Happy early Thanksgiving to all my friends who celebrate! Please stay safe xo
Caught In A Riptide
Chapter Twenty-three
Lakely
Why do they have to be here?
It's been a perfect day, and just when I think nothing could possibly spoil it, the Russos and the Jameses had to show up.
It's like...a slap in the face.
Vicky's perfectly proportioned features and figure are like gunshots through my thick thighs and rounded stomach.
Her smirk hints at things I've been too scared to ask Arlo, her gaze lingering on his fitted wetsuit a little too long as he jogs up the beach toward us.
The worry on his face only fuels my own.
"It's Arlo, right?"
Swallowing hard, I feel Arlo straightening up to his full height, his expression shifting to hide any traces of his nerves as he nods at the guy who can only be Hunter James. I've heard about him, his crimes, but never seen him in the flesh. It's intimidating, knowing what he's done, what he's capable of. My heart is already racing, but it speeds up when Arlo doesn't hesitate to shake the hand Hunter holds out with a smirk that matches his sister's.
"Nice barrel," Hunter says.
"It was no sweat," Arlo shrugs, and if I weren't pee-my-pants terrified, I'd probably laugh. I know Arlo. I know that he's as giddy as hell right now even if he's not showing it. "This is a private beach."
Oh my God. Arlo, what are you doing?
Hunter's eyebrows twitch, his smile becoming a little more forced. "S'that so?"
"It belongs to my grandfather. Y'all can head further down, past the buoy and the fence," Arlo points down the beach. There aren't many people on the sand, but my friends aren't the only ones making the most of the storm off the coast and the waves it's sending toward the shore. I can see various colored wetsuits and boards bobbing in the water. With a groan I barely manage to stifle, I spot a few boards and a couple of bags on the sand just on the other side of the fence, the public side, realizing they must belong to Alec, Renata, Hunter, and Vicky, because there's nobody else anywhere near.
"Our mistake," Hunter finally murmurs, looking around at us all before his piercing gaze lands on me. His eyes are so light blue they almost look fake. I chew the inside of my cheek and drop my chin, staring at my toenails, at the pale yellow polish Arlo put on them for me last week. "Enjoy the waves, guys."
None of the guys answer him. I glance up to see if that makes him angry, but he looks...amused?
"We'll see y'all around, I'm sure. Stay safe." Tugging Vicky with the arm draped around her shoulders, he shoots a look back at us as they walk away. The look on his face makes me nervous, a shiver rippling down my spine as he fixes his eyes on me, then Arlo. "It sure would be a shame if anythin' happened to any of y'all."
Releasing a big breath as soon as they're out of earshot, I slide back down onto the towel on the sand, palming my chest as my heart stumbles over itself in its panic.
"Are you okay?" Arlo frets, dropping to his knees beside me as our friends gather around like protective momma bears, the guys standing tall between me and our unwanted visitors.
"I'm okay, I'm okay," I breathe, exhaling a big sigh and forcing a smile because he looks like he's ready to have a panic attack himself. "I'm okay."
"C'mon, we'll go."
Liam groans and Randall asks what just happened as Arlo starts shoving my things into my beach bag. Grabbing his hands, I tell him to slow down. "Hey, stop freaking out. I'm okay, I just wasn't expecting to see them." Glancing over, I see that they're not even looking at us anymore, too busy hauling their boards toward the ocean. Refocusing on Arlo, I reach up to tuck wet, stray blond hairs behind his ear. "You guys carry on surfing. I'm good here."
"I don't want to leave you on your own," he admits, rubbing the back of his neck.
"You know what, I'm happy to go home," Heidi says, grabbing her towel and wrapping it around her shoulders. "It's too cold out there anyway." She grins at me. "I'd rather go back to your place and get some warm food, what do you say?"
Honestly, as much as I don't want to spoil everyone else's fun, I'm not going to be able to relax knowing Vicky, Hunter, and the Russos are just over there, so I nod. "That sounds good to me."
"You'll hang with her until I get back?" Arlo checks a few minutes later when Heidi and I start heading back to the cove to grab her car.
