Chapter 33
Greyson
I’m not antisocial. I’m just not social.
~ Bill Watterson
The Emergency Room at Waterford Regional Hospital is small, but full. I’ve been here for a few hours, mainly for smoke inhalation and observation. My broken leg has been splinted until the swelling decreases. The doctor enters my cubicle, taking a glance at Hallie and then me.
She hasn’t left my side since we got in the ambulance except for one five-minute stretch when she took the stack of clothes Dustin brought her into the restroom to change. And she stayed here in this cordoned-off room with a curtain dividing it from the rest of the ER when they took me for X-rays.
She looks tired, but she’s keeping up a positive front for my sake.
“You’re one lucky man, Greyson,” the doctor says.
“The break was clean—a non-displaced tibia fracture.” He smiles warmly as if I just won the lottery.
“I am admitting you for continued observation. The leg will be casted after we see swelling go down. I primarily want to keep an eye on your breathing overnight. Mainly, we want to assure you haven’t had excessive carbon monoxide exposure.
If all goes well, you can blow this popsicle stand sometime tomorrow. ”
I nod. “Thank you.”
“Okay. Well, they’ll be down here to get you checked into your room shortly. Any questions?”
“No. Thanks.”
“You’re a hero. That boy owes you his life,” he adds. And with that, he turns and walks out.
My phone rings. Hallie picks it up off the tray next to my bed and hands it to me.
I look at the screen. Mom.
“Greyson?” Mom’s voice is anxious. “Your dad’s on the line too. Are you alright? Cody called us to tell us what happened.”
“Yeah. I’m fine. Broken leg. Some smoke inhalation. They’re keeping me to make sure I can breathe.”
I cough, wishing I could suppress it while I’m talking with them. They’re bound to worry.
“Don’t worry, Mom,” I add.
“I worry, Greyson. It’s my job to worry. Who else will worry about you?”
I glance at Hallie. She will. I put her through this. Her usual bright expression has been replaced with furrows in her forehead. Her face is sallow. She needs sleep. The adrenaline crash hit a few hours ago. But she refuses to leave my side.
“I’m really fine. We got the boy out of the fire. I sustained a minor injury. It comes with the territory.”
Dad speaks up, “We’re coming up to see you, son.”
“No, Dad. That’s not necessary. Wait until I’m out of the hospital at least. They said I’ll be out in a day. This is all just protocol to make sure I’m breathing well enough. I’m fine.”
“I’m already loading the car with tumblers of water,” Mom says.
They’re coming. No stopping them at this point. They don’t know about Hallie. I’d better give everyone a heads-up.
“I have a …” I look at her. I’m about to say friend, but she’s so much more than that. “Woman in my life. She’s here.”
“What?” Mom’s tone has shifted from concern to dreamy. “A woman? Greyson. We didn’t know.”
“How would you? It’s … new.”
I look at Hallie, hoping she isn’t offended.
She smiles softly.
“Anyway, she’s got a daughter, so we’ve been keeping things quiet for now.”
“A daughter?” Mom says, she’s escalated to double dreamy.
“I hope you’re the one driving, Dad.”
Dad chuckles. “Your mother could float to Waterford.”
“Will she be there? Can we meet her?”
I look at Hallie. I want to send her home to rest—to care for herself and Mia. The two of them shouldn’t pay the price for my injury.
“I don’t know what the plan is yet. I’m just being admitted and then we’ll go from there.”
“Okay,” Mom says, her excitement evident even in that one word. “Well, if not today, then we’ll meet her sometime.”
I don’t answer her. Awareness of my impact on Hallie and Mia is taking me over like the spread of a virus. A heavy weight drops into my chest and my throat constricts.
I can’t be the one to hurt them.
All along, I thought Hallie was being responsible, but I had flashes of questioning her.
She kept talking about the risk of me not being there for them.
In my arrogance, I thought she was being overly cautious based on her history with her ex.
I’m not him. That’s what I’d tell myself.
In time, she’ll see how different I am. I’ll never leave her.
I’d never hurt or abandon Mia. But now, I see.
It’s not only a matter of my loyalty. I could be injured and they’d both lose me.
I could be the one to wreck them, regardless of my intentions to keep them protected.
“Are you okay?” Hallie whispers to me, her hand clasping mine and squeezing gently.
I nod. But I’m not okay. I’ll get through the aftermath of smoke inhalation. My leg will heal.
But I can’t promise her forever. I can’t even promise her past the next fire.
Mom’s talking. “Greyson, we know you’re fine. I just want to see it with my own eyes.”
“Okay,” I relent. “I’ll see you in a few hours.”
“Love you, son,” Dad says.
“Love you so much,” Mom adds.
“Love you too,” I say.
We hang up. “My parents,” I tell her.
