THE CHILLED NIGHT AIR AT KODI'S FACE AS TEARS STREAMED DOWN HER CHEEKS... Her heart ached, ripped in two by the reality of her situation.
She was married now, a baby on the way, and she had to let go of Phillip Gallagher. It felt like a betrayal, a wrenching decision she had made for the sake of her future.
As she crossed the street, her phone buzzed in her pocket. Seeing it was Lip, she answered hesitantly.
“What is it, Lip?” she choked out, her voice laced with sorrow.
“I just need you to know, one day, someday, you’ll be mine,” Lip said, his voice resolute and filled with unwavering devotion. “I adore you, Kodi.” Kodi's heart skipped a beat. She couldn't deny her love for him, the way she still held on to a sliver of hope that someday, their paths would cross again.
But before she could respond, the world dissolved into chaos.
A loud screech of brakes, the sickening thud of impact, and then a deafening silence. As she stumbled back, her eyes widening in horror, she saw a blur of movement, a flash of red, and a pair of legs sprawled on the asphalt.
It was then that everything went dark.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
••
The sounds of muffled sobs, the frantic shouts of panicked voices, a blur of faces, all of them contorted with despair, rose up to greet Kodi as she slowly regained consciousness. A throbbing pain in her head, a searing pain in her leg, and a wave of nausea washed over her.
“Kodi, Kodi...' Lip’s voice, both frantic and heartbroken, resonated above the noise, pulling her back from the darkness.
Opening her eyes, she saw Lip cradling her head, tears streaming down his face. Karen stood nearby, her face pale and her eyes wide with worry.
“What... what happened?” Lip's voice barely a breath.
“She got hit by a car, Lip” Karen said, her voice shaking. 'The ambulance is on its way.” Lip's hand tightened on her, a wave of fear washing over her as he realized the extent of her injuries.
“Don't... don't leave me, Kodi,” Lip pleaded, burying his face in her hair. “You can't leave me. You have to be okay.”
“I’m… I’m here, Lip,” Kodi managed to say, her voice weak.
She felt a new pang of guilt, a terrible fear of what might be.
The car accident. The pain. Would she ever be able to walk again?
Would she ever be able to hold her child?
Could she even survive this?
And then, she looked into Lip's eyes, the raw emotion in them reflecting her own pain and uncertainty. He loved her. He needed her. Malakai needed her.. The realization was a bittersweet comfort, a ray of light in the darkness.. Malakai?
“Kai... I need to see him,”Kodi whispered, her voice weak.
“He's coming,” Karen whispered, her eyes fixed on the road, searching for a glimpse of the approaching ambulance. Lip looked into her eyes, his heart torn apart by the sight of the woman he loved, lying there, injured and vulnerable. He knew, in that moment, that he would do anything, give anything, to make sure she was alright.
“Kodi, you'll be okay,” he said, his voice hoarse with emotion. “You have to be okay. We need you.” The sirens wailed in the distance, drawing closer, a beacon of hope in the face of fear.
And as Kodi closed her eyes, she whispered a prayer, a plea for strength, for survival.
