23. Grasping straws

I could feel him beside me, last night was a bit of a blur but it was coming back to me. My brothers, my honey bun bun then the argument.

"Hey..." I greeted him when he shifted in his sleep. The handsome man was sleeping in the chair looking uncomfortable as hell with his right arm braced with the sling. I didn't expect to see him after last night, but he stayed, he must've snuck in after my brothers go back home.

"Good morning," he opened his eyes, put his glasses back on, and kissed my forehead gently like I was made of glass.

"What time is it?" I tried to get up to get a better look at the clock, but he put his hand on mine and told me it was still seven in the morning.

"I need to get up, my doctor..."

Brice took the remote and raised the bed then arranged the pillow under me, lifting my backside, positioned me to sit comfortably.

"Is it true?" he cut my words while caressing my cheek and helping me with a glass of water.

One moment he looked relieved that I was okay, the next he looked worried like I was about to leave him.

"They told you?"

My overprotective brothers, of course, they told him. They have a grudge against my honey bun bun and they didn't even know the real issue.

"You're not that ill, baby, do you really need to go? I feel like I've just got you back. Maybe, I haven't...shit, Ella, I'm so fucking confused. Maybe I should go there with you, I didn't hurt like this before."

"Before?" I asked when he looked unsure of himself.

"When I lost Summer, my fiancée, I thought that was it for me. But then these couple of months without you, it was ten times worst, I..."

His fiancée, he never told me about her. I wasn't sure I want to find out, not sure I want to listen to his confession.

"Brice, don't do this,"

I didn't know what to say, I was so sure about checking myself in. But now that he's by my side, I feel like I was alive again like I can finally breathe again as if all I need was him.

"Please don't leave?" his plea sounded sad, weak, and disheartening.

"I..." I gasped, lost my train of thoughts when he put his lips on mine. His warm fingers touched my neck and I could feel my heart beating harder.

"Brice,"

He slipped his tongue when I voiced his name and it took only a fraction of a second until I was lost in his kiss. I've missed him so much, didn't think it'll be this easy to fall back in his kiss again.

"Don't leave me, I love you..." he whispered and I shamelessly moaned, letting my hand grasp the back of his head, wanting him to keep on kissing me.

"Say it..." he slowly pulled away, ended the kiss while his thumb caresses the side of my neck gently.

"Brice, I don't want to, but..."

"Then don't, I'll take you to your therapist, every scheduled appointment. But please don't leave me? I'm so selfish, I know...but,"

"Okay,"

"What?"

Maybe I was self-destructive, but I had never felt so right in his kiss. Maybe I'll jeopardize myself when he decided that we're over for good, but my mind had already decided that I was taking him back.

"I love you," my voice was thick with emotion, "I'm foolishly in love with you." I finished hopelessly.

His eyes were reddening and he hugged me, kissed me, and whispered that he loves me more, and promised that he'd never hurt me again.

Someone was clearing his throat and that's when I realized dad was standing by the door.

"Dad,"

"Morning honey, sorry to interrupt, but your mom has been on the edge with your decision. We thought..."

"I'm going back to Dr. Sheridan," I blurted out my words and his face instantly brightened.

"Your mom is going to be so happy when she...wait, is this because of you? and what happened to your face?" dad walked to my side and saw bruised Brice by my side.

"Your sons happened," I replied dryly and dad just shook his head, though he apologize but Brice kept on saying it was his fault.

"I thought I walked into the wrong room, did you know the lady across the..." she stopped mid-sentence when she looked at dad with her wide smile. "What happened? wait, you're here," mom pointed at Brice then gaze back at dad.

"Mom..."

The second I called her out she weep and came at me pacing her steps hurriedly. Dad was oblivious, until she speaks, "say it again?" she hugged me a bit too tight when I said the word mom again, but I let her, I let her wet my hospital gown with her tears until dad joined in.

"Oh my god, I didn't realize," dad whispered and give me his bear hug.

I smiled when mom slapped dad's chest for not being observant. It was their first time hearing me talk in months.

"I was too caught up when you said that you're going back to see Dr. Sheridan instead of checking yourself in that mental..."

I chuckled when mom slapped his chest again, harder the second time, but then she stopped when dad's words caught up to her.

"Wait, oh, god... you're all better aren't you, sweetheart?"

"Mom, please,"

"I think I'm going to get everyone coffee," Brice finally slipped his words, looking awkward with my parents in tears and hugging me. I know he was blaming himself again, I can already see his mind working overtime but I was not going to let him take the blame.

"Thank you, Brice, but come back, okay? not all of this is your fault," I took his hand and weaved it to mine, rubbing his knuckles until he nodded.

The second Brice was out the door, mom took his seat and dad was to my other side caressing my hair giving me his support when I told them that it's time for them to know the whole story.

It's strange how months' worth of depression, catastrophe, and the life-changing decision can be summed in less than thirty minutes. I was done retelling my side of the story to them, minutes before Brice arrived with four cups of coffee and a box of pastries.

Mom helped him when she saw that he was struggling to place down the coffees with his arm braced with a sling.

"Ella told us that you stayed the night, why don't you go home, rest, freshen up? we'll be here for a couple of hours. You're still injured and you need your rest too."

"I'm okay, but maybe I'll go home and shower then I'm going straight back here," Brice was being stubborn and mom was not having it. Having twin boys had taught her a lesson, that is how to be strict with the boys.

"She will be just fine, Ella needs her rest too and I'm sure she'll rest better thinking you're sleeping and resting in your bed rather than that very boxy one-seater.

"Brice, I'll be okay. You should rest, we'll talk later,"

He didn't look convinced, but then relent when I held out my hand and he was to my side in seconds.

"Do this for me? I'll feel better when I know you're well-rested."

"I'll come back later on tonight."

"Brice," dad was to his front putting his hand on his shoulder. "...Ella had told us about what happened between you two. I trust that you both will work it out. Now, you should rest and she will wait for you tonight."

"Thank you, Mr. Bennet,"

Dad chuckled, "call me Clark, and my wife Lena,"

Brice converse for a couple of minutes with my parents before he went back to his place. But not without giving me his kiss making me blush while mom and dad smiled at each other. It was embarrassing, but I tried to act all casual about the kiss that we shared and witnessed by my parents.

"He loves you, you know that right? this is just a bump in the road honey, everything will be just fine." Mom kissed my hair then rest back on the chair, while dad was shuffling the pastry box trying to pick out his first choice.

I smiled at them and truly hoped mom was right.

That he loves me.
That everything will be just fine.