Faithful (4 page)

I was so glad Greg and Elizabeth had talked Ari and Jeff into heading home. I knew Ari wanted to get back to Luke. This was the longest she’d ever been away from him, and I was sure that she was worrying herself sick from not being with her baby.

“How did you manage to get Ari to leave last night?” I asked Elizabeth as she poured me a glass of orange juice.

“The same way I got you to come home with us for a few hours of sleep…I threatened her,” she said as she winked at me.

I looked at the clock. It was getting close to one in the afternoon. Josh would be moved into a regular room today, but the last update we’d heard from Greg was that Josh was not awake yet.

I stood up and took my plate over to the garbage can. Glancing at my half-eaten bacon and eggs, I sighed.

“Baby girl, just throw it away. I’m not going to make you sit until you clear your plate. I’m just happy you got some food in your stomach. Now, why don’t you go change out of Josh’s clothes, honey, and then we’ll head over to the hospital, okay?” Elizabeth said, leaning back against the kitchen sink.

I looked down at what I was wearing. When we got back to the house early this morning, I had gone straight to Josh’s bedroom and put on one of his old T-shirts with a pair of his sweatpants. His smell was everywhere in his room. I’d curled up with his pillow and cried myself to sleep before waking up around nine this morning.

“Just give me five minutes, and I’ll be ready to go.” I washed off the plate and then made my way upstairs.

Five minutes later, I met Elizabeth at the front door, and we headed out to her Mercedes. I loved Josh’s parents. They were super rich, but they never acted like it at all. I remembered going with Greg and Elizabeth when they’d bought this car. She’d hated the idea of owning a Mercedes. She’d wanted a Jeep, like the one Ari had. I giggled as I thought about it.

“Was that a laugh I just heard?”

When I glanced over to Elizabeth, I laughed again. “I was thinking about how you wanted a Jeep like Ari’s, and Greg fought with you about it all the way to the Mercedes dealership.”

Elizabeth let out a giggle. “That’s right. I still want a Jeep, damn it.”

During the drive to the hospital, we talked and laughed about that day. Josh and Greg had argued about some piece of equipment that Josh wanted to buy for the business. Greg had said that Josh didn’t need a stupid new age machine. When Greg had told Josh that he needed to do it all by hand, Josh’s face fell.

Those two would fight all the time, but they loved each other so much. Josh’s eyes would light up when his dad would call and ask if Josh wanted to go fishing. I’d never seen so much love between three people…at least not since my parents had passed away.

The last five miles to the hospital, we drove in silence. I was scared to death, and I had the worst feeling in my stomach. Something wasn’t right. I could feel it.

My phone went off just as we were walking into the hospital. I looked down to see I had a new text message.

Amanda: Hey, I just got to the hospital, sweets. Text me when you get here.

I sent her a text back, and right when I hit Send, I heard her voice.

“Oh, sweets!”

When I glanced up, I saw Amanda walking toward me. I picked up my pace and practically ran into her arms.

“Oh, Manda!”

Somehow, I was able to hold in my tears. I knew Josh was going to be okay, so I needed to get my big girl panties back on and stop with the stupid crying.

Amanda pushed me away from her and looked me up and down. When she smiled, I smiled in return.
I’m so blessed to have three of the most amazing women as my best friends.

“Hey, Elizabeth, how are you?” Amanda said.

“Hello honey.” Elizabeth said.

Then, Amanda reached for me and hooked her arm around mine as we followed Elizabeth into the hospital and over to the elevators.

“I talked to Ari this morning, and then I called Ellie. Ellie’s so upset that she can’t be here with you. They’re going home today with the baby, and she told me to tell you that she’ll be at your side in a few days,” Amanda said, giving me a wink.

“Are you going to go see Alex?” I asked as we stepped onto the elevator.

“Brad and I plan to head out to Mason tomorrow. I bought the cutest outfit for Alex a few weeks ago. I can’t wait to see it on her!”

Elizabeth and I started laughing.

“How did you know it was going to be a girl?” Elizabeth asked.

