Chapter 7 #2
“Phoenyx!” I hear Knox yell.
“Knox!” I scream as I run to him. He catches me in a hug and squeezes me so tight that it hurts. “Where are they, Knox?”
“Tripp and Rook are with Cade,” he says, almost carefully.
“Is he okay?” I ask. “Was he inside?”
When he doesn’t answer me, I yank my arms away from him and take off running to get around the burning cabin. “Nyx! Stop!” Knox yells at me.
When I get around, I see Rook and Tripp kneeling on the ground next to Cade. “Cade!” I scream as fear stabs through me. Rook is doing chest compressions, and Cade’s body is limp. I fall to my knees beside them, and I try to hold myself together.
“No. No. No,” Tripp says as he wraps me in a hug and pulls me again.
“Let go of me!” I scream as my voice breaks. “He’s my brother. I have to save him. Tripp, please. I have to save him. I can’t lose him.”
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” he says as he picks me up to take me away from him.
I thrash and fight against his hold, trying to get back to my brother.
Trying to save him. Tripp keeps a tight hold on me as he gets into the truck and shuts us in.
I am hitting him and trying to get away, but he keeps a holding me.
My sobs quickly take over, and weakness spreads through my body as pain roots in my soul.
I hear others, but I don’t move because I don’t want to hear them say that Cade is gone. I can’t hear their voices over the screaming in my head. I’m angry that he’s gone. If only they had killed me before, he would be here now.
“Phoenyx,” Callum says as he shakes me. I blink a few times, and I am sitting in the back seat of Knox’s truck with Callum and Tripp.
I look around and we are not at the cabin anymore.
We are in a parking garage. I am so fucking confused.
I’ve lost time, but how much? “Honey, I need you to talk to me.”
“He’s gone,” I whimper. “Cade …. He’s gone.”
“No, Hun. Rook got him back. He was still in and out of it when the ambulance got there and took him,” Callum says.
“He’s okay?”
“I don’t know for sure. He was alive when he left us. We are at the hospital, but they’ll only talk to you. He has it set up so that only you can get information. They won’t even tell the detective.”
“I… How the fuck did we get here?” I ask, still dazed.
“You must have blacked out. I want you to get checked out, okay? He pushed you pretty hard. Did you hit your head?”
“I don’t know,” I admit.
“Let’s go in and get an update on him and then get you checked, okay?”
“Okay,” I sigh. We get out and I am a bit woozy, but I need to check on Cade. My mind is a whirlwind, but I can’t stop. When we get to the desk, a woman looks up. “My brother Cade Byam is here. I just need an update on him.”
“May I see your ID?” she asks. Callum hands it to her and she looks over it before handing it back. “I will page the doctor so he can talk to you.”
“She needs to be seen also,” Callum says. “She was in the same explosion.”
“Well, how about this? I’ll get you checked in and get you with the same doctor?” she asks me.
“I want to see Cade first,” I say.
“Okay,” she smiles. “Let’s get you checked in. While I find a place for you, I will get an update on your brother.”
“Thanks,” I say.
We go through the check-in process, and I am as truthful as I can be.
She puts a band on my wrist and goes to get an update.
We move out of the way, but I don’t sit.
I can’t. I need my brother. I can’t think of anything else.
Tripp tries to get me to sit, but I just pace.
My head is pounding and I’m woozy, so I am willing to bet I have a concussion.
“Family for Mr. Byam?” a man says.
“Me. That’s me,” I say, spinning around. I get dizzy, and the doctor steadies me with his hands on my shoulders. “Phoenyx?”
“Mhmm. Yeah. Woah, I’m dizzy,” I say.
“Let’s get you a chair,” he says. “I am Dr. Rollins.”
“Is he okay?” I ask. “Is Cade okay?”
“He is doing wonderfully,” he says, making me sit in a chair. “We have you in his room, since there is another bed. Cade said you’d be more likely to cooperate with us that way.”
“Probably not,” Callum chuckles.
“Is he hurt?” I ask.
“Phoenyx, I am more worried about you right now,” the doctor says.
“Wait. Why?” Tripp asks.
“Let’s get her to the room and we can go from there,” the doctor says. By the time we get there, I am so disoriented that I can’t think straight.
“Hey,” I hear Cade say.
“I don’t feel well,” I say. I am looking at him, but I am struggling to focus.
“What’s wrong with her?” Cade asks.
“Are you okay? You died,” I say. “You…”
“I need scans for her now,” the doctor says. “Call ahead. I’ll get her to consent.”
“No. I’m staying with Cade,” I say.
“Can’t you just make her?” Callum asks.
“No, she is conscious and coherent enough that I can’t,” he says.
“Nyx,” Cade says, holding my face. I realize I am laying in a hospital bed, which means I blacked out again. “Look at me. Do you see me?”
“You should be laying down,” I say. “I’m okay.”
“No, honey. No, you aren’t. Please let them do scans. Okay? I will be right here waiting for you,” he says.
“I can’t lose you,” I say, shaking my head.
“Okay,” Dr. Rollins says. “Gentlemen…”
“Cade can keep us updated,” I hear Rook say. He sounds scared.
“You still with us?” A nurse asks. “A little pinch.”
“Ow!” I saw when she sticks a needle in my arm.
“Just giving you some pain medicine,” she says. “Is that okay?”
“Please. I have a headache,” I sigh. A few seconds later, relief floods my body and I relax.
