A Long Time Coming (24 page)

“Can…can I touch
it?”

“Yeah, no problem,
man.”

Without further
encouragement, that’s exactly what he did, his hand traced the top, following
the length with his finger. “Wow…this thing really works, then?” His voice held
awe, his eyes held wonder. David didn’t know really how to react to this
foul–mouthed little bugger who held such hope in his words.

“It does.” He
reattached it, before pulling his pant leg down. He settled his hands over his
knees and sat upright again. “You wanna tell me your name?”

“Adam. My name’s
Adam. You?”

“David.”

Scrunching his
nose in disgust, the boy let him have it
—
there’d
obviously be no holding back with this kid. “Ain’t that name kind of old?”

David laughed.
He’d always hated his name
—
hated that his
mountain man of a father had a Harley Davidson obsession and demanded his twins
to bear the names of metal bikes. “Yeah, it is.” He shrugged, sitting up,
staring down at the remote control of the video game. “What are you playing
there?”

“Minecraft.”

“Minecraft, huh?
You like that stuff?”

“Sort of…I kind of
wish they had like, some sports games or something, but I deal with this.”

David nodded once,
his thoughts already on the games he had in his drawers at home. He’d gotten an
Xbox a few months after his accident, but he rarely played it, preferring sleep
over anything else at the time. He’d have to bring the things back the next
time he came in.

The next time…
That was a shocking thought because at this point, he had no idea if there
would be a next time. And could he really get paid for playing video games with
a kid who had a potty mouth like his sister? Well, hell yeah he could. He’d be
a fool not to.

A tap on the door
sounded, interrupting their little powwow. Doctor lady was there, her face soft
as she crept beside Adam. “Hey Mom, David showed me his leg. He’s got a
prosthetic.”

Mom?
Doctor lady was this kid’s
mom
?

“He did huh?” Her
eyes were bright, but below the lids was a darkness that couldn’t be missed.
How had he not noticed that? It was evidence of late nights and crying; all too
recognizable to him. “Well, Mr. Anderson—”

“David mom, his
name is David,” she rolled her eyes, but grinned, ruffling his hair. He pushed
her hand away, his face reddening as he spoke, “Mom…seriously. Leave my hair
alone.”

He brushed it
forward, and frowned. Shaking her head, she lowered her hand to his shoulder
instead. This time, he didn’t move away. David knew all too well how it was
when a mom embarrassed her son. But now, he’d live through a lifetime of
embarrassment from his mom just to keep her with him longer.

“How would you
like
David
here, to come by and see you again? Maybe wheel you to
therapy a couple of afternoons when I’m working or on call?”

He shrugged,
staring down at the blanket. His mood dropping to a negative temperature just
like that. “Yeah, whatever.” Adam was clearly not cool with the suggestion.
He’d have to find out why that was. Hell, maybe the football Xbox game would score
him some points with this kid after all.

“Good, now say
goodbye. David’s clown friend just got sick in the bathroom.”

“He
what
?”
Darting upwards, David felt his temples throb at the sudden rise of his body.
He winced, sucking in a painful gasp as he held on to the dresser.

A hand shot out
and steadied him, a panicked voice followed suit. “Are you okay, David?”

Pressing his
knuckles into his forehead, he nodded, trying hard to gain a sense of balance
as he re–opened his eyes. The room was blurry as he blinked, but it didn’t last
very long. Fuck. One day without his pills again and he was already messed up.

“Say goodbye,
Adam.”

“See ya, David.”
He hollered; his little kid voice echoed from behind, worry lacing the tone.

Making it to the
hall was a feat. His body was shaking. His stomach was churning, all from
getting up too fast. Why wasn’t this getting better? In fact, would it ever get
better? Would he ever be able to freaking get up out of a chair without wanting
to pass out or puke?

“Have you eaten
today?” Damn, she was still there? He didn’t need her. He needed his pills…and
his bed. And if Abigail came along as a side order, he’d take her too.

“Yes,” he ground
out through clenched teeth, his nails digging into the skin of his palms.

“Well, maybe I
should just take your blood pressure, or call someone to come and—”

“I’m fine. I
just…”

“Have a
substantial injury from the severe head trauma you received during your crash
in 2011.” Dropping his chin into his chest, he let all the breath in his lungs
go. This lady was nosy as shit.

