Page 30 of Make Us Yours
Once inside the penthouse, I immediately drop my purse by the entrance and step out of my shoes, needing to feel as comfortable as possible. I walk over to the kitchen and remove everything from inside the bags of food, deciding to eat a bit before attacking today’s mess. I definitely need the energy with how low I’m feeling right now.
Turns out, Noah really did get me a bit of everything. And apparently, I was way hungrier than I thought, since I’ve devoured more than three quarters of the food. Once done, I put the leftovers in the fridge, finish my coffee, then attack thedownstairs area first.
After one hour, my cramps have gotten worse, I’m sweating, and I find myself folding in half every few steps. I make my way to the upper level and start with the spare bedroom, which only requires a bit of dusting and a sweep, then move on to Gabe’s bedroom. His room is such a contrast to Noah’s with his dark gray furniture, black sheets, and dark curtains covering the windows, while Noah’s is filled with light grays and whites.
I make his bed, tidy up the bathroom, and fix his clothes in the walk-in that are falling off the hangers. I grab the small amount of dirty clothes in the laundry basket and take them to the laundry room.
The pain becomes unbearable as I head back up the steps to Noah’s room, forcing me to my kneel as I try to pass it. My hands shake as I press them into my stomach while taking deep breaths.In through the nose, out through the mouth.
My phone vibrates when I finally make it to his door, and I pull it out from the side pocket of my leggings.Thank the heavens for leggings with pockets.It’s a message from Aubrey, telling me she’s having dinner with her parents at Greyson’s house and asking if it’s okay to use my car.
I send a quick reply saying it’s fine and to have a good time. As I’m about to shut my screen, another message comes in, but it’s not from Aubrey. It’shim. Once again using another different number. I block him every time, but it never stops him.
Opening the message, I gasp, my hand covering my mouth as I stare at the image before me.Oh God no… this is not happening…It’s a picture of me walking out of the deli shop the other day, and it looks like it was taken from across the street.
Oh my God! He was right there… right there, and I didn’t even see him. God, I’m such an idiot for thinking he wouldn’t come for me after what I did… What am I supposed to do now?
I squeeze my phone in my hands, rage boiling inside of me. “WHY WON’T YOU LEAVE ME ALONE?! JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!” I shout then throw my phone at the wall with all the force I can muster. It falls to the floor on its back, the screen completely shattered and black.
“Shit!” I go to pick it up but am hit with another blinding wave of agony. This one is much stronger than the last, knocking the wind out of me as I drop to my knees and scream. “AHHH!” My arms wrap around my stomach tightly as tears fall from my eyes.
I wait a few seconds for it to pass and try to stand, but a wave of nausea and dizziness hits me, forcing me to lean against the wall as I struggle to breathe.I need to lie down.I manage to make it into Noah’s room slowly and collapse on his bed,pulling myself into a ball as I cry through the pain.
NOAH
~ After Dropping Off Veronica ~
I watch her walk into the building, then drive off toward the care facility. Guilt fills me for leaving her alone when I know something’s wrong, but I don’t have a choice. I had planned to visit after coming home from the airport yesterday, but when I walked in and saw Veronica, I found myself not wanting to leave her side.
She seemed so happy and excited to see us and show us everything she had done with the outdoor space. And then she hugged me, and fuck, I could have died in her arms. Having her so close, smelling her perfume directly from her skin, feeling her breath leave her perfect lips and glide against my flesh. I never wanted to let go. But I know Veronica needs time to understand she’s mine.
That she’s ours.
Once at the facility, I make my way inside. By now, I know my way around this place by heart; I even know most of the staff. It fucking sucks being on such a personal level with them. Knowing that Nurse Jackie’s daughter just had a baby boy that weighed eleven pounds, and that Doctor Daltonsen is going through a divorce after finding out his wife has been cheating on him for the past three years with their son’s best friend.
But after five years of coming here every week, they’ve become a form of family to me, and if it weren’t for their support, I’m not sure I’d make it out of here on two feet most days. It’s not like I can talk about it with my friends, since none of them even know she exists.
It’s not that I wanted to keep it from them, but at that time, my career was finally picking up, which meant the media was shining its bright light on me, and I didn’t want them around her. I didn’t want the focus to be on her, so I kept it to myselfand told no one. Not even Gabe.
“Hi, Noah!” Jannice waves from behind the nurse’s station.
She started working here when Trinity was transferred and has been by her side ever since. She’s a few years older than me, but that hasn’t stopped her from trying to take her shot from time to time, although I’ve shut it down every time. I have no intention of messing around with the staff here.
“Hey, Jannice. How is she today?” I stop by the counter and rap my knuckles against the surface.
“She’s good, always an angel.” She smiles up at me practically with hearts in her eyes.
“Good to hear. Well, I’ll head in. See you later, Jannice.” I wave to her as I walk to Trinity’s room.
Stepping inside, I close the door quietly and look around the room for anything out of place, anything different. But it’s always the same. No one touches anything in this room except for me.
I walk up to the side of the bed and reach up with my hand, pushing dark strands of hair out of her face. “Hey, little sis.” Lowering, I kiss her forehead while closing my eyes, breathing her in for a second.
She doesn’t smell the same anymore, not like I remember. Instead of the outdoorsy scent she carried from spending so much time in the woods or hiking, she now just smells… clean. Sterile. Like someone who’s been washed over and over but never does anything to pick up other scents.
Pulling back, I let my hand glide down her arm to her hand, where I give it a tiny squeeze. I wait for her to squeeze back, for a sign that she’s still in there… but she never does.
I let go and sit down in the chair beside her bed, watching her. I never know what to say when I come here; it feels odd talking to someone who will never answer me. But some part of me still hopes that hearing my voice will maybe help her wake up.