“Now go do the scans,” Cade says.
“No,” I say. “I…”
“He can come with you, okay?” the doctor says. “We’ll even make him sit in a chair.”
“He died,” I mutter.
“I’m okay, Nyx. I promise,” Cade says. “Nothing is broken. Mild concussion. A few burns. I’m okay.”
“The lamp is flying,” I say. Everyone is looking at me, and I’m confused. “Where did the purple go? I’m broccoli.”
“What’s happening? What’s wrong with her?” Cade asks.
“Call Neurology. We are moving,” the doctor says, not answering Cade.
“Why do the clouds blink?” I ask. “No… ugh… I need cheese. No… salad toppings!”
“Fucking answer me,” Cade demands as they start moving my bed.
“I think she has a brain bleed,” the doctor says. “I need to get scans. I will have a nurse update you as soon as possible. Okay?”
“Fuck. I love you so much, Nyx. Just hang in there, okay?” he says as I am pushed out of the room.
“The peach is here,” I say. “No… I’m a watermelon… C-Confused.”
“I know you are,” Dr. Rollins says as we move with the nurses. They are rushing, which makes me more worried. Why aren’t my words making sense?
“Minor brain bleeds can cause word salads,” he tells me. “It can put pressure on parts of your brain. You’re okay, Phoenyx.”
“Llamas,” I sigh. “I… ugh.”
“I know it’s frustrating,” he says. “Here we are. These wonderful ladies are going to take over. I am going to talk to the neurologist. Okay?”
“Okra,” I shrug.
Over the next thirty or so minutes, they do scans. Things calm down significantly when another man comes back in with Dr. Rollins. “Hi, Phoenyx, I am Dr. Song.”
“Hay bale,” I say, but then frown.
“That was close,” he smiles. “I’m sure you are scared, but you are okay. Let’s get you back to your group, and I’ll explain at once.”
“Lobotomy,” I say. “No. Cheese bucket… fuck.”
“No lobotomy needed,” he laughs. I smile and lay my head back. “I’ll walk with you guys.”
When we get back into the room, Cade jumps up. Everyone is here, including a detective. “Bluebird,” I say to him. “No… Fruit bar… Wheat bread.”
“I am Dr. Song,” he says. “I am the head of neurology.”
“Is she okay?” Cade asks as he, Callum, Tripp, Rook, and Knox hug me. My men kiss me gently, and they all look worried still.
“It’s Jesus,” I say. “No. Okra?”
“So, the CT scan confirms a minor brain bleed, likely from the concussion. It’s a small subdural hematoma,” he explains, looking between all the guys.
“That’s what’s causing the confusion and difficulty speaking.
Right now, it’s mild, and we don’t see signs of increased pressure on the brain, which is good. But we need to monitor her overnight.”
“So, she’s okay?” Knox asks, holding my hand in his.
“Yes. Most small brain bleeds like this resolve themselves. We will keep an eye on her neurological function to make sure that she does not experience any worsening symptoms,” he says.
“What if things get worse?” Callum asks.
“Then I will have to do surgery to relieve some pressure on her brain,” he says.
“I don’t think we will end up there, but it’s always possible.
We will keep her for a day to keep an eye on her…
I read through her chart and see that she was in a medically induced coma for a week not too long ago.
I sense that being here is the source of her anxiety.
We will keep you two in the same room as long as she is stable.
If she gets worse, she will be moved to ICU. ”
“Okay,” Cade sighs and turns to me. I smile when he leans down and kisses my forehead. “You scared the shit out of me, Nyx.”
“The banana police fucked a tree,” I say with confidence, making everyone laugh. Cade cracks a smile, finally relaxing. “You think the piggy is happy, but it’s just wet… wait, no.”
“That’s… gross,” Cade laughs.
“I’m a pickle,” I yawn.
“Me too, babe. Me too,” Tripp laugh.
“No, squishy little kite,” I say. “But where did the turtles go?”
“How long will she be talking nonsense?” Rook asks.
“The bleed is very minor, so I suspect it will get better over the next few hours,” he says.
“Would shit if I was a priest,” I say. “Forks have legs too.”
“I love this more than I should,” Callum cackles.
“Hog’s breath,” I say to him. “Peach ring the forever button… What the fuck?”
“Hey! I understood that,” Cade laughs.
“Mhmm. The cussing seems to be in the right spot,” Dr. Rollins laughs.
“Bitching,” I say but then get excited that the word actually came out how I wanted. “Bitching.”
“Complaining?” Cade asks, and I nod.
“L-Love the…. Fuckables,” I say, and the nurse cackles.
“We love you too,” Knox laughs.
“Love… unfuckables,” I say to Cade and Callum.
“We love you too,” Cade says as he leans down and kisses the top of my head.
“House indigo,” I say. “Shit.”
“We will give her something to help her sleep, but it’s very mild. She just needs to get some rest. We will do another scan in a few hours.”
“Unfuckable,” I say firmly, pointing to the other bed. “Sardines have wigs too.”
“Yeah. Yeah,” Cade smirks. I look at Dr. Rollins.
“W-Why… broken unfuckable?”
“The blast hit him hard, and his heart didn’t like it. Once they got him back, he stabilized. He is staying for observation and is wearing a constant heart monitor,” he says.
“Okra,” I say.
“Rest, Nyx,” Tripp says, kissing me.
“I load Yule,” I yawn.
“Love you too,” he laughs.