“He’s in the trauma unit at Tampa General Hospital. I don’t know the status of either his or Eli’s condition, but I’ve been in contact with Alexander and he’s informed his mother and wife what’s going on. You’ll be heading to Florida with them to meet up with Mr. Burnham. Everything’s been arranged. I just need you to pack a bag, then I’ll take you to the airport.”

He ushered me inside my condo as I remained in a relative daze, still not truly comprehending what I just learned. All I knew was it sounded like Tyler was still alive… I hoped.

The entire drive to the airport was filled with thousands of scenarios of what really happened. I absently heard Martin on the phone, obviously irate with whomever he was speaking with, still unable to get any concrete answers about what was going on. This made me even more unsettled about what would greet me when I stepped off that plane in Florida.

I remained in a trance as Martin helped me onto the jet. The pilots and flight attendants introduced themselves to me, but their words went in one ear and out the other. Within minutes, both Colleen and Olivia climbed onto the plane, Melanie in tow. Olivia attempted to hide her emotions by keeping little Melanie occupied, constantly assuring her that her Uncle Tyler would be fine. Colleen was struggling to hold it together, her usual vibrant eyes full of the same emotion I was feeling…confusion, unease, dread.

I walked over to her and sat as we taxied toward the runway. Without saying a word, I took her hand in mine and we sat in heavy silence during the short flight to Florida.

Trying to fight back my tears, I feared I wouldn’t make it in time to tell Tyler what I should have said to him the last time I saw him. I vowed to never say goodbye to him again without uttering those three words that too many people took for granted… I love you.

Mackenzie

“HOW COULD THAT EVEN be possible?” a familiar voice bellowed through the lobby of the flight operations base in Tampa. I trailed behind Colleen and Olivia, little Melanie clutching her mother’s hand, while someone dealt with all of our bags. We all stopped dead in our tracks as Alexander paced the comfortable lobby, other passengers who were getting ready to take off in their own private planes staring at him in awe.

Melanie looked back at me and grinned. “Daddy’s working. That’s his work voice.”

I smiled for the first time all day, thankful for the break in the tension that had permeated the flight across the Gulf of Mexico.

“Hush, Melanie,” Olivia said. “Daddy’s just trying to figure out what’s going on. That’s all.”

“What happened, Mama?” she asked.

Olivia looked down at Melanie, then at me, then back at her daughter once more. Her little green eyes were alive with eagerness as she stared at her mother, waiting. “I don’t know, sweet pea,” Olivia finally said, caressing her daughter’s face in such a caring and doting manner. I instinctively placed my hand over my stomach, hoping I’d have that same bond with my son…and that Tyler would, as well. “But Uncle Tyler is hurt and we’re all here to make sure he gets better.”

“Like when I scraped my knee?” she asked.

“Exactly. Remember how Daddy kissed your boo-boo and made it all better after you had to get those stitches?”

She nodded.

“Well, that’s why we’re here.”

“Olivia, love,” Alexander’s voice cut through, but it wasn’t the same demanding, irate voice that was bellowing through the lobby just minutes ago. It was calm and serene, as if her presence was the only thing that could assuage his anxiety about what had happened to his brother.

“Alex…” She sighed into his embrace. I couldn’t help but feel a hint of jealousy at their exchange. He placed an affectionate kiss on her lips before turning his attention to Melanie. He swooped her up in his arms and spun her around, her infectious giggles lightening the mood.

“Did you miss me?” Melanie asked through her laughs.

“What kind of silly question is that? Is the sky blue?”

“Yes!”

“Then I missed you more than words can say, peanut.” He lowered her back to the ground, kissing her head in a loving manner.

“I’m going to kiss Uncle Tyler’s boo-boo to make it all better.”

Alexander’s solemn expression immediately returned, causing a rush of nerves to course through me. Despite everything I thought about who he was as a person, that one look conveyed his love for his brother, how distraught he was over the fact he was lying in a hospital bed with severe injuries.

“I’ve called the hospital,” he said in a firm voice, addressing all of us. “They wouldn’t give me details regarding his condition.”

“Is he conscious?” Colleen asked quickly, desperate for any sort of news that her son was okay.

“They wouldn’t say. Our best bet is to go over there and make someone give us some answers. There are two SUVs out front to escort us to the hospital.” He turned to Olivia. “Why don’t you and Ma take one. I’ll go in the other with Miss Delano.”

I immediately tensed up and shot my eyes to Colleen, silently begging her to volunteer to ride with me. I didn’t know how far the hospital was from where we were, but the idea of being alone with a man who, just months ago, did everything he could to keep Tyler away from me made me edgy.

“I think Mackenzie may be able to help me figure out what happened to Tyler.” He turned to me, his green eyes imploring. Those green eyes that were so similar to Tyler’s. “I know I’m probably the last person you want to sit in a car with…,” he said quietly as Colleen and Olivia began heading toward the front doors.

“You’ve got that right,” I hissed, my voice barely audible.

“But I think if I tell you what I know, you may be able to fill in the blanks.”

“I don’t know anything. All I know is he was supposed to be at my baby shower today and he never showed. I assumed it was because of the fight we had yesterday, then Martin told me…” I bit my lip, trying to hide my tears from Alexander at the thought that the last words I would ever say to Tyler were during a fight.

“It’s okay. Let’s talk.” He placed his hand on my back and escorted me to an idling SUV. After helping me in, he ran around to the other side and got in beside me.

The driver pulled the car out of the parking lot and onto the road. I kept my eyes glued outside, watching as streetlights zoomed by. My back remained straight, my posture taut as to not show weakness.

“I guess I should start by apologizing,” Alexander finally said.

I shot my eyes to him, somewhat surprised. I didn’t know what I expected him to say to me, but it certainly wasn’t that.

“I thought I was doing what was best for Tyler by keeping him out of the country,” he continued. “You have to look at things from where I’m sitting. Tyler’s my brother and all this shit kept happening. I didn’t know what to think, and until I knew what was going on, I needed to do everything I could to make sure nothing happened to him.”

“But he’s an adult!” I shot back. “You took advantage of the way he looks up to and admires you, and used that against him! Not to mention you tried to fuck with my memory! Do you have any idea how horrible it is to wake up every morning and question your own reality? To wonder if something finally snapped in your mind and you made everything up?”

“I can only imagine…”

“And you did that to me! You! And why? To make me think I never met Tyler? What could you possibly gain from that?”