Finn's Shot (Eden's Odyssey Book 1) (16 page)

A boyish grin spreads across
his handsome face and I can’t help but return it. He stands with his plate in
his hand and gestures for me to sit. He sits in the only other chair in the
room. I sit down and lock my sapphire with his emerald eyes and say, “I have a
few questions for you.”

He swallows his bite of food
and puts his chicken down, grabbing a napkin to wipe his hands.  

“Why did you let that happen with
that girl if nothing was going on?”

“I went with Jacque to eat
and check out a hockey game. In a foreign city I didn’t think anyone would
recognize us so I didn’t worry about taking security. We ordered our food and
were enjoying the game when a bunch of young guys came over. They recognized us
and wanted to talk hockey. I had no problem with that so we did. It wasn’t long
before several women joined the group. I ignored them and kept talking with the
guys. Jacque was getting friendly with one of the girls but I continued talking
to the guys and watching the game. One of them said something funny and I
laughed. At the same time, the girl in the picture dropped into my lap and kissed
my face. I dumped her out of my lap, paid my bill and excused myself. While I
was walking out the door she grabbed my hand and pulled me back. I told her I
wasn’t interested and explained that I have a girlfriend. I shook my hand free
and left. I didn’t see anyone with a camera but there must have been one. I
went straight back to the hotel to call you to explain. Between social media
and the paparazzi, I never know what will show up or how it will be spun. I
also knew we hadn’t talked about that and I was worried you’d be upset. The
only problem was you weren’t answering my calls.”

“My phone died the night
before in my purse and I didn’t realize it. James came in and showed me the
pictures. After I saw them I didn’t want to talk to you. I was hurt, Finn. If
the roles were reversed, you would’ve felt the same I’m sure. It’s hard to
think something different when there is photographic evidence.”

“James?” the scowl on his
face deepens.  

“Yeah. He’s a good friend.”

“Yeah he’s a
really
good
friend.” The sarcasm dripping from his tone can’t be ignored.

“We’ve been friends for years.
Why wouldn’t he show those to me?”

“You know what, let’s talk
about something else for a minute while all this is on the table. You promised
not to go in the scene rooms without me and the first sign of trouble you ran
back in there, with a couple. Why wouldn’t you wait to at least talk to me
about it before you did that? Now you’ve been with someone else when I never did
anything. That. Hurts.” He’s leaned in toward me stabbing his chest to make his
point.

I’m confused. When did I go
in a scene room at all, much less with a couple?

“What are you talking about?”
My forehead wrinkles in confusion.

“I called the club when I
couldn’t reach you and James answered. When I asked to talk to you he said
you’d gone in a scene room with another couple and weren’t available. Your
good
friend
ratted you out.”

He sits back in his chair
clearly pissed. What in the world was James thinking?

“That didn’t happen the way
you think it did. I had to go in to a scene room when a jealous fight broke out
between ex lovers. Charles called me while I was in my office working on
something with James so I went. He never told me you called. I haven’t been
with anyone else or even been on display for anyone else since we me made our
promises. I’m sorry he made you think I was.”

He runs his hands through his
hair leaving it standing on end in a crazy sexy mess.

“Maybe you need to reevaluate
your friendship with him because if I wasn’t hell bent on making sure you knew
the truth he would’ve destroyed what we have without you even knowing it.”

Shaking my head, I comment, “I
don’t understand. It’s not like him.” 

“You don’t see that he still
wants you and will go to any and all lengths to get you back.”

“I guess I need to have a
talk with him. I’m not interested at all. He killed that years ago. I’m sorry
he told you that. I spent days crying, Finn. Days heartbroken and you can’t
blame me if you’ve seen the pictures. Even Tanisha who wanted to give you the
benefit of the doubt backed off once she saw the pictures for herself.”

