Chapter 10 – Jennie #2
There are fine lines bracketing his mouth, and his breathing is ragged. I can tell he’s in a lot of pain. “Hopefully they’ll fix your shoulder soon. At least it’s your right shoulder. That’s a good thing, right?” Because he’s a lefty.
Chris nods, but even that seems to hurt him. He sucks in a sharp breath. “Sorry.”
“Don’t you dare apologize for being human, Chris. I know you’re in pain. It’s okay.”
I sit with him, holding his hand and gently stroking his hair. He seems to have dozed off a bit, lying quiet and so still.
I notice movement at the door to Chris’s room. Deputy Ricky Stephens is standing just outside.
“You can come in,” I say, motioning for him to enter.
He walks into the room, dressed in his uniform, but looking a bit disheveled. “How’s he doing?”
“His shoulder is dislocated, and he’s in a lot of pain. But otherwise, he’s okay.”
Ricky nods. “Good. I’m glad to hear that. His SUV took quite a beating, so I wasn’t sure how serious his injuries are.”
“Everyone else is okay?” I ask. “Except for the carjacker. I heard he didn’t make it. But the little girl is okay?”
Ricky nods. “She was taken to the Children’s Hospital to be checked out, but they said she’s fine.
Her parents are with her now. Looks like Chris saved the day.
” He comes closer to the bed to glance down at Chris, who’s sleeping.
“When he wakes up, please tell him his duty belt, badge, and gun are at the station.”
“I’ll tell him.”
Ricky leaves, and I maintain my vigil, leaving only once for a few minutes to visit the restroom and get a bottle of water at a vending machine. When I return, he’s still asleep.
I’m reading on my phone when I hear him groan. When I glance up, he’s awake, watching me. “Hey,” I say.
“Hey,” he replies, his voice subdued.
I reach for his hand. “Just hang in there. I’m sure someone will come in before long to take care of your shoulder.”
* * *
Half an hour later, the nurse returns with a syringe and an alcohol pad.
She wipes a spot on his arm and prepares the syringe.
She looks at me. “This is a mild sedative to help him relax.” After she has administered the medication and applied a band aid to the injection site, she says, “One of the physicians will be in soon to take care of his shoulder. Just hang tight.”
The nurse leaves once more, and we’re alone again.
I resume stroking his hair, and he moans softly. “I was so scared when I saw the paramedics go by.”
His eyelids flutter open, and he stares at the ceiling. “You don’t—have to—worry,” he says. The words come out between shuddering breaths.
“Of course, I worry. If something happened to you—”
He squeezes my hand. “Nothing’s going to happen to me.
I’m tough as an old goat.” His eyelids drift shut as the sedation starts to kick in.
He keeps talking, but his words are mumbled.
He’s practically slurring them like he’s drunk.
I guess this is a good thing. It’ll help him get through the upcoming procedure.
I’m sure it’s going to hurt something awful.
Right on time, the nurse and a physician enter the room. While the nurse is checking Chris’s vitals, the physician addresses me. Chris is pretty much out of it now.
“I’m Dr. Talbott,” he says. “This won’t take long at all.
He’ll feel some discomfort during the procedure, but he won’t remember it afterward.
Once his shoulder is back where it should be, we’ll let him sleep off the effects of the sedative, and when he’s alert, and assuming the shoulder is functioning correctly, he’ll be able to go home. ”
The nurse confirms Chris’s vitals, giving Dr. Talbott the okay to proceed. She pulls down the top half of Chris’s hospital gown, and Dr. Talbott steps right up to him, takes hold of his arm and shoulder, and makes a quick snapping movement.
It happens so quickly. There’s a muffled popping sound, and Chris cries out sharply, but then he’s quiet again.
Dr. Talbott rotates Chris’s shoulder a few times, I guess to make sure the bone is where it’s supposed to be and he can use his arm.
“I’ll come back in a little while to see how he’s doing.
He should be able to leave in an hour or two, depending on how quickly he wakes up.
I assume you’ll be driving him home. He shouldn’t operate any machinery or heavy equipment for the rest of today.
I’ll send care instructions home with you. ”
“Yes, I’ll be driving him home. He’ll stay with me until he’s fully recovered from the sedative.”
“Perfect,” the doctor says. “I’ll check back in a little while to see how he’s doing.”
“How long before he’s himself again? How long until the sedation has fully worn off?”
“Anywhere from four to six hours, but I’d give him until morning to be back one hundred percent. Don’t let him make any big decisions tonight, okay?” The man chuckles. “Don’t let him buy a new car or take out a loan.”
