Chapter 46 Big ass tube
Big ass tube
Sophia
“—love you.” The croaky words spilling from Oliver’s lips are the best thing I’ve ever heard.
Tears pour out of me so quickly everything blurs.
“See?” Uncle Dixon’s sideways smile lifts from the other side of the bed. “It just takes a little while. I’ll be back after a bit so you have some time.”
“Thank you, for everything.” I blink up at him, biting at my trembling lip.
All he does is raise a hand in a short wave before leaving.
But he made sure that the hospital brought me a bed, completely moving me into Oliver’s room. I can still hear the echoes of his argument with the administrator over it.
It might be against protocol, but he made it happen.
I’m lucky he’s here.
Standing, I brush my palm over Oliver’s forehead while still clinging to his hand. I snuck his wedding ring back on two days ago. I know that he’ll want it to be there when he wakes up.
“I love you too, Ollie. I’m here, baby.”
For almost a week I’ve had to see him lying broken and unconscious.
I’ll stay forever if that’s what it takes. My heart is there, wrapped in those sheets, hidden under gauze and stitches.
Every scar he’ll carry, he got by saving me and our baby.
And hate that he was put here by my own family.
No. I don’t count Cade as part of it.
He did this to my husband.
Oliver’s jaw drops, then raises, lightly smacking his lips together. “Dry,” he rasps.
Oh shit!
I scramble for my thermos and pop the top off to dig out an ice chip with a spoon.
Uncle Dixon was very clear that he might not be able to swallow well at first.
“Here, baby.” I gently set the edge against his mouth and let the tiny piece slip against his tongue.
His jaw clenches and I can see his throat work as he moves it around.
Then his beautiful brown eyes, the windows to his soul that I’ve been longing to see, finally crack open.
“Hey.” His voice is hoarse, but the smile he gives me makes it the most soothing sound I’ve ever heard.
“Hey, stranger.” I cradle his palm to my cheek, letting the tears flow. “I’ve missed you.”
Flicking his gaze briefly around the room, he refocuses on me with a little knot between his brows. “How long?”
“Six days.” My lips press his thumb.
“Soph? Are you okay? The baby?” His fingers flex behind my ear, like he’s trying just as hard to believe I’m here as I am that he’s awake.
“We’re both fine. You saved us.” I don’t think I’ll ever be able to see him as anything less than my hero.
He relaxes against the pillows. “Good.” Then his eyes fall shut for a long time.
I can be patient. This is so huge, I’m thankful he’s alive.
“Am I?” he mutters.
“Are you what, baby?” I let my hand drift down his arm, careful of the tubes and wires taped to him.
His chest rises and falls in a deep exhale. “Am I all fucked up? My body feels…funny.”
“They have you on a lot of pain killers. You had a lot of…cuts.” I don’t want to tell him his back felt like hamburger that night.
I’ve seen his wounds when the nurses changed him. There’s enough sutures to make him look like a railroad map of Europe.
He blinks, refocusing on me. “Did I lose any, um, limbs?”
By the tinge of panic in his face, I’m guessing he’s not asking about a foot or finger.
With a small laugh, I pat his wrist. “You’ll have no problems having more babies.”
“Whew.” This grin is bigger. “I was worried there for a second.”
I lean closer so the nurses can’t hear me. “Your magical dick is safe. It just has a big ass tube in it right now.” Giggling, I give his cheek a kiss as I watch him squeeze his eyes shut.
“Oh fuck,” he groans. “I didn’t want to know that.”
The worry starts to fade now that he’s talking. All of the fears I’ve fought this past week feel like they lighten. It’s been the not knowing that was the hardest part.
“When can we go home?” He tries to raise his head, then falls back with a wince.
“You’ve been on a ventilator for a week. It might take a little time. I’m just so damn happy you’re awake.” I want to touch every piece of him, take away the pain.
“Wait? Like a coma?” He tries to raise his hand to his face, but the wires restrict his movement. He pauses, staring at them like he’s confused they’re there. “I’m so sorry.”
Now I’m the one perplexed. “For what? Your body needed to heal. They said you’d be in so much pain…” I drift off, the agony of knowing he’s suffering makes my chest ache.
“Did they get him?” he asks, watching me intently.
I know exactly who he’s thinking about. My head shakes in a silent reply.
“Does the sheriff know?” His eyes flicker across the ceiling and his nostrils flare.
I wonder if he’s reliving that fight in the moments before the explosion. “Yea, I told him everything I remembered. He said one of the barrels was rigged and it was the shrapnel that—” I choke on the words. “—cut you up so badly. If it had been the truck, we would probably both be dead.”
His head tilts with surprise. “My rig is okay?”
“Um, I wouldn’t exactly say that. The rear end is totaled.” I frown and shift my belly to hang off the side of the bed. I can feel the flutter of our baby, reminding me that there’s more important things now than a vehicle.
Standing this long makes not only my leg, but my back tired.
“Can you crawl up here with me? I want to hold you. This is not how I envisioned our honeymoon.” His fingers wiggle, beckoning me closer.
“I have to be quick or the nurses will get mad.” Stepping onto the side, I shimmy next to him, careful not to brush his bandages.
But once his arm wraps around me, and he kisses my temple, there isn’t a person in the world who can pry me away.