Always There

Chapter Forty-Four

Chapter Forty-Four:

Bryce's POV

"Bryce? Bryce? It's eight o'clock. You really need to wake up. What time do you have class at, Bryce?"

I wake up to the sound of Kathleen's voice right in my ear.

My eyes fly open, and my heart sinks when I notice that Blossom is still unconscious in my arms,

Dammit, Blossom. You were supposed to wake up. You have to wake up.

I sit up in bed, careful not to move Blossom too much. I lean my back against the wall behind the bed so that Blossom's head can lay on my chest, the rest of her body pressed right beside me.

I take Blossom's hand in mine, gently squeezing, before turning to Kathleen. "I'm not attending class today. I won't be able to sit through it knowing that my girl is here."

Kathleen sits down on the edge of the bed. "Are you sure? Lexi wouldn't want you to throw your life away because of this. She might not wake up for a very long time, Bryce. Hell, she might not wake up ever."

With my free hand, I reach for my glasses and then place them on the bridge of my nose. "I know, but I just can't leave her. Between my two good friends at Columbia, at least one of them is in each of my classes, and so I can have them help me get caught up. Don't worry about it."

Kathleen's smile falters, and her nose crinkles just as Blossom's does. "We brought you some coffee. We weren't sure what you like to eat for breakfast, but Lexi told us once that you like your coffee black. You should probably grab something to eat. If you'd like, Johnathon or I could get you something."

I shake my head. "I have to get back home to shower and make sure Scarlett didn't burn my apartment down. I'll make something to eat, too, but thank you. I'll be back in a couple hours at the most."

Kathleen remains silent as I climb out of bed. I adjust Blossom so that she's laying comfortably in the centre of the bed with her head on the pillow. I slip my feet into my Converse, tying the laces and then taking the cup of coffee from Kathleen's outstretched hand. "Thank you so much. I promise that I'll be back soon."

Finally, I press a kiss to Blossom's forehead. "Behebbek. I'll be back soon, habibti."

When I turn back to Kathleen, I smile at her before I take a step towards the door.

A thought strikes me.

I turn around, retrieving Blossom's necklace and rings from the bedside table before I exit the hospital room without a second glance, since I know damn well that I'll burst into tears if I have to look at Blossom's sleeping face for another moment.

As soon as I step into the hallway, a nurse stops me by the doorway. "Sir? May I speak to you about something briefly?"

I pause, turning to find the nurse from yesterday standing beside me. Hesitantly, I say, "Sure, I guess."

She gives me a gentle smile. "No one is permitted to sleep in the patient's bed with them when they are unconscious. We allowed it to slide yesterday, but after you slept in the bed with Ms. Brooks last night, we had to speak up. It can't happen again, sir."

I open my mouth and then close it again without uttering a single word.

I don't bother responding to the nurse verbally. I just nod my head at her before hurrying down the hallway, ignoring the burn of tears in my eyes.

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I find Scarlett curled up on the leather couch in the living room, wearing red lingerie—and nothing else, of course.