Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 88220 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88220 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
“I wish he had woken,” Carter said my thoughts out loud.
“The illness has taken a toll.” The voice of Dr. Well’s drew my attention. “He’s breathing on his own, which is remarkable from where he’s been. Recovery will take time. We’ll continue to monitor him…”
Carter slid a reassuring hand over my back as he moved away from the bed to speak in hushed tones. Better. I only wanted to focus on Dash.
“Here, take a seat,” the nurse, whose name I didn’t remember, pushed a heavy vinyl recliner close to Dash’s bed. I’d been awake for over thirty hours. The seat was greatly appreciated.
“Thank you,” I murmured and sat. I released Dash’s hand only long enough to slide it through one of the openings in the guardrail for better access.
“They’re encouraged for your husband,” she said, speaking softly. “The recovery’s going to take time. Be patient.”
“That’s fine,” I said my truth. “Whatever it takes.”
My mom came through the room’s door, wearing all the protective kit. “How’s he doing?”
“Breathing on his own,” Carter said, relief evident in his tone.
I glanced over my shoulder, caught my mom’s eye, and she came to me.
“Son, I’m sorry you had to come home to this,” she said, pain lacing each syllable. She reached around me for a tight side hug.
“I should’ve never left. I had all sorts of bad feelin’s. How’s Amelia holdin’ up? She doesn’t like the hospital. It has to be hard on her,” I asked.
“She’s a mess,” my mom said, pulling up another smaller chair. “She’s cleaned your house thoroughly from top to bottom. She’s also made you tamales, saying they’re your favorite.” My mom pointed to the rolling tray that had been pushed aside, and my stomach instantly growled. “Shouldn’t you be wearing protective wear?”
I shook my head no. “If Amelia and the girls didn’t get sick, and if you and Carter, especially Carter because he’s been here twenty-four seven, haven’t gotten sick, I suspect he’s not contagious. They didn’t give me grief about the decision to go without. But you keep it on. If I’m wrong, you’re going back to my kids and I don’t want them anywhere near this. Where’s Kailey?”
“She’s in Sea Springs with us, doing online classes. We’re staying on the third floor. You made it a nice suite for Amelia. It’s been easy to transition from Virginia to here. Kailey’s sleeping in the girls’ bedroom at night. They adore each other. Amelia sent me with a video of West belly-scooting across the floor.” My mom’s hand caressed over Dash’s calf as she babbled about all the important things to me. “Did the nurse say that Dash has a long road to recovery?”
“I didn’t pay a lot of attention because he’s gotta wake up first. As soon as he can get home, we need to make it happen. He’ll recover faster with Amelia and the kids there,” I said. I was fucking tired. After a few hours’ sleep, maybe I could think like a normal person. “I have some money saved. Maybe the hospital has contractors that can help make our house more user-friendly for Dash. If that’s even a thing.”
“Most likely. Scott told me to tell you he’s got everything covered and to not worry about anything. He and Lauren have been helping Amelia and Belle. Lauren’s keeping the kids occupied. They’re all in a karate class now. There’s so many of them between the two families that they formed their own class. Kailey’s been involved too,” my mom explained.
“How’s Livie doin’ in karate?” I absolutely couldn’t picture her participating.
“She brings a notebook and draws the moves so everyone can practice them at home. She was kicked one time and decided against joining directly in the training again.” I grinned, easily seeing everything my mom described. “Mia’s a natural. Ava has a hard time with the discipline required. She’s always ready to pound her opponents. She takes as good as she gives.”
I nodded. Exactly what I thought would happen. “Mom, I don’t want to leave here until he does. Should I call home and talk to them, or wait since they think I’m out of town? What’s better for them?” I asked. The question caused a rawness inside me. I wanted to see my girls, but I couldn’t leave Dash while he wasn’t able to care for himself.
We stared at one another, clearly neither of us knew the right answer. The chance of Dash waking and jumping from the bed ready to go home was growing smaller by the second.
“I say tell them the truth,” the nurse interjected. “You know your children better than I do, but from what I’ve seen, they tend to act out when they know something’s not right, but can’t find the answers. You can’t go wrong with the truth.”
“They’re pretty protected children,” I said to my mom. “We don’t want ’em to learn to be bad. So I’ll call this evenin’ after dinner, but before bed.”