Chapter 7 #2
Okay, the day really needed to calm down. First, that bitch reporter, then finding out about the baby—god, she still couldn’t wrap her mind around that particular life changing news—and now, Colt being at the hospital almost giving her a heart attack! She really needed a nap.
“If you aren’t here with an update, what are you doing here?”
Emma’s eyebrows shot up to her hairline, a small smile starting at the corner of her mouth.
“Shit. Sorry, that sounded so bitchy. I’m happy to see you, it’s just been a long—”
Colt held up his hand. “No need to apologize. I understand. And as much as I, and the rest of everyone back in Silver Springs, have been hoping for an update on Stone, Ma made me promise I’d bring up some spring water for him.”
“Dolly shouldn’t have made you drive all the way over here. And he still hasn’t woken up. I don’t think they can put the water in his IV.”
Colt shrugged. “I never put too much stock in the legend, but Ma would beat my ass if I told her I was bringing it and didn’t.
Figured it wouldn’t hurt to try. And you don’t have to have him drink it.
Ma used to wet a cloth and put it on our feet whenever we were sick as kids.
Always felt better the next day. She made me promise to drop it off, so here I am. What you do is up to you.”
He held out a small glass jar and Mae took it, unsure of what the hell she was going to do with some maybe enchanted, maybe just a great big hoax, water.
“Tell Dolly I appreciate her thinking of us, and thank you for bringing it all this way.”
“It was no trouble.” Colt placed his hat back on his head. “I’d better head back. Let me know if you need anything, Mae. We’re all thinking of you and Stone.”
“I will.” Mae swallowed the lump in her throat as she hugged the water close to her heart.
It wasn’t just a jar of water she was holding onto.
It was a jar that held hope, and the kindness in a gift that was the only thing people in town who loved Stone could give to try and make a difference. And in that way, it was priceless.
“Mae?” Her eyes finally looked up from the jar, both Seb and Emma watching her with worry written all over their faces.
“Just trying to figure out how to baptize my boyfriend in this stuff without the nurses yelling at me. Have you met Anita? I love her, but damn. She scares the hell outta me.”
Emma laughed. But something in the way Seb’s face stayed frozen had the hair standing up on the back of her neck.
“Did Gunner tell you what happened at the office?” she asked.
“Yeah. I’m handling it.”
Emma slid her hand into Sebastian’s.
“There wasn’t any… I mean… she can’t really have any evidence, can she?
” Mae hated the doubt that lingered in the back of her mind.
These men were the most honest, loyal, good men that she’d ever known.
Her brother, her boyfriend, her family… they couldn’t have done what that bitch said.
But her mind kept going back to the way Stone had acted before…
the shadows that seemed to be chasing him…
“Mae.”
“He didn’t really do—”
“It’s all classified.” The bite in Sebastian’s words told her to back down, but she couldn’t.
“He was struggling, before all this. He was grappling with something, some ghost, and it was enough for him to want to push me away. If it was this… if it was the mission she was asking about… if the lives lost that day were the thing making him drown, don’t I deserve to know?”
“Mae,” Emma stepped away from Sebastian.
“Whatever is in the past, is in the past. I know my fiance. He would never do something like that. And you know Stone. I have no idea what those documents hold, but I do know that the men we love are good men. They wouldn’t lie to save their careers. They just wouldn’t.”
Mae nodded. “Have you guys been able to see Stone today?”
“Not yet. We’re supposed to take the evening shift, but Seb wanted to be here when the new neurologist from Colorado got in.”
Mae hadn’t heard anything about that.
“You think Dr. Anderson isn’t going to be able to help Stone?”
“Dr. Anderson is the best in his field. He suggested I bring in Dr. Gichan who has trained under him for the last ten years. Stone is getting the best care possible, Mae. I promise. I’d never let it be any other way.”
“I know. Thank you. I’d like to meet the new doctor. I’m going to go see Stone now, but come and get me when he’s here.”
Seb smiled. “Of course. I want to see Stone before we have to head back, but we might have to go after seeing what the new doctor has to say.”
“Oh?”
“There needs to be a team meeting about how to handle Laurel and whatever the hell it is she’s talking about. I don’t want to miss out on our time with him later, but we need to handle this before it becomes another nightmare.”
“No, of course. I get it. I’ll be here the rest of the day. You guys should absolutely go and throw everything you’ve got at that bitch.”
After a quick hug with Emma, Mae made her way slowly down the hall.
She stopped to pull one of the ginger candies Lily had given her out of her pocket, and popped it into her mouth before walking through the double doors near the nurses station.
Immediately, the spicy heat from the real ginger worked its way deep into her belly, settling the stormy waves that had been threatening to overwhelm her.
Never in her life had she thought she’d be confessing a pregnancy to her boyfriend while he was in a coma.
How was this her life?
