Page 9 of After All This Time

As I make my way down the hallway, I see my mother standing in front of Ben and Lizzie’s room.

Laura’s nowhere to be found.

I take a moment to study Mom.

Her dark brunette hair is tied up in a high ponytail. She looks tired with dark circles underneath her eyes and she can barely keep them open.

“Mom,” I say.

She turns around and runs towards me, pulling me in for a hug. “I’m so happy you’re here, Sweet Girl.”

My mom and I have always been close. We grew even closer after my dad passed away.

I’ll never outgrow her hugs. They’re comforting in a way that’s difficult to describe. They make me feel safe. She makes me feel safe.

“How could I not come?” I can taste the salty tears streaming down my face.

“Laura has been pacing up and down the hallway for what feels like forever. I don’t know what to do.”

Right as Mom says this, Laura appears frantic and exhausted at the same time.

My heart.

When she sees me, it looks like she’s going to have a heart attack. She runs over to me. “Dani Girl. You’re here.” she pulls me in for a tight, extended hug.

I’m starting to lose feeling everywhere, but it’s okay.

I’m just happy to be here for her.

“God, I’m so sorry, Laura. I don’t?—”

She cuts me off before I can say anything else. “Thank you. I don’t know how this happened. I’m living a nightmare. I’m happy you’re both here.” She releases me from her grasp, gesturing to my mom.

Mom guides Laura to a chair that’s in front of Ben and Lizzie’s hospital room while I’m standing in front of the row of chairs.

I turn and face the window straight ahead.

“God, I wish I got here sooner,” I mumble to myself.

“I wish you weren’t here at all,” a deep and raspy voice says.

Turning around, I see a tall, muscular guy with a full head of wavy dirty blonde hair and ocean blue eyes you could get completely lost in standing in front of me.

I guess it makes it easier for me to not lose my breath around him, knowing he has a shitty personality.

He looks different, and somehow also the same.

I guess that could be because I haven’t seen him in five years.

CHAPTER THREE

dani

Noah. Fucking. Kaplan.

The last person I expected to see. And in a hospital out of all places.

My childhood rival.

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