Chapter

Thirty-Nine

I paced back and forth in front of my father’s room, thinking that it was better to wait for D’Angelo out here rather than inside. I didn’t want my father to see my concern. When he found out about Sabrina, I wanted to tell him everything, and most importantly, I wanted to tell him that she was going to be all right.

The nurse came out of the room and held the door slightly open for me. “You can go back in there, you know.”

I nodded. “I will. I’m just waiting for a friend.”

She patted my arm gently. “Your father is going to be fine,” she said like she thought I really needed the assurance. “We’re just going to have to tell him again about the importance of fluids.”

“Thanks,” I said, then watched her as she walked away.

For a moment I was taken back to who this nurse was and I studied her. Harmony. The woman who Sheridan had told me about. The woman who was engaged to Quentin.

It was interesting how life was, how paths crossed. She had no idea that I was the reason she’d been found. The reason why she’d come back to the hospital and was once again planning to marry Quentin Hart.

But before I could get too deep into thoughts about Harmony, my attention was brought back to my own business when I saw D’Angelo strutting toward me. But I couldn’t appreciate this scene because of the look on his face and the sadness that shrouded his eyes.

“What’s wrong with Sabrina?” I asked.

It was just a slight move the way he shook his head. “Where’s your dad?”

“He’s in there,” I said, pointing to the door, “but I don’t want to say anything to him until I know first.”

He nodded, then held my arm as he said to one of the nurses at the station, “Is there a room where we can talk privately?”

“What?” I said. “No, D’Angelo. I don’t want to go anywhere. Just tell me. What’s wrong with Sabrina. Is it serious?”

“Kendall . . .”

“Just tell me!” I shouted.

He nodded. He breathed. And then he said, “She didn’t make it.”

There were only four words that he’d spoken, but I couldn’t get those words to make any sense. I tried scrambling them, changing the order, dividing them into syllables, turning the words upside down.

But no matter what I did, nothing made sense.

“What?” I asked.

He shook his head and then wrapped his arms around me. But I pulled away. “You have to tell me. You have to tell me what you just said. And you have to say it slowly. Because . . . because . . . because . . .”

“She didn’t make it, Kendall. Sabrina passed away.”

“No.” I shook my head.

“I’m so sorry.”

“Please take that back.”

Now D’Angelo teared up. He reached for me, but here’s the thing. I knew that if I let him hold me, then what he said would be true. So, I backed away from D’Angelo, and his outstretched arms, and his words. I backed away and told him no. I was never going to accept what he’d said.

But as I shook my head no, he nodded yes. As I moved back, he moved forward.

Until I was stopped by the wall. And I could move no farther. And D’Angelo was right on top of me.

“No,” I cried as he wrapped me in his arms.

“I’m sorry.”

“No.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Nooooooooooooo!”