“Oh my God,” she says as her breath catches.

My parents are out of town and Evelyn is sick. It’s our anniversary, so I had to do something special. I bought a hundred candles and lit them all over the bathroom. I also bought bubbles and calming crap for her.

“Happy Anniversary baby. I had to do something even though you’re sick. We had to celebrate somehow. I figured I would take care of you.”

Her sweet laugh turns into a cough and I frown.

“Time to take a bath by candle light, babe.” I gesture her into the tub.

“It’s so beautiful Tristan. Thank you. You’re always taking care of me,” she sighs, taking off her shirt.

“It’s my job,” I croak.

Damn, even though I know she’s sick, I still want her so bad.

She strips completely down and gets into the warm bubble bath. Slowly killing me, she smiles and gathering bubbles in her hand, she blows them at me.

“Damn tease.”

“You know it,” she giggles. She stops and looks me directly in the eyes with a serious face. “I love you.”

She is so serious and it causes my chest to tighten. I know she loves me, but damn if I don’t like hearing it.

“I love you too baby.”

I wake up in a hospital bed with my clothes still on.

What the hell?

I look around and spot Drake, Shawn, Kyle and Adella sitting along the wall.

“Why am I in a hospital bed?”

Drake gets up and walks over to me as I swing my legs over the edge.

“You had a panic attack and passed out.”

“What’s going on with Ev? Why aren’t you with her?”

Drake looks back at the others and grunts. “Her parents are here,” is all he says and that explains it all.

“Well, what’s going on?”

“Her father wanted to wait until you were awake to tell us. Guess he didn’t want to repeat himself.”

That is bullshit. I fly out of the room as quick as I can with all four of them on my tail. I reach the nurse’s station and she points me to Ev’s room. I am not prepared for what I am about to see. Evelyn is lying completely still, with monitors attached to her chest and arms. I hear a gasp escape my throat.

“It’s not as bad as it looks,” says a stern voice from the side of me.

I look over and see Mr. Beaumont. “Not as bad as it looks?” Is he serious right now?

“Shush, she’s asleep. And yes, it is not as bad as it looks. Follow me.” He gestures us out of the room right as the others get here.

“Hello Mr. Beaumont,” Drake grunts.

“Hello Drake. I know it looks bad, but she is just sleeping. They finally got her fever down. Right now, they are just monitoring her vitals. Her test results should be here shortly, and her own doctor is on the way here as well. I’m flying him in.”

I already know this, but I nod and look back in the doorway at my baby laying there. Tears well up in my eyes and I try to blink them away. I am not very successful.

“Oh Tristan, she’s been through this before. She is so strong. Don’t get upset yet, when we still don’t know anything,” Adella whispers.

Evelyn’s dad looks over at Adella. “Who are you?”

Adella spears him with a look that says ‘I dare you to mess with me’. “I’m Adella, her roommate, and this is Kyle and Shawn.” She points each of the boys out.

I am not up for damn chitchat. I walk back into the room and drag a chair over to the bed. I grab Ev’s hand. It is so cold that I tenderly try to warm it by rubbing it between mine. I don’t even see Evelyn’s mother as she move towards me.

“Hello Tristan,” she hisses.

“Don’t start with me Alexandra,” I snarl back.

She grins a cheeky grin. “Touchy, touchy.”

“You lost my respect when you took Evelyn away from me.”

“Alexandra, what is Tristan going on about?”

“Nothing Stephan; don’t worry yourself with it,” she softly whispers.

“Alexandra.” he warns.

“You always make a mess of things, don’t you Tristan?” She hisses. I can feel the anger that is sparking in her eyes.

I look over at the witch and smirk.

“No, not really. I just want the truth, and obviously, we have the time. Why don’t you pull up a chair and spill it.”

16

As I slowly come to, I immediately feel Tristan’s presence in the room and his grip on my hand. He is talking to my parents. I keep my eyes closed and listen since I am too weak to do much of anything else.

“Alexandra, go ahead and take a seat. I think I would like to hear what Tristan is speaking of.” My father’s tone sends shivers down my spine. He does not seem pleased.

“Oh, did you keep your dear old husband out of the loop Alexandra?” Tristan sounds angry and I wonder what on earth he is trying to say.

“There was no need to let him know what you and Evelyn had done. We had more pressing ordeals to concern ourselves with other than protecting your feelings Tristan.”

This doesn’t sound like my mother; she sounds bitter and hateful. She was never this awful to me.

“I’m asking one more time Alexandra: what did you do this time?” my father spits out.

“Tristan got Evelyn pregnant before we left Laguna, right before she was diagnosed.”

I feel my chest tighten along with Tristan’s grip on my hand. Nothing could stop me from opening my eyes and blurting out, “What?”