Page 134 of Committed to You

Tears run down my face again. Noah pulls me into him. “Shh. Come on.”

He leads me down the hall to a cubicle. I sit on the bed, and the nurse pulls the curtain around it.

I don’t hear much of what she says. Noah answers most of the questions for me. Maybe I’m in shock? I’m not sure, but everything seems to be in slow motion. All I can think about is Chase.

My face gets cleaned, and the doctor comes in. After examining me, he says my nose is not broken. It hurts enough to be.

Noah guides me back to the waiting room, and, at some point, Piper, Quinn, Charlotte, Xander, and my parents all arrive.

“Vivian.” Mama wraps her arms around me.

I cry like a baby. “He can’t die, Mama,” I sob.

“Shh.” She strokes my head and holds me.

Páppa takes me in his arms next, and I sob harder.

A few hours pass. The doctor comes out and tells us that the bullets were in his shoulder and appendix. They removed his appendix and the two bullets. He lost a lot of blood, and they gave him an infusion, but he is now in stable condition, sleeping in the recovery room.

“Can I see him?” I ask.

The doctor nods. “One person at a time.”

“Okay.”

Páppa escorts me to his room. “Vivian, I’ll wait for you.”

“No, Páppa. I’ll be okay. Go sit with Mama. I’m not leaving him.”

Páppa hugs me and kisses the top of my head. “I will come to check on you then.”

I walk into the room. Fresh tears well in my eyes. Chase has a bandage around his arm, and blankets cover the rest of him. He looks like he is sleeping peacefully.

I kiss him on the lips, and my tears fall on his face. After I wipe them off, I kiss him again then grab the chair. I hold his hand in mine and kiss that, too.

“Hey,” I hear.

I jump off my chair. “Chase,” I sob out and wrap my arms around him, but I am careful to avoid his shoulder.

His eyes are glassy, probably from the drugs they have him on, and he gives me a goofy grin. “You’re safe.”

I cry harder. “Yes. I’m so sorry I left you.”

“Shh. You did the right thing.” He scoots over and winces.

“Don’t hurt yourself.”

He pats the bed next to him. “Lie down with me.”

I cuddle into his chest. He holds his arm tight around me and kisses me on the head.

“I thought I died.”

“I thought you did, too.”

“Still here,” he teases.

I sink into him.

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