Bittersweet, page 10
He sat with her again but stayed silent.
“So is this a bad time to ask more? I mean, what am I dealing with here? How bad am I?”
From what she could see there were a lot of tiny scars and tender spots all over her arms and legs, though her right side was the more damaged. Her lower calf and all foot were bandaged. Tyler watched as she tried to examine herself. She slowly traced her fingers across her face, and it didn’t feel that bad. Her lips felt really dry, and the top of her head was tender, but otherwise she didn’t feel too many scrapes and bruises there.
“You’re beautiful.”
“Liar.” She smiled, knowing she must have looked awful, but he was still sweet for denying it.
“You have a minor head injury; that’s why you’re probably still feeling uncomfortable,” he said, tracing his finger across the top of her head. “When the truck first made impact, your body flew forward, and you hit your head on the dashboard. A lot of the cuts and bruises were caused by the shattered windshield. The car was pushed from the impact. It zoomed a few feet away before crashing into a streetlamp. When it did, you flew to the backseat again. They wouldn’t let me see you. They insisted that I get checked out no matter how many times I told them I was fine.”
He cleared his throat, and she could tell he was trying hard not to cry. “When they brought you to the hospital, they rushed you right in. You were far worse off than my worst nightmare. I ran to you as they rushed you down the hallway, and you whispered my name before you passed out.” He smiled and then exhaled before looking away again. “You’d lost so much blood, and I could see the glass fragments all over you. While they tried to clean you up, they noticed some unusual discoloration and swelling around your stomach and found out there was some internal bleeding. The lining of your spleen was torn. They rushed you into the ICU and gave you an IV for fluids. You had to wear an oxygen mask, and you had a few blood transfusions. They tried their best, but it wasn’t working out, so a couple days later they decided to finally operate to try to repair what they could.”
“That sounds like my kind of luck, but what happened to my ankle?”
“You sprained it,” he whispered, then sighed. “I have never been so afraid in my life, Jenna. Things seemed to go well after the operation. Well, the bleeding stopped anyway, but then you got sick. They told me an infection had developed, and they had to keep you out of it until the treatment worked.”
“So exactly how long have we been here?” She said “we” knowing he’d been by her side the whole time.
“A little over a month.”
“More than a month?” It felt longer, or at least it’d been so much longer when she’d thought Tyler was dead.
It was a lot to take in. She was happy to be alive, of course, and that her husband was alive. She loved him, but she also loved Brady, or thought she did, even though logic told her he couldn’t be real. She wanted him to be. All of it had seemed so real at one time. It made a girl wonder, and she began to second-guess herself. Was she a horrible person to be in love with two men at once, knowing that one may be no more than a figment of her drug- and illness-twisted imagination?
Chapter Eleven
“Are you okay?”
She nodded. “It’s just all so overwhelming and nothing like I woke up thinking. How is Jayden?”
“I wondered how long it would take before you asked about him,” Tyler said with a smile. “He’s always been a momma’s boy.”
“And I love that fact. Let’s hope that hasn’t changed,” she said as her stomach knotted with anxiety. The first time she’d seen him, she’d freaked out. She hadn’t seen him since, not that she blamed them for keeping him away, but still, she really missed him.
He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. “Not a chance. It’s been hard on him, but he’s a tough little boy, and now that you’re doing so well, it’ll only get better. He’s been with our parents a lot. They take turns watching him, and I’ve gone to see him whenever I could. The house has been pretty crowded since your parents temporarily moved in, and I can’t wait to get you home so things can get back to normal.”
“I imagine you’ve probably spent most of your time here, right?”
Tyler smiled. “I hate when I have to leave, but it gets stressful, and your mom has kicked me out a few times.”
“She has?” That shocked her but made her laugh too. “It was probably for your own good.”
