Page 85 of From That Moment

Now, they were gone, doing what they needed to do as they took my mother and her boyfriend away.

I would deal with the consequences of what had happened later. I would take care of the blood in my home, the shattered glass, the screams that still echoed in my mind.

I would handle all of it.

As long as the love of my life was okay.

“You didn’t need to be so rude to her,” Dakota snapped.

“She wasn’t going to sit down until someone yelled at her. And I’m a person who yells. Apparently, I’m good at it.”

The two of them stared at each other before Dakota turned away and went back into the part of the waiting room that had the vending area. Nate and Joshua were there, going over what type of M&Ms they wanted because, apparently, there were peanut butter M&Ms in the machine.

I knew Dakota was worried because she didn’t want her son here, not after everything that had happened in the past. She had wanted to be here for me and for Prior. I saw that Joshua was pale, scared, and looked like he didn’t want to be away from his mother.

“How about I take you home?” Dakota said, echoing my thoughts.

“I want to know about Prior.”

“They can call us, and they can tell us everything that’s happening. You shouldn’t be here, Joshy.”

“I’m not a baby. I know people get hurt. Cross and Macon got hurt. They’re okay. And Paris and Hazel got hurt too, and now they’re better. People get hurt, and now they’re all good. But I need to make sure that Prior’s fine, too.”

He raised his little chin, and tears slid down my cheeks. Hazel and Myra were on either side of me, gripping my hands, lightly because of the bruising, and I knew they were crying, too.

I looked towards Hazel, noticed the tears. As I turned to Myra, I was wrong. She wasn’t crying. No, she was pale, and there was anger on her features. So much anger.

I was mad, too. I felt like I had so many emotions running through my body right then that I couldn’t quite focus. Couldn’t quite breathe.

Nate came back into our part of the room, his hands in his pockets as he sat down opposite us, his gaze on Myra. Myra turned away first. I couldn’t focus. I was going to throw up if I wasn’t careful. I just needed to make sure Prior was okay.

He couldn’t die tonight. He couldn’t.

“Our brother is going to be fine,” Cross said from his chair on the other side of Hazel. He stood up, then came in front of me and knelt.

“How do you know that?” I asked, my fear seeping through my words. I knew I should watch what I said because Joshua was listening, and Dakota wouldn’t forgive me for scaring him. But I couldn’t hold back.

“I know that because Prior finally found his happiness. He’s not going to leave it now.”

“Life doesn’t work that way. And we both know that.”

“Maybe for others. Not for Prior. He sets his sights on what he wants, and he fights like hell for it. He always has. And he’s going to fight for you. Going to fight for what you two have.”

“It’s a knife wound. It’s not some fated tale of fighting through magic. This is actual analytical and surgical. It’s not imaginary.”

“You’ve got to believe in him, Paris. Belief in what Prior can do. Belief in the people who are working to save him. It’s what we have right now.”

“I hope you have enough of that for all of us, because I’m scared.”

“Then we will all hope to hell and back that Prior remembers exactly what type of fighter he is,” Arden said, her hand held tightly by her husband’s.

Nearly the entire family was here, our group whole again except for the gaping hole that was Prior. His parents were on their way, a familiar flight because they had already been here once for the shooting. What would it be like for them to be able to visit when it wasn’t under the fear of death and horror?

I got up again after Cross left and continued pacing. Macon didn’t growl at me this time. I had a feeling it was because Dakota was glaring at him, and he had his hands full distracting Joshua.

My whole body ached. The more I moved, the better I felt. At least, that’s what I told myself.

I counted off the tiles—one, two, three. And I kept counting, kept working numbers in my head until finally, the doors opened, and I turned so quickly I almost fell. Nate was there, holding my elbows as the others came around me, holding my hands, holding each other.