Never Say Never (11 page)

“At this rate we won’t have any glasses left.” Owain walked out into the hallway.

“I haven’t broken any in a while.” Hayley shook her head and threw the glass into the garbage bin.

“Mom?” Owain carefully walked over to her after it was safe to do so and looked at her. “Can I ask you a question?”

“Sure, baby.” She nodded and looked at him.

“Can I invite Luke to my birthday?” He asked.

Hayley smiled slightly and tilted her head at him. “You want Lucas at your birthday party?”

“Yes. I like him, and you like him too.” Owain said to her.

“What makes you think I like him?” She raised an eyebrow at him.

“You can’t fool me, Mom.” Owain crossed his arms. “I saw you kiss him.”

“You did huh?” She frowned.

“Does that mean you and Luke are going to have a baby?” Owain asked expectantly.

“Are you ready for school?” Hayley choked and quickly changed the subject. “We’re going to be late.”

“I just need some shoes.” Owain said and headed back to his room.

The drive to school was less eventful, as Hayley avoided direct eye contact with Owain, why she was not sure. Even though her first three periods were uneventful, she felt like she was walking on air. She listened to twenty three fourth graders give an oral about eighteenth century England, and then she had to grade fifty seven English papers. She had a free period right before lunch and spent most of it grading papers. She was about halfway through the pile, when Grace came into her class.

“So this is where you’ve been hiding.” Grace sighed.

“I’m not hiding, I’m working.” Hayley looked up at Grace and smiled.

“And here I thought being a teacher was fun and easy.” Grace chuckled.

“It all depends on how you look at it.” Hayley smiled.

“Why are you so cheery today?” Grace frowned. “Oh yes, you had a date with Lucas yesterday.”

“It wasn’t a date, Grace. We took Owain to watch baseball.” Hayley smiled.

“Sounds like a date to me.” Grace raised an eyebrow.

“He’s joining us for cupcakes tonight.” Hayley grinned.

“I thought that was just you and Owain’s thing?” Grace asked.

“Owain doesn’t mind, he likes Lucas. He even asked me this morning if Lucas can come to his birthday party.” Hayley said.

“Wow, Owain’s got a crush.” Grace chuckled.

“He isn’t the only one.” Hayley grinned at Grace.

“Did you kiss him?” Grace asked.

“Maybe.” Hayley put her pen down on the desk and grinned at Grace.

“Oh my god!” Grace exclaimed and leaned against the desk. “How was it? Was it good? He looks like he can be a good kisser.”

“It was fantastic.” Hayley smiled simply and picked up her pen again.

“That’s great, Hayley.” Grace smiled at her. “I’m really happy for you.”

“Thank you.” She smiled again.

“And it’s good to see you smile.” Grace walked back to the door. “I’ve got to get to class, but we’ll catch up later.”

A few minutes after Grace left, the bell sounded and Hayley sighed to herself. She had more orals to listen to after recess, so she closed her folder of papers and took out her oral grading file. The class filled up with fourth graders and she had them start straight away. About ten minutes into the period, she heard a loud crash coming from down the hall and a loud scream. She jumped up from her chair and opened the door. She looked down the hall and suddenly Grace’s teaching assistant, Vanessa, came running down the hallway.

“Hayley, it’s Owain.” She said breathlessly.

“Oh my god!” She breathed and looked over her shoulder at her class. “Guys, I’ll be right back.”

She followed Vanessa to Grace’s class and the screaming got louder the closer she got. She ran into Grace’s class and found Owain on the floor, surrounded by his classmates and Grace. There were tears running down his cheeks and he was holding onto his right arm.

“Owain!” Hayley exclaimed and knelt next to him.

“Mommy!” He whimpered and looked at her.

“Grace, what happened?” She asked.

“Somehow he climbed up onto the bookcase and he jumped down.” Grace said.

“Wasn’t anyone watching him?” Hayley frowned at Grace and Vanessa. “There are two of you for god’s sake!”

“Hayley, I’m sorry. I…” Vanessa stuttered.

“Save it, Vanessa.” Hayley snapped and looked over at Owain. “We need to get you to the hospital, baby.”

“Mommy, call Luke.” Owain whispered to her.

“Owain, I don’t…” Hayley frowned.

“Please, Mommy! He shrieked.

“Okay, okay. I will call him.” Hayley nodded and ran her fingers through her hair.

The ride to the hospital was short and rushed, but to Hayley it felt like years before Lucas answered his phone. Only when the call connected, she realized that she was holding her breath.

“Donovan.” His voice was deep and resonant.

“Hey Lucas.” Hayley let out a sigh of relief. “It’s Hayley.”

“Hey! How are you?” He sounded happier than he did a second ago.

“Not good actually.” She frowned and Owain let out another scream.

“What happened? Are you two okay?” His voice changed again and became tense and
serious.

“Owain fell at school and I think his arm is broken. I am on my way to Mease now.” Hayley frowned and took a deep breath. “He asked me to call you.”

“He did?” Lucas asked.

“Yes.” Hayley nodded and Owain let out another scream.

“I feel flattered.” Lucas chuckled.

“And so you should.” She nodded and looked at Owain on the seat next to her. There were tearstains on his cheeks and he was clenching his arm against his chest. “It’s okay, baby.”

“I’ll meet you at Pediatrics, okay?” Lucas said to her. “I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

“Okay.” She nodded. “Thank you, Lucas.”

“No problem.”

She dropped her phone onto her lap and continued to the hospital. After they arrived, Owain was taken to radiology for x-rays, and Hayley was by his side the entire time, holding his hand. His skin was pale from terror and he looked so tiny on the bed of the casting clinic.

“We’ll be a few more minutes, Miss Pearce. You can wait outside in the waiting room.” One of the nurses looked at Hayley.

