House of Cards

House of cards

Mirrored Series # 2

Dedication

This book is dedicated to the readers that have followed my journey from the very beginning. The readers that have stuck with me despite editing errors, a horrific cliffhanger and a prolonged release date. This one is for my Daxton lovers. You girls make me happy in the pants. Thank you. I am forever blessed by this crazy world that I have stumbled into. I will never forge
t this experience and all of the people that have helped me and continue to help me everyday.

You know I’d fall apart without you.

House of Cards Copyright: K.Pinson Published: 25, November, 2013 Publisher: ©K.Pinson

This book is a work of fiction. Any similarity between the characters and situations within its pages and places or persons, living or dead, is unintentional and co-incidental.

The right of K.Pinson to be identified as author of this Work has been asserted by her in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This book may not be resold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Table of Contents:

Chapter 1- In Shock

Chapter 2-The news.

Chapter 3-Starting Over.

Chapter 4-Numb.

Chapter 5-Unfortunately, life goes on.

Chapter 6-Complications.

Chapter 7-An exciting moment gone astray.

Chapter 8-Memory loss and devastation.

Chapter 9-Second chance and I’m going to take it.

Chapter 10-Nothing worse job than big brother duty.

Chapter 11-Trying to make it through.

Chapter 12: What is real?

Chapter 13-I’m ready for a breakdown.

Chapter 14-I need to get my life back.

Chapter 15-
Beautiful stranger, I’ve missed you.

Chapter 16-
First date 2.0

Chapter 17-
The second best day of my life.

Chapter 18-
The beginning of forever.

Epilogue-I love you most.


        
Chapter 1: In Shock

The world stopped before my very eyes. The colors surrounding me began to bleed together creating a huge blur of black and white. I stood completely still, shocked. I couldn’t move. I could barely breathe. My lungs were collapsing in. Deep breaths, in and out; it wasn’t helping at all. I was dying a slow death, right here, for all to bear witness. This has to be a nightmare.
Please wake up
, I repeated over again to myself, hoping that it would come true but, it didn’t. This wasn’t me dreaming, this was real.

A gentleman dressed in a paramedic uniform attempted to talk to me, asking me questions about the accident and if I was okay, but I couldn’t supply him with any answers. I couldn’t talk at all.
Wrapping a blanket around my arms he led me to the back of an ambulance. Abby lay on a gurney in the back, screaming in pain. I couldn’t do anything. I couldn’t help her. I couldn’t get the image of the scene that had just unfolded out of my head: Daxton lying in the middle of the road, the blood appearing to have seeped from every pore on his body.

The road was covered
in it, forever stained red in my mind. Abby lay in the grass on the other side, crying for me. The driver of the jeep performing CPR on Daxton and shouting to me to call 911. I don’t even remember how I managed to call, but I had.  Luckily I had my cellphone in my pocket. My mother took off before the police and paramedics could arrive. I had no idea where she went and I didn’t care.

Daxton had been taken
away in the first ambulance that arrived, an oxygen mask instantly placed over his face. Police were also on the scene. They measured where Daxton’s body had lain in the road. On all the criminal shows I watched, that wasn’t a good sign. I still couldn’t cry; I couldn’t feel anything at all. Abby had suffered a broken arm and leg on the right side of her body. She landed wrong when Daxton threw her out of the way, but, other than that, she was fine. She was shaken up and afraid, but physically she was ok at least. Broken bones would heal. The emotional trauma we were feeling right now, I wasn’t so sure about.

I
had frozen when the accident happened. I stood as still as a statue and stared out into the road. I couldn’t will my feet to move and I couldn’t force myself to feel. I’d shut down. I had heard my mother gasp behind me and run to place her hand on my back. I did not want to be touched, especially not by her, and I shrugged out of her feather light grasp. She failed me before and she’s failing me now. I’m happy, finally happy, and my past comes back like usual to haunt me, wrecking everything. I don’t pay attention to anyone around me. I do not want to feel one ounce of love from anyone who wasn’t Abby or Daxton. I wanted them to be okay more than anything in the world. I would have gladly traded places.

Abby stopped crying when I entered the ambulance to be with her. She was still in a lot of pain, though
- I could see it written all over her little face. The paramedics set the breaks and wrapped them up until we could get to the hospital where she could get casts put on them. I stood next to where she lay and ran my fingers through her long blond hair, now a mass of tangles and grass. I pulled the loose strands of hair away that were stuck to her tear stained cheeks and kissed every inch of her beautiful face. Tears had finally begun to stream down my cheeks. I was so glad that my little girl was okay, but Daxton, Oh my Daxton. I couldn’t live without him, but I would have to if that’s what it came to. Abby needed me. It wouldn’t be easy, though. I couldn’t fathom my world without his blast of color. It would be a dull and dreary life.

