The Reckless Collision

Chapter Forty

"Raymond," I whispered, my breath catching in my throat as I took in his appearance. My heart pounded in my chest, and my eyes filled with tears. Seeing him, with all the pain I had just woken up to, made everything feel so much more real.

He wore a black-and-white striped T-shirt, but it wasn't clean. There were bloodstains on the left side of the shirt, and I could see a hole where the fabric was torn, the deep red staining the fabric around it.

His black jeans had rips on them, and I could see his bare knee, the skin pale and bruised. He stopped near the side of my bed, glancing at Tom, who lifted his head slightly but didn't move. Ray looked back at me, and as I stretched my left arm toward him, he took my hand, intertwining our fingers.

"How are you feeling, love?" His voice was soft, and low, as he leaned in and kissed my cheek. His lips brushed against my skin, sending a wave of warmth through me, but it only heightened the ache in my chest.

"Kinda shitty," I managed to half-smile, my eyes never leaving his as he pulled back just slightly, his gaze still full of worry.

"Samantha!" My mother's voice snapped, breaking the moment, and I momentarily forgot she was even in the room.

"Can both of you leave?" I asked, my voice pleading as I turned to look at my mother and then Tom. "I want to talk to Ray."

Jennifer sighed loudly, her eyes narrowing, but she didn't argue. "Fine. Come on, Tom. We can go look for Richard and tell him that Samantha woke up."

I wondered where my dad was. Was he nearby? My mother's hurried decision to find him made me suspicious. Tom, however, didn't budge. He stared at Ray for a long moment, his green eyes focused, calculating. He rubbed the back of his neck like he was torn between staying and leaving. Finally, he glanced at me, his expression unreadable.

"Tom," I said softly, my voice laced with desperation.

The chair squeaked loudly as Tom pushed it back. He stood up, and the chair almost hit the windowsill as he backed away, his footsteps quick as he crossed the room. He threw a last look at me through the glass before he disappeared down the hallway. Jennifer followed him, her heels tapping steadily, and I was finally left alone with Ray.

As soon as they were gone, Ray moved to the left side of the bed. He grabbed the chair from the window, dragged it closer, and sat down, claiming the seat that Tom had just vacated. He took my hand again, holding it gently, and kissed the top of my palm, his lips lingering against my skin.

"I thought I lost you," he whispered, his voice raw, the words trembling as they left his lips. The emotion in his voice made my chest tighten.

I squeezed his hand, trying to steady myself. "I'm here. Can you tell me what happened?" I asked, my voice hoarse as I searched his eyes, hoping for answers.

Ray lifted his gaze, locking eyes with me. "You don't remember?" he asked softly as if testing me, looking for the answers in my eyes.

"I do, but not everything," I admitted, swallowing hard as I tried to piece the fragments of my memory together. "It's a blur right now." I paused, my mind foggy, but one thing stood out clearly. "Why does my throat feel so painful?"

"They had to intubate you," Ray explained, his fingers tracing slow circles on my hand, the sensation oddly calming. "After surgery, the doctor took the tube out once you were stable."

I nodded, but everything still felt so surreal. I was here, in a hospital bed, with my memory fuzzy, and my life had turned upside down in just one day. The more I thought about it, the more I realized how much had happened that I didn't fully understand.

Ray had been with my parents. He'd met Tom. My stomach twisted at the thought of them all in the same room together. They'd been so tense, and the way Tom looked at Ray—there was no mistaking the hostility there. How had that gone? What had they said?

"Ray," I whispered, feeling a lump form in my throat. "Where's Scott?"

His eyes darkened, and I could see the shift in his expression, the way his jaw tightened. He didn't say anything at first, just held my hand a little tighter, and I braced myself for the answer.