His Love Shattered (Love Shattered #2) (2 page)

Dexter

It has been three days and Courtney has yet to wake up. I can’t wait to look into her deep baby blue eyes again. The Doctor assures us there is nothing serious going on that this is just her body’s way of coping with everything that happened. He warned us that there is no way to know when she will wake up. So we just sit and wait.

I am by her side as much as I can be. I have gone to Courtney’s to shower only to head right back to the hospital grabbing take out or fast food on my way back. I don’t want to leave her side for too long. I want to be the one there when she wakes up.

Dave hasn’t been back to hospital since the first day. Not that I am complaining. He can stay gone for all I care.

Lillian had her baby yesterday, a healthy five pound six ounces little girl. Despite being born early she is doing wonderful breathing on her own and eating great. Lillian Faith is a little fighter. Lillian decided to name her after herself. She said she had to do all the work by herself that the baby should have her name. She is going to call her Faith though. It seemed only fitting after everything she has been through and with faith we all made it through that ordeal.

Courtney will be upset to know that she missed the birth. She was supposed to be the one by her side through it. Rob happily stepped up to the plate though and the two of them have been living blissfully on the maternity floor while the love of my life lies here in a coma. She still takes my breath away. Even with her bruised skin and hair all a mess she is the most beautiful thing.

I have just gotten back to Courtney’s room when I walk in to see Dave sitting beside her hospital bed holding her hand. My face flushes with anger and when he spots me he stands up so fast his chair knocks over sending it crashing to the floor.

“What do you think you are doing in here Dave? You are not supposed to be back here.” My authoritative tone makes him take a couple steps back and he trips over the chair and falls to the floor beside it.

“I just wanted to see her man, I don’t want any problems. I just needed to know that she was okay. I don’t want to cause any trouble with you. Now that I know she is fine I will leave.” He looks over at Courtney with a solemn expression and then turns back to me. “Just don’t tell her I was here if she wakes up. I want to be the one to explain everything to her when you all feel she is ready to hear it. Here is a number you can reach me at.” He hands over a blank card with a number scribbled across it.

“Where exactly have you been these past several years anyway?” I ask him. “Don’t you know how much you have put her and your kids through by having them believe you were dead? What kind of man can do that to his family?” My voice booms so loudly I am sure Rob and Lil can hear me two floors up.

“I didn’t want to leave them. Honest I didn’t. I had no choice I did it for them. To keep them all safe. You don’t understand why I left.” His expression is grim and I have to admit I kind of feel sorry for the guy.

“Make me understand then. Explain to me why you left everyone you loved to think you had died.” I demand.

“Alright, I will tell you but you have to promise to let me be the one to explain everything to Courtney.”

“I promise you can be the one to tell her. That’s not my place to do so anyway. So let’s have it Dave. Please fill me in.” I can’t wait to hear this. This ought to be interesting. Dave reluctantly begins his story.

“A couple of days before the explosion a few of the guys and myself had stayed after work finishing up some door frames in the building before we left for the night. We only had four to finish and we wanted to get it done so we could start off fresh the next morning. When we were done it was pretty late and we had gone out back to throw some scraps into the dumpsters that we had put on site. When we came out there was a man aiming a gun at another man. The guy with the gun didn’t see us come out and before we could do anything to stop it he proceeded to shoot the man right through the center of his chest. A chorus of cursing and yelling ensued and the shooter ended up taking off out of sight. The cops showed up and we gave a very detailed description of the man who had the gun. Between the four of us guys we had an exact description of him. The cops knew who he was and promised to have a cop present at all of our homes until they could catch the guy. According to police it was a drug deal gone badly. A couple days later when we arrived to work someone had carved the words
you are next
in the center of the floor. We didn’t know what to do next so we called the cops again. They came out, took some pictures and informed us that they hadn’t seen the guy anywhere. They said for us to be careful and watch our backs. Real comforting to know. Later that day the cops showed up and said they had an anonymous tip called into the police station that there was a bomb set to go off at the construction site at precisely eight thirty in the morning the following day. The cops instructed us to show up to work, clock in act like everything was fucking peachy and then head out back to the field where there would be an SUV waiting to take us to an undisclosed location. It was made to look like we were all inside when the bomb went off.” He paused to take a break and gather his self back together again. I could tell he was close to losing it.

So he hadn’t chosen to leave her, he had no choice like he had said. He was taken into witness protection I assume. He did all of that to protect Courtney and the kids.

“Once we arrived to our location they told us we couldn’t go back home and that we would have to go into witness protection to protect ourselves until the man was caught and we could testify. Our families were to think we died in the explosion. They didn’t see any reason for us to take our families with us as they were not in danger like we were. So we got to choose if we wanted to take them or not. I chose not to. The shooter was a very wanted man and bringing him down would be the biggest arrest the town had ever seen since the precinct opened. They didn’t expect it to take long. I figured it would take a couple months tops and then I could come home to Courtney and the kids. I had no idea it would take as long as it did. The guy was caught only 5 months ago and the trial starts next week. We are to stay in protection until then. I am risking everything just being here right now but when I saw the boat out there driving away with Courtney on it from the island, I knew something terrible was going to happen. She should never have been out there in that weather.” He shakes his head and run his hand down his long beard.

