Midnight Shades

Epilogue

Two years later.

I sit next to Félicité as she cries, face red and angry as she wipes away her tears with the back of her hand.

"Don't cry, Félicité," I say quietly, rubbing her back before hugging her to me. "She'll be okay."

"I'm so scared," She sobs as another round of hot and fresh tears fall down her face. "The road was so slippy and it was raining, but it's my fault."

"No, darling, it's not your fault," I sigh, shaking my head. "It happens, baby. As you said, the weather and the road was bad, it was out of your control."

She sniffs, resting her elbows on her knees as we sit on the chairs in the hospital's white corridor. "What if something happens to her?"

My heart clenches in pain at the thought, though I try to ignore it as I say, "She'll be fine, darling. Lottie's so strong, she'll be more than okay, alright?"

She sniffs again and nods before staying silent. I stay by her side for the next twenty minutes, rubbing her back and ensuring the both of us that Lottie will be okay. Once I see Mark, her best friend, I smile at him as he hugs her and sits next to her.

"I'm going to go to check on Louis." I tell them and they both nod before I leave. I quickly grab two cups of coffee from the cafeteria before heading to where Louis is, waiting by the operations' room. He is sitting on the floor, with his back leaning on the wall and his head hanging low between his knees.

I feel my heart burning with pain for Lottie and Louis, I hate seeing him like this, even in the toughest of times. I can't stand not seeing his face bright and happy.

Sitting down on the floor next to him, I place my head on his shoulder, making him raise his head before I hand him his cup of coffee.

"Thanks, love." He says quietly, voice drained and eyes tired, but I can't blame him, it's three AM in the morning, we're all tired and drained.

After a few minutes of silence, I squeeze his knee and say, "She'll be fine, you know she will be."

He nods slowly as he whispers, "I know, she's a strong one."

"She is," I smile weakly and he returns it before pressing a peck to my lips. "Where's Johannah?"

"Down with Dan and Phoebe," He answers and I nod. He holds my hand tightly in his, squeezing it as I press my body closer to him. "She will be fine."

"Tallulah?" I turn my head towards the voice and smile when I see Ernest, Louis' youngest sibling.

"Yes, darling?" I smile as he runs to me.

"Where's Evan?" He asks.

"He's at his granddad's, lad," Louis speaks, pinching Ernest's nose. "I'll take him to you soon."

Ernest nods and rests his body on my lap. "I wanna sleep."

However, as soon as he says that, the doctor comes out of the operations' room. Quickly, me and Louis run up to him as he removes his mask, and Johannah, Don, and Félicité join us just in time.

"The brain injury was moderate, thankfully," He says firstly, making me and Louis worry just a bit less. "There was no internal injury. However, there was slight fractured vertebrae, but it'll heal with time and a brace, but there will be a long lasting pain and discomfort with the patient."