Medics took Davey and police took Eddie. He had multiple warrants out for his arrest, all related to battery and burglary and now he’d have to face attempted murder along with a laundry list of charges. When he finally came to and realized where he was and what he had done, he started to panic, asking if he could make one quick phone call. He wanted one more fix before going to jail.
Anna was thankful when the police took him away.
She had to endure what felt like hours of questioning and when Ashley finally showed up, Anna collapsed into her arms and cried.
Ashley didn’t need to say a word, she just needed to be there. She didn’t ask questions, she didn’t demand answers, she just waited for Anna. And that’s what Anna needed. She finally told Ashley the entire story.
By the time the house cleared out, Anna’s body and mind were spent.
Ashley sat at the dining room table, watching Anna as she paced.
“You need to be there,” she said.
“Should I?” Anna asked. “I caused all this.”
“You didn’t cause a thing.”
“Eddie told me he had been following me. And then he saw the article and put it together. Because of me, he knew Davey had money. Because of me, Davey came here. Because of me...”
“You think Davey is thinking like that?”
“I don’t even know if he’s awake right now.”
“Go to the hospital,” Ashley said. “If he’s awake, he’ll be looking for you.”
“You don’t know that.”
“What do any of us know?”
Anna finally stopped moving. She had the words almost at the tip of her tongue but she couldn’t say them to Ashley.
I’m in love with Davey... and I’m afraid he’s going to push me away...
“Anna, if you don’t go...”
“I’m going,” Anna said.
She felt a surge of confidence in her body. Call it adrenaline, call it romance. Anna finally found the courage to leave. She hurried from the house and refused to look back. She knew if she did, if she went back into the house, she wouldn’t see Davey.
The ride to the hospital felt like she was floating. When she arrived, she asked where Davey was staying. The woman at the desk smiled and gave her the eyes. They eyes that said,
Are you kidding me? You want to see Davey?
Anna started to reach her breaking point when she heard someone call her name. She looked to her right and saw Chris walking towards her.
“Chris,” she whispered. “Yes. Chris...” She ran towards him, so fast, that Chris put his hands out and practically caught Anna.
“Where is he? Is he okay?”
“He’s fine,” Chris said. “They have him stitched and he’s resting. He’s fine. Trust me.”
“I’m so sorry,” Anna said. “I messed everything up.”
“You didn’t mess anything up,” Chris said. “It’s just one of those things...”
“Can I see him?”
Chris sighed. “I don’t...”
“Chris, please. I have to apologize. I have to see him awake, okay.”
“I don’t know what I’m supposed to do,” Chris said. “Things are just...”
“I know about everything,” Anna said. “Okay? I know and I just want to see Davey.”
“I’m going to get a drink,” Chris said. “Just in case you’re thirsty, you can check the fourth floor, okay? But there’s nothing to drink in four-nineteen, okay? Don’t go there, okay?”
Chris smiled and then sighed again. Anna lunged at him, kissing his cheek. Then she realized she just kissed the bassist from Chasing Cross and her cheeks turned red.
“Thank you,” Anna said. “I’m going to go find a drink too...”
The wait for the elevator was torture and the slow ride up was even worse. When she made it to the fourth floor, she ran down the hall, cutting corners, following the signs to get to four-nineteen. A smile came across her face as tears filled her eyes. She had it all planned out. She’d speak it to Davey, again, and say it a million times. How sorry she was and how much she had fallen for him.
When she made the final turn, she made it no more than a few steps before seeing someone standing in the middle of the hall. Arms crossed. Dark hair. Cold stare.
Anna put on the brakes and stopped, coming face to face with Cassy.
“Is he awake?” Anna asked, hoping to breeze past whatever drama Cassy had in store.
“Are you bringing him some food?” Cassy asked.
“I’m sorry?”
“You’re the waitress,” Cassy said. “What are you doing here?”
“I need to see Davey. This is my fault.”
“Yeah, it is. Trying to suck money out of him. For your drug head boyfriend.”
Anna’s body ached with anger. And guilt. “No. It’s not like that...”
“Yeah, it kind of is. After all he went through. That reporter writing that horrible article. And then on the day he finds out Donald is his...”
“He’s the father?” Anna asked.
“Yeah. Like I said from day one.”
Anna’s heart crushed. She felt it pop into dust. She didn’t think it would hurt her so much but it brought on the reality that Davey and Cassy were connected.
“You have to go,” Cassy said. “He doesn’t want to see you. In fact, he wants you locked up too.”
“Me?”
“You set him up. You brought him to your house with a man who had a knife.”
“I didn’t,” Anna said.
She took a step and Cassy put an arm out, stopping her. “Seriously? You want to have more problems?”
Anna stiffened.
“Face it,” Cassy said, “I’m not trying to be a bitch here, okay? Davey and I have to figure our situation out first. I’m sorry, but it’s the truth. And it’s what’s right. He’s a father now, not just some good looking rockstar.”
Anna retreated a step, then another. She looked at the hospital room door and felt herself wanting to collapse. Davey had a new life now. One that was life changing. One that would keep him busy touring with Chasing Cross and taking care of a family. And it wasn’t just the family in his band.
“Okay,” Anna said. “Can you at least tell him I was here? Tell him I was thinking about him?”
“Of course,” Cassy said.
Cassy smiled and Anna didn’t believe a word she said.
**
The door opened and Davey leaned forward, feeling a sting of pain in his chest and back. They were burning pains, the stitches and the wounds still figuring out what to do next. He wiggled his fingers and it didn’t hurt as much as it did a few hours ago. The first thing he wanted to know when he woke up was if Anna was okay.
