Chapter 43 Piper
FORTY-THREE
Piper
As I stepped into my office and started up my computer, I felt like I was walking on clouds. Not even the ever-present stack of invoices and bills could get me down.
Pulling out my phone, I sent off a text to Grayden.
Dropped off Ollie at school. He kept talking about making pancakes with you on the drive. He had a great time. Maybe we can do that again soon?
I kept typing, even though he hadn’t responded yet.
Let me know when you’re home, okay? So I know you didn’t actually walk along the two-lane highway and have an unfortunate meeting with a delivery truck?
Ugh, I regretted that sentence the moment I wrote it.
I shouldn’t joke about something bad happening to him. Grayden was a grown man and capable of getting himself home.
Was I coming across as too needy? I hadn’t been in a position like this in…ever. Having a crush on a guy, wanting to be with him constantly. Wanting to know where he was and if he was thinking of me. If he was okay.
Even in the early days with Danny, it hadn’t been anything like this.
Last night, after Grayden had told me how he ended up in prison, my heart had been overflowing with too many things. I’d felt something like heartbreak before, after Danny dashed all my hopes of love, but there was no comparison.
My heart truly broke for Grayden and what he’d lost. What those people, the Drummonds, had taken.
I’d tried to show Grayden what he meant to me. Show him that nothing he’d told me gave me any doubts about him.
Then this morning, the way he’d smiled at me conveyed nothing but relief and happiness. I loved making him feel that way.
There was a knock at my office door, and Rina poked her head in. “Hey, Piper. The payment system is being weird again.”
I sighed. “Coming.”
After solving that problem and dealing with a few other issues, I returned to my office, where I’d left my phone. There was a message from Grayden waiting.
As I read it, a fist closed around my heart.
Piper, Danny’s at the hospital. He’s hurt. Don’t know what happened. But I found him.
WHAT??? Where are you?
I called Grayden. No answer. My stomach was in knots.
My phone rang in my hand, but I didn’t recognize the number.
“Hello? This is Piper,” I said breathlessly.
“Ms. Carmichael? I’m a nurse at Hart County General Hospital. I’m very sorry to call like this, but it’s about your husband, Daniel Carmichael.”
“Ex-husband,” I corrected automatically. But the rest of my brain was frozen in shock.
“Daniel has been admitted as a patient,” the nurse said. “You’re listed as his emergency contact.”
“What happened?”
“I can’t give too many details over the phone. He was brought in about an hour ago, and his injuries are serious. The doctor needs to speak to someone as soon as possible.”
“Oh my God,” I whispered. “Okay, um, I’ll come.” My heart was in my throat.
“Drive safely,” she added. “Come to the front desk at the main entrance and give your name. Someone will be ready to bring you back.”
I tried calling Grayden again. Voicemail.
What on earth was happening?
I drove way too fast to the hospital, calling Grayden’s phone again and again. Finally I gave up and called Grace instead. “Danny’s hurt, and Ollie’s at school, and I don’t know where Grayden is—”
“Piper, slow down, okay?” Grace asked. “Tell me exactly what happened.”
“I don’t know!”
“Just start at the beginning.”
Hart County General was a good half hour away, even driving at top speeds. When I finally reached the hospital, they took me to a family waiting room. I felt like I was going to crawl out of my skin.
They told me Danny had been stabbed. That news blindsided me. And Grayden had found him? It just didn’t make any sense.
And Ollie. My baby was at school instead of with me. He was going to be terrified. I wanted him here. I had to hold him, know he was safe.
But I was stuck here, waiting for news while Danny was in surgery.
About an hour and a half later, Grace and Ollie came rushing in.
“Momma,” he sobbed as I caught him in my arms. “Is Dad okay? Aunt Grace said he’s hurt.”
I locked eyes with her over Ollie’s shoulder. “He’s in surgery right now. The doctors are helping him.”
“But—”
“That’s all I know for right now, Ollie-bear. I’m sorry.”
Grace’s eyes held mine. Grayden, I mouthed silently. She shook her head. I’d told her over the phone that Grayden found Danny and texted me, but hadn’t been answering his phone.
So she didn’t know where he was either.
“Callum’s trying to see what he can learn,” she said. “I texted our whole group thread. We’ll figure out what’s going on.”