Hands pressed
against his shoulder, and he forced his gaze upwards to meet hers. Anger and
concern accompanied the darkness of her eyes. “Do you really think I’d let some
random stranger go into my son’s hospital room alone? I don’t think so.”

“How do you know
about me anyways?”

“JT’s aunt called.
She’s my best friend. I told her I’d been looking for a companion for my son
until he gets out of here. She said JT mentioned you and your condition, and I
knew, without even meeting you, that you’d be the perfect candidate. I did a
little research
—
sue me.”

“I could you know…sue
you for looking in my
private
records.”

She grinned,
shrugging, “But you won’t. You like my son. You want this job. I’ll double the
pay
—
two hundred dollars, two hours a night on Tuesdays,
Wednesdays, and Thursdays. I’ll pay for your gas to get here.”

He crossed his
arms and leaned back against the wall. “I don’t have a license.”

“Get one…or I’ll
pay whoever drives you for their gas.”

Damn…she was
serious, huh? And she was right. He needed this job. He needed this money. And
strangely, he liked the kid, just like she accused him of doing. Tilting his
chin up, he gave his thoughts another go around before answering her. “Okay.
Two hundred a night, I’ll do it. I’ll hang with Adam.”

“Wise decision,
Mr. Anderson. I’ll see you tomorrow then?”

Tomorrow. She
wanted him to come back tomorrow… Sure, why the hell not. “Yep, I’ll be here.”

“Good. Now, I
suggest you take JT out of here. I can’t have a hung over clown in my ward.”

Yeah, he could
definitely see her point. Besides that, he was glad to be free
—
ready to see Abigail
—
ready
to tell her about his new
job.
With all the bad shit he’d incurred,
maybe, just maybe, his life was going to give him a little break for once. He
just wondered how long it would last…

Chapter
Twenty–Four

Five voicemails,
three texts and still, there was no sign of David
—
anywhere. Where was he? And why wasn’t he answering her
calls? Her texts? And why in the hell was she so needy all of a sudden?

“Ugh, I’m a
freaking wreck!”

The aching in her
stomach finally eased to a minimal cramping at least, but she wouldn’t feel
better until she went to the doctor and got it checked out. Thoughts of calling
her mom at work had temporarily crossed her mind, but she wasn’t that
desperate…yet. She wasn’t ready to face either of her parents at this point in
time, even though the blood in her underwear scared the absolute shit out of
her.

She was sure she
sounded like a crazy psychopath on the phone when she’d called the on–call
nurse at her OB office. But it was better to be a little bit nutty, than to not
care at all, just in case. Really though, she wouldn’t be truly settled with
the idea that the little Anderson bean growing inside of her belly was good,
until she got in–person confirmation from a professional.

“Abs? Where are
you?”

All the breath
left her lungs as she ran towards her front door. Jesus, seeing him after eight
hours apart, kind of tortured the shit out of her. What was wrong with her? She
didn’t normally do the
obsessed
thing either
.
“My God, I’ve been
trying to get a hold of you all afternoon!” Unable to stop herself, she
pummeled into him, wrapping her arms around his neck, hugging him with wild
abandon.

Yeah, this
emotional shit needed stand down
—
and
soon.

He moaned,
wrapping his arms just as tightly around her waist. Breathing was easier when
she was tucked into his chest like that. Hell, who was she kidding here,
life
was easier when he was there with her in general. And as pathetic as it
sounded, she wasn’t about to let him go…at least not for another thirty seconds.
They’d spent every possible moment together that they could since they’d
returned from California. The time had been the best she’d ever experienced in
her entire, short, almost nineteen years of existence. Yeah, she was beyond
pitiful.

“I’m sorry, my phone
died. But I have a really awesome excuse as to where I’ve been today.”

Pulling back, she
stared up into his eyes. They were alive, practically dancing beneath those
girlie lashes of his. There was something amazing going on in that head of his,
and she was going to find out…just as soon as they got in the car though. “Um,
I want to hear it, really I do, but we need to leave, like now.”

This was hard
—
this telling him what to do, demanding
anything
of
him at all crap
—
even if it
was
for a
good reason. She was not that typical girl, that clinger. She liked her
freedom, especially when it came to the guys she’d dated in the past. But maybe
too, those guys weren’t
David
and that’s why she never really gave a
shit before now.

