My Old Friend

Chapter 16

AUDREY POV: Addie sits beside my bed and stares over at Tim beside me. 

"Momma, is he going to wake up?" She asks. I lend her a smile. 

"Yeah, honey. You just have to be patient." I say. I follow her with my eyes as she walks over to his bed. "Baby, let him rest for now, alright?" I say. She ignores me and climbs up in bed. She curls up against him naturally, leaving no room between herself and Tim.

Suddenly, Tim begins to move. His eyes flutter, and a smile slowly emerges on his face as he sees Addie. 

"Hey darlin'" He says. She smiles. 

"Hi. How are you feeling?" She asks. He releases a smile, probably feeling sky-high on the number of pain killers they gave him. 

"I'm feeling just fine, thank you." He says. "Audrey, you okay?" He asks, turning towards me. I slowly nod. Does he remember? Should I tell him if he doesn't remember? 

"I'm okay." I answer. He smiles. 

"Good." he says, before carrying on a conversation with Addie. 

I sit awake while Addie and Tim sleep. I think about that night. I can't believe I didn't know... I mean, how could I have missed having a miscarriage? How could I have just looked past that? I don't regret what we did... at all. I mean, he gave me Addie. But had I known... Had I gone to the doctor earlier, while I was still here in Louisiana, and found out... 

"Audrey, is everything alright?" Tim whispers. I nod, trying to clear the tears out of my eyes. 

"Yeah." I say, sounding anything but. 

"What was Jason saying about Addie?" He asks softly. I cringe as I feel a tear slip. Just spit it out... Just scream it out... Just get it out... 

"She's yours..." I utter out quickly. He sits for a moment with her in his arms. 

"What? No... that's not..." He thinks for a moment, before becoming rational. "Explain." He demands. 

"Apparently I had a miscarriage sometime after leaving Memphis, but it was so early that it didn't hurt nearly as bad as it should've felt. So I lost the baby, and then that night in Star..." I explain. 

"Fuck..." He says, covering his mouth with one hand. I pray he doesn't avoid her. 

"I'm so sorry. I had no idea until Jason went behind my back and got her tested." I say. He nods slowly, still covering his mouth. 

"Did he hurt her when he found out?" He asks cautiously. I nod, feeling virtually breathless. "Shit..." 

"Tim, if I had known..." I say. He shakes his head. 

"You would've stayed?" 

"I would've stayed..." I confirm. He laughs in exhaustion.

"Does she know?" He asks. I shake my head. 

"I mean, she knows she isn't his." I explain. He nods. 

"You have to tell her, Audrey." He says.

"I know." I agree. He takes a deep breath. 

"Audrey, you-" He starts, before stopping. "You know more than anybody that I... I want to be there... here for Addie." He stumbles. "Audrey, I'm getting married to a woman who would murder me if I slept with anyone before marriage. Her dad would have me killed before he could hear her name." he says. My heart breaks slowly as I see this pain grow in him. 

"Why are you with her?"  I ask. He takes a deep breath. 

"She makes me happy, Audrey." He says, sounding tired and stressed.