Lying With Temptation (15 page)

             
Linc walks up beside me and pulls me into his side, “Gabby I’m going to the hospital with you.”

             
I shake my head, “No Linc please go get some rest.  This part is something I need to do alone.  You need rest, come down in the morning and we’ll have breakfast or something.”

             
“Gabby I do-“

             
I cut him off by kissing him, “Linc, thank you. I just need to face this by myself. I know how I’m starting to feel about you and I don’t want that to get confused with all that’s going on right now okay?”

             
He nods, “Okay, I can handle that…but you will call me if you need me.”  He looks down at me intently, “No more running Gabby.  If you’re hurting or someone hurts you, you call me.”

             
I nod, “Okay.”

             
Anna comes out and gets in her car, we pull away looking at our friends.

~*~

Linc

             
Was she saying what I think she was saying…that she wants to be with me?  As if right on cue Russ puts his hand on my shoulder, “Linc man let’s go inside and get some rest. We’ll go down to the hospital in the morning.  Don’t over think this man.  She wants her head to be clear when you guys get together…given her past experiences, do you blame her?”

             
“No man…I just wanna be there for her.  She’s just so…beautiful, she captivates me.”

             
“Dude seriously don’t go all goofy on me.”

             
We grab all the bags and walk into Cade’s house.  His mom greets us at the door and hugs us, “Thank you boys and Daria for coming with them.  I’m glad they’ve made friends like you.”  She smiles and looks at Daria, “Ok, let’s get all of you settled for the night and you can go check on Gabby in the morning.” She looks back at me, “Now I watched the game today, Linc are you okay to go to sleep now?  How many hours did the doctor say we needed to watch you?”

             
“I’m fine ma’am I’m past the 8 hours.”

             
She nods, “Okay well you and Russ will have to flip for the couch or the spare bedroom.  Cade I suppose you want Daria to stay with you?”

             
Cade looks confused, “Uh well…”

             
“Son don’t play dumb with me…You’re in college…I know how it goes there.”

             
“Well then, yes I want her to stay with me.”

             
Daria looks like she may pass out, “Are you sure Ms. Johnson?  I mean I….”

             
Lydia laughs, “Sweetheart its Lydia and yes I’m sure.  Let’s just put it this way. If Gabby thinks that much of you as protective as she and Cade are of each other, then I know you care about my son.”

             
Daria blushes, I think that’s the first time I’ve ever seen her blush.  “Okay thank you Ms…ugh Lydia.”

             
Russ looks at me, “You can have the bed man, I’m gonna watch TV for a little bit, I slept a bunch on the way here.”

             
“Thanks man.”

I grab up my bag and
Cade shows me which room to go to.  I strip down to my boxers and fall on the bed.  I think I’m going to send Gabby a text to let her know I’m thinking of her.

             
Me:  Hey are you okay?

             
Gabby:  Yeah just…I don’t know how to

feel

Me:  You’re a good person, you will figure it out.

             
Gabby: Get some sleep Thank you ;)

             
Me:  Ok Goodnight

Chapter 20

Gabby

             
I hate hospitals…they smell and they’re creepy.
  As soon as my Mom sees Anna and I come around the corner she runs to us and hugs us.  “Gabby I’m so glad you made it here safe and sound.  Umm Elle still isn’t awake, do you wanna go over and speak to Mary and Todd?”

             
I nod my head, Elle’s parents had always been good to me.   They were those kind of parents that were more your friend than parent, maybe that’s why my Mom felt so protective over Elle.  I walk over to Mary and put my hand on her shoulder, she and Todd both look up at me and Mary gasps, “Oh Gabby, I’m so glad you’re here.  I know you two had some disagreements but she still loves you and I know you still love her.  Why don’t I take you back there, we’ve had several people try to wake her up and no one’s voice is doing it…maybe yours will.”

             
I nod and we walk through the double doors, Mary stops to tell the nurses at the station why I’m back there.  I really can’t feel or hear anything but the humming of the machines.  I feel cold and distant when Mary pulls me into Elle’s room.  “Here you go Gabby I’ll leave you guys alone for a minute or two.  Try to keep it short okay.”

             
I nod, “Yes Ma’am.”

             
I walk over to the edge of the bed, she looks so frail and banged up.  Her face is wrapped and covered in places.  I can tell some of her hair is gone, she’s going to freak out about some of the bald spots she’s going to be stuck with.  Okay enough of this shit…”Elle, wake your ass up.”  I grab her hand, “Damn it I mean it wake up.  I came over seven hours to makes sure you’re okay even though I’m pissed with you.  Now get the fuck up.”

             
All of a sudden I feel her hand twitch, and she’s mumbling something, “Stoo ye a e”

             
I wipe a tear from my eye, “What did you say?”

             
Her eyes flutter, in a whisper she says,
“Stop yelling at me.”

             
“Oh shit Elle let me get the doctor.”  I run to the nurse in the hall and tell her that she’s awake.  Once I get back in the room she’s looking around.

             
“Gabby what happened? Why are you here? Where is Leslie?”

             
“Shh Elle, wait for the doctor okay.”

             
Her Mom and Dad come bursting in the room hugging me, “God I’m so glad I brought you back here.  I knew if anyone could wake her up it would be you.”