“It’s fine, I’ll stay.” Hayley shook her head.

“Mom, go find Luke.” Owain frowned and looked at her with a painful expression on his face.

“Are you going to be okay, baby?” Hayley asked him.

“I’m fine.” Owain nodded.

“Okay.” She nodded and slowly left the room.

After about twenty minutes, Hayley ran her fingers irately through her ponytail and looked over at the door. She paced the waiting room, waiting for Lucas to arrive. She could still hear Owain’s screams in her mind and she tried to think of something else. She closed her eyes for a second and felt her body shaking. The smell of the inside of the hospital made her queasy and a familiar feeling of discomfort ran through her veins.

She felt his warm hand covering hers as she struggled to open her eyes. Her head was throbbing as she allowed her eyes to adjust to the light. She was alive! She couldn’t believe it! After all that! The memories of the last eleven days came rushing back and she gasped softly.

“Lee…” His voice was soft and filled with concern.

She turned her head slowly and multiple waves of nausea washed over her, causing her to heave repeatedly.

“Keep still, baby.” He whispered to her.

He came into view and she felt relieved for the first time in eleven days. She looked into his green eyes and smiled slightly.

“Daddy…” She breathed.

“Yeah, it's me.” Steven smiled at her and she noticed his shallow tears.

“You found me.” She whispered.

“I found you.” Steven smiled and kissed the top of her hand.

She let out a relieved sigh and turned her head slightly. She spotted him, standing in the corner of the room, leaning against the wall, sobbing his heart out.

“Daniel…” She whispered.

Daniel turned to her and rushed to her side. His eyes were bloodshot and his light hair was
disheveled and messy, the way it would be after a weekend of studying.

“I will leave you two alone for a bit.” Steven stood up and hastily left the room.

“Lee.” Daniel choked and brought her hand up to his face. “I thought I lost you, my love.”

“How long have I been here?” She asked.

“For about four weeks.” Daniel answered softly, almost whispering. “You had hypothermia from the cold, and the gunshot nicked your artery, and miraculously missed your brain. Your body needed time to heal and…”

“Okay, I get it.” She frowned.

“I called everyone, with you disappearing, and I postponed the wedding, until you are better.” Daniel said and she looked at him.

“You don't have to pretend that you don't want to marry me. I wouldn't want to after this.” She frowned and tugged lightly on her drip.

Daniel lightly brushed her cheek and frowned. “I'm not pretending, Lee. I still want to marry you, you just need to get better first.”

“You know what they did to me, right?” She looked at him.

“Yes.” Daniel nodded sadly. “It doesn’t change my feelings for you, Lee. No-one can take that away.”

“I love you so much, Danny.” She smiled slightly.

“I love you, Lee.” He smiled at her.

“I feel really nauseous...” She brought her hand up to her face and a sharp pain shot through her head. “Ouch.”

“Do you want me to call the nurse?” Daniel's face was a whiter shade of pale and she looked at him.

“No, it's okay.” She whispered.

“Lee...” Daniel sighed. “They found the van that Jessica described a couple of miles outside Savannah. The two guys were robbing a gas station, but luckily there was a cop inside the store. One of them got shot, dying on the way to the hospital and the other one got away.”

“Which one got away?” She frowned and looked at him.

“Are you seriously listening to yourself right now?” Daniel asked.

“I just want to know…” She whispered.

“I’m sorry I snapped. I’m just still in shock.” Daniel looked at her apologetically. “It has been a tough month.”

“I can imagine.” She said and looked over at the table beside her bed.

There was a newspaper and she asked Daniel to bring it to her. As she opened it, she saw the pictures of the two guys, Chad and Barry, staring at her. She read that Barry was the one that escaped and Chad was shot by the police officer.

“Oh my god.” She gasped. “No…”

“What is it, Lee?” Daniel was next to her again.

“I can’t look at this…” She struggled to keep her tears from running down her cheeks. Of all the injustices that took place, the fact that Barry escaped and Chad paid with his life was the biggest one of them all.

“I can’t believe he died…” She frowned.

“The bastard deserved it.” Daniel shook his head.

“Danny…” She frowned at him.

“What, Lee? He did this to you and you feel sorry for him!” Daniel exclaimed. “You forgive people way too easily!”

“I…” She stuttered and felt a sharp pain shoot through her jaw.

She let out a painful scream and her heart-rate monitor started beeping uncontrollably.

“Lee?” Daniel panicked.

“Danny…” She shrieked.

“I’ll get the doctor.”

She felt his hand slip away from
hers and everything went black.

As she opened her eyes, she saw Lucas, in his medic uniform, running towards her. She felt the relief wash over her and walked up to him.

“Oh my god, are you okay?” Lucas asked as he approached.

“I’m so glad you’re here…” She looked apologetically at Lucas, but he opened his arms to her and hugged her tight. 

“I got caught up in Trauma, but I came as soon as I could.” He said to her and ran his fingers through her hair. “How is he? Is he
okay?”

“His arm is broken in three places, and he’s got a bit of a concussion, but he’s fine.” She pulled away and looked at him. “Stubborn as always.”

“Like his mom.” Lucas nodded. “How exactly did he fall?”

“He climbed up the bookcase in his class.” Hayley said with a frown and crossed her arms. “He was trying to fly like Spiderman.”

Lucas let out a little laugh and Hayley glared at him.

“What?” Lucas frowned. “I used to jump out of trees all the time.”

“You had a brother that could catch you. Owain doesn’t.” Hayley looked at him and he put his arms around her shoulders.

“He’s going to be fine.” He whispered in her ear. “Can I go see him?”

Hayley tilted her head to the side and held out her hand towards him. “Of course.”