Page 67 of Dear Adam
“You earned it!” Dad says and slaps him on the back. The crowd claps and Hudson waits for it to die down before continuing.
“I promise to take care of not only your business but your daughter as well. Thank you, sir, for trusting me with both.”
My once delicious potatoes have turned sour in my stomach. I hastily push away from the table and run inside, searching for the nearest restroom. As if a wave has crashed over me, everything becomes crystal clear.
Hudson needed to prove to my dad we were “together” before he ever got the business handed over to him. Dad did all of this without even considering Adam. My mind spins, and I pray they haven’t signed the papers yet, making this official. How could Hudson have done this? And my dad, too? My brother, the man whoshouldbe at the helm of the company when Dad retires, is in a coma, yet everyone is acting like he’s already dead.
With shaky hands, I pull out my phone to call Emma but find my screen littered with a slew of missed calls and texts from her already.
“Emma?” I ask when she answers after the first ring.
“Aly, where have you been? I’ve been trying to reach you all evening.”
“What’s wrong?” I ask, panic rising in my chest.
“Adam is awake,” she says happily, and I can tell she’s been crying. “How fast can you get here?”
With shaky legs, I rush outside, climb into my Bronco, and peel out of my parking spot. Naturally, the engine misfires like a gunshot, and I hope it makes Hudson scream like a baby in front of everyone during the remainder of his stupid little speech.
“Come on, come on!” I yell when I hit a red light, banging my fists against the steering wheel, as if it’ll turn green any quicker.
I turn on my flashers and speed to the hospital, miraculously finding a parking spot near the front. I peel off my heels and run as fast as I can into the hospital.
“Shoes are required, miss!” the security guard calls after me as I tear through the lobby, but I ignore him, praying you can’t catch typhoid fever through your feet as I climb the stairs two at a time. I push those thoughts aside when I reach Adam’s room and burst through the door.
I’ve never seen a more beautiful sight.
There he is, sitting up in his hospital bed, smiling, as if he was expecting me, knowing I’d roll in on two wheels. I run to his bed and fling my arms around him. When I hear him chuckle softly, I pull back and look into his face.
“I missed you so much,” I tell him, my eyes welling with tears.
“I couldn’t let you sit through another charity gala without me. I had to pull through for you, you know?” His voice is gruff but strong.
“How’d you know that was tonight?” I ask, confused. He points to my dress, then gestures to Emma.
“Well, for one, you dress up exactly once a year. And two, Emma told me.”
“You don’t know what kind of disaster you just saved me from,” I say and give his hand a squeeze. It’s fragile and pale, but warm, and my heart pounds with the sudden realization that Adam isawake.My brother, my best friend, my twin is finallyawake.
“How are you feeling?” I ask.
“Like I got hit by a truck,” Adam jokes, and that would be more funny to me if it weren’t true, if that weren’t the very reason he’d been in a coma for months.
“Can I get you anything?” Emma asks from the other side of the bed. “I think I might head out before too long.” Adam shakes his head and looks at her curiously.
“Thanks, but I think I’m okay,” he says “Will you be back? I’d like to finish our conversation.”
Emma nods and avoids my gaze. I’m too caught up in the moment to wonder what that’s all about, and instead lean down and squeeze Adam’s neck again.
“Did you call Mom and Dad?” I ask, turning to Emma.
Emma shifts uncomfortably on her feet, and Adam answers for her. “I asked her not to call them until you got here.” He smiles and my heart surges at the simple gesture of my twin knowing exactly what I need.
“Thank you for everything.” I wrap my arms around Emma and walk her to the door. “I’ll call you tonight, okay?” Emma nods and leaves, and I turn back to my brother.
“We have so much to catch up on,” I say, wondering where to even begin.
“I want to hear it all,” he says, but I can tell from the slight droop in his eyes his energy is flagging.
