stomping out of the room. On the way out the door, I nearly run right into Dr. Sweeney. Thank fucking God.
“Doc, you’ve got your homework cut out for you. You have to fix her, man. I don’t know what to do.” I sigh raggedly. My chest aches for her. I just want to help my wife.
His face is grim but determined. I know that Andi is more than just a patient to him—he cares for her.
“I’ll do my best, Jackson. This isn’t an overnight fix. She’ll need a lot of counseling to get through this. Our biggest concern right now is not letting her have feelings of resentment toward Tyler. Keep trying, son. We’ll bring her back.”
I hope to hell he’s right.
With a nod of my thanks, I leave him to deal with her so I can see our son again. Mom keeps texting me like a wild woman because she wants to visit with him. I’d hoped to have Andi meet him before the rest of the family, but that’s looking pretty bleak. It’s been almost six hours since they took Thomas away and I can’t get her to agree to see Tyler.
Mom: Now??????
I roll my eyes at her tenth text with the same damn message. Finally, I make it out into the waiting room to find her.
Pepper attacks me the moment I come through the doors. “How is she?”
I take a deep breath. “Not well. Dr. Sweeney is with her right now.”
“Has she seen Tyler yet?” Mom pipes up beside her.
“No. She isn’t interested in seeing anyone. Not even me. I think she’s going to need more time.”
Mom and Pepper both frown worriedly. I’m sure my expression matches theirs.
“Can we see him then?” Mom questions.
I sigh but nod. “I’m going back to visit him now. You can come to the visiting room with me.”
“Jackson,” Pepper asks softly, “Do you think I could go talk to Andi?”
My eyes flit down to her slightly swollen belly and Molly on her hip. I give a small shake of my head and leave her to cry in Jordan’s arms as I take Mom to meet Tyler.
“Have you spoken to Jill or her parents?” Mom asks once we make it through the doors and down the hallway toward the visiting room.
“No. I feel like I’ve been running around trying to take care of everyone. I haven’t had a chance to check on her yet.”
Mom grabs my hand and squeezes it. “I texted them and she’s okay. She’ll be going home tomorrow. Laura said she’s handling it really well, but they’ve already enrolled her in counseling. They’re very sorry about Thomas.”
Hearing his name chokes me up, and I stare at the floor as we walk.
“Son, I want you to know something,” she says softly. “You’re doing a fine job. Handling everything. Andi picked you for a reason—because you’re solid, reliable, and loveable. Things will be hard for her, but luckily, she married my sweet boy, because you’re going to take good care of her. She’ll heal. I promise.”
For the millionth time today, I cry. I feel like such a fucking pussy, but my heart aches so goddamned badly.
I clear my throat and ding the bell at the nurses’ station. The same nurse from before recognizes me and goes to get Tyler. After she makes sure our bracelets match, she pushes the cart over into the visiting room before leaving us alone with him.
“Oh my goodness,” Mom coos. “He’s just perfect.”
As she picks him up and cuddles him, I feel a sense of pride. My mother is holding my baby for the first time.
My boy.
My sweet Tyler.
Fifty-eight ceiling tiles. I’ve counted them over and over again while waiting for the nurse to wheel me out to the car.
“Ready to go?” Jackson asks gruffly.
I know he’s tired. We both are. Last night was the worst night of my life. I spent the entire night howling at the gaping hole that my son left in my chest when he died. Jackson spent the night trying to comfort me.
Every couple of hours, he asked if I would hold Tyler. Absolutely not. Each time, I refused.
Doesn’t he understand that I can’t just push away the loss of our Thomas and move on like he
“Doc, you’ve got your homework cut out for you. You have to fix her, man. I don’t know what to do.” I sigh raggedly. My chest aches for her. I just want to help my wife.
His face is grim but determined. I know that Andi is more than just a patient to him—he cares for her.
“I’ll do my best, Jackson. This isn’t an overnight fix. She’ll need a lot of counseling to get through this. Our biggest concern right now is not letting her have feelings of resentment toward Tyler. Keep trying, son. We’ll bring her back.”
I hope to hell he’s right.
With a nod of my thanks, I leave him to deal with her so I can see our son again. Mom keeps texting me like a wild woman because she wants to visit with him. I’d hoped to have Andi meet him before the rest of the family, but that’s looking pretty bleak. It’s been almost six hours since they took Thomas away and I can’t get her to agree to see Tyler.
Mom: Now??????
I roll my eyes at her tenth text with the same damn message. Finally, I make it out into the waiting room to find her.
Pepper attacks me the moment I come through the doors. “How is she?”
I take a deep breath. “Not well. Dr. Sweeney is with her right now.”
“Has she seen Tyler yet?” Mom pipes up beside her.
“No. She isn’t interested in seeing anyone. Not even me. I think she’s going to need more time.”
Mom and Pepper both frown worriedly. I’m sure my expression matches theirs.
“Can we see him then?” Mom questions.
I sigh but nod. “I’m going back to visit him now. You can come to the visiting room with me.”
“Jackson,” Pepper asks softly, “Do you think I could go talk to Andi?”
My eyes flit down to her slightly swollen belly and Molly on her hip. I give a small shake of my head and leave her to cry in Jordan’s arms as I take Mom to meet Tyler.
“Have you spoken to Jill or her parents?” Mom asks once we make it through the doors and down the hallway toward the visiting room.
“No. I feel like I’ve been running around trying to take care of everyone. I haven’t had a chance to check on her yet.”
Mom grabs my hand and squeezes it. “I texted them and she’s okay. She’ll be going home tomorrow. Laura said she’s handling it really well, but they’ve already enrolled her in counseling. They’re very sorry about Thomas.”
Hearing his name chokes me up, and I stare at the floor as we walk.
“Son, I want you to know something,” she says softly. “You’re doing a fine job. Handling everything. Andi picked you for a reason—because you’re solid, reliable, and loveable. Things will be hard for her, but luckily, she married my sweet boy, because you’re going to take good care of her. She’ll heal. I promise.”
For the millionth time today, I cry. I feel like such a fucking pussy, but my heart aches so goddamned badly.
I clear my throat and ding the bell at the nurses’ station. The same nurse from before recognizes me and goes to get Tyler. After she makes sure our bracelets match, she pushes the cart over into the visiting room before leaving us alone with him.
“Oh my goodness,” Mom coos. “He’s just perfect.”
As she picks him up and cuddles him, I feel a sense of pride. My mother is holding my baby for the first time.
My boy.
My sweet Tyler.
Fifty-eight ceiling tiles. I’ve counted them over and over again while waiting for the nurse to wheel me out to the car.
“Ready to go?” Jackson asks gruffly.
I know he’s tired. We both are. Last night was the worst night of my life. I spent the entire night howling at the gaping hole that my son left in my chest when he died. Jackson spent the night trying to comfort me.
Every couple of hours, he asked if I would hold Tyler. Absolutely not. Each time, I refused.
Doesn’t he understand that I can’t just push away the loss of our Thomas and move on like he
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