Page 32 of Tethered Hearts

Matt

“Brie’s been in an accident.” Aunt Helen pulled out a chair and sat down beside Matt where he was working on a jigsaw puzzle at the table. He’d found the box of an Australian outback landscape gathering dust in the hall cupboard. Who would’ve thought he’d resort to doing puzzles? They’d never interested him before, but what else was there to do on such a dreary day? The weather suited his mood perfectly as he dealt with the fallout from the gala. He should’ve expected the media barrage, and the sudden interest in his personal life, but he felt awful that Brie had been thrust into the spotlight.

He hadn’t seen or heard from Brie since he’d taken her home. Since he’d overstepped a line. Since he’d allowed his emotions to run away with him. She’d made it clear that she hadn’t wanted anything more to do with him when she hightailed it out of the car; she’d fulfilled her obligation, and that was all. Despite asking her along to appease Aunt Helen, he’d been genuine with her the entire evening. His emotions had been real, so much so that he hadn’t been able to let her out of his reach. She’d been the perfect companion – smiling, laughing, friendly, a good conversationalist. Her joy was contagious, and even Blayne commented that she was a special woman. He’d wanted to call and thank her for such a good evening, but after seeing the morning’s news, he felt like a schmuck. Brie hadn’t asked to be thrust into the spotlight, yet there they were, plastered all over social media looking every bit the happy couple. Deep down, he wanted it to be true. He’d give anything to have her by his side. But given the way she’d leaped from the car, as though she couldn’t get away from him fast enough, he doubted she felt the same. He really ought to call and apologise.

“Matt.” Aunt Helen tapped his arm. “Did you hear me? Brie’s been in an accident.”

“What?” His stomach took a dive. “Is she okay? What happened?” His heart thundered against his ribs and panic squeezed his lungs as memories of his own accident flooded back.

“I’m not sure of the details. The prayer chain from church said she was in an accident.”

No, no, no. Not Brie.It had to be a mistake. The same thing couldn’t happen to her. She didn’t deserve the same thing he’d been through.God, please help her!

He pushed back from the table, sending pieces of the puzzle to the floor as he grabbed his crutches and began pacing as best he could with the wretched things, ignoring the pain shooting up his legs. Not knowing how bad Brie’s injuries were, or even if she was still alive, was far worse than any nerve pain he had to put up with.

“Is she okay?” he demanded of his aunt as his pulse thrummed violently through his veins. “I need to know if she’s okay.”

“Matt.”

He would erupt soon if he didn’t hear the words he desperately wanted to hear –she’s okay.Oh, why hadn’t he told her how he felt last night? Why had he let her run away? He’d had the opportunity to confess his true feelings, and he’d let her slip through his fingers. And now it was probably too late.

Aunt Helen stood and made her way toward him, guiding him to the sofa. “Take a deep breath.” She sank into the cushion beside him and rubbed a hand over his back in slow, smooth circles. “We don’t know all the details, Matt. I know you’re fearful, and I know it’s probably triggered a lot of memories for you. All we can do right now is pray.”

It hadn’t been that long ago when he would’ve scoffed at the mention of praying in such circumstances, but now it was his only option. Powerless to do anything, he rested his head in his hands. God was real. He knew that. He’d already experienced His presence and peace since that moment on the back deck. But surely God wouldn’t be so cruel to take Brie away from him when he hadn’t even had a chance to confess his feelings for her. It was a selfish thought. After all, God was sovereign and had a plan and a purpose for everything. Still, the thought of losing Brie was more than he could handle.

“Lord, we ask that you’ll be with Brie now,” Aunt Helen prayed, holding Matt’s hand between her own. “We don’t know the circumstances, but we commit her to You. We pray for healing for her body and peace for both her and Matt at this time. You command us to cast our cares on You. So we do that now. We know Brie is in Your hands, and we ask for all these things in Your name.”

The soundof rain on the tin roof needled Matt’s brain. He returned to the table to resume the puzzle while Aunt Helen pottered in the kitchen, attempting to converse with him. But his thoughts remained elsewhere. Memories of his own hospitalisation flashed through his mind. The endless beeping of machines. The bland hospital food. The acrid smell of antiseptic that he could still smell weeks after his discharge home. And now, all he could envisage was Brie lying in a hospital bed, her body broken and bruised. Resting his elbows on the table, he cradled his head in his hands, tugging on the strands of his hair.

Lord, help her, please!He didn’t have the strength to utter anything more than those words on repeat. Over and over again, he petitioned his Heavenly Father to intercede on Brie’s behalf. For how long, he didn’t know. Aunt Helen slipped him a cup of coffee and a grilled cheese sandwich at one stage. His appetite was minimal, and he nibbled at the edges of the bread, waiting for news. Anything to allay the worst-case scenarios bouncing around in his mind. In the distance, he heard Aunt Helen’s murmurings as she spoke to someone on the phone, and a short time later, her hand closed over his shoulder. “Come on, Matt. I’ll take you to the hospital.”