“Probably. It gave me the opportunity to spend time with Jayden or help out at work. They’ve got to where they’re not as shocked to see me as they were at first. I’m on a leave of absence, but on the odd occasion, Alex would let me help her out. I needed that escape. She’s working an interesting case involving a minor in an armed robbery, and I helped her put together some of the defense strategies.”
“Sounds interesting, and I bet its killing you that you’ve been away for so long,” she teased, knowing how much Tyler adored being a lawyer. He was a man who loved a challenge and a good argument.
He laughed, but she sensed there was something he wasn’t telling her. “Is there anything else?”
“No, why?” His laughter died, his face flushed, and he became serious suddenly. She could tell he was being evasive but didn’t have it in her to argue. It was probably something small that he thought would upset her to learn about while she was recovering. She changed the subject. “So this Alex is a woman, huh? I don’t think I’ve met her. Is she new?”
“Not really.”
Maybe teasing him would take the edge off whatever he wasn’t saying. “So then she’s pretty. Should I be worried?”
“That’s ridiculous, Jenna, for you to even ask that,” he snapped. “I mean I can’t believe that you would.”
Her being in the hospital for so long had to have been stressful on everyone and it was beginning to show in Tyler. She was still annoyed, though. They used to be able to tease each other. What was the problem?
“No need to get so worked up. Geez, Tyler, lighten up.”
She watched as he studied her and felt the bed shift as he came closer. “I’m sorry, Jenna. Everything’s just been so hard, and I guess I just needed to vent a little.” He sighed, running his hands through his hair. “Okay, so she’s pretty, but she’s nothing compared to you.”
“I must be so appealing right now, huh?”
“Very.” He leaned in for a kiss. “I can’t wait to get you home. I’ll be able to properly show you how pretty you are then.”
“Now that’s appealing.” Going home was something she looked forward to. “I need to see Jayden,” she whispered. She could feel the lump in her throat and couldn’t help the tears. She was still worried about her little boy.
Tyler nodded and wiped the tears from her face. “That’s a good idea. He misses you just as much.”
When her mother walked in, Jenna asked, “Mom? Where’s Jayden?” She pictured him running in with excitement.
“He’ll be up in a minute. He suckered your dad in when they passed by the gift shop. Now let’s hope they don’t buy the whole store.”
Jenna smiled but was impatient for his arrival. She hadn’t even had the chance to hug him the last time she’d seen him.
“He’s coming, Jenna, have patience.” Tyler smiled and laughed when she childishly stuck out her tongue.
When he came in, Jayden hid behind a large bouquet of flowers but remained by his grandfather’s side. Jenna’s smile soon turned into a look of concern. “Jayden?” She reached out to him, trying not to show how much his reaction hurt.
He didn’t move.
Tyler got up and spoke to her parents. “I know you just got here, but could you give us a few minutes?”
“Sure, we’ll go grab a coffee,” her father said.
He lifted Jayden into his arms and walked to Jenna’s bed. “Jayden, don’t you want to see Mommy?”
His little head bobbed, and he peeked at Jenna from behind the flowers before hiding his face again.
“It’s okay, honey. Are you feeling afraid?” Jenna asked.
He nodded and finally looked at her. “Mommy, are you going to die?”
“No, Jayden, I’m not going anywhere. Why would you think that?”
“Because last time you said you were dead.”
She laughed humorlessly at her stupidity. “I did, and I’m sorry. Mommy was overwhelmed and a little afraid at the time, but I was never dead, Jayden, and I shouldn’t have said so.” She felt terrible. What kind of mother put her child through so much trauma? It was unspeakable. “I missed you.”
“I missed you too, Mommy.” Jayden leaped into her arms and cuddled close, and the flowers he held were in her face, but she didn’t mind. “When are you coming home?”
“Soon, baby, I promise.” She took the flowers he offered and put them next to her bed. “Thank you, they’re beautiful, and I feel so much better already, especially having you here with me. I love you, Monkey.” She had to make it up to him and was now determined more than ever to go home.
