Lyndley (16 page)

As soon as the paramedics get there, they have to pull me away. “Please, help him!” I wail. The paramedic tells someone to get me away from him, Tate pulling me into his arms. “Please,” I whisper.
 

If I would have known anything like this was possible, I would have never come home. He deserves better than this. He deserves his life. They load him inside the ambulance and rush him to the nearest hospital.
 

When the police walk over, I can’t hear what they tell Tate, but he walks over and sets me on the curb. “Amie, I need you to stay with her. I have to go answer some questions.” She nods and comes to sit with me in the dirt.
 

With tears streaming down my face, I look up. “Why is he being questioned?”
 

She shakes her head and starts to cry, too. “He killed Tyler.”
 

Oh, my god. This is all my fault. Tyler never would have known about Jax if it weren’t for me. Turning, I throw up everything in my stomach, Amie grabbing my hair, trying to keep it out of my face. When I hear a familiar voice behind me, I turn to see my dad standing with Tate.
 

Deciding he acted in self-defense, the police let Tate go, telling him to come by the sheriff’s office later. He helps Amie and me up, saying, “Come on. Let’s get you to the hospital.” I just nod.
 

“Come on, kids. I’ll drive you,” my dad says, grabbing me and wrapping me in a hug. “Thank God you’re okay.”
 

This brings on more tears. “This is all my fault,” I sob. “Jax could die because of me. I’m so sorry. Daddy, please, he needs to be okay.”
 

On the drive to the hospital, the tears keep falling down my face. I just pray that Jax makes it though this. He promised me forever. I’m not ready for it to be over yet.

Chapter Nineteen

By the time we make it to the hospital, Jax’s mom is standing in the waiting room, tears streaming down her face. Running over to her, we throw our arms around each other.
 

“I’m so sorry, Mary. I never meant for this to happen. I wish I could take everything back,” I choke out.
 

“Lyndley, my son will always protect you. He loves you so much.” She’s already lost so much. I don’t want her to lose her son, too.

“It’s my fault Tyler came here. If I didn’t come back home, Tyler wouldn’t have known about Jaxson.”
 

Mary grabs me by the shoulders. “Lyndley, this is not your fault. Jaxson would do anything for you. I don’t remember the last time he has been this happy. Having you here the last few months has been wonderful for him. I have faith my baby is going to be fine.”
 

I can’t say anything else as I sob on her shoulder. She leads me to a set of chairs and we sit to wait.

When my mom gets to the hospital, I get up and run to her. “Momma…,” I sob.
 

“Shh, baby. Things are going to be okay. Just have some faith. Jaxson is a strong boy.” She kisses my head. My father leads us both over to where Mary is sitting and we all take a seat to wait.
 

After a few hours, I see Amie come in and she walks right over to us and sits next to me, grabbing my hand. “I’m so sorry, Lyndley. I can’t believe this is happening. You and Jax deserve your happiness.”
 

Amie stayed behind to answer questions and to wait with Tate since he was being questioned by the cops.
 

Leaning my head on her shoulder, I cry silently.
 

People keep walking in and out of the hospital, but we never hear anything about Jax. Part of me is afraid to admit that he could possibly be gone. Will I be able to make it through another death? Probably not, but I have the support of my family and Amie this time. They won’t let me fall.
 

I just wish I wouldn’t have wasted so much time beating myself up over losing our daughter. Maybe if I would have just talked to Jaxson after it happened, we wouldn’t be where we are right now.

I know I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my life, but Jaxson was one of them. By just knowing him, my life was brighter, and I would never have gotten to meet Gracilyn even for those few precious moments.

I spend a while just thinking about our whole relationship together and all the amazing memories we got to share. He will always be the one thing I’ll never regret.
 

Hearing somebody walk through the doors, I look up to see the doctor standing there.
 

Epilogue

It’s been six years since that night, but not a day goes by that I don’t think about it. Night after night, I relive the scary details of what happened to Jax. Nothing is able to stop the nightmares from haunting me.

A few years ago, Amie moved to Texas to be closer to Tate and me. Once she saw what happened to Jax, she jumped into a relationship with Tate. She told me she didn’t want to give up a chance at happiness. She and Tate get along great and make each other happy.
 

You have no control over who you fall in love with, and even though Tate and I haven’t always seen eye to eye,
 

I’m glad they found each other. I have to say, it’s been a great thing for both of them. I’ve never seen either of them happier than they are right now.
 

Last month, Amie gave birth to a beautiful little girl. I have to admit, I’m a little jealous she has the perfect daughter that I never got a chance to raise. A week after the night of the attack, Gracilyn’s grave was moved to be next to her family, right where she belongs.
 

Looking around the empty house, I can’t help but think about how silent it was the day my dad brought me back here for the first time after everything that happened.
 

Max was the only one to greet me and it made the tears fall again. While I had spent time at the hospital, praying that Jax would wake up, my parents would stop by the house and take Max out, making sure he had food and water.
 

I could tell he was missing Jax, too. For the first few days, he was mopping around the house, so I tried to take him everywhere with me. Nothing cheered him up and I knew exactly how he felt. I wanted him back, too.
 

Sitting on the couch, I hear giggles and barking coming from the back door, making me smile. “Lynnie! Where are you, babe?”
 

“In the living room!”

When they round the corner, I see the most perfect picture I could possibly imagine. Jax has both our boys hanging from him as he makes his way to me. I laugh. Ben is on Jax’s shoulders, and Alex is hanging from his arm. He sits on the couch next to me and kisses my lips.
 

“How you feeling, darlin’?” he asks with a grin. His free hand comes to my belly as the boys start screaming about watching some cartoons.
 

“Good. She’s kicking like crazy.”
 

Jax turns the TV on and the boys immediately quiet down. Although they have never met Gracilyn, they know about her. We visit her grave often, and they talk to her like she’s right here with us.
 

When we told them about them having a baby sister, they asked if Gracilyn was finally going to come home. We had to explain that this baby was going to be another sister, but they should never forget about their big sister.
 

As for Jax and me, we have learned that our lives are precious and that being together is what we wanted. A year after Jax was stabbed, we got remarried and had the wedding we never had before. All our friends and family were able to celebrate our marriage…and his recovery.
 

Every love story has a beginning and an end. I’m just glad ours hasn’t ended yet. I can’t wait to meet this little girl and continue living our fairy tale.