Country's Her Middle (Luke Bryan Fan Fiction) BEING EDITED

Chapter 24

Chapter 24 -

Song dedication: Astronaut by Simple Plan (One of my favorites <3)

*****Linzey's POV*****

"Oh God." I panted in an attempt to bring some air back into my vaccant lungs. My throat burned as if someone had slowly been shoving a hot iron down my esophagus as I forced yet another deep intake of breath through my mouth. I was far from being physically fit and running up several flights of stairs wasn't something I found myself doing often, if at all, but I had made an exception for Josh.

I'd always make an exception for Josh.

"Linzey?" Josh's mom, Caroline, questioned confusedly as her eyebrow raised up. I didn't respond to her as I took in the women I had known almost all of my life in complete and utter shock. Caroline was always known as a more cheerful and well put together women, but as I examined at her in that moment she was the complete opposite.

Her dirty blonde hair was a matted rats nest, her cheeks were stained with tears and residue from her mascara, and her eyes were glossy with a scarlet tint that showed just how much time she had spent morning over the horrid news.

Seeing her take it all the way she had made me dread even thinking of how she would react if he actually left us- Don't think like that, my subconscious growled from the back of my mind, and I knew she was right. Josh would make it through this- he just had to. A world without Josh would be as useless as a pair of lungs that couldn't breath air and that was a world I didn't want to be any part of.

"Caroline?" I found myself questioning in a state of shock. It was hard to believe how much such a thing as this could effect a person's life. How fast it could ruin them. "Hi, sweetie." She forced a fake smile to appear on her lips as she quickly wiped at her cheeks and stood to her feet, greeting me with a comforting hug.

"How is he?" I whispered worriedly as I ran my hand up and down her spine, a comforting gesture both mom and Luke often used to calm me. "They haven't informed me of his condition yet." She sighed out a shaky breath against my hair as her arms gave my body a light squeeze and a droplet of water landed on my shoulder.

I clenched my teeth tightly on my bottom lip as I held back the tears that fought desperately to escape my eyes. I had to be strong. Josh wouldn't want me to show such despairing emotions. Caroline slowly pulled away from me, swiping the liquid from beneath her bottom lashes.

"I'm sorry you have to see me like this." She spoke with a fragment of an apologetic smile. I could tell it took a lot of effect to give the small gesture. "Don't be, it's completely understandable." I spoke as I too forced a smile. I hated knowing that Josh was hurt. I hated knowing we had just had a terrible fall out before he got into an accident and I felt myself feeling a ping of guilt.

"Okay." She whispered as she took a seat in the same bench she had been in before, lightly patting the small space beside her. I nodded curtly at her before placing myself where she had suggested. A light sigh slipped from between my lips as I began to stare at the wall in front of me in quite a daze. It was a soft cream color with several framed paintings littering the surface along with hospital expectations and cautions.

Most people despise hospitals, but I had always found them rather comforting and welcoming. In that moment though- in that moment I understood the horrid vibes people got as they sat in these exact chairs and awaited the fate of their loved ones. It was scary and not even the beautiful paintings and the kind nurses could calm my racing mind as it ran to no place in particular.

"He was really excited to see you." The faint sound of someone speaking yanked me from my thought and back into the sad reality we were in. "Huh?" I questioned confusedly as I glanced over at Caroline who wasn't starring at me, but instead the wall in front of her. "Josh-" She sighed, pausing before facing me. "He was excited to see you today. He really missed you." Caroline smiled softly as tears clouded in her eyes.