“How did James find them so
quickly? Why was he even looking? It’s not like they popped up on Sports Center
or CNN. Those were on a hockey gossip site and social media. I took the tags
off of my name as soon as she tried to tag me in the them.”

“I don’t know.” 

He stands and places his
plate on my sister’s dresser. Georgia is still resting quietly, there’s only been
a soft snore to let me know she’s still breathing.

He takes two steps over to me
and pulls me up and into his arms. “I’m in love with you, Darcy. I wouldn’t do
a single thing to hurt you on purpose and I have no interest in any other woman
on this earth. I want you to believe that and believe in me.”

A single tear splashes down
my face and I grip his waist tight.  

“I don’t expect you to say it
back. In fact, I hope you won’t. This moment is for me to tell you how I feel.
I’ll do anything in my power to make you happy. You’re carrying my heart in
your hands right now and even though I have the body of a giant, I still have
the fragile heart of a man.”

 He kisses the top of my
head as I let the sweet words pour through me and the tears fall. When I settle
down he pulls me into his lap in the recliner. We sit without a word for a
little while until I break the silence.

“I believe you. I’m sorry I
didn’t talk to you first.”

“I understand anger, honey. I
have a temper to match an active volcano, but this one time I couldn’t let it
best me. I had to talk to you before I let you go and I’ve never been more
thankful for a moment of self control than I am now.”

Another soft kiss to my
forehead as he updates me on everything that happened while I was gone which
wasn’t much. The nurses are noticing changes with her blood pressure and pulse.
Her urine output seems less since I allowed them to stop the feeding tube and
she hasn’t had any intake.  

The idea of having no one
from my family left makes me sad but the idea of losing Georgia breaks my heart.
I can’t remember my life without her in it. As I sit and contemplate my life as
her sister I decide to share some of our story with Finn.

“When she was three my dad
took us to a playground and while we were playing some bratty little boy pushed
her down and told her she was a dummy. I was about a hundred feet away when I
heard her cry. The boy was still standing over her so I ran as hard as I could
and tackled him to the ground and started hitting him. I’d never been in a
fight before I was acting on instinct. When the boy’s mother confronted my
father after I was pulled off of him things got a little heated and the boy
admitted to what he’d said. His mother did not set him straight. Instead she
told my father that he should consider taking Georgia to a playground more
suited to kids with issues. It was the only time I saw my dad freak out on
someone on her behalf.

“When we went home that night
I could hear him and my mom arguing through the walls about what kind of damage
they were doing to me by keeping Georgia at home. He was worried that I’d end
up hurt or in trouble trying to protect her. My mom told him that’s what sisters
do.

“That wasn’t the last fight I
got into for her. I fought a lot in elementary school and even got suspended
once because the principal said I needed to work on my temper. By junior high
and high school, I no longer needed to stand up for her. Everyone knew what
would happen if she was picked on or called names. The kids in high school
ended up being good to her and she was voted to the homecoming court her senior
year.

“I’ve been fighting for her
as long as I can remember. I love her more than I love myself. The last couple
of months she hasn’t been herself as she’s declined and I’ve already felt the
pain of her loss. I can’t imagine not having her here at all. I don’t know how
to stop fighting for her and let her go.”

I lean over and place
Georgia’s limp hand in my own and squeeze. I hold it for a long time while Finn
strokes my hair. Doc arrives a little while later. He reviews her chart, steps
out to talk to the nurses and then waves us into the hallway.   

“Darcy, she’s getting close.
It’s obvious she’s not in pain, but her vitals are changing and her output is minimal.
Her organs are shutting down. I know this is hard, but I think it’s time you
sign her DNR now. If her heart stops and you have them call 911 she’ll be put
through so much and that would be unfair to her. It's time to say your
goodbyes, hold her hand and tell her it’s okay to let go. I know this will be
hard. It’s even hard for me. I love that girl, been taking care of her for a
lot of years, but it’s time.”