Rolling my eyes, I still can't resist the smile that spreads across my face when Arlo wraps his arms around me, tugging me so my back hits his chest and his chin rests on my shoulder.
Heidi shakes her head with a sigh, but she's grinning as she says, "Yes, Dad. I'll stay until you get back. Can we go now? I'm freaking freezing."
Pressing a kiss against my shoulder, Arlo tells me he won't be long. Twisting in his arms, my cheeks flaming because I'm not used to this kind of easy affection, I reach up to touch his cheek. "I'll be fine. I'll probably just eat and then fall asleep on the couch, anyway. Sorry, Heidi," I add, shooting her an apologetic half-smile. I ramp it up a notch for Arlo when he gives the ocean a longing look. "I'm serious, go."
"I won't stay long," he finally promises, and I can see that he's already far away, that I've already lost him to the sea. His mind is already on the waves and the rush he'll feel when he catches another perfect swell.
Our friends are heading back down to the water's edge, so Arlo plants a quick kiss on my forehead before brushing his fingertips over my bump. "Be good for Mommy," he whispers, and my heart melts.
"They will," I whisper, blinking fast because everything makes me mushy at the moment, especially Arlo being sweet to the babies. "You have that spare key to the apartment, right?"
"Uh-huh. I'll be an hour. Two, tops."
Smiling more genuinely, his infectious excitement adorable, I nod. "Sure you will. See you in a bit."
Picking our way through the sand, Heidi and I make it back to her car just as she realizes that she left her cell phone in Charlotte's bag, which is back with our friends on the beach.
"You mind if we swing by and grab it on the way?"
"Of course not."
Shoving our stuff into the trunk, we head around to the beach parking lot so Heidi can run and grab her cell. I lean my head against the window, gazing down at Arlo while I wait. His hair looks gold in the rays of afternoon light sneaking through the clouds, starting to fill in the sky with grays, blacks, and bruised purple. The sea rolls in waves that would put me off surfing, but act as homing beacons for my friends. I've never been a great surfer; balancing on a boogie board in the shallows is about the best I can do.
But Arlo, Arlo is graceful on a board in a way I can only admire. His tall, muscular frame shifts in his neoprene suit, black against cerulean, warmth against the cold water.
Even from here, I can see the determination in his features, the concentration that firms up his body as he gets himself ready and turns just at the right time to catch his second great barrel of the day.
"Oh." I jump, still not used to feeling the twins kicking and rolling around, and cup my bump with both hands, grinning at their daddy as he shows off.
"Okay, I'm all good now," Heidi says when she clambers back into the car a couple of minutes later. "Are you ready to go?"
Offering her a quick smile and a nod, I remind myself that I don't need to stare at Arlo from afar anymore. In a couple of hours, once he's done 'getting his wiggles out,' as Bella says to the sixers when she takes them swimming or to the playground, Arlo will come back to my temporary home and we'll probably spend an evening curled up on the bed trying to pick out names, like we have every night he hasn't worked at his parents' restaurant or passed out right after practice.
Silhouetted against the white horses, he's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen.
And he's finally, unbelievably, mine.
Still, I stare at him as Heidi starts the engine.
I watch him ride the wave all the way into the shore before he paddles right back out to collect high fives from our friends.
I twist a little in my seat to keep watching while Heidi waits for a slow driver to pass us, then pulls out to circle the lot so we can slip out the exit.
My eyes stay on Arlo, soaking him up right until we turn and he's out of view.
It's like my subconscious knows what I don't.
That the next time I see him, he'll be fighting for his life.
~ oOo ~
"I'll get it."
"Thanks," I yawn, watching Heidi bounce up from the couch to head for the door.
Stretching out, I rub my too-full belly, eyeing the empty containers on the counter. We ate way too much food, but in my defense, it was Sullivan's fault. They're testing out new dishes for the seasonal menu change and he added a bunch of them to our to-go bags with the order to let him know what we like and what sucks.
It came out of the Burger Co. kitchen, though. Nothing that comes out of there sucks.