“Got it. Thanks.”
We’re alone once more. Chris is sleeping now, his bed at a slight incline, and he seems more comfortable. His breathing is more even. I remain in my chair so I can keep a close eye on him.
I text Micah with an update, and he tells me he’s already on his way to the hospital with a clean change of clothes for Chris. Thank goodness, because Chris’s uniform is ruined.
I call the station and let Darlene know how he’s doing, and I ask her to pass the information along to the rest of the department. I reply to texts from Maggie and Ruth and Hannah, who are all checking on not just Chris, but me as well. Word got around quickly, but that’s no surprise.
While I wait for Chris to sleep off his sedative, I sit beside his bed reading on my phone.
A quiet male voice says, “Hey there.”
I look up just as Micah walks in carrying a canvas bag. “Clean clothes and sneakers. I brought sweats because I figured those would be easier for him to get on.” He sets the bag down on a vacant chair and walks over to the far side of the bed to gaze down at our sleeping friend. “How’s he doing?”
“So far, so good. His shoulder was put back into place. They gave him a light sedative, which is why he’s out.”
Micah looks at me. “How are you holding up?”
“I’ve had better days. When I heard he’d been in an accident and they were taking him to the hospital, I feared the worst. I was terrified, Micah.” I reach over and squeeze Chris’s good hand.
“What are we going to do with him tonight?” Micah asks. “He won’t be fit to drive.”
“I’m taking him home with me.” The words just pop right out of me without thought. He’s mine to take care of.
“You sure? I can stay until he’s released and take him home with me. We’ve got room.”
I shake my head. “That’s okay. I’ve got him for tonight. He can stay with me as long as he needs to.”
“He’ll need more clothes, then,” Micah says. “I’ll drop some things off for him at your house in the morning.”
“Thanks.”
Micah gazes down at Chris and frowns. “He could have been killed today, Jen. I worry about him. I swear, he’s got a hero complex. He’s always the first one to put his life on the line to rescue someone.”
My throat tightens because I share Micah’s concerns. “He is who he is. I don’t think either one of us would want to change him.”
Micah hangs around for a little while hoping Chris will wake up. But after a while, it seems that’s not going to happen anytime soon.
“I guess I’ll take off.” Micah walks over to me, leans down, and kisses the top of my head. “Let me know if either of you needs anything tonight. I’m just a phone call away.”
“I will. Thanks. Give Robyn my love.”
Micah hasn’t been gone long when the patient finally begins to stir. He moans groggily, which tells me he’s still pretty much out of it.
“Hey, Sheriff,” I say as I reach for his good hand. “How do you feel?”
He slowly turns his head toward me, and his eyes widen in surprise. “Jennie Lopez! What are you doing here?”
Yep, he’s still out of it. “I came to check on you.”
He looks around, clearly confused. “Check on me? Why? Where am I?”
“You’re in the hospital in Estes Park. Do you remember what happened?”
He frowns. “No.”
“You were in an accident.”
“Seriously? How bad was it? Was anyone hurt?”
I don’t want to go into all the gory details, so I just tell him he was chasing a carjacking suspect who had kidnapped a little girl.
“Did we catch him?”
“Yes.”
“Is the kid okay?”
“Yes, the little girl is fine. There’s nothing to worry about, so just relax.”
“What about my vehicle?”
I frown. “Honestly, I’m not sure. You crashed in a ditch.”
He frowns. “I hope it’s not totaled.” He looks disappointed. “Well, at least the kid is okay.” He sighs as he gazes at me for the longest time. “You’re so pretty, Jennie.”
I smile. Sedation has such an interesting effect on people. “Thank you. So are you.”
He shakes his head. “Be serious. I’m not pretty, but you sure are.
” Then he giggles. “I always thought you were the prettiest girl in school. You’re an angel, Jennie, you know that?
And I don’t just mean because of looks. I mean you’re an angel on the inside, where it really counts.
You’re the nicest, kindest, sweetest girl in the world. You’re beautiful, inside and out.”
He may be awake, but that sedative is really messing with his head.
I squeeze his hand gently. “Thanks. I think you’re pretty awesome yourself.”
Suddenly, his smile turns into a frown, and he shakes his head. “You don’t get it. But how could you? I never told you.” He looks devastated.
My pulse starts tripping. “You never told me what?” I’m almost afraid to hear his answer. Whatever he’s about to tell me, it’s clearly under the influence of a sedative. There’s no telling what he’s going to say, or even if it’s true.
I’m about to change the subject to something much safer when he blurts out, “I never told you how much I love you.”