Castle | ✔️

Chapter Thirty Three

"What day is it?" I asked.

"Tuesday."

The accident happened on Sunday. That means I'd been out for about forty-eight hours.

"Do you have any other close family that I could call?"

Did I have any close family?

Theo!

"Yes," I said. "But can I please make the call? It will only take two minutes."

She looked at me with pity, and I didn't care if I was being pitiful as long as I got what I wanted. After giving it some thought, she nodded and led me outside to the public phone.

My entire body hurt, but I had to do this. I dialed Theo's cellphone number, thank goodness for my good memory that I could remember the digits. A few minutes ago, I had a hard time remembering who I was.

He answered on the second ring, "Hello."

"Theo."

He went completely silent for a moment, and then I heard soft sobs filling the other end of the line. "Millie...?"

"Yes, it's me." I said.

"Oh god, Millie...you're alive." He sobbed for a minute longer and then composed himself. I never knew Theo could cry. I'd never seen him cry, not during the months that I had lived with the family. Warmth filled my chest.

"Are you alone?" I asked.

"Yeah. I'm in my room. Is Castle alright?" I could hear the worry in his voice. It seemed like he would rather not learn the truth if Castle didn't make it.

"Yes. I'm yet to see him, but the nurse said he's fine."

"You are on the news, Millie. They are showing us a badly crushed car. This is breaking news that every channel is covering. Austin didn't make it so we assumed..."

"Devin did it."

"What?"

"Don't say a word, just listen to me. Do not tell anyone that we are alive, Theo, do you understand what I'm saying?"

"Yes."

"Devin sent us on this trip to get us killed. The car had a bomb attached inside, the brakes weren't working! We are supposed to be dead, but we survived since we jumped off the speeding car."

"But Austin..."

"Austin was on a murder-suicide mission. His family is getting money and his kids are going to some Ivy League college." I told him, and then turned around to find the nurse hovering over me, "I need your help."

"Anything."

"I need money."

"How much?" He asked without hesitation.

"Twenty thousand dollars."

My request was met with silence and then he whisper-shouted, "Are you insane? I can't give you that much! It's not that I don't have it, I have plenty, but Devin checks my debit card statements. I wouldn't be able to explain where I spent that much money."

He had a point. He sighed. "What are you planning to do with the money?"

"Disappear with Castle. Start a new life, anything, until he gets his memories back."

"I can give you five thousand for now." He offered.

"I'll take it, and I'll return it as soon as I can," I promised him. "Also, I think you'll need to pay for the hospital bills anonymously."

"Done. Tell me where and how. It's going to be difficult, but I'll figure it out."

"Thank you and please be very careful. I'm worried about you, too."

After I hung up on the call, I went back to my room. I wanted to see Castle, and I was desperate. I had to insist a lot on the nurse to let me see him because I wanted to make sure he was okay. It took tons of arguing on my part, and some tears to gain sympathy, and then finally she agreed.

Castle's eyes were closed, and he appeared to be sleeping peacefully. There was a large gauze wrapped around his bare chest but he was breathing easily. Not wanting to disturb his rest, I let the nurse guide me to my room.

On my way back, I noticed the chaos that surrounded me. A young man was brought in for a drug overdose, an unsuccessful surgery which led to the death of a woman, and the loud ear-piercing wail of the woman's mother. These melancholic feelings were taking a toll on me.

*~*

"Mrs. Carter, your husband is awake!" The nurse announced the next afternoon.

I rushed out of my room, almost running, galloping towards where Castle was kept.

He's okay. We're fine! We survived. My mind continued to scream.

This is all I wanted for now. For Castle to be safe.

A tall man was standing outside of Castle's room. He wore a long black trench-coat, and a hat concealed his face. I passed him as I walked inside Castle's room.

That was strange. Who was this man?

Castle was eating his meal slowly, the same thing that I'd eaten, or rather, forced down my throat. There was chicken noodle soup, some potato salad, and pudding for dessert. His thick long lashes were casting a shadow over his defined cheekbones. He gave up on soup and picked up the dessert. He didn't look happy for whatever reason.

I smiled at the familiarity in his behavior.

"Castle."

He looked up at me.

"I was so worried about you," I said, going to sit beside him. "How are you feeling?"

"Millie...I didn't know where you were...I kept asking them how you were doing."

"I'm here now." I kissed the top of his head. "Get well soon so we can leave this place."

"Where are we going?" Castle asked like we were going on another adventure.

That was the million-dollar question.

Where would we go?

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