Too Close

Chapter 39

Olivia's P.O.V

They say when you're about to die, you'll see a light at the end. I was perfectly still, and then I saw it. At first I wasn't afraid, until it grew larger and larger and I had no other option but to let it take me.

The light was so close and bright now that it penetrated through my eyelids, forcing them open. I winced at the bulbs in the white ceiling. A rhythmic beeping came from my right. The room itself was blurry. I blinked a few times until the fuzziness cleared and I could see everything.

"Liv?" I turned my head tentatively. Haylie sat in a chair beside the hospital bed. "Oh my God, you're awake!" She squeezed my hand. The door opened and a doctor walked in with Tyler.

"Ms. Verano, you're awake," the doctor said with a smile. He put on a pair of glasses and whipped out a clipboard.

I tried to sit up. Tyler was by my side in an instant. "Can I have some water?" My voice sounded croaky and gross. Haylie handed me a cup from the nightstand. I turned to grab it from her but as I turned my torso, a piercing pain shot through my pelvis and mid back.

I winced and placed a hand over my stomach. The doctor walked to stand next to Haylie and pressed a button on the side of the bed. The top portion of the bed began to rise, moving me to an upright position. Tyler pulled a chair up beside me and took my hand in his. I noticed his eyes were bloodshot and his cuts on his face and lip had been treated.

"That could've been from the bruises and the fracture. Or the baby, or both," he said, scribbling something down on his clipboard.

"What?" Tyler and I asked at the same time. Except no sound actually came out when I said it. Doc peered at us over the rim of his glasses for a moment then spoke his words carefully.

"You weren't aware, you were pregnant?"

I was too shocked to speak.

"Pregnant? She's pregnant?" Tyler's body was rigid but he spoke the words I couldn't.

"Yes, well she was. A little over 6 weeks." Tyler locked eyes with me silently asking if I'd known. But I hadn't.

"What do you mean 'was'?" Haylie spoke this time. The doctor glanced at her then looked at me and Tyler with tight lips. He stared at our intertwined fingers.

"You had a miscarriage. You lost your baby due to excessive impact to your abdomen. You had a lot of internal bleeding, I'm sorry."

"I—what?" I mouthed, feeling the blood drain from my face.

"I'll leave you folks alone... may I speak to you outside?" Haylie met his gaze, nodded, and followed him out.

Tyler lowered his head on the bed and his shoulders shook silently. I realized he was crying. I stroked his hair, knowing if my eyes weren't so dry I would feel my own tears run down my bruised cheeks. He looked up at me, his eyes even redder than before. He looked as broken as I felt.

"I didn't know," I whispered, averting my eyes toward the door. I thought about feeling sick just days ago and blaming Haylie for it. And how I almost puked after eating the chicken marsala at Katie's reception. Other than that, I hadn't felt any different. There was not a doubt in my mind, as I thought about all the times, we always used protection and we were careful.

But there was always that small chance.

"I can't believe we—I," he leaned forward and placed his head in my lap.

After being monitored, I was finally released from the hospital after Mira and Jack arrived. Mira carried the bag she'd packed with clothes for me to change into and Haylie carried the balloons and stuffed animals she and the guys bought for me. Reed hobbled alongside us with his crutches as we left the hospital. His leg was in a brace. He'd been shot in his leg when he'd tried to go back for the rest of the girls.

By the time the police had arrived at the scene, Jason had gotten away. The police were still looking for him and others that were involved with him. We were questioned about what had happened. I was scared Tyler and his friends' involvement would be discovered but they didn't question them for long.

The cops had shut down the trafficking deal, arresting everyone who hadn't yet fled the scene and releasing the girls in the cell. I hoped Crystal was among them and was getting the help she needed to get home. Tyler had gone to Curtis' funeral shortly after and it made me realize that he'd formed a brotherhood with some of the others in the gang. The way he talked about his late friend made me realize how special of a person he'd been to him and I wished I'd known him longer.

Mira and Jack were given a short synopsis of what happened by the officials when they questioned me, who'd told them they believed I was being watched and was kidnapped for a trafficking exchange and that my friends happened to track me down. I don't know what details the boys shared on how exactly they tracked me down, but everyone seemed to buy their story.

I avoided Mira and Jack's questions and requests for me to attend therapy until they finally dropped it, saying they were just happy I was okay. Unfortunately, they put all of their attention on the fact that I had been pregnant–which the doctor had given them my recovery status because I was underage and had encountered a series of traumatic events. I was relieved that that was a topic they didn't want to talk about after I told them it was the result of a hookup at some party.

Now, Tyler and I sat on the front stairs at home and watched cars passing by. It was almost midnight and we were the only ones awake when he found me in my room and brought me outside. I leaned my head against his shoulder and he had his arms carefully wrapped around my tender sides to keep me warm from the chilly breeze.

"What will you do?" I found the strength to finally ask. He took a moment to answer.

"I'll have to go."I tried to pull away from his arms to look at him but he didn't let me move, keeping his arms secure enough around me without weighing on my fracture and bruises.

"Where will you go?"

"I have to finish this thing with Jason...so we can move on."

"Can't you just—"

"I'll be back."

"When?" When are you going? When will you be back? The questions burned in the back of my throat.

"Tonight." I wanted to protest. Wanted to save him from all of this. He hadn't given me any warning that he planned on going back to see Jason.

Reading my mind he added, "I have to do this. I came too close to losing you. All of this is between me and my father. I'll do what I have to to keep him away from you."

We sat there, with him stubbornly refusing to answer any more of my questions, until it was time for him to go. He helped me up and I wrapped my arms around his neck, not even caring about the stabbing pains in my ribs, afraid of what'll happen to him after I let go. He found my lips and like the very first time, I lost the need to breathe.

He pulled away and leaned his forehead against mine. His finger reached up and caught a tear that fell on my cheek.

Stepping back, he walked down the concrete steps. I watched him walk on foot in the middle of the street. I watched until he disappeared into the night.

Just like that, Tyler Durfee vanished from my life as quickly as he'd come.