“I’ve been
spotting this afternoon and I need to see a doctor.”

Cringing, he
pressed his hands against her cheeks. The move didn’t match his expression.
“What do you mean…
spotting
?”

“I mean I’m
bleeding.”

“Bleeding?” Head
tipped to the side, he eyed her arms, then her neck, and her legs, obviously
looking for surface damage. Unfortunately, this type of blood couldn’t be
covered with a Band–Aid.

“David…my vagina
—
my freaking
hoo–ha
—
is
bleeding! I need to go to the doctor to check on the baby.”

“Shit,” his face
went completely pale, “…for real, Abs?”

Reaching for her
purse on the counter behind her, she pulled him along next to her heading
towards the door. “Yes. Now, come on. I need you.”

“Fuck, Abs, I’m
sorry, I’m coming.” He finally got it, like a tiny little light bulb flickered
on in his head. He was a smart guy, but he was also
a guy.
He obviously
knew nothing about the preggo thing. She didn’t know much either, but she did
know that any kind of blood wasn’t a good thing.

“So, tell me
what’s got you all excited today? I need a distraction.” She gripped his hand
in hers as they pulled out of her driveway a few minutes later.

A heavy breath of
air expelled from his mouth as he spoke. “I got a job.”

“You did? Really?
That’s awesome! Where at?”

“At the children’s
hospital in Omaha. I’m working with a boy who just lost his arm.”

Wow. David was
willingly going to work in a hospital… With kids… Who was this boy sitting next
to her? She grinned to herself, thinking about things
—
David things. In the short span of almost two and a half
short weeks, David had metaphorically grown up. And as much as she didn’t want
to float her own boat, she couldn’t help but wonder whether the two of them
—
together
—
might be part of
that reason. “I’m so proud of you.” She glanced over at him briefly again. His
face was lit up. His smile was stretched wide across his face. Never had she
seen him so happy. And despite where they were headed, Abigail couldn’t help
but echo that emotion herself.

“The kid is really
cool
—
cusses worse than Harley does.”

“Yeah? I’d love to
meet him.”

His head fell to
the side, his eyes smiling just as brightly as his mouth was. “You’d like him.
His mom’s a tough bitch, but she’s also a doctor there. The only problem is
that I’m going to need a ride to and from the hospital until I get my license
back.”

Six months ago,
David had been lost
—
just a shell of the
guy who was now sitting next to her. But today, for the first time in two and a
half years, she saw something flare to life in his eyes
—
something akin to hope. Hope was good. Better than good
actually. He wasn’t taking huge steps by any means, simply getting a job,
getting his driver’s license renewed, but those little things all added up. And
despite the difficulties that lay ahead, Abigail knew that starting small would
lead to something so much more.

“Just tell me when
and where to go, and I’ll be there.”

“Tuesday,
Wednesday, and Thursday afternoons…”

Nodding she
tightened her grip on his hand. “I can do Wednesdays and Thursdays. But I work
Tuesday afternoons.”

“Yeah, no big
deal. I’ll hitch a ride from JT, or someone.”

“David I’m…really
proud of you.”

Grinning, he
brought her fingers to his mouth, kissing each one of them individually as he
spoke. She shuddered as his dark eyes sparkled up at her. Driving was becoming
damn near impossible. “It’s you, Abigail.
You
are the reason why I’m
doing this.
You
are my sole purpose for finally living my life again.”
He flattened his other palm on her stomach, “And this too.”

Swallowing a sigh,
she returned her gaze to the road, all too aware of what he was telling her.
Fingertips skated under her shirt, dancing across her lower abdomen as he
spoke. His voice was low, and so sure, that it left no doubt in her mind that
he was actually accepting this miracle between them. “I didn’t have a reason to
keep living until you gave yourself to me, until you and our baby made me
believe I had to do something again.” She started to speak, opened her mouth
and everything, but he shook his head. “Don’t…let me say it” Frowning, she let
her voice fall back into her throat. Damn him and his sweet words.

Damn him for
making her feel so treasured. Most girls would love it, and she did, but didn’t
he understand too, that he would have done something, regardless of her
presence? He’d never believe, but it was true. David was a strong man
—
just needed a push. She gave him that push, yeah, but other
than that, he did it all on his own.
That’s
why she was so proud of him.

