Too Late To Love Me I Already Left With His Twins (Lydia and Dave) novel Chapter 269

Dave POV

Anna took a moment before answering. “She was hurt enough that she needed surgery.”

“Is she still hurt?”

“Yes.”

“Is she in pain?”

“I don’t know yet.”

“But she’s awake now,” Eli said.

“Yes.”

“So she can tell us if she’s in pain?”

“Hopefully, yes. If she’s able to talk.”

That answer seemed to frighten Ava a little. “What if she can’t talk?”

Anna looked at her through the mirror. “Then we’ll be patient with her. We don’t know exactly what her condition is yet, okay?”

“Will she have machines around her?”

“Probably some medical equipment.”

“What kind?”

“I don’t know exactly.”

“Oxygen?”

“Maybe.”

“Bandages?”

“Possibly.”

“Will she look scary?”

That question made Anna’s expression change.

“No,” she said immediately, though her voice softened afterward. “She might look tired. She might have some injuries or medical equipment around her, but she’s still your mom. Don’t let the hospital make you forget that.”

Ava nodded slowly.

Eli was quiet for a few seconds before asking the question none of us wanted to hear again.

“Did Mom almost die?”

Anna’s hands tightened slightly around the steering wheel.

“Yes,” she eventually said.

Silence filled the SUV.

Ava’s face dropped.

“She could have died?”

“Yes.”

“But she didn’t,” Eli said quickly.

“No,” Anna replied. “She didn’t.”

“And now she’s awake?”

“Yes.”

“So she’s okay?”

Anna hesitated, and I knew exactly why.

“Being awake is a very good sign,” she said carefully, “but she still needs medical care. I don’t know exactly how she’s doing right now. The doctor will tell us more when we get there.”

Eli nodded, but then he seemed to think of another question. “Can she eat?”

“I don’t know.”

“Can she drink water?”

“I don’t know.”

“Can she walk?”

“I don’t know.”

“Can she—”

“Eli,” Anna interrupted with a laugh, “you’re going to make me call the doctor before we even get to the hospital.”

“But I want to know.”

“I know.”

Her voice became softer. “And that’s okay. You can ask all these questions. That’s what adults are here for. But right now, the only thing we know for certain is that your mom is awake. So let’s hold on to that.”

I stared out the window while they continued talking behind me, but my mind had already left the car.

Lydia was awake.

My Lydia was awake.

That was all I could think about.

When we finally pulled into the hospital parking lot, I was out of the SUV before Anna had barely finished parking. I started walking toward the entrance at a speed that made absolutely no sense, especially considering the fact that the twins were supposed to be walking with me.

“Dad!” Eli shouted from behind me. “Slow down! We can’t catch up!”

I stopped and turned around.

They were several steps behind me, both of them trying to keep up.

I don’t know what came over me, but I walked back, bent down and lifted both of them into my arms.

“Dad!”

Ava immediately started protesting.

“Put me down!”

“Oh.”

She pointed at herself.

“That’s me.”

The nurse nodded. “Yes. The doctor would like to speak with you.”

“Oh, okay. What’s up?”

“The doctor will explain.”

Anna nodded and then turned toward the twins.

She bent down until she was at their eye level, her expression immediately softening.

“I’ll be back soon, okay?”

Both children nodded.

“But while I go speak with the doctor, you two can go to the ward and see your mom.”

Ava’s eyes widened.

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“Now?”

“Now.”

Eli immediately reached for his sister’s hand.

Anna smiled, kissed Ava on one cheek and then Eli on the other.

“Be good for me.”

“We will,” Ava promised.

Anna stood and looked at me.

“Take them there.”

I nodded.

“Okay.”

I took both their hands, and together we started walking toward the ward.

My heart was pounding so hard that I could barely hear anything around me anymore.

Because this was it.

After all the fear, the questions, the crying, the uncertainty and that horrible feeling that we might have lost her…

We were finally going to see her.

Lydia.