Curled together on the sofa in the apartment above the restaurant, Heidi and I split the new burger, chicken strips with a new recipe marinade, our tried and true Pad Thai fries, and a double portion of chili cheese fries. There's still a tub of mac and cheese with crispy onion bits on the counter across the room, and I smile to myself, picturing Arlo's face when he gets here and I tell him we saved it for him.
"Oh, hey, Mrs. C."
"Hi, sweetheart. How are you? I haven't seen you for a while."
"Not too bad, can't complain."
My eyes snap up from the red mac and cheese tub, finding Bella beaming as Heidi lets her in so she can set down a giant plastic tub.
"Hi, honey. How are you feeling?"
"Good, thank you. How're you?"
She hums and waves at me when I try to heave myself up, her eyes crinkling with her smile when she plops herself next to me and squeezes my knee. "You stay right where you are. I remember how hard it is to get comfortable when you've got babies on board. Make the most of it when you find a comfy spot."
With a soft sigh, I do as I'm told and lean back against the soft cushions. "Yeah, okay. I'm not going to argue with that."
"Good." Patting my leg, she looks around the apartment, laughing when she spots the string of photos hanging down from the loft railing.
"Arlo put those up," I admit, hoping she won't mind. "He wanted to make it feel more like my home."
A couple of weeks ago, when Edward and Bella insisted I stay here as long as I need, they unknowingly lifted a massive weight off my shoulders. Not having to worry about where I'm going to put my head down at night is a huge relief, but it didn't change the fact that I still felt like I was sleeping and eating and living in a stranger's home. Having silly little things like photo strings around the place and my own blanket draped over the bed upstairs...it helps.
"He's a good egg," Heidi says from her spot leaning against the front door, pulling her cell from her pocket when it chimes. "I've gotta head out, and since Mrs. C is here, is that okay?"
"Yeah, it's fine, Heidi, you go. Thanks for hanging out with me."
"No problemo, Lakely. See ya. Bye, Mrs. C!"
"See you later, sweetheart!"
Leaving me with Bella, Heidi ducks out, my attention turning back to Arlo's mom when she reaches for the giant plastic box and pulls it toward us.
"What's that?"
"Well, I saw Arlo and the others down at the beach a little while ago, so I figured you might have some free time, and I've been meaning to bring this over since the gender reveal party…" she trails off, prying the lid off and turning to me with a hopeful expression. "I thought, maybe, we could go through some of Rylee's old things and see if there's anything you want to keep for the twins?"
Warmth rushes through my body as tears flood my eyes. "That's...that's so sweet of you. I'd love that. Sorry, I swear I appreciate it, I'm just a wreck."
"Oh, honey," Bella laughs lightly, dropping the lid to wrap me in a hug. Stiff for all of a few seconds, I remind myself that I shouldn't feel guilty for accepting comfort from her and lean in, letting my eyes slip shut as she rocks me gently side to side. Bella Cullen's hugs are legendary; warm and soft but just the right amount of firm to hold me together. Her kids are lucky that she hands them out so freely. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, just...ugh." Wiping my eyes as we separate, I manage a rueful smile. "Everything makes me cry, lately."
"That's normal, hon. You should get used to it, because it's probably not going away any time soon." She hesitates before touching my bump, the joy that spreads across her face radiant when I nod and she closes the gap between her palm and my belly.
"Dr. Dale said other people will probably be able to feel them soon. Another few weeks, maybe," I tell her quietly as the twins flutter around, always more still and seemingly content after I eat a big meal. "Arlo's kind of desperate to feel them," I tell Bella, laughing when she rolls her eyes and tells me he's impatient just like his dad.
"Right, so...shall we?"
"Yes, please!"
"Now, I spoke to Tanya—you know Tan, right?" She barely pauses to let me nod before continuing, pulling stacks of neatly folded clothes out and arranging them on the coffee table. "She gave me a bunch of things from when she had Robin, and we had a few things that matched so the girls could dress the same as they ended up being a similar size, since the sixers were so early."
