Before You Go

chapter forty-eight

Eliza

Tenille and Kit arrive at the hospital ten minutes after I do. As the paramedics were loading Leon into the ambulance, I called Tenille, sobbing as I explained what had happened. After that, I booked it back to my truck and drove to the hospital. Part of me wishes they had been here first just to give me someone to lean on, but I'm happy they're here now.

"Eliza!" Tenille gasps, rushing over to me and pulling me into her arms.

Kit joins in on the hug without a second thought, squeezing Tenille and I so tightly I'm scared we're going to burst.

"Ten," I sob. "Leon...he's..."

Another sob takes over my body and I find myself choking on my own words. I can barely comprehend what's happened. Why does the world seem pitted against Leon and I ever being together? Why did this have to happen?

There are much more important questions, but I can't handle thinking about them at the moment. I don't know what the outcome of this situation is going to be. I don't know how severe his injuries are and I know I'm not going to find out anytime soon.

"I know, Eliza," Tenille whispers, running her fingers through my knotted hair. She hugs me tighter. "Everything's going to be okay."

"How do you know?" I sob.

"We don't," Kit replies. "We can only hope."

Distressed, we all separate, staring at each other. Tenille and Kit are still dressed in their attire from tonight's rehearsal dinner, looking strikingly odd amongst the rest of the patients here and the hospital staff. I shouldn't be focusing on their clothes, but it seems to be the only thing that can distract me from what's going on. It's only been twenty minutes since Leon and the other people in the accident were rapidly wheeled into emergency, but it feels like its been hours. I wonder if anyone else knows about the accident by now. I wonder if anyone has contacted their families.

Families.

"Someone needs to call Leon's dad," I whisper, pressing my finger to my lips as tears continue to streak my cheeks. "He needs to know what's happened. Just in case..."

I bite my wobbly bottom lip, turning away from my friends. I need to keep it together. For the sake of everything that's happened, I need to keep myself together.

"I'll call Nathan," Kit says, resting a hand on my shoulder.

I turn around, finding it odd that I'm face-to-face with James's stepbrother and Leon's best friend. I never would have guessed the connection between Leon and Kit, but I'm happy he's here to help with this situation.

Slowly, I nod. "That...that would be great," I reply. "Thanks, Kit."

He flashes me a weak smile and squeezes my shoulder. I can tell he's just as worried about Leon as I am, but I don't let that get to my head. There are a million thoughts running through my head and I don't need the fact that Kit Coleman is freaking terrified of the outcome colliding with the rest of my worrisome thoughts. Kit exits the waiting room and heads outside. Through the floor-to-ceiling windows, I can see him standing beneath the light of a lamppost, tapping his foot against the wet cement. I watch as he waits and waits, his shoulders tense. Just when I begin to think Kit won't be able to get a hold of Leon's dad, I see Kit's shoulders relax and he begins to speak.