The hallway was filled with family, friends, state troopers, and people Drake had never met. He walked up and down the hallways, impatiently waiting for the doctor to come out of the room so he could see Meggie. He was tired of waiting and wanted to know that she was okay. No one knew yet how long Meggie had been at Tommy’s house or what he put her though. Drake’s biggest concern was that Tommy might have raped her again. There was no doubt in his mind that she would never recover from reliving that same nightmare twice. The fact that she was still in her panties when he got to her gave him hope that she was untouched.
“You must be Drake Noble,” an older dark-haired man approached and extended his beefy arm to shake Drake’s hand. Drake noticed the tremble in both their hands when he took the man’s hand in his own. “Thank you, son,” the older man said, “For saving my daughter.” Tears trickled down the man’s face as he continued. “I don’t know what we would have done if you hadn’t shown up on time. I don’t understand what happened yet, no one seems to know much of anything. I was hoping maybe you could tell me what happened tonight?” The older man gestured for Drake to take a seat next to him. Just outside Meggie’s door. “Looks like Sarah will be okay. Tommy cut her face with a knife from what I can gather, but the cut wasn’t too bad, thank God for that.” he said as he worked his fingers through his hair and then sat back to study Drake. Drake turned to Meggie’s dad. He felt nervous at the fact that he knew so much but had to be careful not to divulge the details that he knew Meggie never shared with her parents.
“Mr. Malone, I wish we could have met under better circumstances. Meggie is a strong woman. She will pull through this. I suspect she got quite a scare but you have my word, she will be well taken care of, sir.”
“Call me Jack, please. Meggie’s told us so much about you. I’m glad you’re here,” he assured Drake with a kindness that warmed his heart. An older teary-eyed lady with a worried look on her delicate face came over then and took a seat next to Jack. She laced her arm through his before she looked over at Drake. “Drake, this is Meggie’s mom, Annie.” She pulled her arm from Jack’s; the beautiful older woman stood as did Drake. She reached up and put her arms around his neck, embracing him with a heartfelt hug followed by a soft kiss on his cheek. “How on earth do we thank you for what you’ve done?” she asked wearily. Tears spilled down her cheeks. “I should never have sent her there. Edie, that’s Tommy’s mom,” she offered in explanation, “was supposed to be home. I never would have sent her there alone.”
Drake hugged Annie closely. “Shhh, Mrs. Malone, there’s no use in blaming yourself. He’s obviously a sick man, and you had no idea he would have caused her harm. She’s alive. She’ll get through this, I promise you,” he said with certainty. “She has all of us.” Drake smiled at her and she seemed to take comfort in his words. It was clear to him that Meggie’s mom wouldn’t be okay until after she held her daughter.
Jack looked at Drake then…he wanted answers, wanted to know what happened and specifically what happened to his daughter. “What happened at that house? Was Meggie hurt? The nurse we spoke to when we arrived assured us that she was in good hands. But other than that and what happened to Sarah, we don’t have any of the details.”
Drake shared what happened at the house, leaving out as much detail as possible. He wasn’t sure how much of the story Meggie wanted them to know. “Come with me,” he pulled the Malone’s along with him toward the hospital room where Meggie was being treated. As worried as he was, he had to believe she would be okay. A middle-aged doctor dressed in a white jacket with a stethoscope hanging around her neck stood just outside the door of Meggie’s room. “Doctor,” Drake addressed the grey-haired woman as he approached her.
“Yes, I’m Dr. Nichols,” she extended her hand toward Drake. He grew a little more hopeful in what reflected in her warm smile. “Can I help you with anything?”
“I’m Meggie Malone’s boyfriend, Drake Noble.” He quickly introduced the doctor to Mr. and Mrs. Malone. “Would you mind if I take a moment of your time, alone?” Drake asked in a low voice hopeful that the doctor would cooperate.
“Certainly, we can talk in my office. It’s just down the hall.” She pointed in the direction of her office and Drake turned his gaze back to the Malones. “I’ll be right back,” he assured them both before walking away.
Once inside the office, he took a look around. A large dark wooden desk sat to his right, it was backed up to the wall and a filing cabinet stood next to it. A tall curio cabinet stood in the corner of the room and each shelf held a different figurine of a doctor at different stages of their medical career. Certificates were perfectly aligned against one wall and along that same wall stood a narrow table covered with medical utensils and pamphlets.
Drake took a seat as did the doctor. “Dr. Nichols, how is she? How’s Meggie,” Drake asked and swallowed the bile that threatened to work its way up his throat.
“She’s okay. She’s asking for you over and over again. She’s awake now but it’s important that she remain calm and get some rest. She was in shock when she first arrived but she’s going to be just fine,” the doctor assured him.
“I understand it would be unethical for me to ask personal questions about her condition due to privacy laws and I don’t have her consent for you to discuss any of these things with me. But I need to know one thing.” Drake could feel the light film of sweat that started to gather on his forehead and an uneasy feeling sat in the pit of his stomach. He searched the doctor’s face for an answer, a clue, any indication that Meggie might have been touched by that bastard.
