By the end of the night Andy was exhausted and thankfully Carlos ended up passing out but so did everyone else so she was stuck staying at the house. Taking a quick shower she grabbed one of his t-shirts and put it on before going under the covers.
Half way through the night her phone went off and she grabbed it to find her brother calling her.
"Hello?"
"Oh thank god, where have you been?!"
"I'm sorry, things came up, what's wrong?"
"I'm at the hospital."
"What, why?"
"Austin, he was in a car accident earlier today."
"Oh my god, is he okay?"
Andy was off the bed and grabbing her dress, putting it back on.
"He's in and out and he keeps asking for you. You need to come down here."
"On my way."
She hung up and grabbed her things, running out as she called for a cab.
The minute she was through the door she stopped to see Austin lying on a bed covered in cuts and bruises and bandages. She automatically started crying, walking towards him. She came to his side and looked at him from head to toe then back again. He had broken his arm and leg on the right side, as well as his ribs.
"Oh Austin."
"Andy?"
She turned to find Vivian as scared as she was. She went up to her and hugged her.
"I can't lose him Andy, I can't."
"I know and you're not, everything is going to be okay."
Andy let her cry before Vivian pulled away and looked down at her.
"Nice dress."
Andy nodded, but she really didn't want to explain it.
"Yeah."
"Happy birthday by the way."
Andy smiled.
"Thanks, where's Leo?"
"Downstairs he's talking to Vincent."
"For what?"
"He was the one who was attending the ER when they brought Austin in."
"Yeah, he does that from time to time."
"Austin crashed not too far from your apartment. Did you guys get in a fight?"
Andy shook her head.
"No, he came by when I was leaving and he said that he just wanted to say goodbye because he was leaving and I told him to have a safe flight and that I would see him around, but that was it."
"Were you leaving with someone else?"
"What does this have to do with Austin?"
"Answer the question Andy."
"Yes, but it wasn't what he thought. He was the driver."
"Who's driver?"
"No ones, he doesn't know him."
"Was he the one that gave you that dress?"
"Are you blaming me for this?"
"Well..."
"What, are you serious? You were the one who kept telling me to stay away from him and not to listen to him. All I did was say see you later to him, that's it!"
"I know what I said but you could have at least..."
"No Vivian, this is not my fault, I didn't cause this."
"Vivian leave her alone."
When she heard his voice she turned and went up to the bed, looking down at him.
"Hey."
"Don't listen to her."
Andy shook her head as tears started streaming down her face.
"I'm not."
"Good don't."
"How are you feeling?"
He reached for her hand and pulled Andy a little more towards him.
"I feel better now that you're here."
Andy squeezed his hand and gave him a kiss on his forehead as Austin's wife came running in, pushing her away.
"I came as soon as I could, how are you feeling?"
"Fine."
Austin looked at Andy, but she looked away, walking out and leaned against the wall.
"Hey..."
Leo wrapped his arm around her and brought her into his arms. It was then that she cried, wrapping her arms around her brother, but it didn't last very long before she pulled away and left. She knew staying there any longer would hurt more, so she went home.
As soon as she was in her apartment though, she was yanked in and thrown onto her couch.
"Where were you?!"
Andy looked up to see Carlos pissed off and pacing in front of her.
"The hospital."
Carlos then stopped, sitting in front of her, on her coffee table.
"What were you doing at the hospital?"
"Leo called me, there was an accident."
"Why didn't you wake me up?"
"You passed out and you hate it when I wake you up, so I just left."
"How did you get there?"
"In a cab."
Carlos then got up and huffed, letting out the breath he was holding. He had expected her to be next to him, but when he woke up this morning his bed was empty and no one knew where she had gone.
"Next time wake me up, you scared me."
Carlos went to take her hand, but Andy got up instead.
"I have to get to work. I promise to let you know next time, but I think right now you should go."
"Take the day off. You know you don't have to work with me."
"I want to work, I love what I do."
"But you don't have to. In fact once you're my wife, you'll have to stop because you'll be traveling with me."
Andy laughed, shaking her head.
"God, you still think I'm that little girl you met all those years ago, don't you?"
"Of course not, but you're still just as beautiful."
Carlos again tried to touch Andy, but she pulled away.
"Stop, I don't want you touching me and I really don't want to do this right now. I have to get to work."
She then went to her bedroom, locking the door.
Thankfully Carlos let her go, but he made sure she used her new car and that meant one thing... he was tracking her.
When she arrived at work, some of the nurses saw her pull up.
"Nice!"
All Andy could do was shrug and smile, but never said anything as to who had given it to her.