“I’m sowwy mommy.” She whispered quietly. She began taking labored breaths and it frightened the shit out of me. I wished that the ambulance would hurry up. I wouldn’t say anything out loud that could scare Abby. I was more than ready to be at the hospital where the doctors could check her out more thoroughly. I needed to know one hundred and fifty percent that she had no other damage than what I was told by the paramedics on scene.

“Its okay, my love, just rest. Close your eyes sweetheart. Mommy is right here. We will be there soon and the doctors will fix you all up.” I tried to be comforting, tried to be strong for her.

“Is Daddy gonna be otay?” She asked with one of the saddest little voices I have ever heard and my heart broke all over again.

I gently kiss her cheek and place my head on her stomach, a single tear sliding down my face.

“All we can do is pray baby. God has a plan for us.” I replied back. I don’t know what else to say. I don’t want to give her false hope and I am quickly running out of every ounce of hope I have myself. The scene, which continuously played like a movie in my head, had looked so bad that I didn’t know how he could possibly survive. The amount of blood loss alone was of epic proportions.

“He’s not allowed to go, Mommy. He’s my Daddy.” She whispers back. My heart feels like it has stopped beating. The pain I feel is indescribable and I clutch my chest, forcing back the sobs that threaten to escape my lips. I place my hand on her forehead and began to sing quietly, “You are my sunshine.” Daxton often sang it to her while putting her to bed. Abby closed her eyes, but didn‘t sleep. How could she after everything that has happened? I’m not sure if the horrific vision will ever leave my waking mind; I dread when I have to sleep.

I finish
the song and we remain silent for the rest of the ambulance ride. No matter what I try to focus on, I can’t stop thinking about him. His eyes, his smile, the way I feel while he holds me close, good morning kisses and his cockiness - just everything about him. I know that I can’t face this world alone, without him, a huge part of me would die. I’d been doing it for so long and then he came into my life. To go back to the way that it was before, I just don’t know that I’m strong enough. I also know that I need to contact Gram. I need to get a hold of his band mates and friends, also. However, I don’t know if I have it in me to talk to any of them right now. Unfortunately, I don’t have much of a choice. We arrive at the hospital and the paramedics roll Abby inside on a gurney. She is admitted into emergency with minimal paperwork and we sit patiently waiting for the doctor to arrive. The nurses bring her a bowl of ice cream and praise her courage and strength, helping to cheer her up a bit. I help feed her bites since she has no use of her right arm, her dominant hand.

I make a valid attempt to focus on the television that is playing god-awful SpongeBob on the screen. The only good part about is the show is that it keeps Abby occupied and happy. I, on the other hand, despise the show with a passion and I wait until the Doctor comes into the room. Just as expected, Abby has a bad break just below the knee and a small one on her arm. She was rushed off to complete x-rays and tests. They all came out okay, thankfully. The doctor said that Abby will be very lethargic from the pain meds they are starting to give her and would probably sleep most of the night. He wants her to stay in the hospital overnight at the very least, so that they can monitor her and make sure that they didn’t miss anything. I stay with Abby until she finally passes out. Once I’m confident she’s fast asleep, I step outside to call Daxton’s family. I try to stop at the reception area first and get information, but because I am not directly related they couldn’t tell me anything. I have calmed down a lot since first witnessing the accident. It’s as if I have gone into some sort of denial about the entire situation. I’m numb and it’s an all too familiar feeling to me. I can’t help but imagine Daxton at home, waiting for me in bed or with the guys at practice; any of the places where he is happiest. I’d give anything to see him right now. I need to see him alive and happy. I want to erase the memory of him lying in the middle of the road, appearing lifeless. The image filters through the thick fog and reality hits me. It seems to come and go. Oh God, please let him live.

I decide to call Tripp first and I look through my contacts, selecting his number and hit send. I have no choice. I need to let him know. I’m extremely nervous and pace outside the door. I don’t know how to start this conversation. I have never been super great about facing the things that I fear. If I could rate my fear from one to ten, this would probably be an eight. Loving people is probably my ten. I don’t let many people in or love easily. Daxton is definitely an exception to my rule. Sadly, I’m thankful that I don’t get an answer and I sigh in relief as it goes straight to voicemail. I cannot leave this kind of a message on his voicemail. I set my phone down, exhausted by what little I have actually done. I don’t want to make phone calls. That seems so selfish, but I just want to be present here. I want to be with him in every moment, especially if they end up being his last. I’ll push my way through a crowd to be in there, as soon as the Doctors allow it.

