Page 55 of Before It's Too Late
“Mama owie.”
“Yes, mommy has an owie,” Cael said, meeting Zach’s strained, affecting gaze.
Taylor leaned away from Cael toward her mom, one hand reaching as she popped the binky out of her mouth with the other. “Kiss. Mama kiss.”
“Careful, Tay,” Cael said. He repositioned her and held her down close to Abbey’s face, keeping her arms restrained to prevent her from accidently bumping or grabbing something she shouldn’t. Taylor puckered her little pink lips and pecked her mom on the cheek.
“Awl be’er,” Taylor declared as Cael pulled her upright against him again. It was tender and heartbreaking all at once.
“Yes, mommy’s all better now, but she’s going to keep sleeping because she’s very tired,” Cael said. Taylor grabbed her binky and pushed it back into her mouth then laid her head against Cael’s shoulder.
Cael’s chest tightened, making it difficult to breathe. Their petite little spitfire with her dad’s dark hair and olive skin and her mom’s emerald green eyes looked as though the life had been sucked out of her. Her skin pale and cold, her body so lifeless and helpless, threatened to take away the last fragments of hope to which Cael desperately clung, but he refused to give into despair. Abbey was a fighter. One of the toughest, strongest women he’d ever known. He had to believe she would beat this too.
The crushing ache in his heart worsened as Cael lifted his gaze and looked at Zach. It was almost as if all the happiness between them earlier had vanished, and now, despair had moved in again. Zach’s eyes shimmered with unshed tears and his brows and forehead wrinkled as he drew his lips in and stared back at Cael. His best friend and the person he loved more than anything was hurting from something Cael had no control over, and it tore him to pieces inside.
With Taylor in one arm, Cael skirted around the end of Abbey’s bed and put his other arm around Zach, pulling him close to his side. He kissed Zach’s temple, letting his lips linger, and squeezed his eyes shut. Beside him, Zach took in a deep breath.
“I know you’ve heard it a million times, Pook,” Cael whispered, tilting his forehead against the side of Zach’s head. “But she’s gonna fight this. She’s going to wake up, we’ll help her recover until she’s well again, and she’s going to raise her daughter while we spoil her, because uncles are allowed to do that.”
Zach didn’t say anything, and Cael wondered if what he’d said was the wrong thing at the wrong time.
“Thank you,” Zach croaked, his voice hoarse and strained. “It’s different when you say it. I actually believe it when you say it.” He blew out a breath. “I can’t believe it’s already been a month. Taylor’s cast comes off on Thursday.”
“Yeah, I know. Hard to believe.”
Zach’s phone bleeped. He reached into his pocket and pulled it out, reading the screen. “It’s Mom,” Zach said, tapping a reply with his thumb. “She’s asking if we can pick up a loaf of fresh bread on the way over. Our choice.”
“What time is it?”
“Four-ten.”
“We should probably get going then.”
“Yeah.” Zach covered Abbey’s hand with his. “We’ll see you later, Abs. Cael and I are taking Taylor and going to Mom and Dad’s for dinner.”
Zach pulled away from Cael and, leaning down close, whispered something in Abbey’s ear, then straightened and gave Cael an odd, half-excited, half-pained smile.
Cael knit his brow. “What’d you tell her?”
“Just that I have a boyfriend now, and it’s you.”
“Oh.”
Zach turned his head and looked up at him. “Is that okay?”
“Definitely okay.” Cael pressed a soft kiss to Zach’s lips.
Zach smiled, but it was tight, as if he wanted to be happy but couldn’t.
“Come on. We should go.” Zach crossed the small room and grabbed the diaper bag.
As they left Abbey’s room, Zach clasped Cael’s free hand and held it all the way back out to Zach’s SUV. Cael strapped Taylor into her seat as Zach tossed the diaper bag in the back then hopped in the driver’s seat.
Cael climbed into the passenger seat and shut the door. Zach stared at the steering wheel.
“I feel so guilty,” Zach deadpanned, his tone impassive.
“Why?”