The Expansion of the Universe

Forty-Three | "I'm sorry."

Elijah hadn't texted yet.

She wasn't sure what time it was. It was dark outside, so it was certainly night, but she wasn't sure if it was still the same day he'd left, or early in the morning on the following day. It didn't really matter, though—she was worried, regardless.

It was reasonable to assume that he'd simply gotten caught up in preparing for the flight, and hadn't been able to text before he and Austin were actually flying, and therefore wouldn't be able to text until they had reached their first stopping point.

But her gut was twisted with concern, because she didn't think Elijah would put off texting her. Not because she was his sole concern, but she knew he was still torn up over the incident, and didn't want to jeopardize their relationship in anyway. Furthermore, he'd promised to text.

Elijah, she knew, didn't make promises lightly.

She'd been pacing over her living room rug for God-only-knew how long, but she was too wired with anxiety to remain still. Milo was watching closely from his spot on the couch, but she knew he wouldn't intervene unless she started scratching at her skin or something similar.

How long would it take before Elijah and Austin stopped somewhere? Surely it would be soon, right? She wasn't sure how much longer she could take with nothing but silence and no answers before—

Thud, thud, thud.

She froze, her eyes snapping to the oak.

That was knocking. Knocking at her door.

It wasn't the loud pounding that had come from Carson Pierce, but it was still enough to set her on edge, because she knew that it wasn't Elijah. Before moving closer, she grabbed her phone from the couch and clicked on Whitney's name in her contact list, ready to hit the Call button the second she decided it was needed. Whitney would know what to do, regardless of who was on the other side of the oak, and the woman would always pick up, no matter the time.

Approaching the door with her cell phone cradled in one hand and Milo by her side, she stood just to the left of the door, sucking in a steadying breath before bending to peer warily through the peephole.

Her brow furrowed at what awaited her, and she asked, "Austin?"

The man on the other side didn't look the same as the one she'd seen when he'd visited with her and Elijah only a week prior. That man had been laughing with her, teasing Elijah, and rubbing Milo enthusiastically. The man in front of her, hovering just outside her door, was sad. His lips were clearly tucked into a frown beneath his mustache, and those expressive green eyes of his were showing her nothing but grief.

But why would Austin be standing outside her door, looking so sorrowful and somber? Sure, they were friends, she supposed, he was meant to be with Elijah, not knocking at her door in the middle of the—

No.

No.

Oh, God. God, please, no!

Her hands were shaking so badly it took multiple tries before she got through the locks, but the second she did, she flung open the door, tears already forming in her eyes. "Wh-what w-was it?"

"Car accident," he told her honestly, appearing unsurprised that she'd figured out the situation so quickly. "Driver fell asleep in the other lane, crossed the median, an' side-swiped him while he was headin' to the hangar. Sent him spinnin' n'to a ditch. Knew somethin' was wrong when he didn't show, but took us awhile t'find 'em."

"Is . . . I don't . . . He's gone?" She asked, unable to keep the trembling note of please tell me I'm wrong! from her voice.

Austin blew out a long, heavy sigh. "Not gone, Liza, but in the hospital."