The Secret I Tried to Keep

Chapter 44

"Your sister and father probably want to see you awake," I said, changing the subject. Zane looked slightly surprised. 

"My dad is here?" he asked. I nodded and took his hand in mine again. 

"He's really worried about you. He's been here, waiting for you to wake up like the rest of us," I explained. "You should talk to them. Feel better, okay?" I said with a gentle kiss before I left the room. I let out a deep breath as the door closed behind me. I felt mostly relief. I don't know what I would've done if Zane was successful in his attempt. I loved him, and I was already in too deep to be pulled out. Hopefully, he could get the help he needed and we could move on with from all this. 

I went to the waiting room and sent Presley back to see him next. She was probably anxious to see him, too. I sat in the waiting room feeling much better than before. The toll of the whole situation was finally catching up to me. Exhaustion waved over me as I yawned. Tyler wrapped an arm around me and rubbed my arm comfortingly.

"You need to sleep," Tyler said. I shook my head and sat up a bit more.

"No, I'm fine," I argued.

"Diria, you didn't sleep all night. Now that you know he's okay, you need to take care of yourself and the baby. Either sleep here, or I'm dragging you home," Tyler said. I rolled my eyes at his overprotectiveness.

"The boy is right, Dria. Go to sleep.  We'll wake you if anything happens or if he asks for you again," Michael promised. I sighed before I gave in.

"Okay," I said sleepily. Tyler squeezed my hand gently. I finally allowed my eyes to close.

~

I stayed at the hospital over the next few days, only going home to shower and change clothes. I missed my Christmas dinner with my family but it was honestly the last thing on my mind. I was just worried about Zane and Presley. Zane forgave Presley, obviously, but she still hadn't forgiven herself. Zane had the surgery for his kidney and was on the fast road to recovery. I was there every day. I did what I promised and we started over. We talked when he was feeling up for it. I was slowly, but surely, getting to know the real Zane. After two weeks, Zane was moved into the hospital's psych facility, Green Pines. We spent New Year's in the hospital, too. We were trying to support Zane as much as we could. When I wasn't visiting him, I was throwing myself into my schoolwork. I was stressed out. More than I should have been at 19 weeks

 I sat across from Zane in his room at Green Pines. It was visiting hours and my turn to visit. The rooms at Green Pines were nice. It looked like a normal bedroom with a bed, desk, chair, mirror, and dresser.

"You look terrible," Zane noted. I rolled my eyes but cracked a smile because it was true. I had bags under my eyes from the lack of sleep and my morning sickness was back.

"I've been studying," I said. It wasn't a complete lie either. I couldn't sleep sometimes so I would pull out a textbook and just start studying. Zane sighed as he studied my face.

"It's because of me, isn't it?" he asked softly. I looked at my hands as my smile faded. I shook my head.

"It's not your fault, Zane. I just... I worry about you. I want you to be okay," I admitted. I didn't mention how the thing keeping me up was the fact that I was confused about my feelings towards him. Zane sat me next to him on the bed and kissed my hand.

"I'm fine, Dria, and I'm only getting better. Stop stressing yourself out over me. It's not good for you or our little girl, okay? I'll be back before you know it," he tried to assure me.

"The rumor at school is that you ran off with a supermodel," I joked trying to lighten the mood. It worked. Zane laughed and shook his head.

"Well, you know rumors aren't always true," je said playfully as his arms went around my waist the best he could with my little bump. "But in this case, I did get a supermodel," he said with a smile before he kissed my shoulder. I blushed.