             
After about an hour of doctors checking her and looking at her, the doctor sends her parents in to tell her what happened.  I could hear her crying and even though I was still so angry with her I couldn’t bring myself to not hurt for her in this moment.  After her parents walk out, I go back in.

             
I look at her now fully awake on the bed, “Um hey.”

             
“Hey.”

             
“So they say your surgery went well.”

             
“Yeah, but they must’ve all been pretty scared if they called you in here.”

             
“Well, yeah, um when Reece got ahold of Cade and I we came as quickly as we could.”

             
She takes a deep breath, “Oh Gabby, I’ve made a mess of my life.  You were my best friend, you did everything, you took care of me, you defended me and what did I do…I still hurt you. Now I’ve killed Leslie…I’m just so fucked up.”

             
“Elle tell me what happened in the wreck.”

             
“Leslie and I were on our way to the bar because I’d gotten a call from someone saying that Reece was down there with someone else.  I was so angry…I mean I don’t know why I would be shocked or anything…its Reece, but I was speeding down there and I ran a Red light, the passenger side took most of the impact.”

             
“Elle I’m sorry this happened to you.”

             
“Funny Huh, All the karma catching up with me.”

             
“No not at all.  Listen I’m gonna go I’ll stop back by tomorrow.”

             
“Okay.”

             
As I walk out of that room I exhale not realizing I’d been holding my breath this entire time.  My Mom and Anna run to me, my Mom wraps me in a hug and holds me, “Honey are you okay?  They said she woke up when you went in there. I just knew she needed her best friend to wake her up.  You girls have always been there for each other.”

             
“Yes she’s talking now.” I look over to my sister, “Anna will you take me home? I’m exhausted.” 
No we haven’t always been there for each other…it seems petty but I was the one ALWAYS there…her not so much.

             
She smiles, “Yeah sure…Mom you wanna ride?”

             
“No you girls go on, I’m going to stay here with Mary and Todd for a little bit longer. I’ll see if since she’s awake I can talk them into eating or getting some coffee.”

~*~

              Anna and I drove in silence back home.  As soon as we pull into the driveway I knew the only place I wanted to be at that moment was with Linc. “Anna I’m going to stay at Cade’s, you wanna come with me or are you going home?”

             
“No I’ll come with you, I don’t want to be alone in the house tonight.”

             
I walk up on Cade’s door step and get the hide a key from its spot and open the front door.  Russ pops his head up, “Hey what are you guys doing here?”

             
I look at him, “Neither of us wanted to stay alone.”

             
“Oh, well the other couch is over there and I’ll get on the floor.”

             
I shake my head, “No, Anna you grab the other couch, I’m going upstairs.” I knew which room Linc would be in. It was basically my room, the one I had stayed in over the years.  I quietly open the door and sure enough he is there sleeping so peaceful.  I quietly slide open the dresser where I used to keep some sleepwear stashed and lucky for me I still have an oversized t shirt and a pair of boxers.  I strip down and pull on the boxers and shirt.  I slowly pull the cover back and slide into bed beside Linc. He jumps a little, and with a groggy sigh, “Hey what are you doing in here pretty girl?”

             
I look at him and whisper, “I just needed someone to hold me.”

             
He smiles, “Come on.”  He pulls me into his embrace and holds me against his chest where I fall asleep.

~*~

              I wake up the next morning to someone stroking my hair, for a second I’m trying to remember where I am and who I’m with.  Then all of yesterday’s events come flashing back to me.  I turn over and see Linc looking at me, like he was in a dream.

             
He smiles, “Good morning.”

             
I stretch, “Good morning.”

             
“How did everything go at the hospital?”

             
“Well, it was sad.  I felt a pain in the pit of my stomach like I’ve never felt.  Her Mom asked me to go in there and get her to wake up since no one else seemed to be able to.  So I went in there and did just that, I pushed just like I always had to do where Elle is concerned.  We said some pleasantries to each other she told me how the wreck happened. Then she apologized and I left.  After that I asked Anna to take me home.  I want to forgive her…I want to have my friend back…only now I realize she was no friend really.  Everything I remember…it’s like I woke up and realized that our friendship was one sided.  I don’t think anyone else sees that, certainly not my Mother.”

             
Linc brushes the hair back out of my face, “Its okay Gabby, you weren’t expecting to have to deal with all of this yesterday when you got out of bed.  You have been working to get past all of this betrayal and it is kinda like you woke up and realized what your life had been like.  I felt the same way when I thought about my relationship with Jules.”

             
“I know, but I feel almost guilty still.  I mean I’m hurting because I don’t have many memories of my childhood without her, but as far as who we are now…I don’t know how I feel now. I’m happy just lying here with you right now.”

             
“Okay well I’m happy just lying here too.”

             
I guess we doze back off, because now I hear Cade knocking on the door.  “Guys get up…Gabby I know you’re in there.”

             
I whisper,
“Ugh, why must he call me out like that?”

             
“Come on guys up, Mom is cooking breakfast and I don’t wanna know what you’re doing in there.”

             
I’m getting pissed, “Shut up Cade! I was sleeping in here.”  I get up and snatch open the door, “I didn’t get in until like 2am from the fucking hospital.”