wails sounded muffled behind the glass. “BRIAR COME LOOK IRIS IS OKAY!” Briar lazily sauntered over to the car and pulled her best friend away from the glass.