Chapter 83: Chapter 14

MANDY

The night has been long and exhausting. I’m deep in sleep next to Nate when a gentle nudge from the nurse stirs me awake. She tells me it’s time for his next scan.

I give a nod of understanding as she helps me sit up and slide off the gurney. I stand against the wall, watching as they wheel him away. I slide down the wall until I’m sitting on the floor, pulling my knees to my chest.

I wrap my arms around them, burying my face and letting my emotions flow freely. Tears shake my body. I can’t imagine doing this without him.

My entire life hinges on the results of one scan. What will I tell the kids? How will we move past this?

Can we even move past this? I’m lost in my thoughts when the door creaks open. I look up to see Eva walking toward me, her hands outstretched.

I take them and she pulls me to my feet. She places her hands on either side of my face, looking me straight in the eyes. “Mandy, we will survive this! He will make it! We are the Maxwell’s!”

I nod, and together we walk out to the hallway outside his room. We’re standing there, talking, when his gurney turns the corner, being wheeled back into his room. The doctor is behind him, instructing the nurse to fetch something.

“The scans look good! Let’s wake him up!” My legs feel weak, but Eva holds me steady. We approach Nate’s bed, standing next to the gurney while Jocelyn and Jessie watch.

The doctor administers an injection into his IV, and we wait, hoping for a sign. I take Nate’s hand, holding it, rubbing the back, praying for any sign that he’s still with us. Eva pulls over a chair and gestures for me to sit.

Time seems to stretch on endlessly as minutes turn into hours with no response. Eva leaves to check on Caden while Jessie and Jocelyn fall asleep. I rest my head on Nate’s hand and soon, I too fall asleep.

I’m not sure how much time passes before I feel someone stroking my hair. I assume it’s Eva and stay still. Then, a hoarse voice whispers my name.

“Mandy, baby.” I sit up, eyes wide. “NATE?”

“It’s okay, baby, I’m awake!” I throw myself onto the bed, wrapping him in my arms as tears stream down my face. He pulls me into his chest.

Jessie and Jocelyn wake up, Jessie reaching out for Nate. When Nate takes his hand, Jessie starts crying. I can hear them both crying as Jessie looks up to the ceiling.

He’s finally awake!

CADEN

I’ve been allowed to get dressed and move around while we wait for news on Nate. Eva and I, exhausted, decide to try and sleep. We’re lying on the bed when we hear Jessie and Jocelyn screaming Nate’s name.

We scramble off the gurney and run with Eddie down to Nate’s room, bursting through the door. We fear the worst, that we’re about to lose him. But when we enter, we see Jessie and Nate holding hands and relief washes over us.

I quickly support Eva as her legs give out from the emotional strain. The close call has taken its toll. My boy is awake!

I hold Eva as the reality of how close we came to losing a Maxwell hits me. Not just any Maxwell, but my first son. I let go of Eva, making sure she can stand, and walk over to Nate and Mandy, wrapping my arms around them.

“Don’t ever fucking scare us like that again, Nate! I will kick your ass next time you try to pull this shit!” “Got it, Dad! Never again!”

I rest my forehead against his, thinking back to every moment since I first saw him. Walking hand in hand with his mom, coming home from school. Signing the adoption papers at our wedding.

Every event since then feels like it happened just yesterday. “Now that we know you’ll be okay, let’s get everyone home for some proper sleep. Tony and Niko can stay here, and we’ll all be back in the morning.

“I’m sure everyone at home would like to see everyone. Plus, we need to get Eddie settled in.” We all rise and leave so Jesse and Nate can rest for the rest of the night.

It’s about three in the morning and everyone is exhausted. We pile into the cars and head back to the estate. We drive for an hour and when we pull up to our driveway, our guys come out to check us through.

We pull up to the front of the house and Eddie looks out the window, wide-eyed. I get out of the car and motion for him to follow us. He climbs out of the car slowly, staring at the house.

Eva and I walk inside and head up to the second floor, down the hall to a vacant room. When I open the door, he walks in, looking around, rubbing the back of his neck. “This is my room? Like, just my room? I don’t have any roommates?”

I exchange a glance with Eva, puzzled by his question. Why would he think we’d put him in a room with other people? “What do you mean, roommates?”

“Well, Eva, at the other house I was in the basement with other guards since there wasn’t much room. People were piled in together,” Eddie replies. I walk up to Eddie and wrap my arm around his shoulders.

“One thing about us Maxwell’s is we take care of our own! Today, you get a room. Later, we’ll get clothes delivered for you. Don’t ever think I won’t treat you any different than one of my kids!

“You may not be mine or have my name, but you’ll be treated just the same as if you did.” He nods, smiling, and looks around the room. We leave him to take it all in and head to get some much-needed sleep.

I motion for a guard to stand at the end of the hallway, just in case he needs anything.