“We were too late,” I tell her quietly as I rock my daughter, who simply lies her head on my shoulder.
“For what, sweetheart?” Coral strokes my back gently.
“To save her.”
“No,” She whispers in shock. I turn to look at her. How do I tell this beautiful woman that her best friend was murdered in exactly the same way as her baby sister? Wasn't losing Cindy enough?
She's crying. I'm not great with emotions, there was no one there to teach me how to comfort another person through grief when they needed it.
Coral and I are quiet for an age. Ember has fallen asleep, but I haven't lain her down. Coral is sitting beside me with her head on my shoulder. She hums softly and it's oddly comforting.
After a while of nothingness, I ask her, “How do you do it?”
“What?” She asks quietly.
“Carry on when they're gone.”
She sighs deeply.
I don't mean to bring up the past and make her relive all that hurt, and I'm not saying my pain comes close to hers, but I can't bear this feeling inside of me. I can't bear the pain my parents are in. My big brother, my little brothers, and my baby sister. I just found my family and now they are torn apart, never to be put back together again.
“You just have to, Nova. It won't feel like it now, or even in the weeks to come. But it will get easier. With Tank's help, you'll get through this.”
“Is that how you got through losing Cindy because you had Stryker?”
“I couldn't've carried on one day without him by my side. Don't push Tank away, you need him now more than ever. Don't hold your feelings inside where they'll fester, let them out, Nova. Cry and scream and ask why as much as it takes to get it out. And I promise that there will come a day where you wake up and it won't hurt to think about her. There will come a day where it's easy to talk about her and to remember the beautiful, beautiful person she was.”
“We didn't have enough time, Coral. We didn't have enough time.”
I cry in her arms for the sister my siblings and I have lost, for the daughter, my parents will never hold again, and for the girl who was loved by everyone and everything she touched.
God, I'm going to miss you, Willow. I will never forget you for as long as I live. And I hope you know that you were loved.
“Everything is gonna be alright, brother.”
“Is it? She's lying in that room fightin' for her life, Tank.”
Yes, she is.
We managed to get Willow to Doc Davis within minutes. The old bastard works on commission for us, for the mob. He does as he's told when he's told. The closest place to bring her was the safe house. Doc met us here.
My brother is covered in blood, Willow's blood. He hasn't moved from the seat he sat down in when we arrived and I'm worried about him.
Doc Davis had Jett and Hammer take Willow to the infirmary at the back of the house. A small hospital Apollo had built years ago for when a brother needs patching up. We don't want the cops breathing down our necks when shit goes down. Even though we really should have taken Willow to the hospital we couldn't risk it. As bad as that sounds.
My brother didn't let go of Willow's throat until the last moment when Taylor took over. Blackjack is a damn quick thinker, picked her up on the way, knowing' she'd be needed.
Between Taylor, couple nurses that work with the Doc, and Doc Davis himself, they managed to stop the bleeding and fix whatever the hell Crack slit inside Willow's throat. She was then stitched up and put under strong sedation to keep her asleep for the next twenty-four hours.
Not one man has left yet, none of us could rest if we did. Stryker collected Lynette, both she and Shepard, along with Jett are with Willow right now. Their kids are with Tammy, according to Stryker. But god knows where Nova is.
She called me to give me what for earlier. I told her about what happened and the phone went dead. I thought she'd've made her way here, but two hours later and she's nowhere to be found. I really should check on her, god knows how and what she's feeling right now.
“She's a fighter, Hammer. If anyone can come through this it's Willow.”
“But what will this do to her, Tank? You think she's ever gonna be the same after this?”
I can't, in all honesty, answer that, because I just don't know the answer. I'll never lie to my brother, he's the only blood-relative I have on this earth. I won't sugar-coat shit for him either. He wouldn't want that.
I kiss my brother’s head and get out of my seat. “I'm here if and when you need me, brother, but right now I need to find, Nova. If you need me for anything at all, you call me.”
He nods through his heartbreak. And as much as I don't want to leave him, I have to.
* * *
“She had a bit of a breakdown. Blaming herself for things she had no control over. She just really needs you right now.”
I think Coral needs Stryker right now. Girl looks like she's having a breakdown of her own. I pull her into my arms and let her cry. “Don't be sad, darlin'. Willow is going to be just fine soon enough.”
She pulls away from me, eyes scanning me. “She's alive?”
I narrow my eyes, then close them in realization. Damn Nova, why didn't she let me finish before she slammed the phone down?
“She was badly hurt and it was touch and go there for a while, but Doc Davis managed to keep her alive.” Tears fall from Coral's eyes as she closes them. This girl has been through so much in her life. I can't imagine what was going through her head thinking Willow had been killed.
“How long's she been asleep?” My girl and our daughter are fast asleep on Coral's couch, Ember on her mother’s chest.
“About half an hour. Tank, she thinks Willow died. You need to explain things to her. She's a strong girl, a powerful one. She told me what went down at the warehouse. But she's still capable of being frightened and hurt.”
Nova shouldn't've told Coral anything!
“Stryker,” Pulling away from me, she sidesteps me to get to her husband. He must have followed me here.
“It's okay, baby, I got you.”
“I'll be out of your hair in just a few, brother. I just need to wake my girl and tell her Willow isn't dead.” He nods – the man never says much – and takes Coral from the room.
I look down at my girls. Ember is so oblivious to all of this right now. I wish Nova was.
I crouch down beside them and stroke Nova's cheek with the back of my hand. Her eyes open instantly. “Hey.”
“Hey,” She parrots back. “Are my parents okay?”
“They're with Willow.” She nods while biting her lower lip. “Willow's alive, Nova.” Her eyes widen. “You didn't let me finish what I was telling you on the phone.”
“Is she okay?”
“She will be. She's going to be sick for a while, but we're all here to help her.”
“I want to see her.”
“Okay.”
Coral and Stryker agree to keep Ember for the night while I take Nova to see Willow. The whole ride over, she clings to me tightly. She clings tight to my hand as we walk into the house and out back to the infirmary where Willow still is and will be for the next couple days. Doc doesn't want to move her just yet.