Page 88 of Never Too Late

Her body starts to tremble, but her eyes are still closed so I think she’s still asleep, but I instantly start to panic, bringing her closer to my body so I’m cradling her to my chest.

“It’s okay, Idah, I’ve got you,” I whisper as I run my hands through her hair.

The panic attacks, the nightmares, the fears are something I’m used to.

Something real.

My body goes into shock, my mind is unable to think. I’m unable to feel.

“Please come back to me, Jae, please come back.”

But I can’t.

I feel lost.

I’m stuck in darkness and I can’t find my way out.

Where are you, Dax?

“Jae, please, you’ve got to wake up.”

But what if I don’t want to wake up? When I close my eyes, I see him.

I want to be with Dax, I can see him. I just need to get close enough to hold him.

“Soldier, you’ve got to wake the fuck up,” Another voice shouts.

But I can’t.

Please don’t make me.

Where are you, pretty boy? Show me your ocean blues.

I can hear the shouting in the distance. I can feel my body being dragged along the floor. Does that mean they’re taking me to him?

Where are they taking me? I’ve only just come home.

Chapter forty-eight

Dax

“I’ll be home soon, pretty boy. Don’t worry. I’ll be home and you’ll be in my arms again where you belong.”

The shop has been busy today. I haven’t been able to stay off my feet, I’m glad I’ve been occupied, it makes the day go a lot faster so I can go home, but I am exhausted. The muscles in my leg ache. My arms ache. My head aches and I have aches in places I didn’t even know could ache. It’s taken me three hours to unload today’s delivery. Ty offered to help numerous times, but he knows each time he asks, I’ll respond with a no.

Things between us have started to get better since our conversation. I’m still not decided on what I want to do in terms of an assessment, but I recognise I need to get some medical help. I just need some time to work out what I want to do and how I go about it. I need to plan things out. I need to take my time. Thankfully, both Ty and Jae are happy with that, and they agree that’s the right thing to do, too.

I just need some time.

I’m still in the back room when I can hear Tyler’s phone ring for the third time in a row.

I push the door open further with my foot, and shout, “Ty, answer that bloody phone!”

“I’m going, I’m going… Hey, Idah, what’s up?”

Idah? Why is Idah ringing? She’s with Jae.

Placing the box that’s currently in my hands on the floor, I stop what I’m doing, already walking out of the room onto the shop floor in confusion.

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