TWENTY-SEVEN
Rip
Mrs. Harris had annoyed me in the beginning, because she seemed nosy, but really she cared, and I knew that. She always dropped off meals, always asked how we were doing, and took care of the kids when I needed her, and right now?
I needed her.
She didn’t even ask questions, just told the kids they were going to make cookies and took them into the house like nothing was wrong, then touched my arm before I was able to walk away and said it was going to be OK.
I couldn’t focus as I drove toward Mercy Grace.
The same hospital that I’d had to go to with Colby that awful day, the same hospital Colby was currently at, in critical condition.
A car accident.
Her running toward danger.
What the hell had she been thinking?
I was a numb mess as I parked in the ER lot and ran toward the double doors. Everything came back to me about that day.
Colby’d held my hand, hadn’t she?
I stopped before the doors and remembered the last time I’d stood outside this hospital.
“Hey.” Colby gripped my head with both hands. “We’re going to make it through this, we’re going to be OK because we have to be OK.”
How had I never seen how amazing she was? How she had things way more together than I ever had?
I walked through the hospital doors and went to registration, body numb. “I’m here to see Colby Summers.”
The elderly woman looked up and smiled. “Let me just see, oh yes, she just got out of surgery, she’s in—”
“S-surgery?” I blurted. “She was in surgery?”
The woman offered me a sad smile. “I’m sure her doctor can update you on her condition. She’s a very lucky girl. You’re going to just walk down the hall, take a left when you have no other option, and on the right is the ICU. The nurses there can direct you, OK? I hope she feels better soon!”
“I hope she feels better soon”?
She was in the fucking ICU!
I was out of breath as I sprinted down the hallway. Two male nurses were standing at the ICU desk, each with a clipboard in hand.
“I’m here for Colby Summers,” I blurted, eyes searching each of theirs.
“She’s in room 1107,” the younger one said. “But I should probably prepare you…”
“Prepare me?” I repeated as dread washed over me. I was too late. “Prepare me? For what?”
“She has a concussion,” the other said. “We think it’s related to the swelling around her brain, but you’re going to need to be patient with her as she regains her memories for the next few hours, possibly days. It’s hard to tell with brain injuries, but she seems to be in the clear, no internal bleeding.”
“OK,” I found myself saying, even though none of this was OK. Even though I was far from OK. I was going to lose my damn mind. How was this happening? I was just in bed with her this morning. I’d just kissed her. She’d slapped me on the ass, then tried chasing me around the room. I’d called her crazy and then we’d ended up kissing again. “Can I see her?”
The younger one moved around the counter and said, “Follow me.”
I tried to keep my head down, to keep my eyes averted because everything reminded me of being here and identifying bodies and if I didn’t compartmentalize I was going to lose my mind.
I was finally at her room, pushing the door open, when I saw her face.
It was covered in bandages, along with her head, part of her right arm, and both of her legs.
Tears filled my eyes as I moved to sit next to her.
She stirred a bit and then flashed me a doped-up smile. “Hey…” She frowned. “Where’s Monica?” Her brow furrowed. “Wait, that’s not right, is it?” Tears filled her eyes. “She’s not here…” A tear slid down her cheek. “They’re gone, aren’t they?”
I wanted to scream, then cry all over again, because the beautiful girl in front of me with her worried smile and tear-filled eyes was about to get her world thrown a second time as I confirmed her worst fears.