Regrets

Chapter Twenty-one

Laying in the hospital bed, I find myself fascinated by the sun selectively shining through the blinds. It makes me feel like I should be happy, but I'm not. I'm miserable. I'm in pain. So different from when I was happy only a day ago, and so different from when I was at my darkest only a few weeks ago.

Vincent walks in and interrupts my thoughts.

"Hey babe... are you okay?"

I look at him for a second. It's almost like I don't recognize him. He shaved and got a hair cut. His white shirt was changed to a grey-blue one and his slacks were changed to light blue jeans. Sexy as always.

I shrug. "I don't know what happened. Haven't heard from the doctors. My stomach still kills." I say, clutching around my ribs.

He nods and sits in the chair on the side of my bed.

"I'm so sick of being in the hospital." I laugh.

Vincent chuckles and nods, rubbing my arm for comfort.

The door opens and in walks my mom.

"What are you doing here?" I hiss.

"I called her." Vincent admits.

I glance at him, "Why? So she can control my life? So she can drag me back Massachusetts?"

"Taylor, stop. I'm not here to make you do anything. You're my daughter. I worry about you."

I roll my eyes and a silence falls over the room. The next person to walk in is my nurse. She fixes a few things on the monitor beside my bed and walks out again. I get a glimpse of my brother and sister as the door shuts.

I sigh and close my eyes as the door opens and closes again. My mom left, I know she did, because Vincent's now sobbing.

I don't know why, yet, but I'm too tired to think. So instead of asking, I just fall asleep and let my dreams take me away, that is if I have a dream rather than a nightmare.

When I wake the room is empty. The lights are off and there's no sun shining through the blinds. The room is way to silent. I look at the door and a piece of paper on my bedside table catches my eyes.

I pick it up and read over it quickly:

Be back in the morning. Love you. -Vincent

Knowing that if I stay up any longer, I'm going to go crazy, I just fall back asleep.

I'm awake, but I don't open my eyes. The sun is bright, but I don't want to see it. So I just lay and listen to the conversation going on in the hallway.

"You've done this to her. You've corrupted my little girl." My moms voice echoes.

"I'm not the one she ran away with. You know that. It was that Colton kid. She started going crazy-"

"Now you're calling her crazy? Do you even love her? Do you even know her?"

"I know a lot more than you think." Vincent says angrily. "Maybe you should just leave."

"Shes my daughter, I'll be calling the shots."

I know Vincent says something, but I don't quite catch it.

Smack.

A long pause.

Footsteps.

And then the door opens.

I open my eyes to see Vincent standing against the wall, his cheek bright red.

"What happened?"