“Elaina, open the door!” Nick yelled.
“Where is Henry?”
“Open the fucking door now!” I nodded at Claire. I had the axe, Nate covered me with his Sig. Claire opened the door, and I dropped the axe when I saw Nick carrying Henry over his shoulder. He looked to be unconscious. I couldn’t speak. I looked at Claire.
“What happened to him?” She was my voice in the moment because, apparently, I had lost mine. Claire grabbed my hand as she spoke. Nick was walking him back to the bedroom with quick, long strides.
“He flew backward from the explosion, and I think he hit his head. He’s knocked out.” Nick laid Henry down on the bed. In shock, I stood in the doorway and watched Claire check his pulse and breathing.
“He seems to sound okay. Elaina, go get a wet cloth. Like Nick said, I think he’s just knocked out.” I turned around and went into the master bathroom.
Claire’s father was a doctor and she assisted him in his practice many times. She had aspired to be a doctor but, sadly, after both of her parents died in a car accident a few years prior to the outbreak, she gave up her aspirations and changed her major to study early childhood education.
Claire still had never spoken about it. I don’t think she wanted to believe that it had happened. She visited their home on a regular basis: watering flowers, tidying up the yard. She never went inside of the house, though.
When I came back, the hooker was sitting next to him on the bed, stroking his hair. I handed Claire the cloth. The next thing I did wasn’t exactly the best decision in my life, but I jumped up on the bed and grabbed the hooker by her vest, which tore. Oops.
“You bitch! What the fuck is wrong with you? You could have killed him!” I had her pinned down, my knees on her shoulders and my hand around her throat. “And you laugh at the door, instead of telling us it was urgent?”
I was choking her. I felt like a rabid animal. Nick jumped on me and pulled me off of her. “Let go of me!” I flailed around, trying to get free. “She could have fucking killed him!”
“Elaina, calm down. Please. You have to calm down.” Nick held me until I gave up. I started crying, then the hooker got in my face.
“Listen, you little piece of shit. Do that again, and you will be undead food. Got it?” She tried to adjust her vest so it stayed together.
“Leave her alone, Sophie.” When Henry spoke, he was a bit raspy.
“Henry!” I yelled. Nick let me go and I ran to him. “Henry, are you okay?”
“My head hurts a bit, but I think I’ll be fine. I’ve had worse head injuries.” He smirked. I latched onto him.
“I thought you were dead.” I laid my head on his chest and listened to his heartbeat, just to be sure. He was cool to the touch, like usual. I kept repeating myself. Henry rubbed my back while I held onto him.
“It’s okay, love. I’m fine.” He consoled me while I broke down.
“I thought I lost you…”
“You could never get rid of me that easily. You’re stuck with me forever.” He looked down and smiled at me.
I realized at that moment that it didn’t matter if he was Henry, Liam, or Luke. I still loved him. I was hopelessly lost in the world, and he was the only one who could keep me from running in circles.
“Henry, I want to get married.”
“I know, love. As do I. I promise you, hell or high water, we will get married.” I nodded at him while the tears ran down my face. I was a little embarrassed that everyone saw me in such a weak state. Claire sensed my discomfort.
“Come on. Let’s leave the two love birds alone for a bit.” Claire ushered everyone out and she closed the door behind them. I could hear them talking, while Henry and I lay there quietly holding each other. I don’t think I have ever loved him more before that moment. He played with my hair, like he always did. It was such a soothing feeling for me.
“I love you, Luke…Liam…Henry…whatever the fuck your name is,” I whispered to him.
“I love you, too, soon to be Mrs. Richards-Daniels.” We both let out some quiet chuckles. I nuzzled his nose and gave him a peck on the lips. He groaned a little from the pain.
“Can I get you anything?”
“Hmmm...how about some water? And some aspirin. My head is pounding.”
“I will be right back.” Thankfully, the sun was almost fully up, and I didn’t kill myself tripping over stuff.
I got out to the kitchen, and the others were sitting at the breakfast bar, making plans. “I don’t think you should be making plans without Henry.”
The hooker sighed. “I’m in charge while Henry is down.”