by K. T Fisher
That’s when I hear the loud screeching noise from outside the car, and the last thing I see is a bright light before the darkness takes over.
Chapter Twenty One
Max
I spot Maisy’s car ahead of us and start to call her. I don’t like how fast she is driving, and we need to talk. Now that’s she’s stopped at the traffic lights she will be able to answer.
I dial again and wait for her to answer. Instead, I watch in horror as I see a large truck sliding on the wet road right in the direction of Maisy’s car.
“Oh shit!” I hear James shout, but I’m already getting out of the car.
“Maisy!” I shout, but it means nothing, and I’m too fucking slow to do any help.
I watch in horror as the truck slams right into Maisy’s car. The vehicle crushes the car completely, and I sink to my knees as I fall apart inside and out. James quickly appears next to me, and I manage to make out he’s talking. Not to me, he’s on the phone giving directions and telling them to hurry and come quick. As soon as he stops talking, I quickly stand and walk over to the car.
“Max!” James shouts after me. “Stay here, it’s dangerous!”
I can’t do that, I have to get to her. If she’s alive in there, I have to help her.
However, when I do reach the crash, I can’t see her, because the car has flipped upside-down and looks like it’s half its size! The front is completely crushed, and I panic as I can’t seem to find her. James is suddenly by my side and searching, too.
“I’ve call everyone, they shouldn’t be long.”
I nod my head, and that’s when I hear the sirens. I breathe a sigh of relief. Thank god they’re here for my girl!
I watch as they run over, two of them seeing to the truck driver, who I hadn’t even thought of, and two more to Maisy.
“Please help her,” I beg.
“Step back, please, sir.” the paramedic asks, and if it wasn’t for James dragging me back, I wouldn’t have moved.
I sink to my knees and cry like a fucking baby as I watch them tear apart the car to get to her. I hear cars appear, followed by the sounds of my friends’ voices.
“Oh my god!” Kendal cries.
“Oh, Maisy,” Tanya sobs into Leo’s arms.
James fills them in as I continue to watch from the wet ground. A hand touches my shoulder.
“Max?” I close my eyes as Sophie’s voice hits me. “Are you okay, honey?”
“It’s my fault,” I whisper. “It’s all my fault.”
“What’s happened?” I hear her voice. How dare she fucking be here!
I stand up and charge over to where Lauren is standing next to a waiting taxi.
“Get the fuck out of here!” I scream in her face. “If you weren’t such a selfish bitch, this wouldn’t have happened!”
Lauren gasps and places her hand over her mouth. “You can’t talk to me like that.”
“Hell, yeah, he can, honey,” Tanya speaks from behind me.
Lauren looks around at us all. “That’s my sister in there!” She points over to the car.
Jessica laughs. “Are you series?”
“You don’t treat her like a sister should,” Kendal snaps.
“Just go!” I shout, and she finally does, stepping backwards and into the taxi.
“Max,” Jax calls, and when I turn to face him, I see that they have finally freed Maisy from the car.
I step forward to go to see her, but when I see all of the blood covering her, I freeze. The paramedics check her over and shout a lot as they do. We all watch in silence as they secure her to the stretcher and wheel her away and into the ambulance. I stand frozen as I get a look at her, and I nearly fall to my knees again. She looks a mess! Blood, cuts and her arm looks funny at a weird angle. Oh god, what have I done?
Jax guides me into his car, and once Kendal sits in the back with me, they take me to Maisy.
Chapter Twenty Two
Max
Jax did well in keeping right behind the ambulance the whole drive to the hospital. I watch as they carry and wheel her inside, immediately surrounded by doctors. When they realize who we are and why, they shut us away in a family room. It looks pretty similar to the room we waited in while Kendal and Sophie gave birth. Apart from the fact that we were in a private hospital back then. Fucked-up when you think about it, really. My friends keep trying to comfort me and try to get me to talk, but I’m not here. I’m reliving the horrid accident I had to witness. I’m also thinking of all the shit I could have abused Lauren with, and, most importantly, I regret not telling Maisy exactly what I feel for her. I’m so fucking stupid! I should have grabbed her by the shoulders and demanded she tell me how she feels, not pussy-footing around any longer!
