Relentless

50

I felt so numb as I walked through the hallways, trying to figure out where to go. I needed to escape my thoughts. They weren't good.

"You're better off dead."

"Do you need help ma'am?" A nurse asked as I walked passed, staring forward. "No, thank you." I mumbled and kept moving forwards. I just wanted to sit down with my thoughts.

I was gonna be okay.

I walked out to the courtyard and sat down on the bench. I scrubbed my face with my hands as I tried to comprehend what just happened.

Did I make a mistake by being nice to her?

"Cor.." Colby said as he tried to catch his breath. "I'm okay." I mumbled and looked up at him, "are you?" He asked and sat next to me, wrapping his arms around me. "No." I whispered, feeling the exhaustion take over.

"what she said wasn't true, Cor. It's never going to be true. Please don't hide how you're feeling right now." He said as I rested my head on his chest. "She said everything I have been thinking." I mumbled as he tightened his grip.

"No. You're both wrong. You have a heart of gold Cora. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me, and to so many people. You're not crazy, and none of us would be better off without you. I'll tell you that every single minute of every single day until you believe it." He said as I sniffled.

Maybe he was right.

I wasnt forcing anyone to hang out with me or love me. I didn't force Colby to marry me.

I wasn't the problem.

"Thank you." I whispered and nuzzled my face into his chest. "How's my dad?" I asked and pulled myself away, "don't know, I ran after you as soon as Stephanie was sedated. Come on, we can go see him." He said and stood up holding his hand out to me.

I took his hand and stood up, "I'm proud of you, ya know." Colby said as he laced his fingers through mine. "Why? Because I didn't have an absolute meltdown?" I asked with a laugh, "if that's how you wanna put it then sure." He said and kissed the side of my head. I felt the dark cloud over my head as we walked back to the room, but I tried to ignore it.

Colby was right.

I was going to be okay.

When we got to the room my dad sat up, "are you okay sweetie? You know she didn't mean it, she didn't take he-" he started but I shook my head, "I'm okay dad, are you okay?" I asked and came over to sit next to him, "thanks to you, I am. How did you know to come back?" He asked as Colby sat next to me.

"I had a weird feeling in my chest...it was the same feeling I had before you had the heart attack." I said with a sigh as he laughed, "ohhhh that must be the microchip I installed in you when you were a baby." He said as I rolled my eyes, "wait, you're telling me I can do that? I need to do that." Colby said as my dad laughed.

"Yeah, it's really easy. You can track her and everything, I can send you a link to the DIY." My dad said as I rolled my eyes, "oh great thanks dad, that will be helpful when we go to Hawaii." Colby said and looked at me.

"What?" I asked as he grinned at me, "nothing." He said with a shrug as my dad stifled a laugh, "no seriously what did you say?" I asked as he shrugged, "I think the exhaustion is getting to you, I didn't say anything." He said as I rolled my eyes again.

"Whatever. I seriously am exhausted though, will you be okay if we leave, dad?" I asked and stood up, "yeah, I'll have them lock my door for the night, get some rest squirt, you need it." My dad said as I leaned down to kiss his cheek, "love you, dad." I said then let Colby hug him, "love you too, thanks for saving my life. I'll see you tomorrow." He said as we went out into the hallway.

"I'm seriously ready for bed." I mumbled as we walked down the hall, "say no more." Colby said and scooped me into his arms, "I can walk!" I said with a giggle as he walked outside, "I can't hear you." He said causing me to roll my eyes, "you're impossible, Brock." I said as he set me down to call an Uber.

The drive home was fast, which I was grateful for because my eyes were seriously having a hard time staying open. I didn't argue with Colby this time when he picked me up and carried me inside.

He went straight to my room and laid me on the bed, "goodnight baby girl, I'll be right back. I'm gonna check on Mia." He said but sounded so far away as I drifted off into the blackness.

When I woke up Colby wasn't in the room. Did he ever come back to bed? I couldn't recall cuddling up to him. "Colby?" I asked and sat up, rubbing my eyes. He didn't respond so I got up to go check out the rest of the house.

When I walked out into the living room Colby was laying on the couch, with Mia sleeping on his chest.

"They're really cute aren't they?" Devyn said as she came up next to me with a cup of coffee in her hand, "honestly and truly." I said and crossed my arms over my chest, watching them, "it's not polite to stare." Colby mumbled with his eyes closed as he brought his hand to his forehead.

"Sorry, don't be so cute and I won't stare." I said and walked over to the couch to kiss his cheek before turning to go into the kitchen.

"Was your dad okay?" Devyn asked as she sat at the table with her coffee, "oh my god Dev, Stephanie tried to kill him!" I said as Sam came in the room, "she tried to what?" He asked as I started getting the stuff out to make pancakes.

"She tried to kill my dad, I seriously don't know what to do. I tried being nice to her, I tried giving her the benefit of the doubt...I just don't know what I'm supposed to do." I said with a sigh, feeling the frustration boil up.

"We should kill her." Jake said as I rolled my eyes,'"no Jake. Murder isn't the answer. I don't know what is though." I said with a sigh as Colby came in holding Mia, "mama." She said and reached for me. "Hi sweet girl, are you gonna help mama make some pancakes?" I asked and bounced her on my hip.

"Mama swim!" She said and took a handful of my hair yanking it. "We don't have a pool here, honey.." I said and frowned, "don't worry Mia, we will take you swimming really soon." Colby said and came over to kiss her head.

"Oh my god, Mia is going to lose her mind." Tara said as I looked at her with confusion, "why?" I asked as she shrugged, "when she gets to swim w-" she started but was interrupted by Kat kicking her under the table.

"When she gets to swim with us at home again." Sam said and smiled as I just blinked at them. "You guys are weird." I said then turned to start cooking.

Mia was mesmerized as I flipped the pancakes, "she's gonna be obsessed with pancakes too, just watch." Kat said as she grabbed the plate of done pancakes which made Mia fuss and whine. "Good. I knew I was raising her right." I said with a nod.

As we ate breakfast I tried to remind myself that these people loved me and that Stephanie was wrong. She was just a cancer, plaguing my life that I just had to deal with.

I just wish I knew how to navigate the situation.

A/N: hey guys, I know you're used to me updating a lot in a day but this might be it for today...I'm not in a great headspace and I'm second guessing everything I write. I'm sorry for the not so great chapter :/ I'm trying.