“What a tool. Insanity is the only way he’ll be able to save her.”
“Either way, she’ll miss watching her grandbabies grow up.”
“Her loss.”
A short while later, the doctor popped his head in, letting us know her official diagnosis was acute kidney injury related to dehydration. He said he’d ordered another liter of fluid to be given, then they’d recheck her kidney function levels again to see if they’d improved. Shayne stuck around until it was time for her to leave for work, making me promise to text once we were home. Sloane began to stir a bit, once the first round of fluids was completed, though she hadn’t fully woken up. The lack of sleep hit me hard. Keeping a grip on her hand, I bent in half, laying my head on the mattress right near her hip.
Falling asleep was the last thing I wanted to do. Waking to feel Sloane combing her fingers through my hair was worth giving myself a break for the slight faux pas.
“Sunshine.” I lifted my head slowly. “You’re finally awake.”
Her eyes were tinged red and her hair was sticking out in every direction, but she’d never looked more gorgeous. From the beads of sweat dotting her forehead, I assumed her fever had broken.Thank fuck.
“Where am I?”
Unable to stay away, I moved, perching my ass on the edge of the mattress.
“At the hospital.”
“Why? What happened?”
“You scared the fuck outta me, that’s what happened.”
“Duncan,” she sighed.
I kissed the underside of her chin. “You were dehydrated. Your fever was so high I could barely get you to wake up.”
“I’m sorry.”
“What on earth are you apologizing for?”
“Worrying you. I don’t normally get––” She gasped mid-sentence, jack-knifing up in the bed. “The kids? Where are they?”
“Whoa. Take it easy.” My hands cradled her cheeks, happy to feel how much cooler they were to the touch. “Waverly and Finn are at the house. They came over so I could bring you here. Now, lie back down and rest a while longer.”
“Fine, since the sudden movement kinda made me dizzy anyway.”
“And I’m only going to let the sassiness slide because you’re sick. But when you’re feeling better, my hand would love to become reacquainted with your ass.”
“You say the sweetest things.”
Tossing my head back, I roared with laughter. “God, I love you, Sloane.”
“Love you too, Duncan, but I’d love you even more if you could bust me outta here. I want to go home.”
“Sleep a while longer. I’ll see what I can do.”
“Wait, so you mean Ralph alerted you?”
When she woke up again at the hospital, the doctor said all her kidney levels had returned to normal, so he deemed her ready for release. Finn and Waverly hung out for a while after we got home, then graciously offered to take the twins to the park, allowing us time to get settled. Sloane was currently lying on the couch in the living room, the puppy sleeping between her legs, with a mountain of pillows fluffed behind her. My only job was to cater to her every whim which, at the moment, consisted of telling her precisely how I knew she was sick.
“I wouldn’t say he alerted, per se.”
“Then what would you call it?”
“He whimpered.”
“He alerted.” She smirked, fully aware I was downplaying his part in her perceived rescue.