I think that is the end of his story but then he continues.

“They had us all living on the island so we were close because not many people travel there. In my free time I have built Courtney’s dream home on that island in hopes that when I show it to her she would forgive me for being gone so long, even though I had no choice. Never in a million years did I think she would have moved on.” He looked up at me with tears in his eyes. I felt terrible for the guy and I know without a doubt that Courtney would forgive him on the spot. I just hope that when she heard his story that her love for me would still remain. I couldn’t lose her. It would kill me.

Just as Dave finished up his story a startled gasp echoed throughout the room. We both turned to see Courtney wide awake with tears streaming down her face.

“Dave?” Courtney asked with a rough voice. “It really is you. I thought I heard your voice but I wasn’t sure it was you. I thought I was dreaming.”

I moved over to her side at the same time Dave moves to the other. We each take one of her hands in ours. Courtney gave Dave a watery smile then turned to me with a look of confusion on her face.

“Who are you?” Courtney asked. In that moment my entire world came crumbling down. Shit, she didn’t remember me.

Instead of replying to Courtney I stood abruptly and I left the room in search of a doctor. We were going to get to the bottom of this shit real quick. The doctor had said she wasn’t severely injured with that head trauma, but somehow my girl has seemed to have forgotten who the hell I am.

Courtney

A loud booming voice startles me awake and I crack my eyes open for a moment before they close back down again. Too heavy to remain open a moment longer. My quick glimpse tells me I am not at home but I am in what appears to be a hospital room. There are two men who I do not recognize having a heated discussion at the foot of my bed. What happened? Why am I here? I am so confused. I don’t remember getting into an accident.

The two men continue to argue. One of their voices is familiar. It sounds like Dave. Too tired to try and get their attention I remain still and quiet and just listen to everything they are saying. The one guy keeps calling the other guy Dave but that can’t be right. Dave is dead.

The one with a familiar voice begins telling a story of construction sites and guns and witness protection. When the fog finally clears my brain I come to the conclusion that this is really Dave and he has been alive this whole time. At first I am angry and then as he reaches the end of his story I am heartbroken.

I gather the strength to open my eyes and when I do I see him; Dave alive and well and right in front of me. Tears are streaming down my face. I gasp and both men turn my way.

“Dave?” I ask,
“It really is you. I thought I heard your voice but I wasn’t sure it was you. I thought I was dreaming.”

Both men rush to me instantly and each one takes one of my hands on each side of the bed and cradles it in their own. I look at Dave and smile and then I turn back to the other guy.

Wow he is gorgeous. Shaggy dark hair and dark mysterious eyes. He has a few days worth of stubble scattered across his face. His eyes seems sad and relieved all at once but I am not sure who he is. My hand tingles in his and I get this strange feeling that I should know who he is; that he is a really important part of my life but I can’t place his face. Things are still so foggy in my brain.

“Who are you?” I ask the man. The look of shear dread that crosses his face slices through my heart but I don’t know why.

He stands abruptly and stalks out of the room without saying a word. I can’t help but notice this strange sense of loss once he is out of sight. It makes me feel cold and lonely. Even though I am not left alone in the room. Dave is still here holding my hand.

I stare at the door for what seems like forever willing him to return. When he doesn’t come back through the door right away I turn my attention back to Dave.

“I heard everything you said Dave. I am sorry that happened to you. I know you were just trying to keep us safe. If there was any other way I am sure you would have found it but thank you for protecting me and the kids. Oh gosh the kids they are going to be so excited to see your alive Dave. They have missed you so much. I can’t wait to tell them the news.” I try to sit up in the bed because I am just so excited to have him back. I can’t sit up though because I am struck with intense pain causing me to fall back into the bed.

“Whoa there Courtney be careful you have an injury to your spine from what I have overheard.” He looks at me with tears in his eyes.

“We can’t tell the kids yet Court. I am not even supposed to be here right now. It could put you all in danger. I can’t come back until the trial is over. I just had to know you were okay. I can’t believe you took the boat out in such terrible weather. I don’t know what you were thinking you are lucky I was there to save you” He scolds. I have no idea what he is talking about. It’s been a really long time since I took the boat out.

“I don’t know how I am going to keep this from the kids Dave. I don’t like lying to them. They will want to know you are alive. Wait…. What are you talking about you saved me? I haven’t been out on the boat in forever.” I am so confused.

“You had taken the boat out the other night while it was storming. I heard a knock on my door. I didn’t answer it fast enough because at first I thought it was the wind and then I heard it again, but by the time I got down stairs to the door I saw you already driving away on the
My Little Lady Bug.
I went around to the pier and got into my boat. I was close by when you hit a sand bar and went sailing through the air. I couldn’t get to you fast enough. You scared me to death. When I got to you, you were mumbling all kinds of crazy stuff about not letting the kids be orphans and other stuff too. I got you to the hospital as quickly as I could. That was three days ago.” I can’t believe what I am hearing I don’t remember any of this.

Just then a memory flashes in front of my eyes.