The downpour had eased to a drizzle by the time they set out, and Matt stared out the passenger window in a trance, mindlessly watching the scenery pass by. For once he wished Aunt Helen was a bit heavier on the accelerator, but given the wet roads, he could understand her caution. Before they’d left home, she’d mentioned that Brie had hydroplaned and flipped over the road barrier, thankfully only suffering minor injuries. A concussion and bruising from the seatbelt and airbag. Miraculously, the car had righted itself. An off-duty paramedic who had been following behind, had witnessed the accident and assisted Brie until help arrived.

Thank You, Lord. Thank You.It wasn’t enough to hear that she had come out of the accident relatively unscathed - he wanted to see her. Touch her. Reassure himself that she really was okay, and confess his heart. There was no point hiding his feelings anymore. Not when he’d been so close to losing her for good.

Aunt Helen pulledthe car to a stop at the main entrance of the hospital and squeezed Matt’s hand as he went to open the door. “I’ll catch up with you inside. Go and see how she is.” Even though his emotions were raw and vulnerability threatened to make him change his mind, her compassionate smile was the boost of reassurance his confidence needed.

Stepping into the lobby, his cane tapped across the linoleum floor as he made his way to the gift shop. He swallowed the anxiety clawing up his throat as memories of his own hospitalisation vied for his attention. Instead, he tried to fix his thoughts on the beautiful brunette lying in a bed somewhere in the building, and the joy she’d brought to his life in the time they’d known each other.

After paying for an overpriced bouquet of mixed flowers, he found Brie’s location from the reception desk and made his way to the bank of lifts, entering the last carriage before the doors slid shut. Ever so slowly, the numbers of each floor ticked over. How could it take so long to ascend four floors? If he’d been able-bodied, he would’ve run straight up the stairwell.

Finally, the lift stopped and spilled him out onto Brie’s floor along with a few important-looking people in business attire. The tippety-tap of his cane was like a jackhammer in his head as he paced along the corridor. His steps were awkward, carrying the flowers in one hand and his cane in the other, and he was sure he looked like one of those inflatable wavy men that were found at car yards. A wheelchair would’ve been a faster option to move around the hospital, but he’d already come this far to search for one now.

Matt paused outside Brie’s room to catch his breath. It was crazy how much energy walking took out of him. Gone were the days when his endurance enabled him to spend hours at the gym or doing sprint sessions. Now he was left exhausted after a simple walk through the hospital.

Knocking on the open door, he stepped inside, his heart lurching at the sight of Brie lying in the bed. Her eyes were closed. Her dark hair splayed across the pillow. Dark patches of purple marred her face. She looked so helpless with the starched white sheets tucked up to her chin, as though she could easily break. As he took a step forward, Matt noticed a man seated in the chair beside the bed, his fingertips resting close to Brie.

“I’m sorry,” he said, trying to place the blond hair and smooth smile that seemed so familiar to him. “I didn’t realise Brie had visitors.”

“No need to apologise. She’s been asleep for a while.” The man turned his gaze toward the bed before allowing his eyes to settle on Matt once more. “I’m Brett Diete by the way.”

As in the real estate guy he’d seen plastered all over billboards and public transport around town? This was her … what exactly was he to Brie? She’d mentioned an ex before, but with the way Brett looked pretty comfortable seated beside her, his jacket draped across the back of the chair, an air of authority oozing from him, perhaps he’d misunderstood her.

Matt nodded, dumping the flowers on a nearby table before turning toward the door. Had he misread things between them? Was she still with this guy? Gosh, what a fool he’d been. It now made sense why she’d pulled away from him last night. Brie had only been nice because Aunt Helen put her up to it. That very first trip to the dog park had been orchestrated by his aunt as well. And his aunt, in all of her well-meaning glory, had dropped plenty of hints about Brie along the way. Had Brie continued to see him out of obligation? Because she’d been his therapist? Because she felt sorry for him? She was the nicest woman he’d ever met - generous and compassionate and kind - so it was no surprise that she’d adopted him as a project at his aunt’s suggestion. He was nobody’s fool, and yet he’d foolishly fallen for the petite brunette who looked so fragile curled up on her side in the hospital bed.

“My apologies,” Matt said, turning to leave the room. “I won’t disturb your visit. Could you please let her know I dropped by?”

“Sure.” A patronising smirk settled on Brett’s face as his gaze drifted down Matt’s legs.

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