Her father poked his head in the doorway to make sure the coast was clear. “Did we come at a bad time?”
“Perfect timing, come on in.” Tyler got up to socialize across the room with her parents, giving Jenna and Jayden some much-needed bonding time. Visiting hours came to an end way too soon, and nobody but Jenna thought it was good that Jayden stay with her through the night. She couldn’t help but be selfish, though.
Jayden cried and clung to her. “No, I want to stay with Mommy.”
She needed to reassure him before he left, but her mother acted too fast and tried to take him away. “Give me a minute,” Jenna snapped. “Everyone out, please, I need a few minutes with my son, and I would appreciate the privacy.”
Ignoring their protests, she concentrated on calming him. “Jayden, I need you to know that Mommy isn’t going anywhere. Do you understand? I need you to know that you can come see me anytime now that I’m feeling better, and I need you to understand that I’m going to be coming home soon. So I don’t want you to be afraid, because there is no reason to be. I’ll be there as soon as I can. Okay?”
“But why can’t I stay?” he whined, and it made her laugh.
“Because it’s almost bedtime, and Grandma needs you to stay with her right now. She loves when she visits you, and she knows I’ll be coming home soon. When that happens, Grandma and Poppa will be going back to Cornwall.”
“But it’s not the same when Grandma puts me to bed. She doesn’t tell me any good stories, and when she tries she never says them right.”
She laughed again and tried to picture it. “Okay, my tired boy, I will tell you your bedtime story tonight if you promise me that you’re going to be brave for me. After the story, you’ll have to go back with Grandma for the night, and I’ll see you in the morning. So remember the faster you go to sleep, the faster we’ll see each other again. Okay?”
He nodded.
She stuck to one of his favorite stories and sighed when it worked because it didn’t take long for Jayden to fall asleep beside her.
Tyler walked in on an already sleeping boy. “Are you ready to part with him until tomorrow?”
She nodded. “I don’t think he’ll be putting up much of a fight anymore.”
“I’m not surprised.” Tyler chuckled. “It was quite a day, and he always felt safest with you.”
“Momma’s boy,” she whispered with more confidence than earlier. She just had to make up for scaring him so badly. She watched as her Tyler picked up their son and left.
Tyler chuckled when he returned a few minutes later. “I was impressed, by the way,” he said. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen your mother speechless before.”
“It wasn’t my intention to upset her.” The last thing she needed was more guilt. “It’s just that Jayden has a fear of losing me, and I needed a few more minutes to calm him down.”
“I understand why you did it, Jenna, and you don’t’ have to justify yourself. I honestly thought your mother would’ve known better than to try to come between you and your son. Hell, I even know better than that.”
She laughed at his teasing tone. “What can I say? He’s the love of my life.”
“Well, I hope that I’m still on that list,” he said while walking toward the bed and sitting down.
She cradled his face to bring him closer. “Of course,” she whispered, and her heart raced as she brushed her mouth against his. His lips were full, delectable, and waiting for her to taste. Her lips moved and re-explored the lips she never thought she’d touch again. Their tongues caressed in perfect synchronization, and his erection pressed against her side, aching for release. She pulled away. It had been way too long without Tyler’s touch, but unfortunately for them both now just wasn’t the time for anything more.
It wasn’t until two weeks later that Jenna happily saw the hospital fading in the background as they drove away. She was on her way home, and there was no sweeter feeling than to be free again. She missed her life.
Chapter Twelve
“It’s good to be home.” she whispered before taking a deep, relieved breath as she stepped out of the car. The day was beautiful and so was the view. The ride from the hospital seemed to take forever. Although she appreciated Tyler’s thoughtfulness, he drove like an eighty-year-old woman after church on Sunday. In any other circumstance, she probably would have laughed or gotten frustrated with him. Instead, she was touched.