"Andy, can I talk to you?"
Andy's heart dropped, but she turned around.
"Yes?"
Vincent looked at her, noticing that she looked tired and thought it was probably because of Austin.
"Can I speak to you?"
"I have to clock in."
"I'll fix it."
Andy really didn't want to talk to him.
"I really can't sorry."
She walked away, leaving him standing there and practically ran to the locker room. She took a deep breath as she went in, but it didn't last very long before she was surprised by Vincent's new girlfriend.
"Hey."
"Hi."
Andy went to her locker and tried too opened it, but she was shaking from seeing her.
"How are you?"
"Okay and yourself?"
She final got her locker opened and shoved her things in, putting her badge on.
"Good too. Look, I wanted to talk to you..."
Andy shook her head.
"It's fine."
"I swear I didn't know..."
Andy stopped and looked at her.
"I said it was fine, don't worry about me. I have bigger things to worry about."
She then showed her, her hand, making her gasp.
"Yeah, so... don't worry, he's all yours."
Andy then walked away, going up to her floor. Vincent was still there.
"Andy."
"Shouldn't you be going home?"
"They switched my shifts, I'm now here in the morning."
"Awesome, your girlfriend too?"
"No, why?"
"Because she just came up to me."
"What did she say?"
"Doesn't matter, can I have my assignment now?"
"I thought you were going to call off, so I got your shift covered."
"Well I didn't so where do I go?"
"Take the day off, I'm sure you would want to see Austin."
"Austin? Is that why you gave my shift away?"
"I thought since you came last night...."
Andy walked away then, she was ready to break down and she really didn't want to do it now, so she went back down. Her phone rang then, she looked down to see Austin's number. She didn't answer and instead headed to his room. When she opened the door she could hear the television on, but as he argued with the nurse.
Wiping her tears, she went in.
"Stop arguing with her and do as she says."
Austin looked up and smiled at her.
"I was calling you."
"Let her help you."
"I'm all for a bath, but you know I'm shy."
Andy laughed, looking at the nurse.
"I'll do it."
"Aren't you working today?"
"No, I was given the day to come take care of this baby."
"Hey!"
Both Andy and the nurse laughed.
"Alright, call me if you need anything and get him to eat too."
"No worries."
She left them alone while Andy got everything ready.
"Alright, I'm going to move you alright?"
Austin just nodded and let her do what she needed to do to him. Andy's heart was beating against her chest as she started to peel back his hospital gown, being very careful with his broken arm.
"Stop for a minute?"
Andy stopped and looked down at him.
"Did I hurt you?"
"No, but you're hurt. Are you alright?"
Andy nodded, feeling the lump in her throat and the burning sensation in her heart.
Austin took Andy's hand and brought to his lips.
"Talk to me."
Andy shook her head and pulled the robe down to his waist.
"I'm going over with soap first then clean water; let me know if it's too hot or cold for you and if it hurts."
Andy started washing him as Austin watched her, feeling himself grow with need to have her.
"Do you do this to the babies as well?"
"Yeah, but I use a wash cloth."
"Lucky babies."
Andy laughed, shaking her head.
"It's easier with the babies, they're not hurt."
"Looks ugly ha?"
Andy shook her head and switched to clean water, making sure to clean his wombs carefully. She had to admit it, she was enjoying touching him, seeing his muscles tense when she touched him on accident.
"What about the lower half?"
"Let's focus on the upper half first. Now I'm going to lift the bed up, alright?"
"Okay."
She did it gently and then sat him up a little, letting him lean against her. His back was worse than the front.
"What were you driving that your back is all scratched up?"
"Motorcycle."
Andy let out a breath, shaking her head.
"Damn you Austin."
"I wasn't paying attention."
"I can see that."
"Happens when you see the woman you love looking like a movie star and seeing her get into a limo with another man."
"I'm sorry."
"No, it's my fault. Everything was my fault; I should have been honest with you from the beginning."
"Lean back."
Andy helped him back and pulled his covers over, still leaving his manly area alone.
"Andy, I'm sorry."
Andy shook her head.
"It's fine, what is done is done."
"I'm leaving her."
Andy stopped and looked back at him.
"I can't do it. I already told grandfather that he can take everything back, but that I'm filing for divorce."
"But the farm."
"I'll figure it out."
"What about your son?"
"His mother has had him for fifteen years and he loved it here, wants to come live with me."
"What about her?"
"I told her last night that it was over. She wasn't surprised."
"Does she know why?"
"Hard not to when all I do is talk about you, ask about you, think about you. You're it for me Andy. I meant it and I still mean it. Do you still feel the same about me?"