I am walking along the beach with my shell bag in tow. I stop to take a break and look through my shells. I am too tired to continue back to the boat just then, so I turn on my ipod and lie back. I fall asleep on the beach. I wake up feeling sad and an increasing need to get back to shore fast because it has started to storm.

I reach the boat and notice the waves are crashing dangerously against the hull of the boat. I remember the house and head to it. Knocking with no answer I return back to the boat and the waves have calmed down a tad. I decided to make a break for it and head to the main land. I remember the crash and being carried.

The memory fades as quick as it came into my mind.

“I think I just had a memory. I remember being on the island. Shelling and the storm. Falling asleep and my phone dying. I remember the crash. Then I remember being carried. That is all I remember. I don’t remember what I was doing there or why I would have taken the boat out when it was supposed to storm.” I tell him.

“I think I can tell you why you were on the island, but let’s let the doctor check you out first and I will tell you everything you want to know.” The gorgeous man from before has reentered the room with a doctor in tow. I can feel this man’s energy all around me.

The doctor checks me over and while he does I keep my eyes on the mysterious man the whole time. Just having him in the room has calmed my fears. I really want to know who he is and why he is still hanging around.

“Well Courtney it is good to finally see you awake. You have suffered from a pretty severe gash on your back which required stitches. You also have a spinal injury. We are waiting to see how serious it is when the swelling goes down. That might take a couple more days. Once the swelling has gone down we can get a better idea of how serious the injury is.” The doctor explained everything to me. I was happy to hear it all explained in normal human talk and not some sophisticated mumbo jumbo only doctors understand. I liked this guy.

“So what is with the memory loss doc? You had said she didn’t have any brain swelling or anything that concerned you as far as her head injury went.” My mystery guy asked. Why does he know so much about my situation I wonder?

“It could just be that she is blocking the memories out as her way of coping with the accident. I am very confident that with time her memory will come back to her. It may be bits and pieces here and there but I expect her to make a full recovery.” They were talking as if I wasn’t here or as if I was still in a coma.

“Thanks Doctor. I have already had a glimpse of a memory so I think you may be right about that.” Once the doctor was gone Dave excused himself and left me here with this man that I had no idea who he was. On the other hand, something about him made me feel like I had known him forever. Dave claimed that we needed some time to talk so he was going to go find a coffee and he would be back later.

It didn’t slip my notice that when Dave left I felt no sense of cold or loneliness like I had when the other guy left earlier. Hmmm strange.

“So I assume you are going to fill me in on who you are, how you know me and why you’re here. I am sorry that I don’t remember you. I get this funny feeling like I should know who you are.” Then I add, I can’t believe anyone could forget someone who is walking sex on a stick for my own personal thought.

  I hear him let out a burst of laughter and realize I said that last part out loud as well. I need to learn how to keep my thoughts to myself.

I look up and see his eyes are filled with amusement and some of the tension from earlier has melted away.

“Well to begin I am Dexter. We have been dating each other for the past two and a half months. I am here because I am madly in love with you and I care about you. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else right now. I have only left your side to run to your place and shower. I have been here the whole time worried sick about you Courtney. It is breaking my heart that you can’t remember who I am right now. But I am a patient man and I have faith that you will remember who I am with due time.” He explains.

So his name is Dexter. That suits him. A very sexy name for a sexy guy. We are in love?  I don’t recall loving anyone other than Dave my whole life. I need to talk to Lillian she will be able to help me make sense of this confusion. That thought makes me wonder where she is. It’s not like her to not be glued to my side.

“Where is Lillian?” Does this guy even know who Lillian is?

“Lillian is upstairs on the maternity floor. She can’t wait for you to meet her little girl Lillian Faith. They are both getting discharged tomorrow and she will be down to see you then.” He looks at me sadly like he knows finding out my sister gave birth without me there hurts my heart.

“I missed the birth of my first niece? Who was there for her I hope mom stepped in to fill my shoes. Wait a minute it’s too early for her to be born. Why has she had the baby already she still had several weeks to go?” This not remembering anything totally sucks.

“Lillian has been in the hospital ever since the tornado. Rob was with her when Faith was born. You don’t remember the tornado at all either?” A tornado…. What the hell is talking about?

I get another glimpse of something that must be a memory.

We are taking cover under a bathroom sink. The kids are here and scared. A very pregnant Lillian sits beside me looking white as a ghost. I can hear screams and the building rumbling. Then silence takes over and we emerge from the ruble all around us into the ambulances. Lillian’s water breaking. Lillian in shock. Lillian’s contractions.

That’s all I get. Still no memories of Dexter.

“Did you remember something?” He asks hopefully.

“I remember the tornado and being in the bathroom and then everything up until Lillian was taken to the maternity floor. Who is Rob?” I respond.

“Any memories of me?” He asks hopefully.

I just barely shake my head no and he looks crushed.

That makes my heart hurt, and in that moment I pray for a memory of him to come. Just a tiny glimpse, anything to remind me how much this man apparently means to me.

He just nods his head and walks back out the door. I am left with the feeling of emptiness and almost call out for him to come back. I am too tired to take in any more information. I lay my head down on the crinkly uncomfortable hospital pillow and fall into a fitful sleep.