I nod my head and choke out,
“Get me the paper and I’ll sign it. I know it’s best I’m just really sad.” My
lip trembles as I fight the emotions. His old wrinkled hand pats my cheek as he
gives me a watery smile. “I know. It’ll be okay though. You need to let her go.”

After I signed the paper and
the doctor signed his portion the staff was all notified and the DNR was
clipped to her door so everyone would know. Once I calmed down, I sent Finn to
the hotel to at least shower since he refused to stay there over night. He said
he came to be with me and that’s what he is going to do. I was never so pleased
to have a defiant person in my presence. He stayed with me until the very last
minute of the next afternoon. Then he had to drive back to play that evening. I
could tell he was torn but didn’t have a choice. He was upset too that he was
unable to return that night since he had mandatory morning skate and another
game the next evening. I told him not to worry about it that what he’d done by
getting me two showers and some sleep was beyond my greatest expectations.

Once he left I pushed the
recliner closer and held Georgia’s cold lifeless hand for a long while, more to
give me comfort than her. It’s in the early hours of the morning when she makes
a noticeable change. Her breathing goes from normal sleep style breathing to
long periods of what the nurse calls apnea, which means she stops breathing,
but starts again. Just when I start to freak out that it’s the end she takes an
exaggerated breath. Knowing we’re finally at the end I whisper my goodbye to
her and tell her how much I love her and how much light she brought to my life.
The apnea goes on for hours and finally right before noon with me holding her
hand she takes her final breath.  

I fall apart completely. I
should have been prepared since I was in that room for a week watching her
decline. It’s the reality that broke me. I lay over her lifeless body crying so
hard I can’t breathe until strong hands curl around my shoulders, pull me back
and lift me into capable arms. As soon as the scent hit my nose I realize it’s
Finn and I curl tight against his hard body. He sits in the recliner and holds
me close as I cry it all out. He whispers that it’ll be okay and that he’s sorry
and best of all that he loves me. I know I must look a mess but I don’t care
I’m so glad he came back to me.

When I can finally speak I
ask, “What are you doing here? You have a game in a few hours.” 

“Doc called me earlier to
tell me it would be within the next couple of hours so I came here right after
morning skate. I couldn’t let you face this alone. I’m glad I got here when I
did.”

“Me too. Thank you for
coming.” I sniffle and wipe at my nose with the sleeve of my shirt.

“Anything for you, honey.” 

We sit for a little longer
until I call the nurse to handle everything. Finn stays with me and makes a few
calls of his own as I zone out. Then he loads me into his truck and drives
away. It didn’t occur to me to worry about how I would get my vehicle or
anything else for that matter. I’m numb and all I can really feel is thankful
that I don’t have to worry about making any decisions.

Finn gets me home where
Tanisha is waiting for me with open arms. As she folds me into her embrace I
cry hard for a long time. When I finally pull away Finn is there and telling
Tanisha he’s drawn a bath for me.

 I follow him to the
bathroom and stand there as he undresses me like a fragile child. He leads me
to the bath and waits until I’m submerged to my shoulders before he speaks.  

“I called Tanisha to come
stay with you while I’m at the game. I didn’t want you to be alone yet and I can’t
miss the game. I’ll be back here as soon as it’s over.”

As I look up to meet his eyes
I can see the worry and sadness in them so I reach a dripping hand out of the
tub and stroke the stubble on his cheek. “Thank you, Finn.” I muster up the
best smile I can but I know it’s lackluster.

He turns his lips into my
hand and kisses my palm. “Anything for you, honey. Now let me wash your back
and shoulders. He grabs a wash cloth from the rack behind my toilet and wets it
in the water then he squeezes my shower gel on it. I lean forward and he moves
in comforting circles from my neck, down my back and back up again, over my
shoulders and down my arms. Once he’s done he passes me the sponge and says, “I
have to get changed so I’m not late. I’ll be back with one of your towels from
the dryer in about ten minutes so finish up. Okay?”