Hallie nods.
“They’re coming up.”
“Do you want me to go?” she asks.
“You look tired. And Mia needs you.”
“Mia has Mom and Avery. I’d still be at work. I can sleep later.”
She doesn’t want to leave me. I get it. I’d be the same if it were her in this hospital bed. They’d have to get a PET Team to haul me out kicking and thrashing. I’d stay with her no matter what.
I answer her with the answer I know she needs right now. It’s full of truth, despite the fact that I know I should try to make her go take care of herself.
“I want you here, Hallie. Unless you need to go. Promise me you’ll tell me if you need to leave.”
“I promise. I want to be with you, though.”
“Okay.” I give her hand a soft squeeze.
She pulls her chair closer and tilts her head so it’s on my shoulder.
I reach my hand up—the one with the IV in it—and run it down her hair.
I almost say I love you. The words are on my tongue like runners at their mark, poised and ready.
I don’t say anything. I can’t.
Hallie sighs when I run my hand down her hair again.
“Cody gave me the rest of the morning off,” she says. “And I’d be here even if he didn’t.”
“I’m not going to be great company with the pain meds they just gave me.”
“You’re the best company,” she says. “My favorite company on earth.”
About an hour later, a nurse and an orderly come into the cubicle. Hallie’s head is still resting on my bed. She’s breathing softly—dozing on and off. The nurse takes my vitals and then the orderly unlocks my bed.
“Ready for your tour of Waterford Regional?” he asks. “I’ll be your guide today. We’ll be passing through the ER and heading to the elevator banks. Then we’ll get a close-up glimpse of the nurse’s station and finish your grand tour in a room with a view.”
“Sounds good,” I say.
“Your wife can grab your personal effects,” he says.
Neither Hallie nor I correct him.
My wife. That was my plan. Eventually we’d tell Mia we’re dating. Then, when Mia seemed to have adjusted to the idea and the time was right, I was going to propose. If Hallie wanted to keep the house in town, I’d sell my property. If they wanted to move out here with me, we could end her lease.
Now, I don’t know if I was being shortsighted and selfish with those dreams. How can I ask them to be with me when there’s a strong chance I could be injured any given day—taken from them without notice?
My eyelids droop from exhaustion—maybe from the meds too. The pain in my leg is subsiding a bit.
I glance over at Hallie. “You’re beautiful.”
She giggles lightly. “Am I?”
“Soooo beautiful.” My voice sounds far away to my own ears.
I look at the orderly. “And you’re funny.”
“I do my best. It’s comedy central over here. And you are on pain meds, so you’re an easy audience.”
“I’m totally not,” I tell him. “I’m really, really grumpy. Like a grizzly bear. Tell him, Hallie.”
“He is. Grumpiest man in town.”
For some reason, I laugh. Then I growl.
She laughs. “Greyson, I think I should film you.”
“Film me?” I ask. “Because you want to look at my chiseled jawline when I’m not around?”
She laughs again.
The orderly does too. “I think you might be our headliner at the Waterford Regional Comedy Club.”
“Nahhh,” I say, my tongue feeling weird when I speak. “I’m not funny. But you know who has talent? Dustin. That guy can sing.”
“Dustin Reed?”
“Yeah!” I shout. “Do you know him?”
“I saw him perform at the Fork & Fiddle a few months back.”
“Dude can sing,” I say.
Hallie laughs again.
“You think I’m funny,” I tell her. “But I’m not as perfect as you are, Hallie. You’re perfect. And beautiful. And I love you so much it hurts sometimes. But it doesn’t hurt too bad. Don’t worry about me.”
The orderly looks at Hallie. “Truth serum. That’s what the meds are to some people. If you want to dig into his secrets, now’s your chance.”
“I’m good,” Hallie says, smiling warmly at me.
She smells so sweet when she leans close to me and says, “I’m madly in love with you, Greyson.”
“That’s dangerous,” I warn her. “Very dangerous.”
“I’ll take my chances,” she says. A tear forms in her eye and I wipe it.
“Well, here we are. Elevator banks.” The orderly says, “Going up.”
“Up! Up! Up!” I shout.
Hallie and the orderly laugh.
“You guys keep laughing at me.”
“Because you’re funny,” Hallie says, smoothing my hair out of my face.
“You can do that again,” I tell her. “I like when you touch my hair.”
“Keep it PG, folks,” the orderly says, pushing me into the elevator.
“It’s PG,” I tell the orderly. “She’s got a daughter. Mia’s the best player on my team. I’m so proud of her.”
Hallie’s smile widens. I need to stop talking. But more words come.
“I think I love her too.”
Hallie’s eyes water.
“Does that make you sad?” I ask Hallie.
“No, Greyson. It makes me very happy.”