Page 36 of Evergreen Desires
The ride to the hospital was a blur of flashing lights and sirens. My mind kept returning to the van and the deliberate way they’d hit me. Who would do this? And why?
At the hospital, doctors and nurses swarmed around me, conducting X-rays, CT scans, and stitching up wounds. Time lost meaning as I drifted in and out of awareness. My head throbbed, and my body ached.
Beau. I needed to tell Beau I was okay. But my phone was still missing. Panic rose again as I worried about how he’d react when he found out.
Amidst the chaos, Mateo arrived at the hospital, looking worried and anxious. I was grateful to see him. "Jake, are you okay?" he asked, trying to remain professional.
"I... I think so," I replied, my voice shaky. "I tried to call Beau, but I dropped my phone during the accident."
"Don't worry, I called him for you. He's on his way," Mateo assured me, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder.
"Thanks, Mateo. I don't know what happened. Someone was following me, and then they hit me from behind. It felt intentional," I explained, trying to make sense of the ordeal.
"Don't worry. We'll get to the bottom of this." .
As the hospital staff continued their work, I felt relief knowing Beau was on his way. But the questions still lingered. Who was driving that van? And why were they targeting me?
CHAPTER 30
BEAU
The phone call from Mateo hit me like a bolt of lightning. "Beau, Jake has been in a car accident. He's okay, but he's been taken to Mercy Hospital."
My heart pounded in my chest, and my knees gave out, causing me to fall back against a table in the greenhouse. I couldn’t catch my breath, and the world spun around me.
Will saw my distress and rushed over. "What's wrong, Beau?"
I couldn’t speak, tears filling my eyes as I handed him the phone with Mat still on the line. Will took the call and asked, "Mat, what's wrong?"
Mat must have been explaining because Will's face contorted with concern. "Okay… Is he okay? Where did they take him? How did it… No, Beau is here… FUCK, no, he will be fine, there’s past history there… I got it, I’ll get him there… okay, see you shortly… Mat, thank you."
Will hung up and quickly handed the phone back to me before grabbing my face in both hands, steadying me. “Beau, Jake is okay. He’s at the hospital. Let’s get up there—I’m sure youbothneed to see each other.”
He turned and led me towards the door, grabbing some shoes for me without missing a beat. "I'll drive."
I was grateful for Will's support as he drove me to the hospital. My mind was in a frenzy, memories of past tragedies flashing before me. I remembered the night my mother died and how Will was there for me then, just like he was here now.
When we arrived at the hospital, seeing Mat's patrol car reassured me that Jake was not alone. Will was already on his phone, figuring out from Mat where to go.
As soon as I entered the room, relief washed over me. Jake was sitting up in bed, answering Mat's questions. I rushed to his side and kissed him gently, trying not to hurt him further. My hands trembled as I ran them over his body, checking for injuries without touching him too roughly.
"I am fine, I promise. You can give me a hug if you want," Jake said with a smile.
I didn’t need any more encouragement. I pulled him into an embrace, holding him close and inhaling his sweet scent. I was relieved beyond words to have him safe in my arms.
Mat continued to ask questions, and Jake recounted the terrifying incident. He hadn’t seen the driver, and he told us that the van was just an old, plain white panel van with no windows.
"Could Rich be behind this?" I asked, unable to keep the worry out of my voice.
Mat looked serious. "Desperate people do desperate things. We'll keep an eye out for any vehicles matching the description."
As the hours passed by, I stayed by Jake's side, holding his hand and reassuring him that everything would be okay. I was thankful when the doctor decided to keep him overnight for observation.
"I'll stay with you," I told him, determined to be there for every step of his recovery.
With Will's help, I gathered some clothes and Jake's laptop to make him more comfortable. I was grateful for the support of my friends, but my mind was still in turmoil.
As the night wore on, I couldn’t sleep, pacing, unable to get comfortable in the chair beside Jake’s hospital bed for even a moment.My head was a jumbled mess of fears and uncertainties.
