i'm so sick of myself: RC

Chapter 26: The Car

Tayla and Rafe end up leaving before dinner, taking their things to Tayla's parent's house. Rafe was still fuming over his father's words as they put the bags away. He exhales out a deep breath "I think I need to go for a drive". 

The tan girl looks to her fiance "You think you're okay to drive right now?".

Rafe sighs "I'll cool off on the drive, I swear". Tayla was scared that he might hit rock bottom and visit Barry. 

The tan girl tries her best to keep calm "Promise me you won't do anything stupid". 

He sighs, noticing how nervous Tayla was becoming "I promise" he says holding her hands with his "I just need some air".

She nods and kisses his cheek "Be safe, I love you". 

Rafe smiles at her trust "I love you too, I'll be back". After giving a reassuring smile, he takes his keys and goes back out to the driveway.

Tayla lets out a deep breath and keeps herself busy tidying up the house to stop worrying about Rafe. It was now midnight and Tayla had decided to let Rafe come home whenever he would and go to sleep. Completely asleep, Tayla almost missed the sound of her phone buzzing against the nightstand.

Rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, Tayla picks up her phone to find Sarah's name taking over the screen. She knew it must be important if Sarah was calling at this time, Tayla quickly swipes her thumb across the screen "Hello?".

"Tayla?" Sarah's frantic voice comes through the phone speaker. 

Tayla immediately sits up "What happened?". 

She could hear a sigh come from the other side of the phone "He got in a car accident but he's okay, just hurt his neck a bit, the car is more busted up than anything".

She tries her best to keep her emotions together "Where is he?". 

"I'm taking him back to you right now, don't worry" Sarah explains. 

Tayla lets outs a breath she didn't know she was holding "Can I talk to him?".

Rustling comes from the other side of the phone until Tayla hears a raspy voice she knew to be her fiance's "Tay?". 

Rafe's voice made her eyes well up "Baby please tell me you're okay" her voice wavering.

"I'm okay, it was a minor accident and I barely have bruises, I'm just sorry about the car" Rafe had taken her jeep when he went to get some air and was terrified that he had ruined her beloved vehicle.

With Ward, if he had ruined one of his cars, he would have cast Rafe out on the street and screamed at him. The post-traumatic stress gave him anxiety about how his fiance would react.

Tayla lets out a mixture of a laugh and a cry "I don't care about the car, we can get a new one, I just need you home and safe with me". 

She could practically hear his smile through the speakers "I'll be there soon baby, just hang in there, I love you".

Tayla sniffles and takes a deep breath, trying to even her breathing "I love you so much". 

Rafe hangs up the phone, sighing as he does. 

Sarah looks over from the driver's seat "Sounds like everything's okay". He nods but stops abruptly when feeling a surging pain through his neck.

Sarah rolls her eyes as her brother grasps at the pain "Who runs into a tree?". 

Rafe sighs "I was trying to calm down and I was having a hard time cooling down my thoughts, with my brain scrambled and my eyes watery... I guess I didn't see it coming".

"Well, I hope you have your shit together now, god forbid you had seriously hurt yourself... Tayla would never be the same" Sarah says seriously. 

Rafe's lips turn to a straight line "I know, I never wanted to scare anyone... the fact that dad sees so little in me, that I could only be married for money".

He takes a moment to catch himself "It stings". 

The blonde girl nods as she listens intently "I get that Rafe but you can't let his issues spill over onto you and Tay". 

Rafe closes his eyes "Believe me, I know that now, she is all I need".

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When Tayla hears the front door start to open, she rushes down the stairs. As she reached the bottom of the stairs, both Sarah and Rafe emerged from the front door. The tan girl takes a breath in, her eyes well up as she sees her fiance, bruised up "Can I hug you?".

Rafe frowns at her emotional face "Of course you can baby". Tayla hastily moves toward him, engulfing him in a hug softly but with meaning. Rafe tries his best not to wince at the shooting pain, her warm touch was louder than any pain anyway. 

"I'm okay" he assures Tayla, trying his best to rub her back.

Tayla pulls away and turns to Sarah, giving her a huge hug "Thank you". 

The blonde girl chuckles "He's my brother and your my best friend, not really a good deed from a kind samaritan". 

Tayla shakes her head, laughing lightly "Either way, thank you".

Sarah smiles "I'll let you guys rest, here are the pain meds the hospital gave me" she hands Tayla a paper bag "I gotta go before dad knows I'm gone". 

Rafe smiles back to his sister "Thanks, Sarah... seriously".

Shortly after Sarah leaves, Tayla puts her arm around Rafe, helping him to the bedroom. He sits on the edge of his side of the bed "I didn't mean to scare you".

"I know you didn't but you know that I would worry no matter what especially when you get into an accident" Tayla said, getting back under the covers. 

Rafe sighs, trying his best to lay down without grunting. It hurt Tayla to see him in pain "Do you need ice or anything before we go to bed?".

"No, don't worry I have enough pain meds to last me the next couple of hours" Rafe explains. 

She takes a deep breath before kissing his cheek "Goodnight Rafe". 

He smiles softly "Goodnight babe".