RUSH

Georgianna was headed to LA. She was going with Nan to admit her to the facility that the doctor suggested for her. Our mother would probably make sure it was the trendiest once she got here. I had already made sure it was the best medically. Georgianna would be more concerned with appearance than Nan’s mental well-being. Something was off with Nan and she needed someone to help her. I had a family to take care of. I couldn’t keep being responsible for my sister.

Once Nan had woken up and talked to me some I had told her that Mother was on her way. When she’d fallen back to sleep I had left and gone to get my phone. Blaire had called me several times along with Harlow. I had worried her and I had a lot of making up to do. I clicked on the first text from Blaire.

Harlow brought me to her doctor. I was having cramps. They’ve given me an ultrasound and I’m in a room being monitored.

My stomach dropped. The baby. Oh God no. I started running for the elevators as I pulled up her next text.

Where are you?

NO! I needed to know if she was okay.

“Are you okay?

Fuck! Was she okay? That was it. No more texts from her. I clicked on the first one from Harlow.

Blaire is cramping and bleeding. I brought her to my doctor and they are keeping her here a few hours to observe her and make sure she is okay. Call me, I’ll tell you where we are.

That was eight hours ago. FUCK! It was also the only text from Harlow. It was why she’d been trying to call me. NO MORE! NO FUCKING MORE! I was taking Blaire home tonight.

The last text I received from Blaire was five hours ago. Where was she? I dialed her number and it went straight to voicemail. Was she in the hospital? No, no, she couldn’t be in the hospital. She had to be okay. Our baby had to be okay. I dialed Harlow’s number.

“Hello.”

“It’s Rush, how’s Blaire, where’s Blaire? I didn’t have my phone. God, tell me she’s okay. Please,” I rambled into the phone as I ran out the door of the hotel to my car.

“She’s okay. I think she’s worried about you and maybe... hurt,” Harlow replied.

A lump formed in my throat and it was hard to swallow. “I’m on my way. Please tell her I’m on my way. Nan took a shitload of painkillers and I’ve been at that hospital with her. They had to pump her stomach,” I explained. I didn’t want Blaire mad at me but more importantly, I didn’t want her hurting.

“Oh. I’m sorry,” Harlow simply replied.

“Please tell Blaire. I’m on my way there now,” I repeated.

“She didn’t come down to dinner. I knocked on her door to take a plate but she didn’t answer. I don’t want to go in there in case she’s sleeping. She’s had a long day.”

She wasn’t eating. She wasn’t answering her door. The fear of something happening to her, of finding her like I found Nan terrified me.

“Please, go open the door and check on her. Make sure she’s okay,” I begged.

“Okay,” Harlow replied after a pause.

I hung up and threw the phone on the other seat as I sped down Sunset Drive.

When I opened the front door of the house and found Harlow standing in the foyer with my dad I froze. “What?” I asked, afraid to move.

“She’s gone. Her bags are gone. She’s not in another room I checked,” Harlow replied.

I shook my head and walked inside. “Gone? She can’t be gone! Where would she go?”

“Probably somewhere so she doesn’t have to deal with Nan’s shit and her fiancé running off and leaving her and not answering her damn calls. That’d be my guess. You’re a stupid fucker, just like me son,” Dean said with disgust in his voice before walking away.

“I had to tell him why I was running around from room to room checking inside. He caught me,” Harlow whispered.

“Did she leave a note?” I asked, dialing her number again only to get her voicemail.

Harlow shook her head.

I stalked past her and took the steps two at a time before breaking into a run yet again. This day had gone from bad to fucking disastrous. Jerking open the bedroom door the silence that met me was knee buckling. I could see the small imprint on the bed from where she’d laid down earlier today. Harlow was right. She was gone. Every little trace of Blaire was gone. She’d needed me. Our baby had needed me and I’d been with Nan, again. I deserve to be left.

I closed the door behind me before leaning against the wall and sliding down to the floor to weep. The fear of losing Nan had been terrifying but the idea of losing Blaire and my baby was unbearable. I didn’t deserve Blaire. I had promised her I’d always be there yet my family kept pulling me away. It was time I stopped letting that happen. But what if I was too late?

I shook my head and wiped the tears from my face. I’d find her and I’d beg. I’d grovel. Whatever I needed to do I would do it. Then I’d never leave her again. For anyone.