~ oOo ~
"Oh, that's cute," I breathe a couple of hours later, kind of overwhelmed at just how tiny the clothes she's showing me are, how little these babies will be when they're born. We've been looking through everything for two hours now and I'm really enjoying hearing the stories that go along with some of the outfits.
"This is one of the sets Rylee and Robin wore together, see?"
My grin is probably pretty ridiculous when she holds up a pair of matching pink onesies, one with suns all over it, one with rainbows. "They're adorable, Bella. Thank you. This is...it means a lot."
"You're so welcome, hon." Bella chews her lip for a second, reverently smoothing the onesies over her lap. "You know I had a hysterectomy after the sixers, don't you?"
"Umm, yeah. You had complications, right?"
"That's right. I know Dr. Dale discussed some of the things that can happen with multiples."
"He did," I admit, my heart pounding just at the thought of some of them.
"Don't worry, Lakely, the chances of most of them happening are so rare." She smiles quickly. "You've got a better chance at having spontaneous twins."
Catching a laugh behind my hand, I watch her amusement fade, just a little.
"Edward and I, we probably would have had another baby after the sixers, if I hadn't needed that hysterectomy."
My stomach knots. Oh, no.
With wistfulness clouding her features, she strokes the pink onesie on her lap. "We saved all Rylee's things anyway, just because I couldn't bear to part with any of it."
I think we're both surprised when I reach over and squeeze her hand. Her silvery gray eyes find mine as I offer her a small smile. "Well, I know it's not the same, but now you get to dress your little granddaughters in them."
Blowing out a big breath, she twists our fingers together and nods. "You're right, Lakely, it's not the same." The twinkle returns to her eyes. "It's better. I don't have to deal with all the stressful parts this time, I can just be the fun Meema who bakes yummy cookies and gives great snuggles."
At that, we both fall about laughing—hers far more amused than mine because I know she's right and I get the stressful parts.
Brr. Brr. Brr.
"Oh, shoot. That's probably Edward wondering where I am." Bella pulls a guilty face, hunting for her cell under all the baby clothes. "Aha!" Snatching it up just as it rings off, she heads to the kitchen, taking her half-empty glass of water with her for a refill while she calls Edward back.
Taking the opportunity to stretch my legs, I get off the couch and wander over to the window.
The storm is closer now, the bruised sky casting the ocean in its dull gray shadows. The part of the beach I can see from here is empty, which isn't a surprise, except for the big driftwood log that's been there for as long as I can remember.
I glance over my shoulder, knowing where the picture is of me sitting on that log with Arlo, Heidi, Charlotte, Demetri, and Liam without having to search. It's right between a middle school dance and Christmas three years ago, all memories that make me smile like an idiot.
The sudden sound of a glass shattering wipes the smile from my face.
Palming my racing heart, I spin around fully, not for one second expecting to find Bella frozen on her way back to the couch, her hand still outstretched and shaped around nothing but air, glass in a thousand pieces on the floor, a puddle of water slowly spreading.
"Umm, Bella?"
She's gone a funny ashy white, her eyes wide and her phone clutched so tight to her ear that her knuckles have lost their color.
My voice wobbles as a sick feeling lands in the pit of my stomach, tears starting to fall over her cheeks unchecked. "Is...is everything okay with Edward?"
Bella blinks. "Edward's fine," she whispers, her voice thin. "It's Arlo. There's been an accident at the beach. He's...he's being airlifted to Jacksonville."
With those words, my whole world tilts and spins clumsily off its axis.
~ oOo ~
"Arlo. Arlo Cullen," Edward barks when we finally make it to the ER at the UF trauma center.
"One moment, please," the receptionist says, distracted as she talks to a colleague.
Doesn't she know? Doesn't she know my heart is going to explode out of my chest if I don't see him right now? If I don't see that he's okay?
Edward's hand comes down hard on the counter. I jump, and so does the receptionist, but a familiar voice distracts all of us.
"You made it," Demetri breathes, jogging over from the elevators. He's still in his wetsuit, his hair a crazy, damp mess around his head.
It's the wrecked look on his face that kills me.
No. No no no.
"Where's my son?" Edward growls, hands on Demetri's shoulders.
