At her words my body froze.
“Yes. I understand. Thank you.”
Ending the call, she sat back down, then shakily tried to stand back up.
“Hey, easy there,” I said, helping her up. “Tell me what he said.”
Instead of answering me, she said, “He was supposed to be here by now.”
“Lucy,” I snapped my finger in front of her face a few times. “Focus. What did Jameson say?”
“It wasn’t Jameson. It was a nurse. Jameson was in an accident, he…he is going into surgery in half an hour.”
I waited to hear more, but she just stood there, staring at me helplessly.
“Come on, we are leaving,” I said, pulling her along with me.
We exited the club in a hurry and jumped into the first cab we saw sitting at the curb. Thankfully, there were no paparazzi around to capture our departure.
“Jason,” Lucy said in a tearful voice. “You didn’t tell Jason you were leaving.”
“I know. I don’t have my phone with me so I’ll have to text him from your phone. Let’s just focus on getting to Jameson before he goes into surgery, okay? The hospital is close enough, we should make it there in time.” I gave her hand a squeeze. She hadn’t let go of it ever since we’d run out of the bathroom.
Her grip tightened on mine and I heard her breath hitch.
“Can we please go a little faster?” I begged the cab driver.
Lucy dropped her head on my shoulder. “You were right, the other day. I love him,” she confessed, then more heatedly, added, “And I hate him for making me fall in love with him.”
“Baby,” I said gently, trying not to laugh. “I’m sure he is already aware of that fact. Even your professors know.”
“I always push him away.” Her voice broke. “I didn’t even tell him that I hate him. He should know how much I hate him for making me fall in love with him.”
Maneuvering my arm from under her head, I hugged her to me and held on. “If he doesn’t know—even though I’m pretty sure he does—you’ll tell him before he goes into surgery okay? He’ll be happy to finally hear the words from your mouth. We’re almost there, sweetheart.”
As soon as the cab dropped us at the emergency entrance, we rushed inside and found a nurse that could help us. We made it to his side just before they took him into the operating room, but seeing him unconscious and all banged up didn’t help Lucy calm down at all. Before they could wheel him away from us, I heard Lucy’s heated whisper, since you made me fall in love with you, you better get well soon so I can torture you for what you did to me!
His doctor assured us that even though his injuries were serious, they weren’t life threatening. Apparently, his motorcycle had collided with a speeding car. He had a broken leg and multiple fractures to his shoulder blade and forearm along with various cuts and bruises.
“Tell me he is going to be okay, Olive,” Lucy said once we sat down in the waiting room.
“He is going to be okay, Lucy. You heard his doctor, he is in good hands.” She nodded and kept silent.
“You should call his friends,” I said after some time. “I’m sure he’d like to see them once it is okay for him to have visitors.”
“Here, I forgot.” She handed me her phone. “You should call Jason first. I’m sure he is wondering where the hell you are. I’ll call Jameson’s friends after that.”
I took the phone. “I’ll be right back. Don’t move from this seat.”
Meeting my eyes for the first time since we’d gotten the phone call, she gave me a small smile. “Thank you, Olive.”
I huffed. “For what?”
“For holding me up. For running out of there without a second thought.” Her eyes started to water, but she had a small grin on her face when she said, “I’m not sure I could’ve left Jason Thorn behind for you.”
“I’m sure enough for both of us. You wouldn’t leave his side for a moment. You made that pretty clear.” I said. “And save those crocodile tears for Jameson; I’m sure he’ll be happy to see how much you care.”
She gave me a laugh; it was shaky, but I would take it. “That bastard would like that, wouldn’t he? He would probably puff out his chest and let everyone know that I cried for him.” Sighing, she shook her head. “Go ahead and call your husband. I’ll wait right here.”
Not wanting to go too far away from Lucy, I found a quiet corner where I could still keep Lucy in sight and quickly dialed Jason’s number. It rang several times and then his voicemail picked up. I left him a short message that explained where I was and what had happened and asked him to call me back before he came charging in there. It was his friend’s night and he didn’t have that many friends around him; I didn’t want him to leave abruptly when there was nothing he could do at the hospital.
Taking my seat next to Lucy again, I shook my head at her. “He isn’t picking up. I left him a voicemail and I’m sure he’ll get back to me when he sees it.”
We settled down in our seats and the waiting game started.
After four hours, Jameson was out of surgery.
After those same four hours, there was still no call from Jason.
***
At 5:30 AM, I was using Lucy’s key to get into the apartment, and I was doing some major praying and begging to anyone that was listening up there that I wouldn’t come face to face with Charlotte or Marcus. When I managed to sneak into Lucy’s room without waking anyone up, I sighed a breath of relief. I didn’t actually know if anyone was home, but to be on the safe side, I tried my best not to make any noise and packed up a change of clothes for both Lucy and me. I left the building just as quietly as I had come in.
At that moment, I was more worried about not hearing back from Jason. At first, I’d thought maybe he was angry at me for not letting him know I was leaving with Lucy, but then I thought maybe he wasn’t angry at all but just couldn’t come to the hospital because everyone would recognize him. I also thought that was a lame excuse.
But then, why wouldn’t he call me back? Why wouldn’t he respond to any of my voicemails? Had something happened back at the club that I wasn’t aware of?
Maybe an earthquake had hit?
When I made it back to the hospital, Lucy was sitting exactly where I had left her.
“Any word from the doctors?” I asked as I put down the small bag on the seat in between us.”
“Still in ICU. They’ll let me know when I can see him. I left voicemails for a few of his friends, I’m sure they’ll get down here as soon they get it.”
“His family?”
She shook her head and finally looked at me. She looked better than before, but I could see that she was struggling to sit up straight. What a cluster fuck of a night for both of us.
“He has an aunt and a grandma, but they live in Florida. I’m not sure if they’ll be up for the travel. I’ll let him call them himself. Why didn’t you change your clothes back at the apartment?”
“Wasn’t sure if anyone was home.” I gave her a half-shrug and tightened my hand on the bag’s handle. “Didn’t want to risk waking them up with the noise.”