Dark Mountains (15 page)

Chapter 28

A week later, I was sitting next to Libby’s bed in another room. She’d begun breathing on her own so they’d taken her off the ventilator and moved her to a more private room. It had a window and I always made sure the blinds were open for the sunshine to filter in. The babies had been able to go home a few days before. Momma and Emma Lou were taking shifts helping me take care of them so I could still spend time at the hospital with Libby.

Libby had seemed like she was on the verge of waking up… her pupils had responded to light and
she’d flinched when her fingertips or toes were prodded. After having multiple tests to check her brainwaves, the doctor had assured me that Libby’s brain was functioning normally and there was no physical reason why she should still be in a coma. The team of doctors that took care of her seemed to agree that what was keeping Libby unconscious could be her mind trying to recover from the shock of what had happened.

I brought our children in to see her once a day.
I’d lay them next to her in the bed and tell her all the things they had accomplished so far. Mostly I just told her how often they slept and how many diapers they went through. I hoped Libby could hear me and know that her babies were safe and healthy. I wanted her to know that it was okay to wake up but she never did.

Another week had passed and I walked into Libby’s room and found it empty. I dropped the plant that I had brought with me and flinched when the pot shattered on the floor. Tears formed in my eyes as I stared at the bare mattress. Hearing the noise, a nurse ran up to me, gasping when she saw the mess. I turned on her, my eyes blurry and full of anger.

“Why didn’t you call me?” I cried, despair filling my heart. The nurse stumbled back at the sound of my voice, shaking her head.

“What do you mean?” She finally stuttered.

“She’s gone!” I screamed, pointing at the bed. “And you didn’t call me!”

“Why would we?” She asked
, shock etched on her face. My vision turned red as for the first time in my life, I could almost imagine hurting a woman. “We only moved her to another room.” The nurse finished.

I nearly passed out. My legs buckled and I backed against the wall, sliding down to the floor. I vaguely heard the nurse calling for oxygen as she quickly bent down to check my pulse.

“Sir?” She tried to turn my face so I was looking at her. I was taking deep breaths, trying to calm my pounding heart. “Are you okay?”

“My wife,” I wheezed. “I thought my wife was dead.” The nurse’s face paled as she realized what had just happened.

“Oh, sir,” she cried, tears filling her own eyes. “I’m sorry I didn’t explain that better!”

“Why did they move her?” I asked as she helped me get weakly to my feet.

“Mrs. Andrews woke up this morning,” she answered and I felt my heart skip a beat. “The attending doctor ran some tests and decided to move her to floor 2 since that’s where physical therapy is.”

“Did she ask for me?” I
whispered, my voice still shaky.

“Actually, she did.” The nurse smiled. “He was supposed to be calling you…” My phone rang, cutting off the nurse.

“Hello?” I answered quickly.

“Cole!” Momma’s
voice was frantic on the other line. “Dr. Wilson from the hospital called. Libby woke up!”

“Mom
ma,” I interrupted. “I know, I’m here now.”

“Did you see her yet? Has she said anything? Does she remember what happened?”
Her voice rattled off and I had to pull the phone away from my ear a bit.

“No, Mom
ma,” I waited until she calmed down. “I haven’t seen her yet. I went to the wrong floor.” I held the phone out again as she started questioning again. “That’s a good idea. Yeah, I think she’ll want to see them too but Momma... I don’t know what she remembers. Give me a little bit. I’ll call you if she isn’t ready.” I closed my phone and took a breath to steady myself. “Can you take me to my wife?” I asked the nurse. She gave me a big smile before answering.

“Of course.”

The nurse led me downstairs and when I got to Libby’s room, I was suddenly nervous. I had no idea how much she remembered. I poked my head in the doorway and felt such relief to see her sitting up in bed eating a bowl of broth.

“Why can’t I have a cheeseburger?” Libby complained. Her voice was scratchy but hearing it brought fresh tears to my eyes.

“Mrs. Andrews, you’ve only been getting nutrition from a feeding tube.” A nurse explained, taking the bowl away from her. “Your body can’t handle a Big Mac yet.” Libby snorted weakly. “We’ll start with the broth, then maybe some Jell-O.” Libby grimaced and I chuckled at the face she made. Both women looked towards the door. “It looks like you have a visitor,” the nurse smiled as she grabbed the lunch tray and left the room.

Libby looked towards me, a slightly blank expression on her face. I was suddenly nervous.
She had asked for me but did she actually remember me? She stared at me while I stepped into the room. Her eyes traveled down and saw the flowers I had brought her, now sitting in a bedpan. Her lips twitched as I stopped, unsure of what to say or where to start.