Gabe is already on his way to go get Gram. I can’t speak to her just yet. That’s probably unfair of me, but I don’t have any information to give to her at the moment. She’s getting up there in age and I don’t want to upset her when she doesn’t have anyone
.

I’ve never been real good about beating around the bush. I’m usually a pretty honest and straight forward person, so this is awful for me. This is so delicate that I don’t know what to say to anyone. I just don’t know how to treat this. I’m relieved that I don’t have to call Gram and tell her the news myself.

I go back to Abby’s room and sit down in the chair next to her bed. She’s sleeping soundly, releasing quiet exhales of breath. I know that I should be thanking my lucky stars and the heavens above right now, but I can’t. I am so mad. I am mad at myself, I am mad at this situation, I am mad at my mom and, most of all, I am mad at God. If Daxton doesn’t make it, I fear that dislike will never subside.

I’m unsure how much time elapses. I slowly open my eyes and look around me. The window catches my eye,
and I walk over, peering out at the world below. It’s already starting to grow dark outside. Nurses come in and out to adjust machines, checking on Abby, but most of the time its bone silent in the room. I don’t think I’ve ever had so much time to think, wallow in my own self-pity mostly. I hear the familiar ring tone that Daxton had set on my phone for his brother
,
“Girls just want to have fun”.
As much as I want to cry, I don’t. I smile instead because these memories feel like only yesterday.

Instantly, his dark eyes pop into my mind, laughter evident behind his irises when he saves his song choice.

“He’s going to be so pissed when he hears this.” He laughs to himself. He does this often. He doesn’t care if people are laughing with him or at him, as long as they’re laughing. That is one of his favorite sounds in the world.

“Dax, sweetheart, I doubt he will call me when I’m near enough for him to listen to the ringtone.” I laugh as his smile turns into a small frown. I kiss his lips gently.

“I guess I’ll just to have to trick him into doing it somehow the next time we are at Grams’.” I don’t even respond.

Instead, I kiss him again and laugh into his mouth. That turns into a full blown make out section and eventually leads to a couple of hours in bed. That is where most of our playful kisses lead. I can’t help thinking that I wouldn’t have it any other way.

The memory dissipates as quickly as it had come. As upset as I am, happiness for any semblance of a happy memory at all creeps in. I pick up the phone and whisper a small hello. I was preparing myself to receive more bad news. I would almost rather have no news at all. Wishful thinking?

“Ava, we’re here. We want to see Abby, too. Is she okay? What room are you in?” His questions jumbled into a mass sentence. I can hear sobs in the background.

“We are in room 203 and she’s okay, just sleeping right now. She has a broken leg and arm, but no other injuries at the moment. They are going to keep her overnight for observation, just to make sure.” I quietly replied.

“We are heading up there now.” He states and hangs up the phone.

I waited for what seemed like forever, though it had only been about five minutes in reality. Gram rushed up to me instantly, placing her arms around me and hugging me tightly to her chest.

“How’s my girl holding up?” She asked. Tears were rushing down her face and wetting the top of her shirt.

“She’s okay, Gram. She’s resting. You can go in and see her if you’d like.” I replied quietly

Gram let me go, but not before placing a gentle kiss to my cheek. She rushed into Abby’s room and sat next to her bed, grasping her little hand in hers. The tears seemed like they would never stop falling from her eyes. My heart had begun to race as I finally built up the courage to ask Gabe for the truth. I needed to know what was going on. I needed to know how my fiancé was.

“Gabe…Please, just tell me what’s going on.” I have no emotion left. I just need some answers.

“It’s not good, Ava….he’s…well…he’s…in a coma right now. He sustained some pretty awful head trauma and his brain has started to swell. They are trying to control it, but at the moment they have little hope of his survival. He has broken ribs and collarbone, but those are the least of his worries. He looks pretty bad. His face is bruised and swollen; he’s unrecognizable. I would rather you not see him this way. He wouldn’t want you to see him this way.” His voice had become menacingly sweet and I didn’t know how to react. Gabe was constantly picking at me, playing with me, and this version of him was not very reassuring. He looked extremely forlorn, but appeared to be trying to be strong for us. I loved him for that. I needed my Daxton, though. I needed to see him.