Tilly starts to cry again beside me, so I place my arm around her, and Tilly’s head immediately falls into me. I look across at Maisy’s parents, her mother crying and her father sitting in silence, much like me. Lauren is sitting next to her mother, tucked right in the corner and away from the rest of us. She hasn’t so much as looked in my direction. Smart girl.
Maisy has to make it through this, because I need to tell her how I feel. I need her to tell me how I know she feels about me.
After what seems a lifetime, the doors swing open, and the doctor that spoke to us earlier now walks in and I don’t miss the little spots of blood on his bright white coat. I quickly stand and the rest follow, parting for me to stand at the front with her family, because my friends know, as well as I do, that Maisy is mine.
The doctor gives us a small smile. “You’re all here for Miss Maisy Ashford?”
Everyone replies, confirming this and the doctor looks slightly taken aback because there’re so many of us here.
“Maisy’s surgery was complicated, but successful.” I feel and hear everyone breathe a sigh of relief. “That’s not to say she’s in the clear just yet. Her injuries are major.”
“How bad?” Tanya sobs.
“Both legs were captured in the crushing of her car and were badly damaged. We’ve done our best, but she will need another surgery in about three weeks’ time to revise the fracture.” The doctor takes a deep breath as he delivers more horrid news. “Maisy also broke a rib and has bruising to her back due to the collision, but apart from that, she has some cuts to her face.”
I quickly walk back to the nearest seat before I fall to the floor. My poor Maisy, how can her small frame handle all this?
“Can we see her?” her father asks.
“Two at a time for now,” the doctor replies back.
“We will go,” I hear her mother demand, and I don’t fight it.
I want to see her, but I’m afraid to. I don’t want any arguments with her parents right now, so I will let her mother play the part for a while until it’s my turn. I already have plans for Maisy forming in my head. She won’t be in this hospital for long, so I’m going to make sure she has the best possible care I can find.
***
I don’t remember falling asleep, but then I hear someone whispering my name.
“Max?” I open my eyes and try to move my stiff neck. I see a sad, but smiling, Tilly looking over me. “You wanna come see Maisy with me?”
I almost jump up out of my seat. Of course I want to see her. I look around the room and see we’re the only ones here.
“They’re all home. Leo wanted Tanya in a proper bed to sleep in, and the rest had to go home because of the kids.”
I can understand, I wouldn’t expect them all to stay here all the time, especially not the friends who have kids. I just know that I can’t even think about leaving this hospital, and I’m pretty shocked that Maisy’s parents aren’t here.
Tilly leads me in the direction of Maisy’s room, and during the whole walk, my heart is beating a crazy beat.
“Has she woken up yet?” I ask her.
“No.” She shakes her head, and I spot her trying to hide wiping away a tear. “It shouldn’t be long now, though.”
I hope so, and I know Tilly is, too. I know how close these two are. Tilly’s more like a sister to her than Lauren is.
Tilly gives me a weak smile as she indicates which room is Maisy’s, and I’m glad to see she has a room to herself. However, when I walk through the door and take in Maisy, I’m shocked to my core. She is lying in the hospital bed, looking pale and very fragile. Tilly immediately runs to her bedside and breaks down.
“Oh, my god!” She rests her head on Maisy as she sobs her heart out. “Oh, Maisy.”
I take my eyes from Tilly and look up to Maisy’s face. The doctor was right about the damage caused by the crash. Her beautiful face that I dream about kissing, is now covered in cuts and a nasty black bruise on the right-hand side. I briefly look down to her legs, sending a silent prayer that she will heal and be back to her usual self as fast as she can.
I take a seat on the not-so-comfortable chair by the side of Maisy’s bed and hold onto her hand, just staring at her and listening to Tilly’s sobs.
“Was it horrible?” Tilly asks me, when she gets control of her crying.
