I take a coffee from Hunt, nodding gratefully, as I extricate myself from the conversation and walk to Demi.
Mrs. Griffin lifts her head up, smiling softly when she sees me. She knows about my plans because I’ve already paid her handsomely to stay with Henry this weekend.
“I’m going to take a little trip to the bathroom,” she says, giving Demi’s shoulders one last squeeze.
I sit down on Demi’s other side as she lifts her head. She watches Mrs. Griffin walk off before she slowly turns to face me. Her eyes are bloodshot and swollen, her face puffy and red from crying. “Hey.” I hand her the coffee, and she curls her fingers around it while staring straight through me. “How are you holding up?”
She stares numbly at me. “Why are you here?” she asks, her voice devoid of emotion.
“I came the instant I found out because I want to be here for you.”
“Why?” She hugs the coffee cup to her chest.
I smother my nerves because this isn’t about me. “Because I love you. And I love your dad. And there is nowhere else I want to be but right here holding your hand and cradling you in my arms, reminding you that you are not alone, because you have me. You have always had me.”
Her lower lips wobbles, and silent tears roll down her face. Gently, I pry the cup from her hands and set it aside. I open my arms. “Come here.”
I expect her to hesitate or to refuse, but she falls against me, collapsing in a river of tears.
Quietly, our friends exit the room, giving us some privacy. In the other corner, a young child is asleep in his father’s lap. The man nods, and I smile at him as I wrap my arms tighter around Demi.
“I’m so scared, Charlie.” She sniffles, clutching my shirt as she sobs into my chest.
“I know, baby.” I press a kiss to her hair. “We just have to pray he comes through this.”
She looks at me through blurry eyes. “I don’t want him to die,” she sobs, “but I feel so selfish for thinking that since he has little quality of life.”
“I heard the treatment wasn’t working, and I’ve seen how weak he’s become.”
“What? How?” Her tears dry up.
“I’ve been visiting him every week. I made him promise not to tell you.”
“Why?”
“Because I care about him, and I wanted to know if the treatment was working.” I brush hair back off her face. “I was sorry to hear it wasn’t.”
“I can’t believe he didn’t tell me. We tell each other everything.”
I clear my throat. “I wanted him to understand why I pushed you away. I’ve been talking to him about the elite. Sharing my concerns and fears. Letting him know I love you with my whole heart but I’m terrified about dragging you into this world. And he’s been talking to me, helping me work things out, speaking about your mom, and my dad, and I guess we’ve been getting to know each other a bit better.”
It was a combination of Kai’s and Henry’s advice that convinced me to fight for love. Knowing Demi’s dad supports me was a game changer. I laid it all on the line. He’s worried about her, there’s no doubt about that, but he believes in my ability to protect her and keep her safe, and he told me he could die in peace knowing his little girl was going to be looked after.
“What about Corrinna?” she asks, swiping at the moisture under her eyes.
“She lied in a deliberate attempt to thwart my plans. I stupidly told her I was planning on winning you back.” I kiss the end of her nose. “I’m sorry if that hurt you but I can assure you I have zero interest in that woman. The only woman I care about, the only woman I love, is you.”
She flings her arms around my neck, hugging me tight. “I love you too,” she whispers. “I love you so much, and I’ve been in so much pain.”
“I know, baby.” I dot kisses all over her face. “It’s killed me too. Can you ever forgive me?”
“I already have,” she says, her eyes welling up again.
I blink a few times, amazed at her generosity and her ability to forgive so easily. “I don’t deserve that, but thank you.”
“I was so mad earlier,” she says. “And I meant every word of what I said, but these past few hours I’ve been sitting here, thinking about how unpredictable life is, how short our time is with our loved ones, and I don’t want to waste precious time arguing with you.” She palms my cheek. “We still have stuff to discuss, and you are going to grovel.” She pins me with a stern expression. “But all that matters is, we love each other.”
“And we can’t live without one another,” I add, rubbing my nose against hers.
“And we’re in this together no matter what the future holds,” she says.
“Together,” I agree.
Her smile is sad, but as we hold one another, I know we will get through the tough times, because I will hold her up at times when she needs it, and she will be my strength when I need to lean on her.
I hold her flush to my body as I press my lips to her mouth, pouring all my love into my kiss, letting her feel my commitment and my determination, so she knows, without a shadow of doubt, that she will never shoulder any burden alone again.
CHAPTER 19
Demi
“I got you some more stuff from your house,” Charlie says, entering Dad’s private room in the hospital and dropping a duffel bag on the tile floor at my feet.
“Thank you.” I rub his arm as he leans down, pressing a soft kiss to my lips.
“Any change?” he asks, sinking into the seat beside me and wrapping his arm around my shoulders.
I shake my head, unable to form the words. These past four days have been extremely difficult, and I doubt I’d be holding it together if it weren’t for Charlie. He’s my rock, and I’m glad he’s here. He only leaves to grab food or pick up more clothes for me from my house, and I know he’d sleep here too if the nurses didn’t throw him out every night and if he didn’t have a family at home waiting for him. Charlie’s only just reconnected with his mom and sister, and I don’t want to come between them—no matter how often he tells me they understand.
“Has the doctor been around yet?” He holds me tight, planting a kiss in my hair.
“He should be here any minute now.” I’ve come to dread the daily doctor’s visits because the news is never good. Dad had a massive heart attack, depriving his brain of oxygen, and he’s been in a coma ever since. Deep down, I know what it means, but I can’t face it. Not until I’m forced to. I squeeze Dad’s hand, needing the comfort of his warm skin against mine even though I know it’s only an illusion. Dad’s body is failing, and there’s no coming back from this. “And I think today’s the day.” Where he tells me there’s no point keeping him on life support any longer.
“I’m here, babe. Whatever he says, we’ll face it together.” He kisses my cheek, and his eyes shine with compassion. “I might have to step out for a little while this afternoon to take a con call,” he adds. We’ve both taken time off work, but Charlie is the president, so he still needs to take calls and check emails, and he works on and off from this room with an iPad in his lap. “I couldn’t get out of it, but otherwise, I’m stuck to your side.”