She shook her head, speaking with conviction. “I’m still ahead. He is going to get better, and he is going to pole dance.”
I hooked my arm through hers. “Okay then.”
We waited, all of us anxious and silent as we shared hugs and spoke quiet words to each other. I held Chloe so Steven could comfort Caitlin. Sean kept his arm around Julie, a pillar of strength for everyone, despite the worry I saw on his face. They had each other, but the person I needed to comfort me was somewhere in this building, injured and alone. I tried to stay calm, offering brave smiles and words of encouragement. Daniel would want that.
Finally, a doctor came out and spoke to the family. Daniel’s arm was broken, three ribs were cracked, he was covered in contusions and bruises, and he was still drifting in and out of consciousness, but the tests showed no brain trauma. The air bags had saved his life, but his truck was a complete write-off.
Julie sank into Sean’s chest, tears of relief flowing down her cheeks. Caitlin pressed her face into Steven’s neck with a long, shaky exhale of air. I fought back tears, placing a kiss to Chloe’s head, breathing out my thanks.
“Can we see him?” Sean queried.
“Family only and just a short visit. He will be in and out, probably more out than anything for a while. We’ll monitor him closely.”
Julie stepped over to me, her voice firm. “Avery is family. She’s his fiancée.”
I hid my surprise at her announcement. If it meant I could go in to see him, I was fine with her small fib.
The doctor nodded. “I’ll make sure she is on the list.” He paused and regarded us all. “He looks bad. There’s lots of swelling and bruising, but I assure you
he is stable. Keep that in mind when you see him. He might be fuzzy when he’s awake, and that’s normal. He has suffered a major trauma. He’ll need a while to recover. However, I think he’s going to be fine.”
I tried to hide my tears, except it didn’t work. A huge sob of relief escaped and instantly I found myself in Julie’s tight embrace.
“He’s going to be fine, honey.”
I nodded against her shoulder. “You need to go see him.”
“We all do.”
“You go first with Caitlin and Steven. Chloe and I will wait here.” I hugged her small body closer.
They seemed to realize I wanted to see him alone, and without arguing, they went down the hall. Once they disappeared, I sat down heavily, the relief in my body making my legs shaky. I sucked in some deep breaths, all while patting Chloe’s sleeping form.
He was going to be fine. He would need time to recover, but he would recover. I said a small prayer of thanks, and waited.
When it was my turn to see Daniel, Julie came with me. Caitlin, Steven and Chloe left, Sean walking them out to their car.
He was so still when I walked in. I had to grab the bed rail for a moment as I stared at him, reminding myself he was going to be okay. His handsome face was bruised and cut from the broken glass of his windshield. His arm was encased in heavy plaster, and I knew under his hospital gown his ribs were taped. More cuts and bruises were on his arms and neck. He was hooked up to various machines, and although I knew they were for precaution more than anything, it was still a shock to see them.
As I discovered early on in our relationship, Daniel was a restless sleeper, his feet moved and his hands twitched. He often muttered in his sleep, lips pursing or frowning as he dreamed. But in the hospital bed, he was still, arms and legs unmoving. His eyes were shut, his chest rose slowly, and his face was impassive. I swallowed, trying not to cry again. Julie slipped an arm around me.
“He woke up a couple times earlier. He asked for you.”
I could only nod, trying to fight down the emotional response I was feeling.
“Go to him. He needs you.”
Hesitantly, I approached him, my hands hovering, needing to touch, to feel him, unsure where I could place them so they didn’t cause him any pain. Finally, I traced my finger over his cheek, stroking the skin on the right side, which wasn’t as bad as the left appeared to be.
Daniel rolled his head, leaning into my touch. His eyes flickered open, his gaze unfocused. He blinked, his eyes drifting shut again. One corner of his mouth curled slightly, then he became still once more.
I ghosted my lips on his cheek. “Sleep, Daniel. I’ll be here when you wake up.”
He made a noise—somewhere between a groan and a grunt, and his fingers twitched by his side. I sat down in the chair beside his bed and slid my hand into his. There was the slightest of pressure before his body relaxed.
Julie laid her hand on my shoulder. “He’s glad you’re here.”
“There isn’t anywhere else I’d be.” I cleared my throat. “And I’m not leaving until he does.”