“No, Sleepy. You can’t tell me what you’re about to say. NO!” I yell. I don’t need his words; I can feel them already.
“It’s not good, Duke.” He sits heavily in the chair, motioning me to take the one next to him. “Three broken ribs and a punctured lung, a broken femur, and a broken arm.” I hear Caroline gasp beside me. “But he hit his head, hard, when he fell. He hasn’t woken up and his heart stopped twice on the way here.”
Broken, soul-crushing sobs come from Caroline, and she covers her mouth to try and hold them in. I want to cry with her, I want to, but I’m numb. The pain is so overwhelming I don’t even think I have the capacity to feel it anymore.
“His mama and daddy are on the way; they’ll be here in about an hour. I was waiting for them.”
We sit in silence, only interrupted by Caroline’s breathing and muffled cries. I take deep breaths, convinced that if I don’t fall apart, it will be okay. We will all be okay.
“Sleepy?” I hear Cash’s mother as she rushes into the waiting room.
“Hey, Mrs. Colter. Mr. Colter,” he says.
His mama pulls me in for a hug, causing me to lose my grip on Caroline’s hand as I’m enveloped. “Hey Duke. I’m so gladyou’re here.” She gives me a wearied look, her eyes red-rimmed from her tears.
Caroline stands and recaptures my hand, leaning heavily against me.
“Mrs. Colter, this is Caroline.” I don’t explain who she is, I don’t have the energy to decide what to say.
“Oh Callie, aren’t you Cash’s girlfriend? He told us all about you.”
Caroline’s face crumples at her words. Mrs. Colter’s gaze takes us in, standing side by side, a little closer than appropriate for me and my best friend’s girlfriend, her fingers entwined with mine. She doesn’t comment, of course, but on the other side of this, there will be questions.
“Yes, I’m Callie.” She holds out a hand for a handshake which both of Cash’s parents accept.
“I have to go meet with the doctor, but I will come right back,” Mrs. Colter says and rushes from the room.
Sitting back down in the uncomfortable chair, I feel Sleepy’s eyes on me. I raise my gaze to meet his. His steely glare volleys between me and Caroline, and I can see the thoughts swirling in his eyes. We stare at each other for a few long moments until he seems to make a decision and opens his mouth to speak.
“Okay, I spoke to the doctor.” Mrs. Colter rushes into the room before Sleepy gets out whatever thoughts he had formulated. I see him shake his head slightly, like he’s clearing away his calculations.
“Dr. Kines says most of the issues aren’t a huge deal. He needs surgery on his arm, and they are hoping to do it today. They already did an emergency repair on the lung and everything else looks good in his abdomen. He has a brain bleed which is why they are watching him so closely and why he hasn’t woken up yet, but they are hopeful.”
I reach out and squeeze her hands that are knotted in front of her. She sits heavily on a squeaky blue chair, her husband beside her. He wraps his arms around her shoulders and holds her close.
Looking at Caroline, I see relief in her eyes but also, a lot of fear.
“It’s okay, sweetheart, he’s going to be okay.” I wrap my arm around her, pulling her in and kissing the top of her head.
“I know, I can’t believe anything else. I just, dammit, Duke. Hasn’t the last month been enough?” she speaks quietly but I know the other people in the room are listening.
Lifting her chin until she’s looking me in the eye, I say, “We will be discussing where you were and why the hell you weren’t at my bar. I don’t know what happened, but we will come back to this. For now, let’s focus on Cash. He needs us.”
She nods her head slightly, her chin trembling. Leaning my forehead against hers, I whisper against her mouth, “I love you.”
Tears fill her eyes and fall silently down her face. “I love you too, Grumpy.”
“When can we see him? When does the doctor think he will be awake?” I ask the room.
Mr. Colter eyes me. “We can go in after the doctor is done in there. But I don’t think it’s a good idea for you two to be here when he wakes up. I don’t know what the hell is going on here, but Cash has made it pretty clear that he is in love with Callie,” he tells me, crossing his arms as he watches us. “I refuse to watch my son have his heart broken because his girlfriend is fooling around with his best friend while he’s unconscious.”
Caroline gasps from beside me. “Sir, it’s not?—”
“All due respect,” the look he gives her is full of zero due respect, “buckle bunnies have been chasing my son for fifteen years. I know one when I see her. And this thingwith Duke, while my son lays unconscious in the hospital, is trashy. I would like you both to leave.”
More tears run down Caroline’s face, and her breathing comes heavier as she tries to figure out what to say.
“Cash deserves better than a backstabbing best friend and a slutty girlfriend. Please leave,” Mrs. Colter whispers from beside her husband.