"I'll take you. C'mon."
Edward tucks Bella into his side as Demetri takes us to wherever they're treating Arlo. He's been here a while now, the helicopter able to get here much quicker than we could by car, but…
There wasn't time for Edward or Bella to get to the beach to fly with him.
I guess Demetri must have, instead.
"This way," he mumbles, neoprene-covered feet slapping the tile.
My heart almost stops when he leads us right to a big set of double doors.
ICU.
Swallowing hard, I force my feet to keep moving, following Edward and Bella when they have to get permission to enter by saying they're Arlo's parents.
"The others will be here soon," Demetri says, already backing away. "I'll go find them. Keep me in the loop, yeah?"
I nod, hurrying after Edward and Bella. The nurse shoots my tear-stained face, then my hands on my small bump, a look before her expression softens.
"Where is he, where's our boy?" Bella pleads, her head whipping around when the nurse finally stops and nods at the big window behind us.
Turning slowly, not sure what to expect, I have to grab a nearby chair just to keep myself on my feet.
Arlo.
He has a giant white bandage wrapped around his head and another around his bicep, his skin ghostly pale and a mess of tubes sticking out from various places in his arms and face. I recognize the ventilator and heart monitor from medical dramas, but the rest...I have no idea what they are or why he needs them.
"What happened?" Bella whimpers, reaching out to touch the glass separating us from Arlo as a bunch of people in scrubs and white coats fuss over him, poking and prodding as he just lays there, perfectly, scarily still.
"Your son was incredibly brave, Mrs. Cullen," the nurse says softly, squeezing Bella's shoulder. "A young woman was in distress and he saved her, but we believe he got into some difficulty once he'd gotten her to safety. It's difficult to know exactly what happened, but he inhaled a lot of water and sustained several injuries to his head and his arm. We believe they were caused by the rocks—"
Bella's breath catches as mine rushes from my body in one big whoosh.
Charlotte. It must have been Charlotte. I hope she's okay...but then, Demetri would have said if she wasn't.
"Oh, my baby." Catching Bella before she drops to the floor, Edward swallows hard, Adam's apple bobbing.
"He'll be okay, though?"
The nurse fidgets with the clipboard in her hand. "His injuries are severe and we still need to run a full panel of tests, but Mr. and Mrs. Cullen, your son's body was starved of oxygen for much longer than it should be, and he lost a lot of blood. The first big hurdle was making it here. Now we need to figure out what the extent of his injuries are and what damage has been caused." Sighing heavily, she looks between each of us, dark eyes giving little away. "Arlo is an incredibly lucky young man, but if he were my son, I'd be praying that it stays that way."
Dropping into the nearest chair, I'm numb as I listen to Bella's whimpers turn into sobs.
~ oOo ~
The seconds drag by.
Minutes turn into hours, and slowly, we get more answers.
When Charlotte and Liam arrive, Demetri brings them to the ICU entrance so they can explain everything to Bella, Edward, and the doctor treating Arlo.
I don't leave—can't leave—the chair outside Arlo's room, so they fill me in when they come back, and honestly, I wish they didn't.
Hatred bleeds through my veins like sticky, bitter tar as Bella sniffles and explains that it was all a trick, that when Arlo risked his life to save someone else's, it was a ruse gone wrong, orchestrated by Hunter and Vicky James.
"You...you're joking."
Bella wipes my tears away instead of her own, Edward pacing behind her on the phone to...someone.
"I'm sorry, honey, I'm not. Apparently, she went out further than she was supposed to and actually got stuck. Arlo—" her words cut off with a muffled cry and it creates another fissure in my heart. "Arlo saved her, but then he...he…"
Wiping my cheeks with my fingers, I shake my head, because I know the rest.
Arlo, my sweet, beautiful, reckless Arlo, saved Vicky James because he's a good person.
He's a blind idiot at times, but above everything else, he's kind and loving and doesn't have a bad bone in his body.
Which is why it kills me that because of her, because of Vicky James, he got caught up in something every surfer knows to avoid at all cost.
He got caught in a riptide.
*peeks through fingers*