Chapter 14
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Pandora paced in the waiting room at the hospital. It had been ten hours since they had taken Blaze into surgery. And that was six hours after they had stabilized him so they could perform the delicate procedure to remove the bullet that had hit his lung and came way too close to his heart.
The outside doors swung open and a woman with two small boys who looked an awful lot like Axel and Blaze raced inside.
“Boys, go sit over there,” Brenda said. “I need to find out what’s going on with your uncle.”
“Thanks for coming.” Pandora approached Brenda. “I’m Pandora.”
“I’ve seen a million pictures of you and heard a million stories.” Brenda pulled her in for a hug. “Any news yet?”
“No. The doctor said he’d let me know when he was out of surgery. It’s been all day.”
“How are you holding up?” Brenda took her hands. “I got all the details that you happened to leave out from Brock.” She lowered her chin. “That was quite the ordeal you went through. I’m so sorry. But I’m glad it’s over for you.”
“I am too, I just wish it hadn’t gotten Blaze shot.” Pandora swiped her cheeks. “He could have died. He still might,” she whispered, not wanting the children to hear her words.
“Don’t talk like that. Blaze is a fighter. He doesn’t think he is and after his brother died, he thought wanted to join him, but that’s not true. Survivor’s guilt is a horrible thing.”
“You should know that the promise he made you, to come see you and the boys, he meant it.”
Brenda cocked her head. “How do you know about that?”
“I was sitting right next to him when he made it. He might still believe he’s broken. But he knew he had to make things right with you and those two over there.”
“Well, that’s a relief.” Brenda guided Pandora to a small table in the corner of the waiting room. “He and I had some harsh words at Axel’s funeral. I wanted him to stay awhile; he didn’t believe he should. I called him a coward and said he was defaming his brother’s memory. I didn’t mean it. I was hurt. I was grieving. Axel was my world. I always knew that being the wife of a Marine meant I could become a widow. It goes with the territory. I never once asked Axel to give up his career. When he decided to do that, it wasn’t for me. Or even for those precious boys. It was because he was tired of it. He’d done his time and wanted to do something different. I loved him and I never blamed Blaze, but he always believed I did. The thing is, every time Blaze got injured or shot, Axel took it to heart. Like it was his fault. So, I get why Blaze would feel that way. When I told him that, he called me a liar. Said I was only saying that to make him feel better. That’s why Axel’s dying words hurt him so much. Axel knew Blaze would blame himself and that’s the last thing he would want.”
“Those two were always so much alike,” Pandora said. “I only knew Axel when we were all so very young. He was playful. A jokester. But he was kind. Always there when you needed him.”
“Blaze was too, until these last few months.” Brenda let out a sigh. “I get why. He loved his brother so much. Being around me and the boys was a constant reminder. All I want is for those two over there to have their uncle back.”
The main doors opened and the surgeon stepped into the waiting room.
Pandora jumped to her feet with her heart pounding in her chest. “How is he? Did the surgery go as planned?”
“We got the bullet out. He’s resting comfortably, but he’s still on a ventilator,” the doctor said.
Pandora gasped, covering her mouth.
The doctor placed a hand on her shoulder. “I’m hoping we’ll be able to take him off that by tomorrow. It’s more precautionary and because he was struggling to breathe completely on his own. We repaired the damage to his lung. He was lucky the bullet missed his heart altogether. It did crack a rib. Once we take him off the ventilator, we’ll know more. Until then, he’s in ICU. Only family can visit. And just one visitor at a time.”
Brenda took her hand. “I’m his sister-in-law.”
“You can go in,” the doctor said. “I’ll take you to his room.”
“She’s his girlfriend. She should be allowed to see him. Can we make that happen?”
“I’m sorry. Not in ICU. Hospital rules. Once he’s out of the woods and we move him, she’ll be able to go in,” the doctor said. “I’ll be right on the other side of those doors whenever you’re ready.” The doctor turned and disappeared.
