Page 141 of Dear Future Husband

“Trey?”

Peering over my shoulder, I saw Penny squeezing in through the half-open hospital room door. In her hands was a tray of food from the cafeteria.

“I thought you might be hungry,” she explained in a hushed tone.

I couldn’t eat. The adrenaline from the last several hours had hardened like a stone in the pit of my gut. But when I looked back at the golden-haired girl asleep in the bed, the weight eased a fraction.

The doctors said she was a miracle. They insisted she was fine. That she should wake any minute now. I wasn’t sure what I believed, what I could trust. I knew I wouldn’t feel sure until I saw those beautiful blue-green eyes look at me.

It’d only been a couple hours since we arrived. Maybelle slept but she was stable. Apparently, she’d been awake earlier, but I missed her. I was preoccupied with an officer.

I had white-knuckled Maybelle’s journal in one of my hands as the police officer explained to me who took her. My eyes fell to her neck. Discolored fingerprints marred her skin.

Luckily for that bastard, Maybelle was the only one to survive the crash.

Penny placed the plate on the small table next to Maybelle’s bed.

I mustered up a smile. “Thank you.”

She nodded. Her eyes weren’t on me though; they were on Maybelle. Maybelle was beautiful. Even with a large bandage across her forehead, the bruising around her neck and her pallid complexion.

Penny cautiously perched herself on the edge of the bed in front of me, her eyes still studying our girl.

“I’m so sorry, Trey.”

Tears fell then, and she swiped at her eyes. “I keep replaying what happened in my head.” Her hands fidgeted together, and her eyes trailed back to Maybelle. “I should never have listened to her when she told me not to move. I should’ve run to her. I should’ve done something.” Her head bowed. “I’m so mad at her for leaving, for not letting me help, but more than anything, I’m furious with myself. She needed me and I didn’t move.”

My heart cracked, and I reached for Penny, putting a hand on her knee. “Penny.” She didn’t look up at me as she continued to cry. “You did nothing wrong. You’re not to blame for what happened.”

When she continued to look elsewhere, I finally said, “Penny, look at me.” When she did, tears stained her cheeks.

“This is not your fault,” I reiterated.

Squeezing her eyes closed, she nodded, sniffling as she twisted to Maybelle. “I just wish I could’ve done more.”

I had never related with anything more. This feeling of complete helplessness. This uncertainty and lack of ability to do anything was enough to drive me mad with grief.

“I understand.”

She shook her head and placed a hand on Maybelle’s, that rested at her side. “I wanted to wait until she woke up but—Daniel is here to pick me up.”

“Good,” I said. “You should go home, get some rest.”

She still didn’t tear her eyes from Maybelle as she asked me, “What about you?”

There was no me without Maybelle.

“I’ll be fine.”

She stood, leaning over the bed to place a kiss on Maybelle’s brow as she whispered into her skin, “I love you too.”

Penny wasn’t the only one who had sat here with me and Maybelle. Earlier, my brothers had been here. My eyes turned to the side table and bundle of forget-me-nots Larson had insisted on picking up for Maybelle.

After I called and updated them on the situation, they showed up

It was odd and remarkable comparing this time to last. Maybelle wasn’t in a coma, but it wasn’t just me waiting for her to be okay. There was a whole family waiting and hoping.

I rubbed my fingers over the worn book in my hands. Thankful for answered prayers.