Chapter 58

Chapter 58

As he stepped inside the room, her eyes were closed, but they fluttered open when she heard him gasp. Lauren looked over at Sidney, tears pouring out of his eyes. He stood just inside the doorway hesitantly.

“Sidney.” She said quietly. He sobbed, unable to speak. She looked so frail. Her face was swelled in places, and was various shades of black and purple. Her lip was cut, and for a split second, it reminded him of his own lip on occasions after he had taken a puck to the face. Lauren looked back at him, realizing this was the first time she had really ever seen him cry before. She desperately needed him to be near her. She needed to feel him hold her, to know that he would help her get through this. “Sidney, please come here.” She said calmly, patting a space on the bed next to her.

He walked over to her and grabbed her hand. He sat on the edge of the bed, but was afraid to touch her, not wanting to hurt her. Reading his mind, Lauren took his hand and gently put it up to her face, gently placing his trembling hand against her bruised cheek. “Sidney, you won’t hurt me. You could never hurt me.” He sobbed at the feel of her swollen skin beneath his hand. “Will you hold me?” she asked quietly, sliding over so he could sit on the bed with her. He delicately wrapped his arm around her and she leaned against him.

“I’m so sorry, baby.” He whispered into her hair, salty tears running down his cheeks.

“Sid, you have nothing to be sorry for.” She replied, linking her bruised fingers gently in his.

“Yes, I do. If it weren’t for me, none of this would’ve happened. I should have been there to protect you. I should’ve known he would do something like this – you always said you didn’t like him. I should’ve been there. I wish it were me he hurt instead of you.” Sidney said, sobbing.

“Sidney, please don’t do this to yourself. There’s no way you could have known – no way any of us could have known.”

“I thought I’d never see you again.” Sidney said, his voice barely above a whisper.

“Me too. I thought he was going to kill us both. Wait, where is Vero?” Lauren asked, panic heavy in her voice.

“She’s okay. Her parents came and took her and Marc home a little while ago. She’s going to come back in the morning to see you.”

“And Taylor? Oh my God, Sidney. She was almost there with us too. I invited her to get ready with us and-”

“Shh…baby, Taylor’s fine. She’s with Mario right now.”

“Sidney, I could never have lived with myself if anything ever happened to her. I love her like she’s my own sister.” Lauren whispered through her tears.

“I know you do, baby. I’m just happy you’re still here with me now. I wouldn’t want to live life without you, you know.”

“Will you stay here tonight? I don’t want to stay here alone.”

“Of course. I’m not leaving you here. Or anywhere…ever again.” Sidney replied, another sob escaping his mouth.

“I love you, Sidney. We’re going to get through this.” She said, squeezing his hand.

“I don’t understand where you get it.” Sidney said in awe.

“Get what?”

“Your strength, your grace, everything. I don’t understand how you do it.”

“Trust me, Sid, on the inside, I’m a big mess. But you’re here and I feel safe right now.”

A nurse entered the room. “Lauren, I’m here to help you get a shower, if you want.”

“That would be good.” Lauren said with a small smile. Sidney smiled too.

The nurse looked at Sidney, who was still cradling Lauren in his arms. “I’ll be back in a few minutes.” The nurse said with a small smile. She turned and left the room.

“I’ll just go out and talk with my parents while she helps you get cleaned up.” Sidney said, kissing her forehead gently as he stood up.

“Okay.” Lauren said, as the nurse reentered the room and helped her out of bed.

When Sidney walked back into the waiting room, his parents rushed towards him. He pulled his mom into a hug as his dad put his hand on Sidney’s shoulder. “How is she?” Trina asked quietly.

“She’s okay. She’s pretty bruised up, but she still looks beautiful. She’s so strong, mom. She’s being so brave and I can’t seem to hold it together.” Sidney said through a never-ending flow of tears.

“Sidney, it’s okay. We’re all here for you, and for her. We’re all going to get through this.”

Troy guided Sidney over to some chairs and they sat with Sidney in the middle. “I’m such an ass. She really doesn’t deserve me.” Sidney said, sulking.

“Sidney, don’t beat yourself up. This isn’t your fault.” Troy said.

“I was mad at her tonight. Can you believe that? I was fucking mad at her for not coming to see me before the game. I was mad because I was planning to propose and I thought she was going to miss the game. I was being a selfish little prick and she was fighting for her life.”

“Sidney…it’s okay. You didn’t know. That doesn’t mean you love her any less. Or that she loves you any less. I know that nothing makes sense right now, and nothing seems right, but it’s going to be okay. She just needs you to be strong right now. And as far as proposing, you’ll get your chance. Don’t worry about that right now.” Trina soothed.

“I know…this is just so hard.” Sidney said, taking a deep breath.

“I know it is. And I hate that this happened. It’s not fair. She doesn’t deserve this. None of us do.”

The nurse who had been helping Lauren walked out into the waiting room. “She’s feeling a little better now that she got a shower. She was pretty upset when she saw herself in the mirror though. The bruising should heal quite a bit in the next few days though.”

“Thank you.” Sidney said before walking back towards Lauren’s room. When he got back, Lauren was crying, but she forced a small smile when she saw him. “Hey gorgeous.” He said softly.

“I saw my reflection, and ‘gorgeous’ is not how I would describe it. You always have been a bad liar.” She said, giving him a small smile.

“Ahh, but you don’t see the same things I see.” He said, sitting down next to her on the tiny hospital bed.

“Sidney, mirrors don’t lie. My face looks like it’s been run over by a zamboni.”

Sidney chuckled a little bit. “Like I said, you don’t see the same thing I see.”

“Well, what do you see, then?” she asked, slightly exasperated.

“I see a set of eyes that shine like emeralds, even through tears,” he began, gently wiping tear off her cheek with his thumb. “And I see that tiny scar on your eyelid that I always wanted to ask you about, but I didn’t want to embarrass you in case it was from some battle with an eyelash curler or something.”

Lauren chuckled. “It’s always been there…I don’t remember where it came from.”

“Well, anyways, then there’s that smile I just saw. I wish you smiled more, but when you do, it reminds me of the smile of a little kid on Christmas morning. Your whole face lights up. I love that. I love you.”

“I love you too, Sidney. I just don’t know if that is enough to make this better.”

“Love is always enough.” Trina said, standing in the doorway with Troy behind her, looking over her shoulder.

Lauren and Sidney looked up and both smiled. “I always knew my mom was the smartest lady in the world.” Sidney grinned.

“We’re going to get through this, Lauren. All of us, together. We all love you.” Troy said sincerely.

“I love you the most.” Sidney whispered, kissing her forehead.

“I love you all too. Thank you. For everything. I wouldn’t be alive if it weren’t for you.” Lauren said, directing the last part at Troy.

“It’s been a long day. Why don’t you try and get some rest, Lauren? Tomorrow is a brand new day and we need to be ready for it.” Trina said, giving Lauren’s hand a very gentle squeeze. Trina and Troy both kissed her forehead, and then Sid’s and left the room.

“I’m afraid to sleep. I’m afraid of what might show up in my dreams.” Lauren admitted.

“I’ll be right here the whole time. If you wake up in the middle of the night, I’ll be right here. And when you wake up in the morning, I’ll still be right here. I’m not going anywhere.”

Lauren nodded her head as she closed her eyes. Sleep quickly came to her, probably thanks to the pain medication, and Sidney let out a heavy sigh as he watched her gentle breathing. He was exhausted too, but he couldn’t bring himself to sleep. He watched her most of the night, as if he thought if he closed his eyes, she might slip away from him.