Teaching My Bookworm Stepsister

!!! *** WARNING! CHAPTER CONTAINS MATERIAL THAT SOME READERS MAY FIND DISTRESSING! SUCH AS TALK OF MISCARRIAGE, CAR ACCIDENTS, AND DEATH! READER DISCRETION IS ADVISED! *** !!!

Kapri's P.O.V.

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I heard the sound of monitors beeping before I opened my eyes. What is that? It sounds like a hospital mon-

My eyes snapped open as everything came back to me. Dale kidnapping me. Darby. The motels. Me jumping out of the moving car. Running to the gas station.

When my eyes snapped open, I immediately tried to sit up. Only to fall back and groan when a sharp pain shot through my head.

"Don't sit up too quickly."

I know that voice.

My eyes snapped up to see Mom hovering over me. She has worried eyes, but a small smile on her face.

"M-mom?" I squeaked out.

"Let me get you some water." She said as she reached for a cup on the table next to me.

Mom brought the straw to my lips, and I greedily sucked down the water.

"Better?" She asked.

I nodded.

"How are you feeling?" Mom asked.

"I.. Sore." I admitted. "What happened Mom? After I passed out? Did they get Dale? Is Darby okay?" I asked.

Mom averted her eyes.

"After you passed out, you were brought here. You lost a lot of blood. You looked a lot more beat up than you do now. Your left wrist is broken, you have four broken ribs, and a fractured ankle. You've been asleep for five days." She told me. My eyes widened.

"Five days?!" I asked incredulously.

Mom nodded.

Five days? I've been out of it for five whole days?

"W-where is Maverick? And Liam? And the twins? Is everyone okay? Is Brooke okay?" I rushed out.

Mom nodded again.

"Everyone is here actually. Somewhere around the hospital. It's.. been difficult to watch you not move in this bed." She told me. "I noticed you asked for Maverick first." She added.

I felt heat rise in my cheeks.

"I-I.." I trailed off. "Mom.. I have to tell you something." I admitted.

Mom placed her hand o mine.

"Maverick already told me everything sugarnut." She said. "I suspected something was happening anyway. The two of you were so obvious with your feelings. Even as kids." She said.

I rolled my eyes, and Mom laughed.

"So, you're not.. I don't know.. This isn't weird to you?" I asked her.

Mom shrugged.

"It might be a little strange, but.. I kind of had a feeling that you and Maverick would end up together. I think I first came to that conclusion when you started taking him three juice boxes to the park and telling him that I told him he had to drink all of them to grow big and strong." She said with a small laugh.

I smiled as my face heated up.

"I didn't want him to think that I liked him," I mumbled.

Mom snorted.

"I knew the two of you would find your way eventually," She said. "I wish you would have told me about it sooner though. You know I would never be upset with you for falling in love." I smiled.

"I do love him. A lot. He's a total jerk and super annoying, but.. He also cares a lot about me, and he can be so cute," I said.

Mom smiled back at me.

"I'm so glad you're okay." She said.

My smile faltered.

"You didn't answer my other questions." I said. "Mom.. what happened to Dale and Darby? Please don't tell me they arrested Darby. She was innocent Mom. He was threatening her-" "Calm down." Mom interrupted me. "Darby.. hasn't been arrested."

"Then where is she? Can I see her?" I asked. "I have to tell her I'm sorry for running. I just.. I couldn't think of anything else to do."

Tears filled Mom's eyes. She gave me a tight smile. My gut twisted in knots.

"Kapri, honey, the police had figured out where you were headed before you jumped out of that car. There were several police officers waiting at the boarders of Canada. When.. Dale.. realized there was no way out.. He.. Well, he purposely crashed the car into a toll booth. He died instantly. Darby was rushed here. She.. Honey, I am so sorry to tell you this, but she died during surgery." Mom said.

I shook my head as tears filled my eyes.

"No.." I said. "That's.. No. That can't be real. I.. I promised her that everything would be okay." I said.

"Honey-"

"No! That can't be how things end for her! That's not fair!" I shouted.

The monitors in the room started to go crazy. A couple of nurses rushed into the room. Mom stood up to get out of their way.

"You need to calm down." One of the nurses said to me.

"I.. I.. I.."

I'm trying, but.. How can I just calm down? I promised Darby everything would work out. I.. left her..

