There was no response. Only the constant beeping of her heart monitor, and the faint hum of the other machines. “I love you. More than I thought possible. I didn’t think I could ever let anyone in again. But you and those tiny terrors… You wormed your way into my heart. So, you don’t get to leave now.”

A tear splashed against our joined hands; it was the only way I even knew I was crying. “I’ve lost too many people I’ve loved, Caelyn. Don’t you leave me, too.”

50

Caelyn

I seemed to drift through foggy pain. Occasionally, voices pulled at me. Sounds I wanted to move towards, but I couldn’t seem to find my way there.

“Come on, Caelyn. You can do it. The doctor says you’re trying to wake up. Open those eyes.”

Griffin. I wanted to see him. His blue eyes. Heck, I’d even take his scowl. I let out a groan.

“There you go. Keep fighting. Come back to me. I need you.”

My eyelids fluttered. But they felt as if someone had tied tiny weights to my lashes. Griffin squeezed my hand, and I fought harder. Light flared, blinding me for a moment, and then my view was full of Griffin. Tears glistened in his eyes. “You’re awake.”

“Hi,” I croaked.

He reached for a cup with a straw. “Here, take a small sip.”

The water was like a balm to my throat, soothing the burn there. But before long, Griffin was pulling it away. “I don’t want you getting sick. How do you feel?”

“Everything hurts.” And my mind was muddied. I was in a hospital, but why—? My eyes widened. “Mia, is she okay? Ava and Will?”

Griffin brought my hand to his chest. “They’re fine. Everyone’s fine. They’re in the waiting room. When you’re ready, we’ll bring them in. But I want you to take it easy.”

I sagged back against the bed. My side screamed in protest, hot, burning pain engulfing me. Griffin must have seen me wince because he pushed in even closer. “Are you okay? Do you want me to call the nurse?”

“No. No. I just want to be with you for a minute. Am I? Is everything okay?”

Griffin brushed the hair back from my face. “You’re going to be fine. Now that you’ve woken up, they say you’ll make a full recovery. But…”

“But what?” The stark fear on Griffin’s face, the pain, it had me gripping his hand even harder.

“Your heart stopped twice. I almost lost you.” His voice cracked, emotion leaking through his words. “I don’t know what I would’ve done.”

“I’m here. I’m right here.” I pulled my hand from his grasp and framed his face with my hands, fingers rubbing against the stubble on his cheeks. “I’m not going anywhere.”