The Right Side of Tanner

Chapter 48

Chase

I had a feeling something was up when T.J. didn't show for the team interview earlier. I don't know why but I just had a feeling. It was a nagging, uneasy feeling in my gut that just wouldn't go away. When I talked to Tay, and she said he left to head to the interview several hours ago, my uneasiness grew.

Now, Lindsey, Liam, and I are on our way to the hospital. The same one Justin was in when he died. Tay called after finding out that T.J. had been in an accident. As soon as I heard that, my heart dropped.

I can't believe it. Why does this shit keep happening to the people around me? And why does it always happen to the people closest to Tay?

It's fucking bullshit! She's been through enough!

Lins squeezes my hand, distracting me from my angry thoughts. I look from the window of the cab over to my girl. She's putting on a brave face, keeping her shit together while Liam and I try not to lose our cool.

She knows Tay's family history. She's heard what happened to her dad and Justin- how they were taken far too soon from this world, leaving a massive hole in Tay and her mom's lives.

I don't know what to do. I don't know how to fix this, but I know that Tay won't be alone through this- no matter what happens. I just hope this time there's a different outcome than before.

~

The taxi pulls up outside the hospital, and the three of us get out, mentally preparing ourselves for whatever is about to happen. I look over and see that Liam and Lindsey are wearing the same dejected looks on their faces.

They must feel as lost as I do right now.

I take a long, deep breath and brace myself for what we have to do next. "You guys ready?"

Liam shakes his head sadly. "Not at all, but we have to do this. For Tay."

I nod my head. There's no way we're letting Tay go through this alone. No matter what happens, we'll be there for her.

I look over and see Lindsey swipe a hand across her cheek. She's grasping my hand like a vice right now, petrified of what we may find when we go inside. We all know the possible outcomes, and we're not at all prepared for the worst-case scenario.

I just hope that's not what we're walking into.

*

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Liam

I can't believe we're here again.

This place haunts my nightmares- the hospital where one of my best friends took his last breath. This place took so much from me, Chase, and the rest of the guys on the team. But it took so much more from Tay. Now, she has to go through this shit again!?

What the actual fuck is that crap!?

She can't lose another person to Death. No, that fucker has hit his limit! It's time he finds another person to torment; Tay's reached her max. She's one of the strongest women I know, but even the toughest among us has a breaking point. I pray to whoever is out there that this is not the point.

Please, don't let this be the moment. Don't take another person away from her.

I don't know if she'd survive it this time. Losing T.J. might actually destroy her. I can't stand to see that happen.

The doors to the ICU open, showering us with stimuli- bright lights everywhere, beeping sounds from every bay, nurses bustling around the unit. Yep, this is just like last time.

My jaw clenches as we drag our feet to the nurses' station. Chase tells the woman behind the desk who we are and that we're here to see T.J.

She taps a few buttons on her keyboard and looks back at us with a frown. "I'm sorry, none of you are listed as family on here. I'm afraid you can't go back right now."

Is she freaking serious? They didn't give us this crap with Justin! Why the hell can't we see T.J.?

My anger is starting to get the better of me, and I open my mouth to retaliate when a familiar voice interjects. "It's okay, Lucy. They are family."

When my eyes connect with the owner of the voice, I see Taylor. She looks like she's been to hell and back. Her eyes are bloodshot, makeup smeared, clothes wrinkled. It's a far cry from the Tay I'm used to seeing. No, the Tay in front of me now looks close to tipping over the edge.

I hear the ferocious sound of nails tapping keys as Lucy adds our names to the list of approved visitors for T.J. As she does so, I move from my spot, gathering Tay in a warm embrace.

She starts sobbing as she hugs me back. "Thank you guys for coming."

I pull her tighter, stroking her hair as I tell her we'll always be here for her. She doesn't relax at all as I hold her. The stress of everything hitting her full force, making it impossible for her to relax. "We're here, Tay. You're not alone."

She pulls away, thanking me as Chase and Lindsey step up beside us. "Hey, Tay," Lindsey says as she swoops in to hug our friend. "How is he?"

Tay wipes fresh tears from her face as she pulls out of my sister's embrace. "He's unconscious but stable."

She leads the way to T.J.'s room. Déjà vu hits me hard as I see my friend and teammate lying still in the hospital bed. He's all cut up and bruised with bandages and wires everywhere.

Fuck! He looks like hell.

Taylor fills us in about his accident and everything the doctors have told her. It sucks that they can't tell us when he'll wake up. They gave her some speech about him having to heal and wake up on his own. That could be days, weeks, months. Shit, he may never wake up.

I try to put the thought out of my head. Tay needs positivity right now, not my negative bullshit. T.J. is tough. Hell, he's probably one of the toughest guys on the team. If anyone can beat this, it's him.

As Chase and Lins talk to Taylor, I set a hand on T.J.'s shoulder. You gotta beat this, man. You have to pull through. You have to, for Tay. She needs you, buddy.

*

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Lindsey

It's been days since T.J.'s accident. He's still unconscious in the ICU- still stable, but he's shown no signs of waking up yet. Tay's pretty much living at the hospital at this point, not that I blame her- I'd be the same way if something like that happened to Chase.

I feel so bad. I have no clue what to do or how to help her. Chase, Liam, and I have gone to sit with her as often as possible, offering support and bringing her food- not that she has much appetite right now. But we're trying to make sure she's taken care of while she dutifully waits by T.J.'s side. I just hope he wakes up soon. It breaks my heart to see my best friend like this.

Mel gets back from Florida today. She said she would see Tay and T.J. at the hospital soon after her flight lands. Liam is going with her. Like the rest of us, he is worried that seeing T.J. like that will dredge up some horrific memories for Mel like they did Tay.

Out of all of us, Mel is the one who most understands what Tay is going through. She lost Justin to a similar accident. And while Chase and Liam suffered through that time as well, they didn't have the kind of relationship with him that Mel did.

It's one thing to lose a friend. It's another thing entirely to lose your soulmate, the person you expect to spend the rest of your life building a future with. I can't imagine living through that as Mel did, and I hope with all my might that Tay doesn't have to find out.