Page 87 of SALT

He pulls his phone out of his pocket and calls someone using the speakerphone. "Sara, can you tell me what room Cameron Salt is in?" His eyes slowly trail up and down my disgraceful appearance. My suit is wet, and I'm sure my face is marred with stress, but I couldn't care less, especially when I believe it's his pity that's earning me his cooperation now.

"Dr. Montgomery, Ms. Salt has been moved to the fifth floor. She's in room 510."

"Dr. Montgomery… Are you Aria's brother?"

His eyes narrow on mine. "Everett Callahan?"

"Yeah," I answer. I've only met him once, and that was years ago at Holden and Aria's wedding reception.

"There's an elevator at the end of this corridor. Take it up to the fifth floor. When you get off, go right. Her room will be about halfway down the hallway. I'll have a nurse bring you a visitor's pass."

"Thanks," I say, grasping his shoulder before jogging toward the elevators.

When I finally get off the elevator and reach her door, I take a second to compose myself. I have no idea what I'm walking into, and the last thing I need to do is run in panicked and make things worse. I blow out a breath and turn the knob. The steady sound of an EKG machine beeping greets me as I pull back the curtain and see her lying in bed. My fists clench at my sides as my heart pounds heavily in my chest. If she doesn't hate me when she wakes, I'll hate me enough for the both of us. I approach the bed cautiously as though moving wrong could break her. She looks peaceful as she is, and I want her to have that. I don't want her to feel any pain, and waking will undoubtedly cause it. If not physically, then emotionally. I fucked up. My hand gently pushes a few strands of her auburn locks off her face before I let my knuckles drag with a feather-like weight down her side until I reach her delicate hand.

"I'm so sorry, sunshine," I say as I gently lace my fingers through the tops of hers. Why is it that we hurt the people we care about most? Some will say it's because we care too much, that the relationship is worth fighting for, and others will tell you it's because hurt people, hurt people, but I think it's both. I've been hurting for so long. Living with guilt and grief has left me bleeding out on the people I care about, and now I'm paying the ultimate price for it.

My free hand instinctively reaches for her stomach, and my thumb gently strokes over it. "I told you I'd mess up. I warned you that I didn't know what I was doing when it came to love. I just didn't know I'd fuck it up before I got the chance to live it with you." I drop my head to the bed and pray to a God I haven't spoken to in far too long, hoping he answers. "God, if you give me this, I won't mess it up. I'll be whatever she needs me to be. You created her for a purpose, and I think it was to save me." Her fingers twitch, and I instantly raise my head to look at her. Her eyelids flutter like she's trying to open them, but they remain shut. "Wake up, Cameron. Wake up so I can spend the rest of my life making up for this moment." Her hand squeezes mine, and I know she can hear me. "I love you, sunshine. I'm not going anywhere. I swear it…" I trail off, not wanting to push her if she's not ready. I watch as the fluttering behind her eyelids subsides, and I pull up a chair before reclaiming her hand. I'm just settling into my new position when my phone pings. I reach into my coat and pull it out.

Garrett: Where are you?

I'm not texting. Not on this. I immediately hit call.

"Everett, where are you? You need to get to the hospital."

"I'm here. What the hell happened? Are you okay?"

"I'm good. That's why I stayed back. Everything was fine. It was just supposed to be rain, and the tent was event-grade. It had fucking steal-beams. There would have been no issue handling rain. Tornadoes are another story." St. Louis is in tornado alley, and summer storms can turn ugly quick. "Moira had just announced the need to evacuate to the main building when the sirens went off, and a huge gust of wind took out the right side of the tent. I ducked behind the bar with a few other guests. Ten people were taken to the hospital, including Cameron, Moira, Kipp, and Mackenzie."

"Christ!" I pinch the bridge of my nose. I need to find my son.

"I'm covering our asses and documenting everything, making sure none of this comes back on us."

"Moira hired an event planning team. I'll send the contracts over. I was copied on them."

"Ev," Cameron's voice is small and groggy.

"I'll call you back. Cameron's waking up," I say as I cut the call.

"I'm here, baby." I bring her fingers to my lips and kiss each one. "Are you in pain? Do you need me to get a doctor?"

"My head hurts," she groans as she turns her head slightly toward me. "And my neck is stiff."

"I'll see if we can get you some medicine."

Her hand squeezes mine before I can move. "Don't go… please."

"Cameron, I swear to God I'm not going to leave you. Let me make it better. I'm just going to get you some medicine." The thought of medicine and the fact that maybe she's in pain because they can't give her any more has me closing my eyes. Her free hand slowly starts to move across the bed. "What do you need? Let me get it."

"The remote thingy. We can press the call button for a nurse."

I reach across the bed, careful not to put weight on her body, and press the button. "I'm so sorry, Cameron. I never should have left. I already plan on spending the rest of my life making it up to you, but…" I draw off my hand, finding her stomach.

"You called," a nurse interrupts, walking into the room.

"Yes, she just woke up and said her head hurts and her neck is stiff."

The nurse swipes her badge and pulls open her notes on the computer. "That's typical from the injuries she sustained."

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