“I didn’t! I bought two. I picked out my favorite outfits for a little boy or a little girl. I’ll just hold on to the boy’s outfit for the next person in the group to push out a pup,” Amanda said as she bumped her shoulder against mine.

Elizabeth spun around and grabbed me. “Oh. My. God! Are you?” she yelled at me as the elevator doors opened and two nurses got on.

“Am I what?” I asked, confused.

“Oh, baby girl, don’t play stupid. Are you pregnant and not telling me?”

My eyes darted between Amanda and Elizabeth. “What? Elizabeth, I’m not pregnant!”

The two nurses smiled as they looked back and forth from Elizabeth to me.

Jesus H. Christ. Why the hell does she think I’m pregnant?

“Damn it all. You just got my hopes up,” Elizabeth said as the doors opened to the fifth floor.

Amanda laughed. “I don’t think you have to worry about Josh’s mom liking you. Hell, she wants grandkids already!” she whispered in my ear.

I glanced at Amanda as we both started giggling.

A baby with Josh.
I smiled at the idea.

“Oh shit!” Elizabeth said, pulling me out of my thoughts.

I looked over to see Greg standing at the nurses’ station. He was talking to a nurse, and he seemed to know her. She appeared to be my age, maybe a few years older, and she was wearing her dark brown hair up in a ponytail.

“Oh, holy hell, not Victoria,” Elizabeth said as she reached down and grabbed my hand.

What the hell? Who is Victoria?
I peeked at Amanda, and she just shrugged her shoulders. When I turned back to Elizabeth, she winked at me as she leaned down toward my ear.

“Don’t freak out. Josh dated Victoria during his sophomore year of college. Don’t worry. She was a bitch, and he couldn’t stand her, but she was the only other girl he’s dated besides you and Lynda. Put your game face on, girl,” she whispered.

Oh. My. God. She did not just dump that on me!

As Elizabeth started to pull me close to this Victoria chick, I turned around to Amanda. “Oh my god. Did she just—”

Amanda nodded. “Yes. Yes, she did.”

“Mrs. Hayes! Oh my gosh! I was so shocked to see Josh’s name on the board when I came in this afternoon. Thank God he seems like he’ll make a full recovery. I was just letting Mr. Hayes know that Josh hasn’t woken up yet.”

Elizabeth put on the fakest smile I had ever seen her wear. She squared her shoulders and looked at Greg. He smiled at her and then gave me a wink.

I love them both so much.
I would never be able to get through this without them.

“Well, hello there, Victoria. It’s been a long time. I see you followed your dream and became a nurse. How wonderful.” Elizabeth glanced at Greg as he rolled his eyes at her. “I’m glad Josh hasn’t woken up yet. I’m sure he’s waiting for Heather.”

Victoria frowned as she glanced over at Amanda and peeked down at her wedding ring. As she looked in my direction, I noticed when her eyes landed on my bare left hand.

“Heather?” she asked Elizabeth.

“Oh, where are my manners? Victoria Chapman, this is Heather Lambert, Josh’s girlfriend,” Elizabeth said with a wicked smile.

If I didn’t know any better, I would swear she was getting a kick out of this.

I reached out my hand toward Victoria. At first, I was sure she wasn’t going to shake my hand, but then she put on a fake smile as she extended her hand.

I smiled as I shook her hand and introduced her to Amanda. “Very nice to meet you. This is Amanda, one of my best friends.”

Victoria gave Amanda another fake smile.

“Could we please go see Josh?” I asked.

“Oh, of course. Follow me, y’all,” Victoria said.

After she led the way into the room, Elizabeth and Greg started talking to Josh. I walked up next to him, and Amanda came and stood by my side. When I looked across the bed, Victoria was staring down at Josh.

Could you eye-fuck him any more? Bitch. I hate her already.

Reaching down, I took Josh’s hand and brought it up to my lips. Then, I leaned toward his ear. “Baby, please wake up for me,” I whispered.

As I stood up, I noticed Victoria glaring at me. I tried my best to give her a smile, but then I felt Josh squeezing my hand.

“Oh my god. He’s waking up!” I could barely get the words out before he opened his eyes.

