Page 54 of Until Forever Falls

The pencil stalls against the paper, the first line uncertain. Then something shifts. Each stroke carves through my worry, reshaping it into something tangible. It’s not full relief, but it’s enough to distract me.

“Dylan,” a soft voice cuts through the fog, pulling me out of my thoughts. I’ve been lost in drawing for hours, and despite my half hearted protests, Beckett stayed with me. Eventually, he dozed off in the chair, his Rockport Titans Football hoodie bunched up beneath his head like a makeshift pillow.

I glance up to see a tall woman dressed in pink polka-dot scrubs paired with spotless white sneakers. Her dark hair is swept back into a tight ponytail, and there’s something calming about her kind brown eyes. She holds a tablet in one hand, the other resting lightly on the doorframe next to us.

“I’m Maisie, Brooks’ nurse.” Her gaze shifts briefly to my brother, noting the gentle rise and fall of his chest, a peaceful cadence in the silence. “Have you two been here all day?”

I nod quietly, pushing down the need to ask her a million questions.

Her expression softens, something shifting in her eyes before she jerks her chin toward the hallway behind her. “Do you want to come see him?”

My heart skips. “Really?” The word barely makes it past my lips, drenched in disbelief. My gaze flicks to the clock on the far wall. “I thought they weren’t letting anyone in but family. Is he being released?”

Maisie’s lips quirk up. “Oh, sweetheart, Brooks hasn’t shut up about you since his mom mentioned you were waiting. Now his parents left earlier, so come on, before the doctors start making their rounds.”

I consider for only a second before setting the sketchbook aside and standing, moving as quietly as I can to avoid waking Beckett. As Maisie leads me down the hall, my footsteps quicken, and I feel a restless energy start to swirl around me. The cold hospital air does little to settle my nerves, but the thought of seeing him is enough to keep me moving.

The moment Maisie pushes open the door, Brooks is already out of his bed. His movements are dragging just a fraction, but he’s upright, and that’s all I need to see before I rush forward.

His arms clamp around me, pulling me in like he’s afraid I’ll disappear. I crash against his chest, my fingers curling into the flimsy hospital gown, the fabric too thin to hold everything I’ve been carrying. His scent seeps through the sterile stench of chemicals. The knot inside me doesn’t loosen, it frays, thread by thread as I let myself sink into him.

“You scared me.”

“I know.” He exhales against my hair, pressing his lips to the top of my head. “I’m sorry.”

I ease back, searching his face for proof that he’s okay. “What happened? Are you alright?”

“They ran a bunch of tests earlier. The doctor says I’m anemic. My iron levels are shot, which explains the dizzy spells. They’re giving me an infusion, supplements—keeping an eye on me, but it’s nothing serious. Just something I’ll have to keep in check.”

“That…” Relief crashes into me, like breaking to the surface after drowning. My knees almost give out. “That’s better than I thought.”

“Yeah,” he admits, followed by a rough, uneven sound that might be a laugh. “And it means I’ll be out of here soon. So, looks like you’re stuck with me again, Dill.”

I raise an eyebrow. “What about football?”

“Eh, I’ll have to take it easy for now,” he shrugs, clearly unbothered. “It’s my last season anyway, and there are plenty of guys who are more invested than I am. I’m fine with it, honestly.”

I can’t help but smile. “What you’re saying is I have you all to myself for the foreseeable future?”

“Exactly. Just us. No distractions.”

A throat clears, and we turn to find Maisie still standing in the doorway, one brow arched, giving us a knowing look. “Hate to ruin the moment, but keep in mind the doctor’s will be coming back soon.”

Brooks tips his chin. “Thanks, Maisie.”

She slips out without another word, the door clicking shut behind her. The second we’re alone, he hooks a finger around my wrist and pulls me closer, a silent demand. He drops onto the edge of his bed, and I follow without thinking, settling beside him, our bodies aligning as if we’ve done this a thousand times. Our knees brush, and I turn toward him, our faces inches apart. My heart beats faster, my thoughts scattering, but I don’t pull away. I can’t.

The room is quiet except for the faint beeping of the monitor and the vibration of the air conditioning. Brooks shifts, the movement slight but seismic, dragging in the air between us. Our noses nearly brush, his breath centimeters from my lips, the world narrows to the green of his eyes—dark in the dim light, ragged in a way that strips him bare. The usual confidence wavers, something unguarded slipping through the cracks, and it sinks its teeth into me.

“I appreciate you staying.” His voice scrapes against the quiet, like the words are pried from someplace tender. “I mean it. More than I know how to say.”

“You’re my boyfriend, B. Of course, I’d stay.”

He exhales, something loosening in his frame, and shifts just enough to press his lips to my temple—soft, reverent, like a promise. Then, with a dimpled grin, he pulls back slightly and raises an eyebrow.

“Ooh, you’re officially calling me your boyfriend now?” he taunts, his tone light but laced with affection. “That’s a big step, Rivers.”

I laugh, a soft pink flush spreading across my cheeks. “You’re more than that. You’re my best friend. I don’t know how to put it, but…you’re everything, Brooks. Losing you? That’s not something I could walk away from whole.”

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