“Actually Drake, may I call you Drake?” she asked politely.
“Yes, of course.”
“Meggie asked that I talk only to you, to leave her parents out of everything that has led up to what happened today. It’s important to her they know nothing of her past and that we be as vague as possible with what took place this evening. She made it very clear that we are permitted to speak only to you directly regarding her condition and any other details.”
“Did she tell you what happened to her eight years ago?” Drake held his breath and waited for the doctor to answer.
“Yes,” the doctor reached out to touch his arm reassuringly. “She told me she doesn’t want any of it on her medical records and she refused to provide all the details, but she told me about the rape. She’s a strong woman but stubborn nonetheless.”
Drake looked at the doctor nervously. This sounded far too serious. He wasn’t even sure if he himself could handle the possibility that she may have been raped again.
“Meggie wasn’t touched today. Outside of that nasty bump she took to the side of her head, she’s good. No harm done. He hit her pretty hard with a blunt object and as a result she's suffered a mild concussion. You will need to keep an eye on her for the next forty-eight hours. If her speech starts to slur or she has any indication of memory loss, not making sense, or starts vomiting, you will need to bring her back here immediately.”
Drake let out a long sigh of relief in hearing the doctor’s words that Meggie hadn’t endured what she did eight years earlier. Tears threatened, making his eyes watery, but he managed to hold them back. He thanked the doctor wholeheartedly, who in return told him to go ahead and visit Meggie. “If she’s feeling up to it, she may be released within an hour or so.” The doctor assured him just before she stood to leave.
* * * *
Drake insisted that Mr. and Mrs. Malone go on in ahead of him. He knew how important this moment was for them. Worry was clearly etched across their faces. The kind of worry that he knew wouldn’t go away until they held her. Drake himself was itching to touch her, feel her hair, breathe her in, and fill his senses with her smell. He would have his turn though. He would have every night and day with Meggie Malone after this was all over. He would make certain of it. He set aside his own needs for now and followed them into the room. He watched the Malones approach Meggie. Tears streamed down their faces. Meggie was asleep, her beautiful long dark hair flowing down one side of her perfect face, her lips slightly parted as she quietly breathed in and out. Meggie’s mom whispered in her ear. “Meggie, it’s Mom, sweetie. Are you okay?” The sound of her mother’s nurturing tone made her stir, and she opened her eyes to look around until she focused in on her mother. “Mom,” her voice was scratchy. “I’m okay,” she whispered. A tear trickled down her cheek and Mrs. Malone swept it away. “You’re safe now, sweetie. We’re right here with you.”
They talked for a bit. Meggie looked tired. She just lay there, silent, listening to her mom and dad as they spoke to her softly, telling her how much they loved her and that everything was going to be okay now.
“Where’s Drake?” Meggie asked, looking around the room. He stepped away from behind the curtain and made himself visible to Meggie.
“I’m right here, baby.” Their eyes locked, and she held out her arms for him to come hold her. He didn’t hesitate before taking three quick strides and taking her into his arms. She felt good, so delicate yet so very strong after everything she had endured. He held her for the longest time, before begrudgingly letting her go. Sweeping away the loose strand of hair that fell over her face, Drake tucked it behind her ear, kissed her gently on the corner of her mouth, and sat on the edge of the bed.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Malone kissed Meggie and turned to Drake before leaving the room. Mrs. Malone cupped his cheek in her hand. “Thank you for everything,” she whispered followed by a quick peck on the cheek. She walked toward the door with her arm linked through her husband’s. “We’ll be outside in the hall,” Jack said to them both with a quick nod followed by the sound of the door closing shut.
Drake turned to Meggie, “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I am now. I’m sorry, Drake. I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you everything before I left. It was hard for me to talk about what happened. I wanted to forget. I didn’t want anyone to know. I never meant to lie to you.” She looked at him through tears and her eyes pleaded with him for forgiveness.
All Drake could think about in that moment was how she could possibly put his feelings before her own at a time like this and after everything she just went through.
“You didn’t lie, but I wish you had told me. If I had known, I would have come with you. I would have protected you, Meggie. But the important thing is, I’m here now and you’re safe, that’s all that matters,” he assured her.
“I don’t know how you made it here when you did, but you saved my life. I’m not sure what might have happened to me, but I know one thing for certain, I never would survive going through what he put me through all over again.” Meggie let it all out, her fears, the emotional impact of it all, she didn’t hold back. She held herself as closely as she could to Drake’s chest and sobbed uncontrollably.
“Drake, I love you. I have always loved you. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you that before now. Maybe I had to deal with the past before I could grasp the future, but I have loved you since the moment I first laid eyes on you. You took my breath away. The moment you sat down at the table across from me at Michael Jordan’s restaurant, there was a connection, and I don’t know how to explain it. But you stirred something inside me and these past few months have changed my life completely. I don’t know what I would do without you.”
