Chapter Forty

Boston


It's been a month that Aspen has been in the hospital in a coma. Four of the longest weeks of my life. Everyday Dad and Ashlynn ask if any of us know who the baby's dad may be, or who Aspen may have been seeing and every day, I come closer and closer to manning up and just telling them the truth, consequences and what Aspen wants be damned. But, I keep trying to do the right thing by her, but my guilt is slowly eating away at me.

"I don't know what to do, baby." I tell her, her tiny hand clasped in mine as I listen to the steady beeping of her heartbeat. "What do I do?"
I've visited her every day after football practice, and before heading home, needing that time to be alone with her. Usually, one of the guys will come with me and wait out in the waiting room while I visit her, so that it doesn't raise any questions, but none of them were able to make it today.

The girl from the restaurant that came to the hospital that first night, Cheyenne, has also came and visited her every day. I don't really know what her story is, but it seems like maybe she feels guilty over Aspen ending up here because of her bitch of a cousin.

I honestly think that she may also have a thing for Dallas.

And I'm beginning to wonder if there may be some interest on his part as well, because any time she's here, he makes it a point to go over to her and talk with her while I'm with Aspen.

"So, where was I?" I say, trying to remember where I left off before getting lost in my own thoughts, "Oh, yeah. So, Dad cornered me yesterday, asking if I knew or had heard anything, or if there was anyone at school who seemed to be taking a special interest in you having been gone the past two weeks. And, I mean, yeah, everyone asks how you are doing every day or if there has been any change, but I can't lie to him. I just keep evading, but it's getting harder and harder to do."

Lowering my lips to her wrist, I gently place a kiss against the smooth skin on the inside, wishing more than anything that I could hear her voice. Resting my head against out joined hands, I send up yet another prayer that she will wake up.

I've become so accustomed to the sounds in the room, that it causes me to jolt in surprise when I hear a faint, "Wha—". Lifting my head, I glance up, finding the most beautiful sight that I have ever seen in my entire life.

"Aspen? Oh, thank you God!" I say, sending up my thanks, and clench my fist in silent victory. I watch as she begins to panic and starts choking on the breathing tube. "Baby, it's okay. Let me get someone in here to remove the breathing tube. It's okay, just breath." I tell her as I press the red intercom button on her hospital bed.

"Nurses station," a voice says over the speaker.

"Umm...she's awake. Can you send someone in here please!" I say, excitedly. As nurse quickly bustles into the room, and suddenly there is a lot going on as I'm pushed out of the way and over to the sink on the far wall. Pulling my phone from my pocket, I dial my dad and place the phone to my ear. After three rings, he picks up, "She's awake. Get Ashlynn and the boys and get down here!" I tell him before hanging up and calling my brothers to tell them the good news.

An hour later, Aspen's room is filled with my dad, us four boys and Ashlynn as we all listen intently as the doctor goes over his findings and how he intends to proceed, "so, it looks like everything has healed very nicely. The only thing that seems to be affecting her at the moment is her memory loss, which hopefully will start to come back once she gets home and is surrounded by people and places that are familiar to her."

It hurt more than I care to admit when I realized that Aspen has no recollection of who anyone in the room is outside of her mom. She doesn't remember moving to Hawthorne, joining the cheer squad, the hell that we put her through her first day of school.

She doesn't remember me.

She doesn't remember that we're together.

She doesn’t remember that I love her.

"Everything seems good with the baby also, but I would suggest getting her in with an OB for her prenatal care. I can have the nurse print out some that are in the area if you would like." He says, looking at Aspen, who's face is a mixture of absolute horror and confusion, to Ashlynn who answers the doctor when it's clear that Aspen is in no way in the state of mind the be able to do so at the moment.

"That would be great, thank you." Ashlynn tells him, giving him a kind smile before turning her worried eyes on her daughter.

"Okay, well, everything looks good for now. We will take her back again in the morning just to make sure that all of her tests come out clear, and as long as everything goes smoothly, she should be good to go home tomorrow afternoon." The doctor says, taking in the seven of us in the room before turning back to Aspen, "It is so good to see you awake. And I have every confidence that the memory loss is just short term. If there is anything that you need, please don't hesitate to call the nurses station and someone will be right in to assist you." And with those parting words, he casts us a smile and exits the room.

"Oh, my sweet Aspen!" Ashlynn cries as soon as the door closes, closing the distance from where she'd stood as the doctor went over everything to Aspen's bedside where she carefully wrapped her arms around her daughter and pulled her into a hug, that I have no doubt Ashlynn needed very much.

I want so badly to pull her into my own arms, and to kiss her lips, anything to help her remember me, us. But, I don't want to scare her. So, I will mind my distance, give her her space and allow her time for her memories to come back.

I know that she will come back to me.

She has to.

"So, I know that you don't remember right now, but this is my husband, Collin," when she says his name, Dad steps up to her bedside, wraps his arm around Ashlynn's shoulders and smiles down at the beautiful woman lying in the bed before them.

"Hi, Aspen." Dad says, awkwardly, "things will be difficult for a while but we will all do everything that we can to make the transition as simple and painless as possible."

After that, Ashlyn then turns to each of us boys, introducing us in turn, "Aspen, this is Boston. You two were quite close. I know that you may not remember him know, but I'm hoping that with time, that your memories of the two of you's time together will come back to you. But, he seems to be the protective one of the bunch, when it comes to you and also the one that you spent the most time with." *You have no idea,* I think, nodding in appreciation at Ashlynn as she glances at me before turning her attention to Linc. "And this is Lincoln, you two had also grown rather close over the few months’ time that we've lived with them, he's kind of the jokester of the bunch. Next, in the grey pullover, is Jackson, he's the silent broody one. And lastly, is Dallas, he is the one that you have to watch out for," she says, giving him a wink, "he likes to stand back from the crowd and just observe, but I can almost bet that if there is something that you need to know, he's your guy to go to."

With her insinuation, my gut sinks and I glance over at Dal, my heart beating rapidly as I try to get a read on him. He very subtly shakes his head no, telling me that Aspen and I's secret is still safe, and I breathe a sigh of relief, but as I glance at each of my brothers, I find looks crossing all of their faces that I never thought I would see from them aimed at me.

Disappointment.

And, I guess I deserve that look because I should know better than anyone that those three will always have my back, no matter what.