The Expansion of the Universe

Fifty-One-Point-Five | "Don't!"

Elijah's POV

"We're so glad you're okay, sweetheart," Morgan cooed for the umpteenth time in the last hour since she and his father had entered his room, pressing kisses against his scalp and anywhere else she could reach.

The doctors had been speaking about his injuries and possible length of stay when his parents had first arrived, so it was only now—after the care team had left—that Morgan was able to hug him and fret.

"Me too, Mom," he grumbled, playfully trying to escape her affection, even though he secretly enjoyed being doted upon by his mother. Even though it hadn't been long since he'd seen her last, nothing could ever beat out the comfort that came with a mother's love.

When she finally moved back slightly, she wiped away a tear and sniffled. "I was so scared, Eli. You're not allowed to do that, boy, you hear me? You nearly sent me into heart failure!"

"He's fine, Morgan," came his father's gruff murmur, from where the man was standing in the corner near a quiet Zach. "Let him breathe."

"She's not a bother," he snapped. He knew how much his stepmom hated it when he and his father butted heads with one another, but he couldn't help but be aggravated with the man—he was such an uncaring douche all the damn time. "She can stay where she is."

"'She' is right here," his mom chided gently, dropping her voice and leaning down so her lips were near his ear. "Don't fight with him. He was scared too, even if he doesn't seem it." Then, she kissed his temple and stepped aside, settling down on small couch next to Zach. "We're both so relieved," she continued, choosing to ignore the staunch glare he and his father were sharing. "We weren't sure how severe it was when Zach called us. Car accidents can be so devastating," she shook her head sadly.

"You should have been paying more attention," came his father's stern remark, and his eyes lit with the fire of Hell.

"Me? Have you considered telling that to the jackass who chose to sleep while driving in the first place?"

"If you had been paying closer attention—"

"Now is not the time," Morgan cut in smoothly, and he blew out a heavy breath, tearing his gaze from his dad's and choosing to look at his phone instead.

There was one activity that was certain to distract him from wanting to rip out his dad's throat, so he busied himself in texting his Liza using the phone Zach had been smart enough to bring along with him.

God, how he loved his Liza.

He hated that she'd had to leave, but he had expected it, and he wasn't hurt by it. He knew perfectly well that it had been damn brave of her to visit him at the hospital at all, considering her history with such a place. It was even more impressive that she had managed to stay as long as she had after Zach scared her nearly to death.

But that was his Liza; the bravest, most beautiful woman in the world. As he'd told her in his note, she was a true warrior.

He sent her a message to check in on her, worried about what Austin had told him after dropping her off at her condo: "She looked fit to cry," the man had muttered with concern. "Frazzled and frayed, man, poor Tiny."

Poor Tiny, indeed.

Elijah worried, too, that she wouldn't want to tell him just how severely his accident, Zach's arrival, and her time at the hospital had affected her. God knew she wouldn't want to tell him, if only because she felt that he needed to focus on his own recovery.

Selfless, wonderful, frustrating woman.

He was relieved when she replied, though he could tell that she was, indeed, suffering from the many events that had occurred in the prior twenty-four hours. When he called her, uncaring of the others in the room, who were talking amongst themselves, he frowned when the line rang only once before going to voicemail.