“Yeah,” I manage. It’s been that long since talking after screaming my horror watching the accident, my voice sounds rough. “I wish I hadn’t seen it.” But I’m glad I was there to get her help.
Tilly sniffles and wipes at her eyes. “I’m going to get a coffee, you want one?”
I nod my head. “Thanks.”
When I’m left alone with Maisy, I stand and stroke her hair, which was once was so soft but is now tough with the dried blood.
“I love you, Maisy.” At those words, the tears appear, blocking my view of her. I wipe them away, but they quickly reappear. After holding it back for so long, they won’t stop. “Fuck, Maisy, I wish you hadn’t gone, and I know it’s my fucking fault, but I promise you that what you saw wasn’t what you thought. You were right about her, and I should have taken everyone’s fucking warnings seriously. That sister of yours is fucking deluded. I think her plan all along was for you to think we were together, or at least had been, because she looked so happy watching you run away.”
I lean down and kiss her on the forehead, careful not to hurt her any more than she already is.
“I promise you, Maisy, you have nothing to worry about. I belong to you, and I will make it up to you. I love you.”
Chapter Twenty Three
Maisy
I hurt everywhere.
From my head to my toes, there isn’t a place that isn’t at least sore, but I can also feel pain. Real bad pain that makes my eyes water. Speaking of which, I can’t seem to open my eyes!
They seem like they’re fastened tight, and I try to open them, but nothing happens.
“Maisy?” I’m sure that’s Max’s voice.
I open my mouth to talk, but it’s so dry, I hardly make a sound.
“Hold on, baby, I’ll get the nurse.”
Nurse?
I hear footsteps, which I’m guessing is Max. “Nurse!” he shouts, and then again: “Nurse!”
“Everything ok?” I hear a female voice, so I’m assuming this is the nurse.
“I saw her eyelids move, and she tried to talk.”
“Maisy?” I hear the nurse. “Maisy, can you hear me?”
I try to say yes, but like before, I’m unable to say anything because of the dryness, but now I notice I can feel something inside of my mouth.
“Don’t try to talk, honey, you have an oxygen tube in your mouth.” I feel a warm hand hold onto mine. “Try to squeeze my hand if you feel thirsty.”
Thirsty?
Well, now that she mentions it, I really, really need a drink. My throat and tongue feel so dry!
I try to squeeze her hand in mine, but even though I’m using all my strength, there’s hardly any movement. I’m only able to manage the tiniest squeeze, but the nurse notices.
“That’s great, honey. I’ll get the doctor to remove your tube so you can have that drink. If you can open those eyes of yours, be careful. Open them slowly, and I’ll shut the blinds so the sun doesn’t sting.”
I hear the blinds close and then the clicking of her shoes as she finds the doctor.
“Baby, can you hear me?”
Max called me baby. Why did he call me baby?
I feel Max’s large hand in mine, and like I did with the nurse, I try to squeeze. When Max feels this, I hear him hold in a sob, and it’s heartbreaking to hear.
“I’m so glad you’re okay, babe.” He kisses my hand, and I try my best to open my eyes. I want to see him. I want to ask what’s happened, and why I seem to be in a hospital.
I lift my eyelids the smallest amount, and the light stings. They immediately close again, but because I want to see him so badly, I try again, just slower this time. I go to wipe my eyes because I can feel the crustiness on them, but my arms kill. I stop and lower them back down.
Eventually, I get them to open, and I see a blurred image of Max standing beside me. He looks a mess, and I’m being kind. He’s pale, has the most stubble I’ve ever seen him with, and he honestly looks like he could do with a shower. When Max locks eyes with me and sees me looking at him, his eyes widen, and he comes closer to my face.
“Oh, thank god, Mase. I’ve missed those green eyes of yours.” He rubs the side of my face, and I wince from the tenderness. “Shit, I’m sorry.”
Just then the nurse returns with a doctor, and they both smile when they see me. “So, I see you did get your eyes open.”
“Hello, Maisy,” the doctor greets me. “I’m doctor Gallagher, and I heard you want a drink.”