“And I know you
probably don’t want to hear it, but it’s true. Even if there wasn’t a baby
involved, I still would be here, with you. Always, Abs.” David pulled her out
of her own funk, made her remember that beyond the bad, there was always good
on the other end, so in a way, he had healed her too, even though she didn’t
realize she’d been broken.

Ten minutes later,
they pulled into the hospital lot. Five minutes after that they were in a small
room of an after–hours office. Abigail sat on a bed, dressed in only a white
hospital gown. David on the other hand, was white himself
—
like a ghost. Pale, voiceless, nothing about him said he
was happy to be there, he was the complete opposite of the boy she’d glimpsed
in the car. Not that she blamed him. In fact, she knew exactly why he was the
way he was. It was the hospital. Nothing good had ever happened to him in
hospitals. Just for once though, she prayed that God would maybe ease up on
them, give them something to work for, rather than something to lose…

“David I—”

The door creaked
open before she was able to fork out an apology for bringing him there. But
then something changed and before she could even blink, David was there next to
her, holding her hand, staring down at her with love and support and complete
adoration on his face, even if behind his eyes hovered anxiety that he had
never been able to hide from her.

“Good evening, I’m
Doctor Tugs. It’s good to meet you both.” The short little Asian man was all
business, his eyes narrowing down at her chart as he thumbed through all the
paperwork she’d filled out. “Let’s have a look, shall we?”

“A look?” David’s
voice cracked, his grip tightened on her hand as he moved back towards her
head. If she wasn’t scared to death herself, she would have probably laughed at
him.

“Yes son, I need
to check her cervix, and make sure everything is intact. I believe the spotting
is nothing more than implantation bleeding, something that can oftentimes occur
around the tenth week of pregnancy, but for the sake of Miss Zane here, we are
going to take a closer look.”

“Shit…”

His
shit
may
have been quiet, but the doctor must have heard, answering him with a
disapproving glare from over his shoulder as he washed his hands. Abigail
reached for David’s arms, needing him to stay close and with her. Passing out
would not be a good thing.

“David, I have an
idea.”

Frowning, he
settled down next to her on a seat, running his hands through his hair. “And
what’s that?” The nurse entered the room, and helped her lift her legs into the
stirrups. Abigail’s knees trembled as the doctor inched closer, but she kept a
smile on her face, needing to distract David more than herself.

“Tonight, let me
take you out.”

“You want to take
me out…and you want to talk about it
now?”
God he was cute, even when
confused and terrified.

“Um, there’s no
better time than now?” She squirmed, and shut her eyes as her stomach cramped.
Dammit,
that hurt. What the hell was the doctor doing down there anyways?

“Uh…” Abigail
followed David’s gaze as he watched the doctor between her legs with intent.
Every second that passed, his face grew whiter. Jesus, this was just an
exam…what would he do when she was actually going through labor?

“David,” she
hissed, yanking on his t–shirt, “snap the fuck out of it!”

He jumped, as did
the doctor, and the nurse, who also cleared her throat and narrowed her eyes.
Whatever, she was who she was, and didn’t conform to anyone’s standards,
doctor’s office or not.

“I’m
fine
,”
he snarled defensively, sitting back against his chair. He ran a trembling hand
down the front of his face, snapping it into his lap a second later. Yeah,
David was far from fine
—
freaked out, and
completely looking like he was going to puke any second
—
but fine was not on her list of adjectives.

“Good, because
it’s
my
hoo–ha getting worked on here, not your penis, you got it?” He
blinked, looking utterly baffled at her words. She nodded once, and let out a
breath as she laid her head back on the pillow. Staring up at the white tiled
ceiling, she snapped at him once more. “Now…are you going to let me take you
out tonight to celebrate this new job, or what?”

“Um, yeah Abs,
sure, whatever you wanna do.”

Whatever she
wanted, huh? Yeah, she could totally use that to her advantage. But she was
going for focus here, not distraction. And surely mentioning sex slave acts
while the OB was examining her crotch was not an appropriate conversation to be
having.

She patted his
hand once more and blew out another cleansing breath, just as the nurse lowered
her white paper gown back over her legs. The doctor rolled his stool away,
slipped off his gloves, and proceeded to write in his chart.

“Good. Because
I’ve got big plans for us tonight…” she whispered, winking at him in the
process.