Drake held her face between his hands once again, staring into her tear-filled eyes, into the very depths of her soul. He leaned forward and kissed her passionately. The kiss was meaningful and he poured his heart and soul into her in that very moment. “I am so happy to hear you say that, you had me worried. I love you too, Meggie Malone, and I will say it again and again. I will say it every day for the rest of our lives. I love you so very much.”
Meggie sat back on her bed, and Drake took her hand in his. He had to tell her about Sarah. She would be devastated, and he knew she would blame herself. But she needed to know. She may as well hear it from him. “Meggie, Sarah and Lake were with me. I don’t know if you remember what happened after we got to you, you passed out fairly quickly.”
“What is it, Drake? Are they okay, did something happen to them? Please tell me they’re okay,” she begged. Drake told Meggie the entire story, from the time he finished reading her book right up to when they arrived at Tommy Jones’s house. She listened, asked questions in-between and he answered her truthfully. “Sarah was hurt. Tommy cut her with the knife he had. She’s here in the hospital, your father went to check on her earlier, and her mom and dad are with her right now.”
“Holy shit, Drake, how bad is it? Where is she, what floor?” Meggie tried getting up from the bed and Drake coaxed her back down so that her head rested on the pillow.
“You can’t get up yet, Meggie. I know this is hard but you had a pretty bad blow to the head and you need to stay put. Sarah’s had some stitches, I’m not sure how many she’s had but it was her face. Lake said there was a lot of blood. Everything happened so quickly. I didn’t get all the details. I was worried about you. But now that I know you’re okay, I’ll find out what’s going on. We’ll know soon enough. Your dad said it was a small slash. She wasn’t hurt too badly. I’ll go get your parents. They can sit with you while I go check on her.”
“Thank you,” Meg said warily.
“I’ll be back before you know it,” he assured her. Drake looked at her with both brows knitted together in concern and he pointed his finger in her direction. “You stay put,” he said and kissed her lovingly on the forehead before leaving the room.
“This is my entire fault,” he heard her say when he shut the door behind him. Drake knew it would take a lot of patience and support to get her through this entire mess and deal with the fact that none of this was her fault. He would move the world for her if he could. Patience was something he would never run out of when it came to Meggie.
* * * *
Sarah’s room was further down the hall. Drake quickly introduced himself to both her parents. Other than the two of them, Sarah had requested no visitors. They both assured Drake that Sarah was going to be okay. It was a straight slash, and she had to have five stitches to the right side of her face. The doctors sedated her, and she was drifting in and out of sleep. They assured Drake she would be fine and well taken care of. They asked about Meggie and told Drake to have her call them once she was feeling up to it.
Will came by and introduced himself to Drake. He assured him that Tommy Jones would be put away for good. His condition had worsened, and he was now considered a threat to the public. Will promised to call with an update once they got back to NY and keep Drake up-to-date on Tommy’s charges and any new developments in the case. Drake gave him his word that he and Meggie would both drop by the sheriff’s office to give their statement within the next twenty-four hours. Both men shook hands before Will went to peek in on Meggie.
* * * *
Will slowly opened the door to Meg’s room. Her beautiful face was streaked with tears. Her parents sat next to her. “Good evening, Jack. Good evening, Annie,” he greeted them both before walking over to Meg’s bedside. “Good evening, son,” Jack said in response while patting Will on the back, and Annie gave him a warm hug and kissed his cheek. “Here, Will.” She offered him a seat before they both turned to leave the room.
“No, it’s quite alright, Mrs. Malone. If you don’t mind, I’ll stand. I’ve been sitting all day, and it’s good to stretch out these legs for a change,” he said with a smile.
“I’ll talk to you both in a minute, will you still be here?” he asked, before the Malones walked out the door.
“Yes, son. We won’t be leaving without her,” Jack nodded towards his daughter. They both disappeared and the door closed behind them.
Will looked down at Meg who was staring up at him with wide blue eyes. Even though he loved her all his life, he knew she didn’t share those same feelings toward him. Will came to terms with being in her life as a close friend years ago, and although he would have loved more than that, he settled for their friendship. He caressed the side of her delicate face with his hand and sucked in a breath. “You okay?”
“Yeah, I am now. I wish this never happened, but I can’t change it, Will. What will happen with Tommy?”
“You don’t worry your pretty little head about him. He’s going to pay for what he did to you. But Meg, you’re lucky. Tommy just confessed to raping a young girl eight years ago. He wasn’t making much sense. We couldn’t get a name out of him, and hell, I don’t even know if what he’s saying is true. But if it is, you are one lucky woman to have been saved before things could have gotten real bad.”
Meg turned her head toward the window to look past Will. She studied the darkness outside for a moment and let out a long slow breath. “Yeah, I guess I am lucky, huh?”