Remember Us

The next day Jacqueline, Guy, Nick, and Katelyn stopped by the hospital. They were all in Adam’s room when Dakota and Katie showed up. I told Dakota it was fine to bring her but I could tell she was still hesitant as they walked down the hall.

“mommy!!” Katie screams, running up to me and jumping into my open arms.

I smile and hold her tightly, “hey sweetie,” I say, knowing that I would now have to break the news to her.

“auntie said that dad was here…” she looks around the room searching for him.

I look up at Dakota asking her with my eyes to give us a second. She nods and walks into the room where everyone else is. I take a seat and have Katie sit on my lap.

“Katie, you know how sometimes on T.V. there’s a movie or commercial that shows two cars hitting each other?”

She stares at me like I’m a fool, “you mean a car crash mom?”

“yeah, a car crash. Well, your dad was in a car crash a couple days ago.”

“oh. Is he okay?”

“um, no sweetie. He’s in a lot of pain right now. And, well, he might die.” I was one of those parents that hated lying to their kids. They might as well know the truth.

“but not yet?”

“no, not yet.”

“he’s not dead though. Which is good. Don’t worry mom, he won’t leave us. Daddy wouldn’t do that to you.”

I give her a sad smile and kiss her forehead. Wishing I could believe those words.

Later that day the police gave Jacqueline a box of stuff that was recovered from the vehicle.

Most of it was clothes but within those items were his cell phone and the shoebox that he kept in the closet at the apartment in Italy. I didn’t want to actually look at them because I knew they’d bring me to tears again. But Finn practically forced the phone into my hands.

“you need to read through some of these texts.”

I stare up at him, “I really don’t want to Finn.”

He grabs the phone from me and presses a few buttons before handing it back, “he wrote it right before the crash.” With those last words Finn left the area, leaving me there with a phone and box.

I set both down in the seat next to me and shut my eyes. Hell I hadn’t really rested since I heard about his condition. Katie had gone back to the house with Blake and Jenny while Dakota chose to stay here with me and the family.

“miss,” someone in a nearby seat said quietly, I open my eyes and look at the middle-aged woman, “your phone is going off.”

I look at her confused since I knew for a fact that my phone wasn’t ringing. Though when I glance down, I notice that Adam’s is ringing on the chair. I smile at her, “thank you.” I grab the phone and open up the new text that he got. My eyes bug out when I see that it’s from Stephanie.

Hey, heard you were coming home. Left her for good this time?

Without second thought I’m up out of my seat and heading for the balcony that they had at the end of the hall. I needed air, and to scream some Italian cuss words to a certain person. I dial the number and Stephanie answers instantly.

“Ciao-”

I don’t even let her get a second word out. “listen here Stephanie, Adam chose me. Get that through your thick skull! Stop calling, texting, or anything else you’ve been doing for the last couple of months.” I take a deep breath, “he’s not going back to Italy and he’s isn’t leaving me. So don’t you dare try contacting him again or I swear I’ll come over there personally and do things to you that you read about in horror books.” It was times like these that flip phones were still popular. Adam had to have one of those stupid touch phones that slid out into a full keyboard. Pressing end didn’t have the same aggressive effect as snapping the phone shut would have.

The other people on the balcony had cleared out of there before I was even finished with my rant. I noticed the instant I heard the door shut that I was alone. The view from here was nice, I guess. There was a small pond that had a couple birds in it and a path around the edge. Other than that though it was just green grass with a bunch of landscaping. It doesn’t matter how nice it is though, because through that door practically nothing is nice. Were they trying to make this some sort of distraction for the visitors?

I glance back down to the phone and notice that the message Finn had opened for me was still open. Tears well up in my eyes the instant I begin to read it.

I forgave you moment after you explained all of it that night. I was scared, and angry with myself for not recognizing you. So I ran from my feelings, from you, from the new responsibilities I had.

I realize that’s what I’m doing again. Running back to Italy the instant something happens. Well I’m not making that mistake again. This is a pre-caution for you…I don’t want you to start screaming at me the instant I burst into the apartment. Save that for later (like bed).

I love you, and this time around I’m not leaving no matter what you say.

After rereading it many times, and letting the tears flow freely now, I only had one question.

Why didn’t he send it?