unconditional (BOOK #2) [TO BE PUBLISHED]

Chapter 80 - Darren POV

Chapter 80 – Darren POV

I waited with Dad and Vanessa at the hospital, in the waiting room at the far end corner away from everyone here waiting as we were. No one had spoken, not yet at least but I knew dad was just biding time before he questioned us, wanting to know all the details.

"So is one of you going to fill me in here?" he grimaced, "You mean about Russell just dropping Amara like a used up piece of clothing, throwing her aside?" I said before I could even filter my thoughts. I shook my head, I wouldn't point fingers or blame.

"I know you're worried but you can't take out on Russell," he chided instantly and had I not known what a fair man he was, I'd think he was only defending his son.

"Dad, can you really blame him though? She's in the hospital here and he sent you as though her child – this baby – were yours instead of his. Angel's fine and safe, Amara is the one that needs him especially now, after this? She needs all of us to band together and get her through this loss," Vanessa said her voice harsh.

"From the look on his face, I'd say Russell didn't know about this, and I'd wager that you two did know," he eyed us both.

"Russell is in a tough place, yeah Amara is hurting now but he couldn't walk out on Angel at that moment, no matter who he chose to follow, stay or go, one of two people would've gotten hurt. He just happen to make the choice he could live with," he said wisely.

"Which is why Darren is going to leave right now..." he didn't ask, it was a statement.

"What? What about when Amara wakes up?" Vanessa answered looking at me, but I knew what Dad was saying, how he thought. Amara was here but while I'm sitting here, my wife is there with my son, who didn't have much time left. I had to leave; because that is the choice I could live with, being there for my wife and child. I would never forgive myself if I let Dana suffer that way alone.

I knew that Vanessa was closer to Amara, "My child is dying Vanessa," I said and her ire simmered down. I stood, dad as well, pulling me in for a hug, "Ill send you updates," he whispered near my ear.

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We had left Catalena outside so I went searching, finding her sitting on the hood of the car, waiting for us. When she saw me approaching, she eyed me, but didn't ask anything. In the ride back to the hotel, I remained silent, pensive, thinking about this situation. Cody was at the end of his road, I thought, hating the thought, dreading it, willing to do anything to stop it.

It seems like both women I loved – my sister and my wife – would be grieving soon, and I wasn't beat, but knew I would have to be the rock they leaned on. After this though, I needed to protect Amara, speak to Dana, and explain to her that we needed to get away from the Davis'.

I know that they've had her, adopted her since she was a little girl – two years old – but Amara was my last blood relative in the world. I couldn't watch her suffer this way anymore, the last eight months were enough and if tonight wasn't a slap to the face I didn't know what was. She'd never heal if she waited around, on the sidelines, constantly getting her hopes up that Russell would love her back.

He may have grown up with us, with Amara, but for nearly two years he lived alone with Angel, built a relationship and binding love that none of us were any the wiser too. He hadn't lied maliciously but he hid that relationship, and we may not have understood it, but that didn't matter in the scheme of things. Amara wouldn't see it, but Angel was the one that put him back together again, after she broke him by leaving.