One In A Lifetime

Thirty-Three

POV: Scarlett

I woke up this morning wrapped in my husband's arms. For the first time since the accident, I didn't feel the weight of the world on my shoulders. Seeing her open her eyes yesterday, hearing her talk made my heart soar. I came home and cried.

Colin’s arms tightened around me. “Good morning, beautiful,” he whispered.

“Hi handsome,” I said, snuggling into him.

“How are you feeling this morning?”

“Honestly, relieved. I mean, I know she has a long way to go and Tayor is only here for so long before she resumes her tour.” I said, rambling.

“Scar, baby, one day at a time. You're rambling,” Colin said, kissing my nose.

I sighed, knowing he was right. I had put my projects on hold when I flew down here. Of course everyone was sympathetic and understood. I just want to make sure she is taken care of.

“Scarlett, get out of your head. Come on baby, let's get ready for the day, have breakfast with the kids, then we can go to the hospital.”

“I don't deserve you Colin. You have been so patient the last few weeks and I am sorry, I know I have been crazy.”

He placed his fingers over my lips, “Baby, I married you for better or worse and I know you can be crazy when it comes to your family. Riley is more like a younger sister to you and you are very protective of her. She is family, baby, and I love her too. So take a breath for me, ok? Look, I know the last few weeks have been crazy and I am not even going to try and understand what you have been feeling, but I am here, the kids are here and you have a small army with you.”

For the first time in weeks I laughed. He was right, and I knew he was. “Thank you babe, I love you,” I said, kissing him softly.

“Now up, woman,” he said, slapping my ass.

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POV: Riley

Sleeping in a hospital is just this side of impossible. The nurses came in several times during the night to check on me, but not one of them woke Taylor. She has not moved since she fell asleep. I gently pushed her hair behind her ear and she smiled in her sleep, her hand gripping me tighter.

“I see you're awake.”

I looked toward the voice and saw Melanie with coffee, bagels and a smile. I motioned for her to be quiet and she smiled, walking closer.

“Did you get any sleep?”

“Off and on.”

“Talk to me Riley. I know that look.”

“I just feel so bad. Scarlett put her life on hold, Taylor went through hell on tour, and…”

“Riley, what would you have done had it been Scarlett, or even Taylor?”

I sighed, “I would have done the same thing.”

“I see your Mom so much when I look at you,” she said, brushing the hair from my eyes. “You have her eyes, her hair, you even have her smile. Sadly, you also got her stubbornness,” Melanie said, chuckling.

“I hear he showed up.”

“He did. Taylor slapped him.”

“Mel, did you know him?”

“I met him the same day your Mom did. He was young, handsome, and cocky. He had interned with some of Broadway's greats and he had potential. He and your Mom dated for awhile, then he met Claire DuBois. Socialite, old family money. Her parents had passed away and left her everything. Garrett was obsessed with money and status and once Claire got her hooks into him, that was it. To my knowledge they never had children.”