I climb onto the small hospital bed, careful not to move her too much. “Sssshhh” I whisper. “I’m here.”
She grips my shirt like her life depends on it, like she’s being starved of oxygen. My arms wrap around her gently and I cradle her in my chest. “I’m so sorry,” I say against her forehead. “For everything.”
“Don’t leave me,” she replies. “Please don’t leave me.”
My anger dissolves at the simple request and the vulnerability that streams through her soft voice. She falls asleep quickly but doesn’t loosen her grip on my shirt.
I don’t know how to respond. I’ve been avoiding her and what I feel for her.
I don’t think I can anymore.
I don’t think I want to.
Chapter 13
~ Huntley ~
I try opening my eyes but they feel like lead and I can’t figure out why. When the pain in my head registers, I groan and realize that my whole body is sore and achy. Eventually I muster enough strength to open one eye, if only barely. I roll over but the bed I’m lying in doesn’t feel like mine. In fact, nothing feels familiar. Except the smell of mint, apple pie, and Grayson. Is he here? I attempt to lift my arm to feel if he’s next to me but it too feels like lead. What the hell is going on?
I hear mumbling around me and this only serves to further confuse me.
“Just give her a few minutes to come around,” a voice says. It’s foreign and laced with authority. I don’t recognize it.
I fight harder to gain some semblance of consciousness, pushing away the drowsiness and exhaustion that blankets both my body and my mind. The lack of control I feel over my own senses is enough to send me into a panic and I start moving around restlessly.
“Huntley, sweetheart, you need to relax,” Aunt Emma’s soothing voice breaches the heavy walls of fog surrounding my brain. I take a deep breathe, clutching every oxygen particle and willing it to bring my body back to working order. “Where am I?” my voice is hoarse and scratchy and my throat is dry. There’s a God awful taste in my mouth. Yuck.
“You’re in the hospital sweetheart. Can you open your eyes?”
I’m in the hospital? Why? What happened?
I open my eyes, still with some difficulty, and slowly start taking in my surroundings. It’s a small private hospital room with pale blue curtains and two chairs in the corner. I roll onto my back and look at my aunt, noticing how her face relaxes with relief. “What happened?” I croak out. I still have all my limbs, along with ten fingers and ten toes, all in working order even if they are a little heavy.
“Miss Morgan, my name is Doctor Rowland. I was the doctor on call last night when you were brought in.” Dr. Rowland is older but still somewhat attractive. His expression is serious and if I wasn’t lying in a hospital bed I would cower under his unyielding gaze. I wait patiently for him to explain why I’m here.
“You were drugged last night, with a significant amount of Rohypnol,” he explains. He takes a look at the chart in his hands and then back at me. “Quite frankly, you were lucky to have been brought in when you were.”
I was drugged. With Rohypnol. A date rape drug.
Dr. Rowland must see the alarm on my face because he continues before I can say anything. “There were no signs of any other physical trauma or sexual assault.” His tone softens and the gravity of what could’ve happened to me hits me like a freight train.
But it didn’t happen. I wasn’t raped.
Tears start sliding down my face and I recognize that it’s from relief, rather than the thought of might’ve happened, that’s causing them.
My aunt sits next to me and pats my hair, whispering calming and reassuring words. “It’s ok, sweetheart, you’re fine. No body hurt you. You’re safe.”
“Who brought me in?”
“Demi called Grayson when you girls were at the bar last night and he brought you straight to the hospital. You were in pretty bad shape when he found you.” Her voice is small and it’s her turn to start crying. She grabs a tissue and dabs under her eyes. “Oh Lord, I’m such a ninny. I’m sorry, sweetheart. I don’t want to upset you. We’ve had a very long night.”
The only word I pay attention to is Grayson. I do a quick scan of the room. The disappointment of not seeing him here is crushing. “Is he here?”
My aunt shifts and looks down instead of meeting my questioning eyes. “No, he left about an hour ago. We told him to go get some sleep. He stayed here all night and only left because we forced him to. He didn’t leave your side all night.”
Dr. Rowland clears his throat, “You will be able to leave in an hour Ms. Morgan. Your aunt has my card and I want you to call me if you feel ill at any time.”
I nod, unable to form words. He leaves the room and I relax back into the uncomfortable hospital bed. I start thinking back to the events of last night and the only thing I remember is being at the diner with Luke. It was awful and clearly the evening only got worse.
“Do they know who did it?” My curiosity is getting the best of me, despite my inability to think coherently.
“Do you remember anything?”
I shake my head no. “I went on a date with Luke Bailey. We were at the diner and then we decided to meet Demi and some guys from the football team at Nicky’s bar. I remember getting there but then it all goes blank.” I choke back a sob. The uncertainty of not knowing what happened is terrifying. Then I think about Grayson. He’s the one who brought me in but he wasn’t at the bar.
“Uncle Alex might know who did it. He’s taking care of it so you don’t have to worry about it ok?” Aunt Emma gives me a small smile.
I want to return her smile but I don’t. My thoughts are scattered like broken glass and my emotions are a mess. I’m exhausted.
An hour later I walk into the entry way of my apartment, grateful to be home. Before I can step into the living room, Demi comes running down the short hallway. She grabs me in a hug and nearly knocks my breath from my lungs.
“Oh my God!” she cries, “I’m so glad you’re ok.”
“Me too,” I choke back, trying to fight my own tears.
She pulls back and gives me the once-over. The concern on her face is endearing. “Can you tell me what happened?” I ask.
She nods and her eyes gloss over again. She pulls me to the couch and we sit down before she starts recalling the events of the previous night.
“You and Luke stopped by Nicky’s after your date,” Demi’s voice is soft with a slight tremor. “He bought you two drinks and then you started acting weird. It was like you were wasted but I knew it wasn’t possible after only two drinks. I took you to the bathroom and you got sick.” She fiddles with her hands in her lap and I place my hand on top of hers to reassure her. I need to hear what happened. It’s the only way to quiet the noise in my head. “You started getting really sick and when I looked again, you had collapsed on the floor against the toilet. You just kept heaving until there was nothing left. You stopped responding after an hour and I panicked. I called Grayson and he came and got you. I was so scared!” I pull her too me and hug her close, barely able to keep a lid on my own tears. If I break down now it will be too much. I can’t handle more.