LIB

Chapter 23

           When Blake and I went into Jake’s room later that morning, Amanda was sitting beside his bed. Jake turned his head to look at me and his eyes lit up. “Hailey, I’ve been waiting for you to show up!”

            I frowned a little. “You saw me a few hours ago,” I said.

            Jake’s brow furrowed a little. “I did?”

            “Yeah. I introduced you to Blake,” I replied.

            “I don’t remember…” he trailed off.

            I tried to keep my face neutral. “Well, this is Blake, my boyfriend.”

            “Nice to meet you,” Jake replied a little unsurely. “Where are mom and dad?”

            My heart clenched at his words. “They’re gone, Jake,” I said quietly.

            “What do you mean, gone?” he asked in confusion

             “I can’t do this. Not again,” I said, before fleeing from the room. I didn’t know where I was going; I just knew I couldn’t deal with telling him everything again.

            I eventually ended up in the room that Blake and I had slept in. I went back over to the recliner and curled up on it, trying to keep myself from breaking down completely.

            A few minutes later, I heard hesitant footsteps approaching the room. “Hailey?” Blake called out.

            I sat up in the chair. “I’m in here,” I said.

            He came into the room and cautiously made his way over to me, nearly running into things a couple of times. It was weird seeing him like this. I was so used to him being surefooted and unhindered, that it startled me to see him actually acting like a blind person. He finally made it to the recliner and I scooted over to make room for him to sit down next to me. Once he was settled, he pulled me onto his lap. “Do you have any idea how hard it is to follow your girlfriend through a hospital when you’re blind?” he asked.

            I laid my head on his shoulder. “I’m sorry, I just couldn’t stay in there. I can’t tell him about the accident again. It was hard enough the first time.”

            He rubbed a hand up and down my arm. “I know, but it’s not his fault that he can’t remember.”

            “I know that, but it doesn’t make it any easier for me to tell him. How am I supposed to deal with telling him every single day that our parents died because my ass of an ex ran us off the road?” My breathing started to hitch and I buried my face in the crook of his neck.

            “It’ll be hard, but you’ll get through it. You’re so strong, Hales; you can get through anything,” he replied, kissing the top of my head gently.

            “When Jared told me that Jake woke up, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I was ecstatic that he was awake, but also worried that he would have mental or physical problems. I could have handled those. But having to tell him every day that our parents are dead is too much for me to handle.”

            “No it’s not. You just need to take some time and regroup, that’s all. You’re too stubborn to let this get to you. And you won’t have to be the one to always tell him. Jared, Liam and Amanda can all do that as well. It’s not your burden alone to carry.”

            The tears started then and there was nothing I could do to stop them. Blake held me as I cried, occasionally murmuring soothing words, but for the most part just letting me get it out of my system. I cried for the loss of my parents, for losing my brother for ten months and for finally getting him back, only to have him not remember losing our parents.