Page 66 of Lay Me Down
“Is everything alright?” John asks, and Leanne answers.
“Everything is fine, dear. They’re both perfect.” She runs her hand up and down my back before walking over to him. We all make our way out, ignoring all of the stares, and venture through the hospital.
This appointment definitely did not go how I imagined it would. The first thing is that Serena was here to step toe-to-toe with my doctor. I didn’t mind Leanne here, but I imagined we’d be able to tell her and the Andersons the baby’s gender in some other cute way. And lastly, I didn’t expect it to be this quiet. When I’ve thought about it before today, I’ve imagined Damien telling every stranger that we walked past what the results were. He would be jumping and yelling, that perfect smile would be so wide that his face would hurt, and I’m not even sure he’d let me walk out of here. He’d probably sweep me off my feet and carry me out. I’m so deep in that thought that I almost actuallyfeelweightless, but then I shake off the sensation.
Once we walk out to the parking lot, John grabs my elbow and stops me. The others walk a few steps ahead of us, but they stop once they deem it’s far enough. He turns me in his direction, and that unfamiliar softness bleeds into his usual hardness.
“I know that if Damien were to see you right now, that he would besoproud of you,” he says so surely, and I smile softly. My chest warms at the thought, and my body relaxes a little.
“Thanks, John. I really hope so.”
He actually smiles back at me, and I can feel my eyes start to burn.
“Of course he would, Ashia. I wish I was the type of man that could describe the love a father has for their children. Especially for the woman that brings them into this world. Doing everything you are, all while carrying a child, it’s—”
He’s suddenly cut off, and a warm liquid sprays across my face—making me flinch. I blink my eyes a few times, wondering what the hell that was, when a blood-curdling scream explodes beside me. I’m suddenly standing alone, and I don’t know where John went. In an instant, strong arms wrap around me, and I’m forced to duck down beside a nearby car.
“Everybody down!” Zeke yells next to my head, and I hear another wail a few feet away. I look back to see Carter practically lying on top of Ser a few feet behind us, and just behind them, Alex is holding Leanne in a death grip as she flails. My heart slams against my ribs, and I look back to the lot to see John lying in an unnatural position. His limbs are contorted in lazy poses, and I can’t see anything past his torso from the way his body is bent over. It hits me suddenly, and I wipe my face to see red liquid coat my hand.
Zeke then pulls my head to his chest, and he turns me just a little.
“Donotfucking look, Ash,” he whispers against my ear and then I feel him pull his head away. “Alex! Get Ezra and the team down here, now!”
“I’m already calling!” Alex yells back. “How close are we to the cars?”
I feel Zeke’s head jerk back and forth, like he’s scanning the area. His grip on me only tightens, and as he turns back to Alex, I can lightly feel his hold adjust.
“Fifteen yards! We need to get them out of here!”
“I’ll stay and wait for Tony to arrive. Get them out of here!”
We start moving, and somehow, he keeps me tucked under his arm as we sprint towards the car. His entire body is coveringme with his death-grip, and everything feels so discombobulated that he might actually be carrying me. Within a matter of a minute, Serena, Leanne, and I are shoved into the back seat of my car. Leanne is still screaming, Serena is gripping my leg so harshly that she’ll probably bruise me, and I’m just staring blankly into the back of the driver’s seat.
Zeke and Carter jump into the front, and Zeke pulls off so quickly that the tires squeal. It’s almost as loud as Leanne’s shrieks, and the feeling of the heat paired with the sway of the car makes everything around me spin.We can’t just leave him here…I turn my head to look out of the rearview, but we’re already skirting out of the parking lot. Dread fills my chest, and this ghostly pain spreads throughout it. It’s almost like it’s not even mine, but I accept it anyway. The reality of what we just lost comes crashing down.
John Hartley is dead.
Chapter 28
Ashia
‘By The Way’ – Theory of a Deadman
Leanne wails in Damien’s office, and I find myself staring at the conference table. The grain makes the perfect pattern, and it’s easy to get lost in it. It has so many swirls and curves, and it all flows seamlessly together—like it was all made from the same tree. Knowing Damien, it probably was, and I’m sure it had some meaning to him. Everything he did, he poured his heart into, and as I watch a tear drop onto the surface, I realize that another piece of his heart is gone.
I had to change out of Damien's shirt. So, I just put on another one. I can’t just wash and reuse the old one, now that his father’s blood is splattered across it, and that’s just another sad thing to add into the pile. How am I going to tell him that his dad is dead?IfI get to tell him at all… I don’t want to think like that, but after seeing John lay in the middle of a parking lot like that… I justcan’t help it. The reality of what Damien could be going through, if he’s not dead, is starting to become more real.
The sound of Leanne’s cries finally starts to die down, but I know that’s only because Serena gave her a shot of Lorazepam. She was hysterical, and rightfully so. I hope she didn’t see it happen. Hell, I’m not even sure I did. He was talking to me one second, and the next, he wasn’t in front of me anymore. I’ve run those few seconds through my mind over and over again, but I’m coming up blank. I’m not sure if my mind is blocking it out on purpose, or if it really just happened that quickly. Leanne couldn’t get two words out between her sobs, so I’m not sure what she witnessed.
Serena quietly steps out of the office, and then she walks over to me with her medical bag.
“Hey. Let me check you out, okay?” she asks, but it’s less like a question and more like a soft demand. I just nod my head a little and let her wrap her blood pressure cuff around my other arm this time. She listens intently, and I still look at the table, not sure what to say.
Zeke and the guys walk through the door, and unfortunately, Satori is included in that group. He’s the first one to walk up to me, but thankfully, he stands a few feet away.
“I don’t mean to bother you, truly. I just want to know how I can help,” he asks sincerely. A part of me wants to scream and throw anything in my reach, but another part of me feels bad for the urge. He’s been quiet and has been doing everything that Kade has asked of him. He even oversaw the cleaning duties around the Attic a couple of days ago, and I never imagined he’d be okay with something like that. As hateful as he may be, it’s clear he’s trying, and my frustrations aren’t his fault.
When I look up at him, I’m sure my exhaustion and disinterest is clear on my face, but I don’t bother to try and fix it.