Mae pushed open the door to Stone’s room, Sara and Rhett smiling over at her from their chairs at the edge of the room.
“Hey, guys.”
“Mae.”
They got out of their chairs, each pulling her into a quick hug.
“Are you feeling better?” Rhett asked.
“Yeah. I think it was like you said,” Mae turned to Sara. “I just let the stress get to me. Lily and I had a nice chat, and things are clearer now.”
“Good. You look like you feel better, too. More color in your cheeks. I was afraid you were going to pass out, and both Gunner and my hubby looked like they might follow if you did that.” Sara laughed.
“Men, am I right?” Mae joked.
“Exactly. Oh,” Sara grabbed her purse off the chair. “His doctor was in right after we got here. They’ve still got him on the antibiotic, but said the wounds have closed perfectly, so in two days they’ll stop that.”
“Okay.”
Why wasn’t he waking up?
“That’s good news, Mae. His body is healing, so his mind shouldn’t be far behind,” Rhett added.
“Did they do another scan? I asked Dr. Anderson yesterday before I left…”
“No. Not that we know of.”
She nodded, her hand sliding to her stomach before she crossed her arms. “Can I have some time alone with him?”
She didn’t miss the looks that passed between Sara and Rhett. “Of course. We’ll just be in the waiting area.”
“No. You guys should head back for the day. I’ll be here until someone else comes. Even if that’s tomorrow. Seb and Emma were on the schedule that Sloane organized, but they’re here now and heading back for a meeting with the team a little later in Silver Springs. But I’ll be here.”
“I’m going to stay,” Rhett said. “Mom’s in the cafeteria, but she and Sara can drive back up together. I don’t like the idea of leaving you here alone. And I know Stone would kick my ass if he ever found out I did.”
“Are you okay with that? I don’t want to steal your husband away from you,” Mae asked.
“It’s okay. I want to organize some stuff with Cheryl, so the ride back together and some time alone at the apartment will be great.
” Sara moved next to Mae, placing her hand on Stone’s shoulder.
He didn’t move at the contact. “It’s time to wake up, Stone.
I know you can’t see it, but Mae needs you.
We all need you, honestly, but you’re hurting the woman you love.
So, fix whatever is going on in your mind and open those eyes. ”
She smiled. Sara’s words were true. Mae needed Stone to wake up, now more than ever.
“I’ll just be down the hall if you need me.”
“Thanks, Rhett.”
As soon as the door closed, she leaned over the bed and pressed her lips against Stone’s forehead.
And then Mae walked to the far wall, pulling the chair Sara had been sitting in closer to the bed. In reality, she wished more than anything that she could just jump right into that bed and curl up against him. But there were still too many wires and tubes.
Mae scooped up Stone’s hand, careful to not tug on the access line where medication and fluids were being pumped into him.
Hour after hour. Day after day. “I thought you would be awake by now,” she admitted, scared of what she needed to say next.
“I need you to wake up. Please. It’s time.
I can’t… I don’t want to do this on my own. ”
Her voice dropped to just a whisper. It was all she could muster.
“There’s a baby, Stone. Our baby. You have to wake up now.
There’s no alternative. We have a child to raise, and I refuse to do it without you by my side.
All those things we said… It was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do.
Walking away. I did it, knowing we would have found our way back to each other.
Maybe not anytime soon. But we would have.
Because you’re it for me. So wake up. Now. For me. For our baby.”
Mae squeezed his hands three times.
I. Love. You.
“Please. Don’t make me get down on my knees and beg.”
His hand twitched in hers.
Mae jumped. His hand just twitched in hers.
No, no. It wasn’t a twitch. A purposeful squeeze. Mae’s eyes flew to Stone’s face, but there was no change. His eyes were still closed. His mouth pulled in a tight line. But she knew what she felt. She knew what he had done.
It wasn’t a random thing. He hadn’t had so much as an involuntary spasm since he came out of surgery, at least not that she knew of. Her finger pressed down on the call button, hands shaking as she waited for someone to come into the room.
“Mae, that handsome man of yours giving you trouble?” Anita smiled as she walked over to the sink and washed her hands.
“He squeezed my hand.”
The sweet nurse pursed her lips, walking over to the monitor where all of Stone’s vitals were recorded and displayed. Nothing had changed. Not even the steady beat of his heart. But Mae knew. She hadn’t made it up.
Stone had squeezed her hand. He was in there. He was going to wake up.
“I don’t see any change that would indicate he was waking…”
“I know what I felt. I squeezed his hand, and he squeezed mine back.”
“Okay, honey. I’m going to call the neurologist, and have him come see if there’s been a change.”
The flurry of excitement left the second Anita walked out the door. Mae sank back into the chair, her head coming to rest right next to Stone’s hip as she laid her hand on his leg.
“Please let me be right. Please come back to me. To us.”