"This is all my fault." I blubbered.

"Give her a sedative." One of the nurses said to the other.

Less than two minutes later, my body slumped. Tears still rolled down my cheeks, but everything else was.. calm. The nurses checked over my vitals before stepping out of the room.

Right as they walked out, Maverick walked in. His eyes landed on me, and he froze in his spot. My tears grew worse as he stared at me.

I couldn't bring myself to say anything, so I opened my arms hoping Maverick would understand.

Maverick dropped the bag of chips in his hand, and rushed over to me. He scooped me up into his arms, and I clung to him as I sobbed. Maverick just ran his hand through my hair, and kissed my head.

"I.. This is all my fault.. Darby is dead, and it's all my fault." I sobbed.

"No," Maverick said. "This is all Dale's fault. Not yours, Kapri. You did what you had to do. You did good. You were so brave and strong. What happened is not your fault."

"I.. I told her everything would be fine, and I abandoned her." I blubbered.

Maverick kissed my head again.

"No. You were trying to help her, Kap. She knew that. Your doctor was the one that treated her as well. She asked about you when she was rushed in here. She wanted to make sure you were safe too, baby. She didn't blame you for anything, and you shouldn't either." He said.

I couldn't bring myself to say anything else. Part of me knows that Maverick is telling the truth. I know this wasn't my fault. I could drown in the 'what ifs' of the situation. Still, I lost my sister. A sister I just found out about.

So, I cried for her. I cried for a long time. When I was finally done, I just clung to Maverick, seeking his comfort.

"I'm going to go find everyone and let them know you're awake." Mom said.

"Thank you." I told her as I pulled away from Maverick.

Maverick sat on my bed, and I moved my legs to make more room for him.

"I'm going to be crippled for graduation." I grumbled.

"I'll carry you across the stage," Maverick offered.

"Maverick.." I said softly. "Do you.. Did the doctor say anything.. else about me?" I asked.

I haven't had the chance to think about the baby. I really didn't want to ask Mom. Since she didn't offer the information, I figured that she must not know.

Maverick gave me a pained look.

"I know about.. the pregnancy." He told me. "Brooke told me before the doctor mentioned anything." "She did?" I asked.

"She thought I deserved to know that both my girlfriend and my unborn child were missing," he said. "S-so.. Is it okay?" I asked.

Maverick looked away for a moment. He turned his body towards me, and grabbed my hands. Then he looked deep into my eyes.

"Kapri Lynn Lanza, I am deeply in love with you." He started. "I can't wait to live with you while we go through our college years. I can't wait to see the surprised look on your face when I inevitably ask you to marry me. I'm impatiently waiting to hear you scream yes, and jump into my arms. I can't wait to see you waddling around with an enormous pregnant belly. And I can't wait to have a million kids with you." He said.

I smiled at him.

"But all of that is going to have to wait," he said.

"What?" I asked.

"Kapri.. Baby, you.. You had a miscarriage.. You lost the baby.." He told me gently.

It felt like a cold bucket of water was thrown on me. My whole world shattered. I started to shake my head.

"I know that you're upset baby. I am too. Everything that you've been through over the last week... Even before that.. I'm so sorry Kapri. I don't know how to fix this for you. I don't know what to say or do. I just.. I'm so sorry baby," he said.

Maverick wiped my tears as they fell from my eyes.

"H-how did you feel.. when Brooke told you?" I asked him.

"Honestly.. I was more concerned about where you were at that moment. I thought about it a lot while you were gone though. I was scared, but excited. We created a life together. Something that would have always kept us tied together forever." He told me. "Brooke and Megan said you'd feel that way," I said with a hollow chuckle.

Maverick grabbed my face, and leaned his head onto mine.

"One day, I will give you as many babies as you want. We can have 20 if that's what you want," he said.

I pushed my fingers in Maverick's hair. I can't imagine how hard this past week has been for him. I went missing. He found out we were going to have a baby. I was gone for two days. I was pretty beaten up when they found me. Then I didn't wake up for five days. I'm sure that was hard for him.

I'm safe now though. My father is dead. Unfortunately, I lost my sister as well as my baby. But now i have a brighter future. I have to keep moving forward. Thankfully, I'm not alone.

"So," I snifffled. "You're going to propose to me?"