I look him right in the eye, because I can’t reply any other way right now. I can’t even manage a thumbs-up, because even they feel sore.
What happens next isn’t so great. The doctor and nurse take the tube from my mouth, and it isn’t as painful as I expected. Just a really sharp scratch, but more uncomfortable than anything.
“Don’t talk too much. Drink some water but only a little. You haven’t had anything to eat or drink for three days, so your stomach needs to adjust.”
“Three-“I begin, but the scratch in my throat stops me from talking. Fuck, that stung like a bitch!
“Careful,” the doctor scolds, making me feel like a child. “Yes, it’s been three days, so take your time, and in time we will answer anything you wish. But today, I would like you to just relax, and tomorrow will be time for questions.”
With some quiet words with Max, the doctor and nurse leave us both to it. Max holds a cup to my mouth and helps me drink. I’ve never known water to taste so good! I carry on drinking, trying to get as much as I can, but as quickly as it started, the water is taken away. I open my eyes to glare at Max, but he just smiles.
“The doctor said to take it slow.” He reminds me.
I roll my eyes. “Following rules?” I manage to ask, and I’m shocked at how strange my own voice sounds.
Max seems surprised, too, but quickly covers it. “When it comes to you, Maisy, we follow every rule. Now, stop talking and chill.”
I look around, and this seems like a nice room. Really nice, actually, considering it’s a hospital room. There’s a sofa on the far side as well as chairs that look comfortable rather than the usual ones you see in a hospital, and there’s a TV! It’s not huge, but it’s a proper TV, in my room!
I look to Max with questioning eyes, and because he knows me so well, he gets what I’m asking. Where the fuck am I?
Max clears his throat. “I didn’t like you back in the old hospital.”
Old hospital? “Max?”
“I, erm...I moved you to a private hospital, the one that Kendal and Sophie had the babies in, actually. Jax helped me with the forms and crap.” I frown at him. I was perfectly fine at the hospital I was at! “Don’t look at me like that, Maisy. I made a choice, and here you will get the best care possible.”
I can’t argue with him for that, but then his words worry me. There would only be one reason why he would want me to
have the best possible care, and that is because I need it!
“What happened?” I ask, but before he answers me, he lets me drink some more delicious water.
“You don’t remember the crash?”
The crash?
Memories flood back, flashing inside my head. They scare the crap out of me, because they’re so painful. I remember the phone, the headlights, and then nothing as the impact hit. I remember seeing Max and Lauren.
“Lauren?” I ask, and I see his face cloud over.
“Don’t worry about that. I’ve made sure she can’t get in here. You won’t be seeing her, I promise.”
“But I saw-“
“It doesn’t matter what you think you saw, Maisy. She planned all that shit. I can’t believe I didn’t see it coming. I promise you, babe, I don’t want her. I was never interested, because it’s always been you.”
As much as I’m touched, I still fell hurt by what I saw. More detailed memories come back from the crash, especially the excruciating pain as I drifted away, and I look down to my legs. I go to move my toes, but nothing happens.
“Max?” I ask in panic.
He squeezes my hand. “Your legs are injured pretty bad, babe, but everything will be fine. I promise you that.”
Chapter Twenty Four
Max
Five weeks later
For five weeks, I haven’t dared to leave her, except for taking a shower and getting some fresh air. Last week, Jax finally demanded I get my ass over to his to do some recording, but I hate to leave her.
The day she woke up from the accident, she asked what had happened to her, and when I told her how bad her injuries were, she broke down. I held her as she cried her heart out, clutching at me as tightly as her weak hands could. It was selfish of me, but I didn’t let anyone know that she had woken up right away. I wanted her to myself after waiting for three very long days.
Two weeks ago, Maisy went back into surgery to revise the fractures in her legs. They spoke all these technical words, but from what I understood, they took the wires from the outside of her legs, to the inside. I think everyone was relieved with that, because I hated seeing those pins sticking in her legs everywhere. They made my own legs feel like crazy.