Home—she was finally home, admiring Tyler with Jayden in his arms. The sight of their faces lit up with excitement made her smile. It felt like a dream; too good to be true. She took in her surroundings as if seeing them for the first time. Her square, average-sized, brown-brick home had never looked better, and she jumped when Tyler wrapped his arms around her.
“Whatchya thinking about?” His lips were close to her ear, and his hot breath felt like a caress to her whole body, making her go weak in the knees.
“Hmm, I’m thinking that it feels like a whole new beginning, that I’m so glad to be home, and I was admiring you with our son.” She laughed, looking around. “Where is our little monkey?”
“He ran off.” Tyler shrugged. “It’s so good to have you back, Jenna.”
His eyes turned glossy and she couldn’t stop her need to comfort him. Leaning forward, caressed the side of his face and embraced him. The need to feel his lips against her own was overwhelming. “I love you,” she whispered, breathless. Tyler was still alive, she was actually home with Tyler, and it still wowed her.
“Geez, Tyler, she’s been home all of two minutes and already you’re hogging her.”
Jenna chuckled happily at the sound of her best friend’s voice. “It’s great to see you, Sam.” She turned to see Sam holding Jayden’s hand and her parents standing behind them, waiting patiently for her and Tyler to go inside.
“Damn straight,” her husband remarked. “And I’m not sure that I want to share.” He pulled Jenna toward him, winked playfully, and kissed her good before letting go.
“Later.” She winked back and laughed as he swatted her butt.
“That’s a promise. Welcome home, Jenna.”
She was coddled, loved, and completely pampered the entire day. It wasn’t surprising, but it was tiring. She’d been in the hospital for too long, and it was time to fend for herself and take care of her family as she had before. One day wasn’t going to kill her, though, so she bit her tongue and spent some quality time with her favorite people.
“It’s great to see you, Sam. I missed you at the hospital.”
Sam looked guilty. “I went to see you once. It was after your surgery, and you looked awful.” Jenna laughed and Sam smiled apologetically. “Sorry, I didn’t mean it like that. It’s just…I couldn’t handle it. There were complications, and you looked so lifeless. I should have been there, but I couldn’t. I got updates about you, but I just preferred to remember you full of life. Can you forgive me?”
“There is nothing to forgive.” Jenna knew Sam cared and could understand. Had their roles been reversed, she might have preferred not to have haunting memories of a lifeless Sam. She looked around to make sure the coast was clear. “Um, can you join me on the porch? I have some questions, and I’d prefer if we could keep them between us.”
“S-sure what’s up?” She followed Jenna out.
Fall was approaching; the nights were beginning to get cool, and she shivered. Jenna needed to get to the point. She was confused and searching for some kind of rational explanation for how she had “dreamed up” Brady and all that time in Ireland in such believable detail.
“When you were in Ireland did you happen to go to Dublin?” It was a stupid question, of course Sam had, but she was nervous and had to break the ice somehow.
Sam nodded, looking confused.
“The pictures you brought back, I know I saw them, but what were those places? Where they, by chance, pictures of St. Stephen’s Green, Merrion Square, Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, or the Four Courts, to name a few?” These were places she’d seen, or at least thought she had, and she needed to know if she’d pictured them subconsciously because she’d already seen them in photographs. “Please, Sam.”
“Some of them are,” Sam answered, looking puzzled.
Jenna nodded and felt so frustrated that she wanted to cry. Ireland was a place she’d always dreamed of visiting. At least that part made sense. Her familiarity with the country was the result of Sam’s experiences mixed with her daydreams of one day visiting. That had to be the explanation, partly at least.
“Sam, did you ever visit a place called Whelan’s? It’s a pretty popular pub, I think.”
“I’ve heard of it, but no. I was too busy, and besides, I’m not one to go out by myself. I’d feel kind of silly. Why are you asking me this?”
She didn’t answer and continued. “Did you happen to meet anyone named Brady or Caleb while visiting, whose picture I might have seen? Both are tall and extremely handsome.”
