The Patchwork Hearts

Chapter FIFTY

Holden

The hospital room is cold and sterile and I have too much time to think. They say they have to keep me for two or three days, to keep an eye on infection. I'm on day two and I'm going a bit crazy. Since it's a Monday, my mom's working and Eddie still can't drive. Landon's at school, so I'm on my own.

   Except I can't stop thinking about Maya. She was in shock when she was here last night. I tried to convince her that she's safe and she doesn't have to worry about that asshole anymore. I wanted to tell her that I'd keep her safe. When she reached for my hand, I know she felt it. Our connection. For me, it's been obvious for awhile. But she had a boyfriend. Or I thought she did. I wished that coffee date had ended differently. After she told me that she wasn't dating Marcus. I would have asked to take her back to my house. I would have shown her my studio and brought her into my world. But things didn't go like that because of her crazy ex.

   He almost took her. If I hadn't made it outside right then, he would have gotten away. Maybe I wouldn't have gotten to ever see her again.

   So now I'm here in the hospital room, trying to deal with all of this. All I know for sure is that I want Maya. I need her. I have to protect her.

   "Holden," my nurse, Gabby, pulls aside the curtain, interrupting my thoughts. "You have a visitor."

   It's sometime after lunch. I didn't eat the garbage food they served me but I ate a cup of red Jello. It was delicious. I try sitting up a bit but it hurts, so I stay mostly laying down.

   And there's Maya, suddenly at the foot of my bed.

   "Hey," she says, smiling. "How're your feeling?"

   "You came," I say, because it's all I can manage.

   I can't believe she came.

   "I said I would."

   "Yeah, But..."

   "Holden, I'm the reason you're here. The least I can do is come and see how you are," she says, then steps a little closer.

   "That's why you're here?" I ask.

   She hesitates. There's a flutter in my stomach. Is she feeling the same thing I'm feeling right now?

   "I slept at Nella's last night. I was too scared to be in my apartment by myself," she tells me, not answering the question.

   I hate that she's still afraid. I hate that that asshole made her feel like that for so long.

   "And so she let me take her car to come see you, then I have to go to work," she goes on. She's fiddling with the bottom of her grey t-shirt.

   "That was nice of Nella," I say plainly.

   "She's the best sister. I can't believe I put her and Willow in danger." Maya sits down in the chair beside my bed. I keep my eyes on her. She looks mortified. "I can't believe any of this happened."

   "I know, Maya."

   She sighs, and I can tell she has more to say. "I actually can't believe that I ran away in the first place..."

   "Do you mean..."

   "Yeah. Four years ago. I am realizing how badly I messed up. I lost so much time with Nella and I missed her wedding and Willow as a baby..."

   "You did what you thought you had to do," I tell her.

   I want to touch her. I want her to know that my heart beats for her. I have so much to say now, but I keep it to myself.