CHAPTER FOURTY TABATHA

CHAPTER FOURTY

TABATHA

I stand in front of the bathroom mirror as I put my pearl earrings on. My mother had bought them for me on my sixteenth birthday, and I wear them every chance I get.

I walk out of the bathroom and into our closet to look at myself in the full-length mirror. I run my hands down my white silk dress. My mother has impeccable taste when it comes to…well, anything. But I have to give her mad props for this dress. It's strapless and has a thick black silk band that goes around the waist and ties in a bow at the back. It's going to look amazing when I stand next to Dash in his black tux.

Speaking of Dash, he still has not returned home. I walk out of the closet and go to look at my phone that is charging on my nightstand. He's been gone all day, but I haven't bothered him. I know he has a lot on his mind right now regarding the party tonight, and I don't want to make it worse on him.

I smile when I see he had sent me a text a few hours ago.

Hey baby, I can't stop thinking about how much I love you. I want you to be mine…forever! Love you!

Forever? Hmm. I hope that means what I think it does. I place my phone back down when I hear the doorbell ring. I make my way down to the front door. I smile when I open it to a man standing on our doorstep with a huge bouquet of white flowers in his hands.

"Miss Knight?" he questions.

"That's me," I say excitedly.

He hands me the flowers and I shut the door as he leaves. I all but run into the kitchen and place them on the kitchen table. I take the card out and read it.

Here's to a night you'll never forget.

I place the card on the table and go to run up to the stairs to grab my phone and call him when the doorbell rings again. "What now?" I ask running to it.

"Hey girl," I smile brightly when I open the door to see Jackie standing there. Her cream dress looks elegant yet sexy as it hangs off her shoulders and has a little dip to show off her cleavage. I look up at her face, and the smile drops off my face when I see her makeup is smeared from tears. "What's wrong?" I demand as I watch tears run down her cheeks.

"It's Dash…"

"What about him?" I demand as my heart begins to pound in my chest.

"He's in the hospital. Your dad told me to come get you…"

I shove past her, slamming our front door as I run to her car.

***

I run into the hospital, sweating and breathing heavily. Signs of my body telling me I need more than just yoga classes. The once pretty dress clings to my sweat-drenched body. "Where is he?" I demand, coming up to my father in the waiting room.

Jackie had informed me in the car that a car had hit him while on his bike and he had to be brought to the hospital by ambulance. I guess someone recognized him and went through his phone and contacted my father.

He spins around and looks down at me. And his black eyes soften as he opens his mouth to speak. He closes it quickly and then sighs heavily.

"No." My voice cracks. "Where is he?" I shout. "Where is Dash?"

"He's in surgery," he finally answers.

"What happened?" I demand.

"A car crossed the center median and hit him head-on. He's been in surgery for a couple of hours." He places his hands on my shoulders and speaks softly. "They think he may have brain damage..."

"No." I shake my head. "His helmet," I say in a rush. "He always wears a helmet," I inform him.

He shakes his head. "I'm not clear on the situation, but there was no helmet at the scene."

"No," I cry out as I feel like I was just stabbed. "When he left, he had it in his hand. He always wears a helmet," I repeat brokenly.

My father wraps his arms around me and gives me a hug. "I believe you."

I pull away, fall down into the seat beside me, and place my head in my hands. Surgery. It's better than nothing. That's what these surgeons do. They save lives.

This is gonna be no different than his last wreck. He's gonna wake up and demand that my dad come back there and pull some strings to get him out of this place. And then he'll come back to our home where I will take care of him. That's what we do; that's why we found each other, to take care of each other.

I lift my head and take a deep breath when I see Blake enter the waiting room, and Jake following behind him. Blake looks at me and my breath gets stuck in my throat when I see his bloodshot eyes. And I realize he must know more than I do.

I go to stand, but my father approaches him first and pulls him to the side. He places his arm over his shoulders and starts to walk him away from me as he speaks down to him. I hate that I can't hear what he is saying. But what could he possibly know? He's in surgery. I'm not sure that they could give him much information due to him not being relation. Oh, who am I kidding? The man can pull any information out of anyone.

I watch as Blake hangs his head and wipes his eyes, and I start to panic once again as a lump starts to form in my throat. What does he know? What did he tell him?

I stand and wipe the tears from my face. I take a deep breath and make my way over to them. "Dad?" I question, and they both look down at me. "Please?" I beg. "Please tell me what's going on?"

"It's bad." Blake's voice cracks and I place my hand over my mouth.

"What do you know?" I question just as brokenly.

"We don't know anything yet," my father says more to Blake than me.

I turn to face him with angry eyes. "What aren't you telling me?" I all but shout in the waiting room.

"She deserves to know," Blake says to my father, but he stares down at me.

"Tell me." My body shakes.

My father reaches into his suit pocket and pulls out a little black box. I stare at it with wide eyes. "What is this?"

"It's what Dash was out doing," my father says as he hands it to me. "The paramedics found it in the pocket of his riding jacket, and they gave it to me."

I close my eyes tightly and tears run down my face. This can't be what I think it is. The text- the flowers- the card that said to a night you'll never forget. This is not how this is supposed to happen. "I can't…" I choke on the words. "How bad is it?" I whisper still keeping my eyes shut as I grip the box in my hand. "I need to know." I open my eyes, and Blake immediately pulls me in for a hug.

"It's bad," he repeats. "But we both know that Dash is a fighter." I wrap my hands around his neck and nod my head quickly. He is. And he obviously has big plans for our future. He will fight for that.