“Interesting way to bring flowers to a lady,” she murmured, the corner of her mouth curling up. I blushed and set the bedpan on the table next to me.

“I, uh, dropped it,” I answered. “Accidentally.” She raised an eyebrow as I took a few steps forward. “The bedpan was the only thing left to put them in.” Libby smiled fully now and though her face was thin and pale, it was the most beautiful smile I’d ever seen.

“They’re beautiful, despite what they’re planted in,” she told me, looking at my face again. “Aren’t you going to kiss me, Cole?” she chided, raising her eyebrow again.

“Oh, Libby,” I ran to her, and nearly lifted her from the bed when I swept her into my arms. “I didn’t know if you’d remember me.” I managed, tears making my voice thick.

“How could I ever forget you?” She assured me leaning into my shoulder. I hissed at the pain it brought.

“I’m so sorry!” She gasped, quickly pulling away.

“It’s okay,” I told her, pulling her back to me. “
It’s all healed, just sore.”

“How long have I been out?” She suddenly whispered.

“They didn’t tell you anything?” She shook her head.

“They only ran some tests and told me I’d been in a coma for a while.”

“You’ve been unconscious for just over a month.” Her face paled as I told her. “Do you remember anything?

“A little,” she answered, her voice shaking now. “I remember being drug through the woods. You found me though.” I
nodded, squeezing her hand. “He threw a knife at you. You fought but he was going to kill you,” I nodded when she paused. “I shot him.” Her voice shook as she spoke. “Something was wrong with the babies but everything went black after that.”

“You didn’t wake up after that,” I told her. “They took you to surgery as soon as you got to the hospital.” She pulled at her gown as I spoke until her stomach was visible. The skin was still slightly round, proof that
she’d been pregnant. She ran shaky fingers over the bandage beneath her belly button. A tear splashed onto her hand as she looked up at me.

“What happened?” She whispered, but began to sob before I could answer. I took her into my arms again as her body shook. I heard a noise outside the hall and glanced over to see my parents in the doorway, holding the twins in their carriers. I nodded for them to come in as I pulled Libby away from me. Her back was to the door and she
hadn’t heard them come in.

“Libby,” I murmured, gently pushing the hair from her face. “They made it.”

“What?” I barely heard the whispered word. She slowly raised her head from my shoulder and followed my gaze to the doorway. They’d taken the babies out of their carriers and were holding them, waiting to bring them over.

Libby gasped, her hands flying to her mouth. I pulled away from
her and motioned for my parents to come over. I took our son and turned back to Libby. She lifted her shaking hands but using my free hand, I grabbed a pillow and put it beneath her elbow. I laid our son in the crook of her arm, helping her relax onto the pillow so she wasn’t lifting his weight with her weak arm. Momma followed my lead, walking around the bed and carefully doing the same with our daughter.

“They’re alive,” she murmured, more as a statement than a question. She stared down at them, tears filling her eyes again. “A boy and a girl,” she murmured, with a smile. “What are their names?”

“I couldn’t name them without you,” I explained.

“Are they okay?” Libby
asked, her voice shaky with emotion.

“They’re perfect,” I answered, watching her sigh in relief. “They were absolutely fine when they came out. Not one problem.”

“How long were you here?”

“I was out of it for a week before I woke up.
Then another week before they discharged me. They let the twins come home with me. Momma, Dad and Emma Lou have been helping me with them.” Dad chuckled.

“He didn’t have a clue,” Dad snickered.

“You didn’t either when we brought Cole home,” Momma reminded him with a smile.

“I spend half my days here and half at home
.” She smiled up at me. “I’ve been bringing them in every day.”

“Thank you so much,” Libby whispered to my parents.

“That’s what family is for,” Dad answered with a smile.

“We’re going to head down to the cafeteria for a while
.” She nudged dad towards the door. “You have a lot of catching up to do.” We were both smiling as they left.

We sat in silence for a while, watching our babies. I rocked my daughter while Libby held our son. I watched as she played with each of his fingers and toes, seeming to memorize every inch of him. After a while, I switched with her and she repeated the same process with our daughter.

“I heard things while I was out,” Libby whispered a while later. “Bits and pieces of conversation. I wanted to wake up and answer but I couldn’t find my way out. Was that what it was like for you?”

“Yeah.
I remember hearing your voice. It’s what brought me out.”

“Where’s my father?”

