The Detective and Her Bachelor

Chapter 48

Darkness tends to settle into your bones, seeping deep inside, coating your lungs until breathing is a physical challenge. Your blood turns cold, leaving your brain open to the things that you are strong enough to avoid during the day. 

Night brings shadows, long and menacing. Your imagination stretching wide and swallowing fear until you have a hard time remembering what it once meant to be brave. 

That was the reason why I loved daytime. It was much harder to be afraid during the day, when brightness coated everything in warmth and gold. 

But morning was still a ways off, and I was left staring at Andrew from where I sat perched in a chair next to his bed, still sporting Allie's ballgown and no doubt looking like an unhinged corpse bride. I stared down at his sleeping form, fighting off doubts and fear shadows that tended to sneak up on me when I had too much time on my hand. It was one of the reasons I kept so busy. Hard to have time for fear if you never give it an opening. 

But now... I had nothing but time to be pestered by cruel, fearful thoughts. 

 The doctors had changed Andrew out of his evening wear, replacing it with tubes and a paper gown that looked like it would fall apart at the slightest touch. He looked breakable in a way that left me afraid to touch him. Skin pale, veins prominent, brow furrowed in a restless sleep, ink black hair in a wild mess of bed head, several strands falling into his face.

The beep of the machine tracking his heart rate mixed with the whur of the machine that was helping him breathe became a symphony of survival and struggle. Luke had reluctantly stepped out a moment ago to give the Walker's an update when they had called him for the fourth time.

'Can't show up themselves, but are more than happy to nag me for answers,' Luke had muttered as he ducked through the door with a scowl, glaring at the phone before placing it to his ear.

With Luke gone, I was suddenly alone with Andrew for the first time since we were on the balcony, his words from the night before coming back to me. 'I pick you. At the end of this. I choose you, Delle Falls.'

I let out a shallow breath. "I think you picked wrong," I murmured, hair falling into my face as I stared down at him. "A normal person wouldn't be so scared at the idea of being picked." I sighed, reaching for Andrew's medical chart, needing something else to focus on.

I scanned the information, and felt like I was reading a foreign language. The words were a confusing string of numbers and phrases that made up his state. I had tried understanding it several times, but couldn't put together anything important. 

What am I missing?

A sudden commotion in the hallway caught my attention. "I'm aware that you don't know who I am, but that sorry excuse for a scowl isn't going to scare me off. I'm expected, so you need to take a couple... dozen chill pills, maybe eat a KitKat bar, and get out of my way."

I recognized the voice and peeked my head out the door to find Aiden and Em engaging in a stare down. Grumpy Ice Wall vs. Bad Ass Pixie Princess. Who will win in a fight?

Em spotted me and threw herself at me, wrapping me in a tight hug before I could move back. "DELLE!" She buried her face into my neck, and added quietly, "Just go with it." Then she turned back to smile victoriously at Aiden. "See! I told you I know her. Delle and I are very good friends." She looped her arm through mine, adding to the strange image she was creating. 

Aiden narrowed his eyes at her, my bemused face not helping whatever illusion she was trying to trick him with. "Um... Hi Em. What's going on?" 

She gave my arm a squeeze. "Came to check on you, silly! You asked me to come, remember?" She stared at me with such an intent look that I was left momentarily speechless. Then my brain caught up and I realized why Em had shown up to the hospital and somehow managed to sneak into the recovery wing. I had asked Prism to get in contact with Em, and here she was, showing up in the one place where the TV crew couldn't listen to our conversation.