He looked straight at Victoria.

“Josh, you’re in the hospital. You had an accident. Do you remember the accident, Josh?” Victoria asked as she went to grab the blood pressure monitor.

When he smiled at her, my heart started to race.
He must recognize her!

More importantly though, I realized he was going to be okay. Thank God.

“Tori, what the hell are you doing, working at a hospital?” Josh asked.

I peeked over at Elizabeth and Greg, and they were smiling from ear to ear.

Victoria laughed. “I’m a nurse here, Josh.”

I must have squeezed his hand because he looked down at my hand holding his. When he glanced up at me, his beautiful green eyes captured mine, and I smiled.

“Hey, there. You really scared us,” I said as I glanced over at Elizabeth and Greg.

“Did I now? And who is us?” Josh asked with that damn crooked-ass smile of his.

“Well, for starters, your parents and me,” I said with a chuckle.

Josh’s smile faded, and he looked at me funny. “I’m sorry. How do you know my parents?”

Oh god. Oh god…please…no.

I let go of his hand and brought my hand up to my stomach. I felt sick. When I glanced up at Victoria, she gave me a faint smile. I looked back down at Josh, and he was still staring at me.

“Josh, don’t you know who I am?” I asked with panic in my voice.

“Um…no. Should I?”

With that, my legs slowly started to give out.

Greg was next to me in two seconds flat. “Josh, buddy, you don’t remember Heather?”

“Hey, Dad. I thought y’all were in Paris,” Josh said with a perplexed expression on his face.

Paris? What the fuck is he talking about? He’s confused. That’s all. He is just confused.

“Mr. Hayes, it would probably be best if Heather and…Amanda, was it?” Victoria looked between Amanda and me.

“Yes, it’s Amanda,” Amanda said with sarcasm dripping from her voice.

“It might be best if they stepped outside for a bit. I’m going to call for the doctor.”

Greg gave me a weak smile. “Josh, buddy, I’ll be right back. Liz…” He waved for Elizabeth to come over and talk to Josh.

As soon as we got out into the hallway, I wanted to collapse to the floor. Greg and Amanda helped me over to one of the waiting room chairs.

“Oh my god. He doesn’t remember me. He doesn’t remember me, Manda! Greg, why doesn’t he remember me? Why did he think y’all were in Paris?”

“Um…well, considering his confusion with Victoria working at the hospital and then his comment about us being in Paris, he must think it’s his sophomore year of college.”

“What?” Amanda and I both yelled at the same time.

Greg took a deep breath in before he slowly let it out. His eyes filled with tears, and he looked at me with such sadness that I felt like my whole world was about to be ripped apart.

“The only time Liz and I ever went to Paris was for our anniversary when Josh was a sophomore at UT. He was dating Victoria at the time.”

I just started shaking my head.
No, this is not happening. This can’t be happening.

“So, you think Josh doesn’t know who we are because…because he thinks he’s back in college?” Amanda asked.

“And dating Victoria…he thinks he’s dating Victoria,” I said as tears started to roll down my cheeks.

My mother was just staring at me as I watched Victoria walk around the room.

What the fuck is going on? How in the hell is she a nurse?

“Mom, what the hell happened? Tori, when the hell did you get a job as a nurse?”

Victoria laughed just as the door opened, and a doctor walked in.

“Good morning, Mrs. Hayes, Mr. Hayes. I’m glad to see that you’ve woken up,” he said as he gave my mother a smile and a wink.

“Good morning, Dr. Michaels. Um, it seems Josh has woken up…in a different time zone!” my mother said with a small smile.

“Can someone please tell me what the fuck is going on?”

My mother spun around and gave me
the look
. “Joshua Michael Hayes, do not use that language!”

Dr. Michaels laughed and walked up next to me. He picked up the medical chart and glanced over it before looking back at me. “Josh, let me start off by telling you that you were in a serious car accident yesterday. You had surgery to repair some internal bleeding, and you got a pretty bad concussion with a small amount of brain swelling. Your brain scans all came back normal. Your vitals are all good. It just appears that you have a slight case of amnesia.”