CHAPTER EIGHT #2
"I'll take you to the miniature golf course once you're in a boot." Lance grinned.
"It's hardly the same, but I can't complain. I'm alive. I hear several people died last night. I just don't know what happened. One minute I'm toasting Jackson, then everything is shattering around me and I'm on the floor. It all happened so quickly."
"It's like that for me as well. I heard the explosion, but I don't recall falling out of my chair or anything flying around me.
It's like one minute I'm sitting at the table and the next, I'm on the floor with everything in pieces and blood everywhere.
" Lance had tried to play it back in his mind several times, but a good chunk was missing from his memory.
"I was watching the news upstairs with Lizzy, and they are saying they still don't know the cause.
A lot of speculation, but nothing solid yet.
It destroyed several businesses in the area and damaged even more.
The arial views of the area are heartbreaking.
It's going to change the look of that area.
They haven't released many of the names of the dead, but they did say that one of the owners of Desorio's was killed.
He was the chef there and was near the heart of the blast." Martin sighed. "Such a horrible thing to happen."
Lance agreed. He hadn't even thought about turning on the news.
He wasn't sure he wanted to see it all and relive everything so soon.
In time, he'd have to face it, but right now, he had to focus on Angus.
He was the only thing that mattered. A noise at the door had Lance turning to look, and he stood as he saw Lizzy in a wheelchair.
He quickly went to her. "Lizzy, how are you? "
"Better now that I'm here." She nodded her thanks to the nurse who'd brought her down. "Lance, take this stuff and wheel me in to see my son." Lizzy handed him a bag that probably held her torn clothes and discharge information.
He set the bag aside, then moved things out of the way so he could move Lizzy to the other side of the bed. His heart broke for her. He understood her worry and her pain. "Just don't jar his body. They need to keep him still."
"They said he's in a coma?" Lizzy asked.
"Doctors put him in one to let him heal before he wakes up and starts moving around. It'll probably only be for a few days." Lance stepped back, giving her time to adjust to seeing Angus so still and pale.
"You're going to stay with him, right?" Lizzy asked.
"I won't leave until he does," Lance promised.
"Good, because as badly as I want to stay, Martin and I are both injured and need to heal. We'll come in every day as long as we can get someone to drive us. I'm on crutches starting tomorrow, but I can't drive."
"I'm sure Jackson or Megan will get you here.
If they can't, I'm sure a number of officers at the station would step in to help.
" He wanted to offer, but picking them up would mean leaving Angus, and he wasn't going to do that.
"Franks will want to check in every day as well. He can get you back and forth."
"I can't believe this happened." Lizzy glanced at Lance. "Do you think he's in there?"
Lance knew what she meant. "I have to believe it. Ray said he'd never seen a physical body alive without a spirit inside, so that tells me he's in there. I just don't know how it happened. We both saw him."
She nodded. "I can't stop thinking about it."
"Me neither." Lance sat down in the chair. "Did you two eat?"
Martin nodded. "They brought us both breakfast this morning. We ate before we came down. I just need to find someone to get us home later today."
"Jackson is coming back around lunch. He can take you home.
He'll have Angus's car." Lance wasn't sure how to go about getting his car out of the lot or even if there was a car left to get.
Had it been damaged in the explosion too?
So much to deal with, but it could all wait.
"I'm sure between Megan and him, they can get you to and from the hospital for a while.
Don't even worry about that. How bad is your leg, Lizzy? "
"Oh, not really that bad. It was just deep.
They wanted to get in there and make sure there wasn't too much damage.
I hurt worse now than I did when it happened.
I feel like I'm sitting on a pin cushion with all the cuts on my ass and legs.
" Lizzy spoke but never stopped watching Angus.
"I need to get us new cell phones. My purse is still somewhere in that mess at what's left of the restaurant. "
"Mine is as well. We all need new phones.
We'll get with Jackson and see about doing that.
I don't want you two at home alone without a way to call for help if you need it.
" He tried to think about anything else important they might have lost in the explosion.
"What about prescriptions and things like that? "
"We're good on those. Didn't have them in my purse. I'll need a new I.D., but that can wait until I'm able to move around better. There's nothing pressing other than getting to and from the hospital. As long as I can do that, the rest can wait," Lizzy told them as she rested her head on the bed.
Lance let the room fall silent as they all stared at an unmoving Angus.
He needed to get used to the sight of the man he loved being so still, but right now, it was all he could do not to rush over and try to wake him up.
He needed to see Angus staring back at him.
Hear him whisper his name. Needed to know he was in there.
Until then, he wouldn't be able to relax.