“Hey,” Bobby chokes, holding my hand.

From under the weight of medication I blink at him. “Bobby? Where are we?”

“You’ve been in an accident. The hospital called me. I’m your emergency contact on your insurance…ironic, huh?” Tears jump to his eyes. “I thought you were going to die!”

Mom and Dad appear in the doorway behind him. From the looks on their already worried faces they didn’t know he was here. I shake my head a little to let her know not to do anything about it. It’s so good to see them all together.

I rasp, trying to understand what’s happened, “My throat…”

Bobby glances to our parents and explains it to them as much as to me, “Glass from the window cut you. It just missed your jugular. They stitched it up…your head and arm, too. You broke two ribs.” He wilts onto my hand, bent over as his shoulders shake.

Dad rests a calming hand on his back.

Mom comes to the other side of my bed, lovingly pushing matted hair from my cheek. “We came as soon as the Senator called.”

The memory of the accident slams into my drugged haze. “Gabriel,” I choke, terrified.

Dad says, “I don’t know if you still call him Senator when he’s no longer in office.”

“Oh who cares,” Mom mutters.

“GABRIEL! Is he…”

“He’s alive,” Bobby says, gripping my hand tightly to reassure me. “He’s okay, but the hospital is surrounded with fans and reporters. His family has gotten into some fights with them, protecting him. It’s crazy out there.”

“What they made us go through to prove we were your parents,” Mom mutters.

“I need to see him!” I try to get up but Mom and Bobby hold me back. “Let me go! I need to see him!”

“Can you give us a minute?” a deep voice says. We all look over to find Justin Cocker standing in the doorway, his jaw tight. “I’d like to talk to Paige alone.”

My dad doesn’t like the look on his face and, just like he was argumentative about calling Mr. Cocker a Senator, his spine protectively straightens again. “Why do you need to? How’d you know our number anyway?”

“Stephen!” Mom cries out.

But Dad isn’t going to let her steamroll him this time. He locks eyes with her. “Elaine, Paige is hurt and this guy doesn’t look friendly to me.” He turns to Mr. Cocker and snaps, “I’m sure you’re used to getting your way but I’m not letting you near my daughter until I know more about you, understand?”

Ice-green eyes narrow as Mr. Cocker slides his hands into his suit pockets. He’s about to speak when a beautiful, older, raven-haired woman appears and touches his shoulder with love. She must be Gabriel’s mom. That’s where he got the striking dark hair and that brown streak in his eye. “Justin, what are you doing?”

He glances to her. “Jaimes…”

“No,” she gently whispers, squeezing his hand and grazing over my parents and brother before settling on me. She walks passed her husband. “I’m Jaimie Cocker. You must be Paige,” she smiles, and glances to my family. “And you are?”

They each introduce themselves and shake her hand. It obvious she’s a politician’s wife because her poise stills the room.

I can’t stop staring at her. I’ve heard so many wonderful things about his parents and seeing them here without Gabriel by my side brings so many emotions in me that tears are sliding down my cheeks because I feel it all coming to an end. “Please don’t tear us apart,” I whisper before I even know I’m doing it.

Mrs. Cocker’s face contorts with emotion. Bobby lets go of my hand and steps aside so she can stand closer to me because she wordlessly told him this is where she needs to be. Gentle fingers float down to rest on mine. “Sweet, sweet girl, I wouldn’t do that to my son.”

Mom is blindsided. “Paige, why would Mrs. Cocker try to do that? I’m sorry, but I don’t understand what’s going on.”

Bobby chokes, “Because of me, Mom.” He crashes out of the room and Mr. Cocker has to step aside to let him go.

Realizing that they haven’t been told everything, my father demands, “What is going on!?”

Mr. Cocker exhales like he doesn’t want to do this, but will anyway. “I bailed your son out of a bad situation. I’m not sure if you know about his gambling addiction.”

Dad looks at Mom, but doesn’t betray her secret. She’s paid enough. “We know.”

“He stole a debit card from Paige’s friend and we got the money back, but it was a dangerous situation for everyone as you can imagine. I thought she was dating my nephew, not my son. I don’t want…”

Mrs. Cocker interrupts him, “What my husband is worried about is the mental and financial well being of our son. I’m sorry to be so blunt, but you are intelligent people and you can see he’s upset. I don’t want you struggling to guess why. It’s better to simply talk about these things. I wasn’t raised in the South where everything is underlying and unspoken. In Boston we say what’s on our minds. I think that’s best so that everyone is aware what we’re dealing with and can get past it.”

Mom defensively snaps, “Paige should not be punished for her brother’s problems. She’s a sweetheart who has never done anything illegal in her life!”

Dad adds, “There is no better girl than my daughter!”

Mrs. Cocker inhales and touches her husband’s arm. “This is not because of Paige, I assure you. My husband’s brother was romantically involved with an addict once upon a time. If my son loves Paige, and it was made very plain to me today that he does, then I’m sure she is wonderful and I can’t wait to get to know her better, and all of you. This is my husband’s issue that he needs to see an analyst about.”

“Jaimie!”

“You do, honey. It’s time to let what happened with Jason and Bernie go. No two situations are alike and you are acting like they are.”

He glares at her, turns on his heel and leaves the room.

My father growls under his breath, “If he says a bad word about Paige I will personally kick his teeth in. Excuse me, I have to go find my son!”

He charges out of the room.

That’s the nicest thing my father has ever said.