“He’s dead, Libby,” I answered carefully. “You don’t have to be afraid of him anymore.” Libby shook her head, her jaw clenching.

“I didn’t mean Jackson,
” she answered. “I meant my real father. Where’s John Paul?” I hesitated, unsure of what she knew. “I heard you both talking. It was in and out, like a fuzzy radio station but I caught most of it.”

“Libby, he wanted to tell you,”

“I know,” she murmured. “Can I see him?”

“Of course you can,” I answered. “He comes in at three every day and sits with you while I go home to spend time with the
babies.”

“I have some things I want to ask him”

“That’s kind of an understatement,” I murmured, making her chuckle a bit.

“Yeah.”

Chapter 29

Libby helped me feed and change the twins, though she tired easily. She lay back on the bed with one baby on her chest while I rocked the other in the chair beside the bed. I noticed that
she’d fallen asleep and when my parents finally came back, I helped them strap the babies into their carriers.

“I’m going to stay with here
,” I explained, kissing them. “I don’t know how long she’ll be sleeping for.”

“Tell her we’ll bring them back first thing tomorrow,” Mom
ma assured me, giving me a hug. “You just take care of her and we’ll take care of them.” I smiled and watched them leave left before lying beside Libby in the bed.

A few hours later, I was flipping through the four channels on the TV when John Paul poked his head in the door.

“Your Dad called the station and said Libby was awake,” he said quietly as he sat down next to us. “How much does she know?”

“Mostly everything,” I answered, “She could hear most of what we said while she was out.”

“She’s been through so much, Cole,” he muttered. “I would’ve said things differently if I’d known, maybe left out a few of the details.”

“I’m glad you didn’t,” Libby’s voice was stronger than it had been earlier in the day. John Paul jumped in his chair, making Libby smile. She made no effort to sit up and I could tell that she was still physically exhausted. I reached over for the bed controls and moved it into the sitting position.

“I’m so sorry, Libby.” John Paul barely got the words out before he broke down. Libby sat quietly as he wept into his hands.

“You were with her,” Libby murmured. John Paul looked up, confusion marring his features. “At the hotel, before she died.” His face pinched when he realized what she was asking him. “She called the day before and told me she was with someone. That
he’d keep her safe. It was you, wasn’t it?” John Paul nodded slowly.

“She left while he was at the mine,” he answered. “She knew he’d come after her and she called and asked for my help. We filed a report, requested a restraining order. I told the deputy I was taking care of her protection personally until she could get into a women’s shelter.” John Paul met her eyes. “She told me the only reason she never left was because he’d kill you both if she tried. But now that you had Cole, she trusted that he would keep you safe.” I pulled Libby closer to me as he spoke. I
hadn’t done a very good job of keeping her from danger.

“I found a hotel across the county, checked in under a different name and paid cash. I took all the precautions. I don’t know how he found her.” His eyes filled again. “I’m the goddamn sheriff and I couldn’t keep her safe.” Libby reached her hand out to him and he hesitated before taking it.

“It wasn’t your fault,” she whispered, gripping his hand.

“She was happy, Libby. Even if it was only for a few days,
” he murmured, squeezing her hand. “She was really happy.”

“What happened?”

“I’d left to pick up dinner. She wanted to stay and take a bubble bath.” John Paul smiled at some memory but the smile faded quickly. “When I got back the door to the room was open. He was gone.” John Paul shuddered. “She was still alive.” Libby gasped and I hugged her tighter. “I knew as soon as I found her that she wouldn’t make it.” He was crying again, as was Libby. I could feel her trembling in my arms. “She was barely breathing but she kept saying she was sorry. The last words she said were ‘I finally fought back’. She was gone before the ambulance got there.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Libby’s voice was raw again.

“You still weren’t safe,” John Paul answered. “If you knew I was your father it might’ve pushed Jackson over the edge sooner. I couldn’t risk it.”

“You lied to us,” I murmured. “You lied on the police report.”

“I’d already let Libby live with that monster her entire life,” John Paul argued. “I couldn’t put her in any more danger than I already had.” He wiped his sleeve on his face. “If I could go back and change it, I would.”

“No,” Libby answered, taking his hand again. “You can’t change the past.
But we can change the future. Are you ready to be a father, John Paul? To be a grandfather?” His eyes widened as she spoke.

“I want that more than anything,” he told her, a smile threatening on his face.

“I expect you to be there for us. For every birthday, every milestone, every event. You don’t ever have to watch from a distance again.”

“I’ll be there,” he whispered, squeezing his daughter’s hand. I smiled, knowing that everything was finally going to be okay.