But an hour later, we still had few answers. Ollie was watching videos on an iPad Grace had brought, because she was a genius.
I wanted to pace across the waiting room. Curse to let out my frustration. But I couldn’t. I had to keep myself together for my kid. Couldn’t let him see me coming apart at the seams.
Why hadn’t I heard from Grayden yet? Was Danny going to be okay?
Even through all our difficulties, I’d never wished for him to disappear from Ollie’s life. Our son deserved better than that. I would never wish physical harm on Danny either.
Stabbed. Who could have done this?
Finally, a doctor came in and motioned for me.
Ollie looked up as I stood. “Mom?”
“Stay with Aunt Grace for a minute. I’ll be right back.”
We stepped just outside. “Ms. Carmichael?” the doctor asked. She looked young, mid-thirties maybe. “I’m Dr. Richardson. I was part of the surgical team working on Daniel today. I understand he’s your ex-husband?”
“Just tell me how Danny is. Please.”
She nodded. “He sustained two stab wounds to the abdomen. The blade penetrated deeply enough to cause significant internal bleeding and lacerated his spleen. We performed emergency surgery to control the bleeding and remove the spleen. He tolerated the surgery, which is encouraging.”
“So he’s going to be okay?”
“He’s stable right now, which is different from okay.
” Her voice was gentle but careful. “He lost a substantial amount of blood before he arrived, and his body has been through serious trauma. He’s receiving more transfusions, and he’s on a ventilator to support his breathing.
We also have him sedated. We’re giving his body the best possible chance to begin healing without additional stress.
We’ll be watching closely for any signs of complications. ”
I covered my mouth with my hand. “How long until he wakes up?”
“We’ll start to wean the sedation after twenty-four to forty-eight hours. It’s the next seventy-two hours that are most critical. It’s difficult to give an exact recovery timeline. But he’s being monitored constantly, and our team is doing all we can.”
I felt numb. All the anger I’d felt at Danny, all the pain he’d caused me and Ollie both… I would never have wanted it to end like this.
“My son. I mean, our son. He’ll want to see Danny. Is that allowed? He’s nine.”
She gave me a sympathetic look. “We’ll allow a short visit with you accompanying him. But your son might be frightened by what he sees.”
A breath punched out of me.
“Is there anyone else we can call for you?” Dr. Richardson asked. “Does Danny have any other family we should notify?”
“Not really. No. But I have family. They’re helping me.”
“That’s great. If Danny’s condition worsens, we may need you to make decisions. Do you understand?”
“Yeah. I do.”
I understood perfectly. Danny had nobody but me and Ollie. He’d burned every other bridge, and we were the only ones left.
I didn’t want to care about what happened to him. It would be so much easier if I didn’t care. If I were as callous to Danny as he’d been to me.
Damn it, Danny, I thought.
Dr. Richardson said a few more things, but I barely heard the words. She walked away, and I leaned against the wall of the hallway.
Who could have attacked him? And why?
I pulled out my phone and tried Grayden’s number again. It rang and rang.
I was about to go back into the waiting room when a different voice said, “Excuse me, Ms. Carmichael?”
Two Silver Ridge PD officers were heading my way down the hall. One of them I’d seen around, a rookie who’d moved to town recently.
The other was Officer Chad Bronski.
Oh, hell. This day just kept getting better, didn’t it?
“You’re here about Danny?” I asked.
“We have a few questions,” Bronski said stiffly. “You’re aware your ex-husband was stabbed multiple times?”
Good thing Dr. Richardson didn’t have this guy’s bedside manner.
“I’m aware. I got here to the hospital as soon as I heard. Grayden O’Neal texted me that he found Danny hurt, but I haven’t been able to reach Grayden for hours.”
Bronski shared a glance with the rookie. “What’s your connection to Grayden O’Neal, exactly?”
“He’s my…” I didn’t even know what to call him. The man I craved having near me? The man I trusted and cared for more than anyone who didn’t share my blood?
“My very close friend,” I finished.
Bronski snorted at his notepad. I swear, I almost decked him.
“Do you know where Grayden is?” I asked. “Are the police interviewing him or something?”
“Or something.” Bronski’s mouth slid into a vicious smirk. “O’Neal is a person of interest. He’s being questioned in connection with Danny Carmichael’s attempted murder. Or, I guess, murder if your ex doesn’t pull through.”