“I should have said fiancée or wife,” Brenda said with a laugh. “He’s going to be fine. I’ll tell him you’re here. Do you mind watching the boys for a bit?”
“I don’t mind at all.”
“Thanks.” Brenda strolled through the doors, leaving Pandora with two kids and her thoughts.
At least Blaze was alive.
That’s all that mattered.
Blaze woke with a start. He reached for whatever was sticking out of his mouth and rammed down his throat.
“Nope. Don’t do that,” a familiar female voice said. “You know the drill. You’ve been down this road before.”
He blinked.
Brenda.
He tried to talk but couldn’t.
“Can I get someone in here, please? He’s awake and trying to take out the breathing tube,” Brenda yelled.
Breathing tube.
Fucking ventilator.
He hated those damn things.
Shot.
In the chest.
By fucking Sully.
He remembered that.
He also remembered shooting that fucker.
Pandora. Where was Pandora? He reached for the tube again. He’d yank it out himself if he had to.
“Stop that.” Brenda grabbed his arms. “I need help in here. He’s not only awake, but really ornery.”
He held Brenda’s stare as he tried to heave in a breath. His chest burned. A beeping sound filled his ears. The scent of rubbing alcohol and other hospital stench tickled his nose. Flashes of past battles filled his mind. Every bullet that had ever entered his body he felt with a vengeance. His entire military career rippled through his system like a runaway freight train.
The men he’d saved.
And the good men he’d lost.
Axel.
His dying words.
All the fight left Blaze’s body as if Axel had reached down from the heavens above and wrapped Blaze in a warm blanket.
“Well, good morning,” some guy said with a stupid smile as he dared to pat Blaze’s leg. “Oxygen looks good and he has been doing some breathing on his own. I’m sure the doc will be ready to remove this. Let me go get the doctor and see what he says.”
Blaze shook his head, pointing to the damn tube.
“I think he wants it out now,” Brenda said.
“I can’t do that without the doc’s order.” The man pursed his lips. “Here. Use this pad and pen to communicate. If you’re in pain, we can get you more meds. If you need anything else, just let us know.” He left a notebook and pen on the side of the bed.
Inwardly, Blaze groaned. He could feel the machine push air into his lungs and he hated every second of it.
He glared at Brenda, pointing at the stupid thing hanging from his mouth.
“It will be out soon.”
Clenching the sheets, he stared at the ceiling. He had no idea what day it was and he didn’t want to use a piece of fucking paper to ask. He needed to speak the words.
“Relax, Blaze. Your heart rate is climbing. If you want that out, you need to be calm,” Brenda whispered.
“I hear someone is awake,” another man said. This one wore a white coat. “You gave everyone quite the scare.” He pressed his little metal thing against Blaze’s chest. “Sounds good.” Then he glanced at all the machines. “I’m comfortable with this coming out. But I want him on oxygen and we’ll monitor him for the next twenty-four hours here in ICU just to be safe. If all goes well, we can transfer him tomorrow morning.”
Nothing like being talked about as if he wasn’t even in the room.
“I’ll be back in an hour to check on you, Blaze,” the doctor said before stepping out into the hallway.
“All right, let’s get this out of you.” The other man leaned over the bed. “I’m going to need you to blow when I say blow. Blink once if you understand.”
Blaze blinked.
“All right. Here we go. Blow.”
Blaze blew as hard as he fucking could and it hurt like fucking hell. He coughed and gagged, making his chest feel like a damn war zone. He cleared his throat, but it still felt like something was stuck in there and he knew it would be like that for a while.
“How do you feel?” the man asked.
“Like death,” he managed to croak out.
The man fiddled with a few things. “Oxygen is great. You’re breathing on your own, but we’re going to put this in to make sure.” He adjusted something into his nose.
Blaze tried to protest, but Brenda wouldn’t have it, so Blaze gave up. It hurt too much anyway.
“You can have anything you want to drink and we’ll start you off on a soft food diet for today. I’ll bring in some ice cream. That will feel good on your throat,” the man said.
