Thorn (Carmichael Series #5)✔️

Break Down

**Woohoo! It's Friday which means it's update day! I know a lot of you were very angry at my cliffhanger last week, but rest assure that you will not be any happier this week. Hahah I'm evil and I'm very sorry about it. Let me know what you guys think of this chapter!**

Tansy's POV

I sat in the hospital room with Poppy while we waited for Evan to regain consciousness, but her body had other plans. I guess being in the hospital twice in one day can really do a number on someone's body.

"I still can't believe you didn't tell me she was here earlier today." I grumbled unhappily while shooting Poppy a pointed look.

"Technically, it was yesterday morning." She replied, ignoring my comment while her eyes remained on the clock that read 1:34 a.m. I was going insane in this room. While I left after a few hours to be with Calla until Tanner came back, Poppy had been here since she was admitted.

"Where the hell did Knox go to? Narnia?" I asked while glancing behind me to the doorway.

"He probably walked around for a while before actually getting our coffee. It tears him apart to see our kids in pain when he can't do anything about it." She spoke, her voice cracking with emotion towards the end. I sighed deeply before hoisting myself out of the chair before taking Knox's spot beside her on the room's loveseat. I wrapped my arm around her shoulders and pulled her upper body to rest against my own while resting my cheek on the top of her head.

"Am I a bad mom, Tans?" She whispered out so quietly I was wondering if she even meant for me to hear it.

"Are you kidding me, Pops?" I deadpanned, searching her eyes to tell if she was actually serious or not. When I realized she wasn't joking I scoffed and rolled my eyes at her. "You're the best mom I've ever met in the whole world. I love our own mother, don't get me wrong, but I think she would've been utterly lost without you pretty much taking over and fixing our shit family's issues and putting everything back together.

"You don't ever ask anyone for anything and you give all the love you possibly can. Of course you're a good mother, but even the best mother in the world can't control everything that happens. You have to let them make their own mistakes now and then. Evan's my best friend, and if I know her even a little, I know that she never intended to end up like this. Just try and relax until we can figure out what the hell happened, okay?" I insisted with a nod before pulling her into a brief side hug. She mumbled a quiet okay before patting my hand that was resting on her shoulder.

I moved to give Knox his seat back when he came back into the room with our coffee, but he shook his head and handed the drinks off. After his hands were free, he lifted Poppy up and took her seat while settling her on his lap, whispering comforting words into her ear as the worried expression stayed plastered on her face.

I used to get uncomfortable around the two when they were all lovey-dovey like this, but it's become so normal to me that I just propped my head on my hand and took a much-needed sip of caffeine. Knox kissed Poppy's forehead before re-situating her so he could look at me before giving me a pointed stare.

"What?" I asked in confusion as he raised a singular eyebrow at me. I wasn't sure what conversation he was about to start because it was obviously something he wanted to speak about privately as he strategically waited until Poppy was asleep on his shoulder, releasing quiet snores from her mouth.

"Poppy may have been too distracted to notice them, but I'm not quite fond of the enormous love bites on your neck." He stated pointedly while glancing towards the area in question. My eyes widened comically as I smacked my hand over a random spot on my neck, hoping I was covering the hickies. I blushed while sputtering for something to say.