Chapter Forty-one
Separated for hours, Cane and Noah were questioned by the police and made to go over the details from the time they arrived to the shooting incident where a man was killed. Having nothing to hide, Cane explained everyone’s actions that led up to Raven’s reaching for his weapon and firing it.
Finally satisfied, the detective in charge gave him permission to meet up with Noah in the hospital waiting room where they were waiting for the newest update on Raven’s condition.
The officer slapped Cane on the shoulder and spoke kindly.
“Relax man, she’s doing great. You’ll be able to see her soon.
If you think of anything you might have missed, take my card and call me.
” The older man turned and spied Noah heading their way.
“Ahh, your buddy has been released too and can wait with you.”
Cane gave a little wave in Noah’s direction and continued to pace the hospital hallway until Noah finally made him sit down. “Man, chill. Raven’s fine. Just exhausted. The police have finished their questioning, and the doctors are almost done with the tests. We’ll be able to see her soon.
“I know. I just can’t forget the horrified expression on her face when we broke in.
I’ve never seen a woman that scared.” The appalling scene reappeared in his mind of her crazed appearance at the moment they’d arrived.
He’d seen her wild hair mussed like a curtain of blackness haloing her head.
Her clothes ripped off registered, but the blood pouring over her face and naked chest hit him in the gut, almost doubling him over.
Only there had been no time. Action had to come first.
Noah’s voice softened. “We got there before he went too far, bro. He hurt her but not in a way that makes it impossible for her to forget.”
When Cane glared at him, he quickly explained his meaning, “He didn’t rape her.”
Visions faded that he’d been funneling along with the what ifs. “You’re right. I need to let it go and just thank God we saved her from the worst.”
“Look, she’ll probably suffer from nightmares.
Considering what she went through, killing a man and the tremendous fear she experienced before it came to that, I’d expect no less.
And that’ll take time and a lot of patience from all of us to get her through it.
But my sister is a strong woman. She’ll deal, I have no doubt. ”
Cane stiffened and swung to look at Noah. “Your sister? You mean because of your similar backgrounds?”
“No. Because we share the same mother. Oh, right, you don’t know this yet, but I found out earlier that she’s legally my half-sister.”
Stunned, his legs weakening so much he was forced to sit, Cane reached out to Noah.
As they side-hugged like men do, he exclaimed, “Your sister. Now isn’t that the best news I’ve heard in a long, long time.
Raven will be thrilled. But how come you just found out…
I’m taking it for granted that you didn’t know before. ”
“No. It wasn’t until I saw the family photograph album at Winona’s place where she had a picture of Raven’s mom, Cissy. Turns out she was my mother too.”
Buried deep, Cane’s angst disintegrated slowly.
This reveal couldn’t have happened at a better time.
“Man, I can’t tell you how right this feels – you and her being related.
” Because he felt upbeat with the happy news, his worry about being able to hide his fierce anger from Raven began to melt away.
He understood tonight wasn’t about him. That he had to be there for her.
Poor baby needed gentleness and understanding not a man filled with hate and violence.
Before he could tell Noah how he felt, the nurse came to lead them to Raven’s room.
Whether exhaustion caused her to sleep in or maybe some medication they gave her, she seemed peaceful in her rest. Cane slumped in the chair next to the bed, held her hand in his, and lowered his head beside her body.
And letting his anxiety relax through the sigh he’d held in for so long, he closed his eyes.
***
Taking one of the seats at the back of her room, Noah watched the scene unfold between Cane and Raven. For the first time in many harsh, drawn-out months, he gave thanks in a sincere and heartfelt way to the universe he’d resented over the last couple of years.
When his childhood sweetheart, Louise, had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer, his world had turned into a living hell.
Not only had she refused to rail against her sickness, and rather than spend the time she had left loving him, she’d chosen to expend all her energy in getting them to Carlton Place, and her children into a new environment.
He’d missed the closeness of holding a woman in his arms and making love.
Sure… he’d filled up the emptiness with his kids and his job.
And he’d tried to be the best friend he could during her time left, but deep inside, he felt a tiny bit of resentment that she hadn’t turned to him.
That he hadn’t had a more important role in her end-of-life journey.
Instead, she’d pulled away from all the overtures he’d tried to create for them to find intimacy in the time they had left.
While he sat and watched Raven open her eyes, he couldn’t help but see the undeniable adoration that flared instantly between her and Cane.
Choking back the emotional result of their obvious love, he focused on his delight and fought off the jealousy he couldn’t allow to take up any space.
One day he hoped he’d find what they’d found…
that’s if the gods were good to him. Worried that might never happen again, he sighed away the growing tightness in his chest and closed his eyes.
That is until two people tiptoed into the room and disturbed him.
Winona made her way toward the bed where Raven held out a hand for her to come close.
And Val came toward him, reached for his hand and leaned against him to whisper in his ear.
“We made it.” Because her sudden presence sparked so much joy inside, he had the strangest yearning to hold her closer and let her soothe his inner sadness.
Engrossed with these needs, he looked into her eyes and saw the shyness his attention started. She glanced down at their hands and squeezed as if to show that she liked his attention, but the time wasn’t quite right for them. He squeezed back, his way of agreeing.
Surprised, she lifted her eyes to stare into his…
hers brimming with interest and a flame slightly flickering.
And he’d swear it was a flirtatious kind of a spark that made a man feel his overtures would be accepted one day.
As if the tension had overwhelmed her, she forced herself to look away and instead, rested her head against his shoulder, a sigh of contentment breaking loose… a reflection of his own sentiments.
Lifting his arm to enclose her body, he accepted the undeniable fact that they had all the time in the world.
Today was about Raven and celebrating her victory in overcoming one of the most dangerous criminals loose in their state.
Their time would happen, and waiting was a good thing.
For both of them. They each had baggage to deal with before starting a new adventure.
And living together, making a home for their kids, they could take it slowly.
A smile settled on his face from those thoughts.
He took a few seconds to send a silent message to his wife.
Thanks, Louise. It was you who made us move here…
like you knew it was where our future waited.
I love you for that. They found your body yesterday, and we’ll hold a ceremony for you soon.
And as you requested, we’ll plant your ashes under that tree you loved in the forest. The one that all the squirrels play in.
Lowered voices from the opposite side of the room brought back his attention to where Raven held hands with both Winona and Cane.
Through this whole ordeal, not only had he gained a sister, but his world would be changed…
it’ll be better, happier. Living with Val and her kids would be a godsend, and he found himself looking forward to the days ahead with an uplifted heart and an inner smile.
A man who’d found himself with a chance of future happiness, how much better did life get?