She was.
The second thing he wanted to know was if he could play guitar.
They told him it would be up to him.
When he saw Cassy walk back into the room, he sat back and closed his eyes. One of the medics informed Cassy as to what happened, hoping to get someone who knew Davey to meet them at the hospital. Davey came to in the ambulance and had them call Peter who called the rest of the band.
“How do you feel, baby?” Cassy asked.
“I’m fine. Who was out there? I heard someone talking.”
“Just nurses,” Cassy said.
Davey didn’t believe her. He expected Anna to be there by then. It didn’t make sense. He wanted her there. But he couldn’t say anything in front of Cassy. Not yet. He made the decision that he would take care of Donald but he couldn’t be with Cassy. They’d have to make arrangements. There was no other option. Seeing Anna in fear and being able to save her just made Davey realize how true his feelings were for her. She meant everything to him and nothing was going to get in the way of that.
Cassy touched Davey’s hand and he pulled it away.
“Does it hurt?” Cassy asked.
Davey didn’t respond.
But yeah, it hurt. It hurt that Cassy stood next to the bed.
The door opened again and when Davey heard the voice, he felt a sense of relief hit him.
“Where is he?” the voice said.
“In bed,” Davey called back.
A second later, Johnnie appeared at the foot of the hospital bed, shaking his head. Jess came next, smiling and touching Dave’s foot.
“What is this?” Johnnie asked. “Every time I turn around, someone’s in the hospital. First Rick, now you.”
“You really got stabbed?” Jess asked. “And you’re okay?”
“Just stitches,” Davey said. “It was a small knife.”
“He was defending a waitress,” Cassy said.
Johnnie and Jess looked at Cassy.
Davey sat forward, wincing in pain. “No, it wasn’t like that. Cassy, listen, let me talk to Johnnie in private.”
Cassy looked at Davey and curled her lip.
“Please,” Davey said.
“Whatever,” Cassy said and stormed out of the room.
“That’s a hot mess right there,” Johnnie said as the door clicked shut.
“No shit,” Davey said.
“You think she’s hot?” Jess teased.
Johnnie wrapped his arm around her and kissed her head. “Never.”
“She told me Donald is mine,” Davey said. “And I wasn’t saving a waitress... I’m in love with someone and it’s not Cassy.”
“That’s quite the mess then,” Johnnie said.
“What am I supposed to do?”
“You can care for Donald still,” Jess said. “But you have to honest with Cassy.”
“Wait a second,” Johnnie said. “You didn’t break that other woman’s heart, did you?”
“I hope not,” Davey said. “I was kind of hoping she’d be here.”
Johnnie looked at Jess.
“What’s wrong?” Davey asked.
“There was a woman at the elevators,” Jess said.
“She was crying,” Johnnie said. “When the doors opened she said my name and reached for me. I thought it was a fan but she was so casual... and so upset...”
“What did she look like?” Davey asked.
“I just remember her eyes,” Johnnie said. “Clear and blue. Beautiful eyes.” Johnnie looked at Jess. “Not at beautiful as yours though.”
“Fuck,” Davey whispered. “That was Anna. Why didn’t she come in?”
Before anyone could answer, the door opened and Cassy was back.
“Done sharing secrets?” she asked.
“Did you do something to Anna?” Davey asked.
“Excuse me?”
“She was here, wasn’t she? I heard her voice.”
Davey swung his legs from the bed. Everyone began to protest and it wasn’t until Johnnie forced Davey back down did he relax for a second.
“I have to see her,” Davey said. “I have to fix this.”
“Fix what?” Cassy asked.
“Cassy, I’m sorry... but we can never...”
The door opened again and the hospital felt too full. Davey growled and wanted to kick everyone out.
Peter had a cell phone to his ear and when he saw Cassy, his face turned white.
“Yeah, they’re both here,” he said. “Perfect. Okay.” Peter slid his cell phone into his pocket. He looked at Davey. “How do you feel?”
“I’m okay,” Davey said. “I have to leave.”
“Soon,” Peter said. “I talked to the doc. He’s a friend of mine.”
“Of course he is,” Johnnie said.
“Look at this,” Peter said, “he returns from his cabin...”
“Just to check on Davey,” Johnnie said.
“You guys should be writing,” Peter said. He stopped and shook his head. “That’s a whole other conversation though. Listen, Davey...”
Davey caught Cassy side stepping towards the door.
“While you and Cassy are here,” Peter said. He turned and reached for Cassy.
Davey smiled.
Peter was a giant pain in the ass but he wasn’t afraid of anything. He pulled Cassy back to the bed.
“Okay, everything is settled here.”
“I know,” Davey said. “Cassy told me...”
“Told you what?” Peter asked.
“Nothing,” Cassy said. “Listen, let me talk to Davey...”
“No,” Peter said. “Not after that stunt you pulled. Selling that story, making Davey sound like he did. Good news is that this is all over. And I’m sorry, Cassy, for what you’re going to endure, but Davey isn’t the father of your son.”
“What?” Davey asked. His heart twisted harder than ever. “What...”
Cassy’s face looked guilty and even over her dark complexion, Davey could see her cheeks flushed.
“I just got the call this morning,” Peter said. “Donald isn’t yours, Davey. I know that’s hard and maybe not what you wanted, but it’s the truth.”
“Cassy?” Davey asked. “Why did you...”
“I’m sorry,” Cassy said. “I’m sorry. I didn’t want to lose you. After the article...”
“You hurt me,” Davey said. “I couldn’t stop thinking about Donald. Or you. I wasn’t sure what to do. How to do it. I wanted to be a good father...”