Page 117 of Dear John
41
KAVANAUGH
With the press conference over,I rushed to the hospital, taking the stairs to avoid anyone in the elevator. I could hear Red and Eli’s steps pounding on the concrete behind me, but I didn’t care what they were doing. I needed to hold Isla and see for myself that she was fine.
Though I’d been getting regular updates through Red the whole time, I wouldn’t believe she was okay until I saw it with my own eyes. I shoved the door open to her floor and ran down the hall, ignoring the calls from the nurses not to run. They would do the same fucking thing if they were in my position.
Relief flooded me as I pushed her door open, but it was short-lived when I saw the bed was empty. “Isla!” I called out, opening the bathroom door. It was empty.
Shoving my fingers into my hair, panic took over. She wasn’t here. Where the hell was she?
“Maybe she went for tests,” Eli said, trying to calm me down.
“Right. Tests.” I nodded and ran to the nurse’s station. “Where is Isla McKenna?”
“I’m sorry, who are you?”
“I’m her boyfriend, Brad Kavanaugh.”
Her eyes narrowed slightly, and then I saw the moment of recognition. “You were just on TV.”
“My girlfriend,” I bit out.
Eli tugged me aside before I said something to the lady I might regret. “Mandy,” he said, his eyes flicking from her name tag to her face. “He would really like to see his girlfriend. Was she taken for tests or?—”
“Oh, no. She’s with the man they brought her in with.”
“IKE,” I rushed out.
“Um…Mr. Thorne. I’ll take you to them.”
I was about to chase after her when Eli stopped me. “Listen, I know you want to go in there and make everything right, but remember, she’s been through a lot.”
“What are you saying?”
His face hardened as he stared at me. “I’m saying you don’t know what happened in there, and you can’t judge her for it.”
His words sank in my gut like a lead weight. I didn’t know what happened in there. What exactly did he think she did? “Whatever you’re implying?—”
“I’m not implying anything. I’m telling you to take it easy. You don’t know what she’s been through.”
I wanted to tell him I had every right to demand answers from my girlfriend, but he was right. She’d been missing for four days. I had no idea what happened, and I couldn’t go in there demanding answers. I had to give her time.
I nodded and waited for him to release me before following the nurse down the hall. I thanked the nurse and pressed my hand to the door, taking a moment to myself before pushing it open slightly. But when I heard her voice, I stopped and listened.
“We’re not dead.”
“Then when you’re ready, you’ll come to me.”
She’d go to him. Fuck, I really hoped that didn’t mean what I thought it did. Taking a deep breath, I pushed the door open.I couldn’t stop myself. Ignoring him, I stormed over to Isla and dragged her into my arms, so thankful she was alive.
“Thank God you’re alright.”
Her hands slid around my waist, holding me tight. I looked at IKE, nodding to him gratefully. No matter what happened, he kept her alive. “Thank you.”
“I didn’t do much,” he deadpanned. “Unless you count helping her decorate for Christmas.”
Isla laughed, stepping out of my arms. She was still a little shaky and sat down on the edge of the bed. “You did give me your shoes.”