I feel a strong hand on my shoulder. “Max, let them take care of her.” I jerk my head around to see Bright and Nicole with a swarm of EMT’s behind them.
Reluctantly, I stand and step away from her. I don’t take my eyes off her. I watch as they check her for injuries and rule out any type of attack. They take her vitals. Her blood pressure is low, but not dangerously so. Nicole asked them. I need to remember to thank her. Words are not something I can form at the moment. I watch as they handle her with care and place her on the gurney. They push her out the door and I’m hot on their heels. “I’m going with her,” I tell them as we reach the life squad.
“Sir, are you family?” they ask me.
“Yes, I’m her fiancé.” The words roll off my tongue.
“Sir, we—”
“That girl is my entire world. I don’t want her to wake up alone and scared. I’m coming with you. I’ll keep my mouth shut; I won’t interfere.” I let them know that this issue is not up for debate.
“Climb in,” the female driver says. I don’t hesitate. It was going to take an army to keep me from it. I’m glad they are seeing things my way.
I zone out on the ride to the hospital. I think back to all the time I’ve spent with her. The thought of my life without her in it is unbearable. I continue my silent prayers to please let her be okay. I promise God and anyone else who is listening—my dad, her mom maybe—that I will love her for the rest of my life. I promise to take care of her, to see her through all of this. I just need her to be okay. Her letter said she didn’t want me to choose between her and JT. What she doesn’t realize is that there was never a choice to be made. She comes first, always. JT and I were friends as kids, our families were friends, but Kensington, she’s my entire world.
We arrive at the emergency room and they whisk her away from me. I try to follow them back to a room, but they won’t let me. I try for the fiancé bit again, and this time it’s not enough. “Sir, you must be family or listed as next of kin. We have a Nicole—”
“That’s me,” Nicole says behind me. “I called her dad and he’s on the way.” She steps beside me and lays her hand on my arm. “I give permission for Maxton to be with her,” she says with authority. I make a mental note to get her a really good gift for Christmas.
“Ma’am, unfortunately, no one is allowed back until we assess her injuries. Please take a seat and we’ll let you know something as soon as we can.” The nurse turns on her heel and scurries down the hallway.
“Come on, man. Let’s take a seat and let them see what’s wrong with her. Her dad will be here soon and we can fill him in,” Bright says.
Defeated, I follow him to the waiting room. Its only occupant a guy with a busted lip and what appears to be his girlfriend. Bright and Nicole take a seat on the opposite side of the room. Taking a seat next to Bright, he hands me a piece of paper. “We found that on the floor,” Nicole says, leaning around him.
“I’m sure after everything that happened, seeing Justin again, it was a shock to her. I’m guessing it freaked her out and she had a panic attack. Our freshman year, it happened a couple of times. Never out longer than a few seconds. This time… she was out for a while,” she says. I watch the tears race down her cheeks before giving the letter in my hands my attention.
Joe, Justin’s brother, both were a part of my childhood, Justin more so than Joe. He’s the one who killed her mom. The one who attacked her with intentions to hurt her. Joe wants to talk to her. Not. Going. To. Happen. I will not let him anywhere near her. I don’t care if it’s a fucking letter he wants to send her; it’s not happening. He’s caused her enough pain.
I toss the letter back to Bright and walk to the window. I rest my head against the cold pane. Closing my eyes, I whisper, “Dad, if you can hear me, please save her. I get it now. I never thought I would, but I do. I can’t explain to you what she means to me, but I know I don’t have to. You already know. Please, if you have any pull whatsoever, bring my girl back to me. We’re just getting started. It hasn’t even been twenty-four hours since I told her I love her, and I do, Dad. My heart is bursting with love for her. I wish you were here to meet her. She’s amazing and smart. She’s so breathtakingly beautiful that sometimes when I look at her, I have to remind myself to breathe. I want to build a life with her, give her our last name, and make you a grandpa. I want it all with her, so I need you to help me. Please, bring her back to me.”
A strong hand grips my shoulder. “Son,” a deep gravelly voice has me opening my eyes. Kensington’s dad is standing beside me, his eyes glassy with tears.
“Mr. James.” I hold my hand out to him. He shakes his head and pulls me into a hug. I’m reminded that she is all he has.
Stepping back, he says, “I heard you. Just now talking to your dad. I’m so glad she found you, Max. My little girl has been broken for so long. Since she met you, she smiles more; she’s actually living again. I cannot thank you enough,” he tells me.
“Don’t thank me, sir. Loving Kensington is as easy as breathing. I meant every word,” I tell him, referring to my one-sided conversation with my father. “Loving her is an honor and a privilege that I would love to have for the rest of my life.” I lay it out there for him. He might as well know my intentions.
“That’s a long time, son,” he replies.
“Yes, and it still won’t be long enough. I love her, sir. I want to ask her to marry me, give her my last name, babies, a house, a dog. Anything and everything she wants, I want to be the one to give it to her.”
“Are you asking my permission?”
“No, sir. Don’t get me wrong, I would be honored for you to give it to me, but I don’t need it to love her.”
He smiles. “You’re a good man, Maxton. I have no doubt you will take care of her. I would be thrilled to have you as a part of our family.”
“The family of Kensington James,” a nurse calls, walking in to the room. The four of us walk toward her. “This way please.” She leads us into a private room just like the one we were just in, only smaller. “The doctor will be right with you.” She turns and walks away.
The four of us stand and stare at the door, waiting for the doctor to give us even a tiny shred of information.
“Mr. James?” a tall slender guy says, walking into the room. “I’m Dr. Knolls. I’ve been treating your daughter. Is it all right to speak freely or would you prefer we step out?” he asks.
I grit my teeth. “No, these three are just as much her family as I am. What’s wrong with my daughter? Is she awake?” he asks.
“Yes, she’s awake and doing well. It seems she passed out. From the information we got from her, it was a panic attack. Not to mention she was dehydrated and hadn’t eaten since yesterday morning. She was able to give me her history. I want to admit her for observation and some IV fluids. She should be able to go home tomorrow. They’re getting her set up in a room, and then you will be able to see her.
“Thank you.” Her dad reaches out to shake the doctor’s hand. I do the same.
I try to relax. The doctor said she’s going to be okay. Leaning my head back against the wall, I close my eyes and silently thank my dad and her mom for keeping her safe. Now I just need to see her. To see with my own eyes she’s awake and then maybe this tightness in my chest will ease up. I won’t be able to breathe with ease until she’s back in my arms where she belongs.
I’VE ONLY BEEN in my own room for five minutes when there is a knock on the door. I expect to see Maxton, but it’s the doctor.
“Kensington, we got some of your test results back. I wanted to rule out a few things even though, from the history you gave me, I feel confident what you experienced was a severe panic attack. I did find something in the results,” he says, flipping through my chart. “Your blood test came back positive for pregnancy. Congratulations. I’ll have the obstetrician who is on call today stop in to make sure everything is okay with the baby from the fall. Where you aware that you were expecting?”