“Thanks.” Ice cream did sound good.
“I’ll be back in a bit,” the man said. “This is your call button. My name is James. Ring that and I’ll come running.” James strolled out of the room.
“Okay, so I know I’m in a hospital, but how long have I been out? When did you get here? How did you know I was here? And where the fuck is Pandora?”
“It’s nice to see you too, Blaze.” Brenda took his hand and patted it.
“It’s good to see you.” He sighed. “But can you answer my questions. It hurts to talk, so I don’t want to repeat them.”
“You’ve been out for four days. You had major surgery because you almost died. Pandora called me because she thought I might like to know what happened. And she’s currently sitting in the waiting room because the hospital has a stupid policy of family only in the ICU. I’ve snuck her in a couple of times, but the last time we got caught and that didn’t go over well.”
“Thanks for doing that. I’m sure it meant a lot to Pandora.” He chuckled. “Where are the boys?”
“With Pandora’s friends, Weston and Haven. Nice couple.”
“They are.” Blaze nodded, wishing he hadn’t because his entire body hurt. “You didn’t have to come, but I’m glad you did because I think I’m going to be laid up for a while and that means it would have been a long time before I got to North Carolina.”
“Ya think?”
He laughed. Then coughed. “God, that hurts.”
“I’m sure it does.” She held up a cup of water with a straw to his lips. “So, Pandora, huh? That’s an interesting turn of events. Does this mean you’re going to move to Fallport?”
“I don’t know. Maybe. Probably.”
“Are you kidding me? That’s your answer? You really are a dumbass.”
“I’ve been awake for all of ten minutes. Cut me some slack,” he mumbled.
“Nope. Not when it comes to this. You love that girl. You always have. Why can’t you get your head out of your ass? She’s been out there for days, sleeping in some god-awful chair, waiting for you to wake up.” Brenda shook her head. “What is wrong with you?”
“A lot of things,” he said. “But you don’t understand. I screwed up.”
“How?”
She sat on the edge of the bed, holding his hand like she’d done so many times when either he’d been injured or Axel had and they sat together while his brother healed. “I might have mentioned to her that I was thinking of staying. Then I backpedaled myself right out of town. She knows I love her, but I couldn’t bring myself to say the words.” He lifted his shaky hand. “She knows me. She knows how I operate. And I saw it in her eyes. She one hundred percent believes I can’t commit. That if I left, I wasn’t returning, even if I said I would, and she’s going to let me.”
“Well, that’s about the dumbest fucking thing I’ve ever heard come out of your mouth,” Brenda said. “All you have to do is tell her that you love her and ask her if she wants you to stick around. It’s that damn easy, and if you don’t do it the second she’s allowed to see you, I’ll do it for you, because Blaze Arnold Wright, sometimes you are as dumb as a doornail.”
He took her hand and kissed the back of it. “I’ve really missed you, Brenda, but if you tell Pandora one thing, I’ll call your father and inform him that it was indeed you and Axel screwing around in the men’s locker room at your wedding, and not me and Ashley.”
“Oh, you wouldn’t dare. You know how my father is about his precious country club.”
“I know. I was lectured for twenty minutes.” He arched a brow. “If you say a word to Pandora before I do, the cat will be out of the bag.”
“That’s just mean.” She leaned in and kissed his cheek. “You will have one hour after they move you to a regular room; otherwise, all bets are off. Now, I’m going to go let Pandora know you’re awake and back to your usual pain in the ass self.”
“Find my phone, so I can least talk to her. Please.” He smiled.
“Sure.” Brenda paused at the door, glancing over her shoulder. “By the way, my dad always knew it was me and Axel. It became a joke that his first grandchild might have been conceived right there in that locker room.”
“You’re fucking with me.”
“Nope.” She tossed her head back and laughed. “My dad just liked fucking with you and enjoyed making you squirm.” She kicked up her leg. “I’ll tell Pandora you can’t wait to see her.”