Andy looked away, but looked back at him with tears in her eyes.
"I don't think I could ever not love you regardless if you hurt me or not, but I don't want to be the reason you leave your wife. I mean you haven't even tried and what if you do leave her and you realize she's the one, then what happens to me?"
"I'm not going to change my mind. Andy you're it, you're the love of my life and I want you to be my wife. You have no idea how amazing it was to be your husband even if it was for a day or night. You opened yourself up to me and not just that but you gave me you."
Nodding, Andy looked away again, wiping her tears.
"Andy tell me you feel the same that I'm not alone in this. Look at me Andy."
Andy didn't know what to say, but she did look at him.
"Do you love me?"
Before she could answer the door opened and Andy quickly covered Austin, running to the restroom.
"Whoa, well look at my uncle getting his bath on."
Andy's heart sank as she heard his voice. How the hell was this world so small?
"What the fuck man when did you come back?!"
Andy wasn't expecting them to be so happy to see each other. Andy's heart sank even further down into the pit of her stomach.
"As soon as I heard that my girl was here I came."
"You found her?"
"Out of all places she's here in Huston."
"Really?"
"She was right under my nose this entire time."
"How did she react?"
"She didn't see me until I had her brought over, I wanted to give her some time to relax before she saw me."
"But she knew it was you?"
Carlos shrugged with a smug look on his face. He wanted to tell him about what he had done, but that's a part of him he didn't share with his family. To them he was the perfect business man and obeying citizen.
"It's not hard to let her know, she was my girl for three years before what happened."
"And she's find with what you did?"
"She knew I had to do it. I would do anything for her and that's why I asked her to marry me last night."
"Man Carlos, slow down."
"Look who's talking."
"True, but did she say yes?"
"Of course she did."
"Well then congrats man, I'm happy for you."
"Me too, I finally have everything I want. We just need you to get what you want."
"Only when I get the woman I love to accept me again after what I did."
"Have you seen her?"
"Yeah, but I don't know she seems very hesitant like if she wants to tell me something, but she doesn't know how."
Andy was in the restroom listening. She felt like the universe was working against her to make the man she loved and the man who she was scared of related. All she could think of was if Carlos knew Austin was the man she loved he would kill him, she was sure of it and she couldn't let that happen.
"Is she seeing anyone?"
"She was, a doctor here, but they broke up."
"Well then you need to do what you have to do. You know me; I don't let anyone get in my way."
"I know, maybe I need to do the same."
"Hey, whatever you have to do to get you the woman you love. Well I have to get to work, but I'll come by later, take care of yourself alright?"
"You too man and welcome back."
"See yah."
As soon as the door closes, Andy came out to see Austin looking at the door.
"Scary cat."
Andy smiled and sighed.
"Not really how I wanted to be seen."
"He's cool."
"So that's...?"
"It's a long story."
Andy nodded and finished his bath. She gave him a shave, lotioned him up and dressed him up before his nurse came in with his food.
"Wow, you look pretty good for a man that had an accident."
She looked at me and winked at me, making me roll my eyes.
"Well I had help."
"Eat your food Austin, I'll be right back."
"Where are you going?"
"To get some breakfast, I didn't get to eat, so I'll be right back. EAT."
"Hurry back."
She nodded and left so his nurse could check him out as well. Running to the lockers she grabbed her things and left to get some real food.
By lunch, Austin was fast asleep while Andy took a nap as well, that is until she was woken up. She jumped up to find Grandfather looking down at her.
"Grandfather you scared me."
"How is he?"
"Better, he took a pretty hard fall, but the doctor says he'll be alright."
"I told him not to get on that thing, but he wouldn't listen."
Andy nodded, looking over at Austin still sleeping.
"Thank you for being here."
She looked back at Grandfather and nodded.
"I couldn't leave him."
"I know and it's because of that, that I have to ask you for a favor, I need you to stay away from him."
Andy looked up at Grandfather.
"What?"
"You need to leave him, don't see him, don't answer his calls and especially don't love him."
Andy couldn't understand why he was asking her such a thing.
"But I..."
"Carlos will kill both of you if he found out and do you want that? Do you want to know what Carlos will do?"
"I'll talk to..."
"No you will not. Carlos is on a good path and I will not have you ruining that."
Andy shook her head getting up.
"I can't just stop, he needs me."
"I'm having him transported back home, he'll be fine and his wife will be taking care of him. Now I think you should go now before he wakes up."
"Sir..."
"Go, now."
Andy had no choice, security came into the room, but that didn't stop her from giving Austin a kiss.
"I love you."