Chapter 25
25
D izzy, Meredith dropped the gun and fell forward onto her hands. She closed her eyes and tried to clear her head, but the ringing was deafening. She called on the yoga breathing she'd done with her migraines to help her garner some control.
A spray of water hitting her face brought Meredith back to the moment. She snapped her eyes open. Coco was snorting on her! The horse whinnied and, using her muzzle, nudged Meredith out of her fog,
Jace!
In the twenty or so seconds it took for the ginormous bear’s central nervous system to cease working, it had raked its large paws down Jace’s back and left side. Maybe it was more that the bear was in motion when he was shot than a last ditch attack but, nonetheless, Jace had caught the business end of the bear’s claws. Fortunately, if that word could be used, Jace had done what he was supposed to, balled up as tightly as he could and covered his neck with his hands,.
Jace lay next to the bear on his side, a bright crimson stain spreading across his jacket, the acrid odor of blood filling the air.
Meredith scurried to him as fast as her weak legs could manage, still clutching the shotgun.
“Jace, Jace,” she cried, though it sounded distant and muffled to her, her ears ringing loudly. Tears poured down her face. A large gaping wound ran the length of his forearm. Matching wounds were at his shoulder, ribs, and hip area. It was unsightly, his flesh flayed open. Meredith dropped the shotgun and pulled off her jacket. The worst of the wounds looked to be at his ribs. She jerked off her top layer, a flannel shirt, and balled it up so the cleaner side was against the wound, then she ripped her T-shirt down the front to make long strips to wrap around him, leaving her in nothing but her bra and a coat to cover her.
“Jace?” She touched his face. A beady pulse throbbing in his neck gave her the courage to not freak the hell out.
She felt a vibration rumble through his chest and recognized it as a moan.
She pushed back a lock of hair from his forehead and kissed his temple. “Babe, come on. We have to get you back home. I need to wrap these wounds.” She sniffed and wiped her nose on her shoulder.
He moaned again, and his eyelids fluttered opened. His eyes were cloudy with confusion and pain.
“Hey, can you sit up?” She tried to modulate her voice, afraid she was yelling, since it felt like she was speaking into a tin can. She held his arm, cradling it against her legs, and wrapped one last strip around the wound. Her own shoulder screamed with each move, making her work sloppy and difficult as she was forced to use her non-dominant hand.
“The bear?” she thought he said. At least it looked like it and sorta sounded like it .
She looked over his shoulder at the bear, but had to look away; even in death, it was terrifying. She glanced at Jace and shook her head. “We need to get you home.”
Jace pushed up on his good arm and roared in pain. The stains grew larger. Meredith put a hand to his chest to stop him. She pressed her shirt to his side with her injured arm then began to wrap the area.
Jace closed his eyes and sat still. When she was done, she stood and offered him her hand. Slowly, he joined her, leaning heavily against her and her injured shoulder. She walked with him to his horse and helped boost him up. It took three attempts, and after Jace was on, she could see what the task had cost him, his face pale, sweat across his forehead.
“Go,” she yelled and slapped the horse’s rump. It sprang into action. On the way to her mount, she stopped to pick up the gun and her coat. She was able to get the coat on one side but left it hanging over her injured shoulder.
When she looked up, she found Jace had circled back and was watching her. “I think you’ve dislocated your shoulder,” he yelled and rode to her. She slid the gun into her saddle holster and hoisted herself up. She needed to sit down. She needed a drink. She needed to pass out.
They were a pair, both injured, but Jace was losing blood, and she wasn’t. Clenching her teeth, she kicked at Coco’s flanks and shot off. Jace would follow, that she knew. Tucking the reins under her legs, she opened the saddlebag with one hand and took out the radio; they were miles from cell service. She made her mayday call. She didn’t know what protocol was required so instead blubbered into the small handheld piece about a bear and their situation. Jace was slumped in the saddle, and she feared he’d fall out at any time.
About a half mile from the ranch, Willow broke through the forest, her horse racing toward them. When she saw Jace, she blanched and gasped, then rode up alongside him and took the reins, letting him fall further forward on his horse. Meredith rode on his other side, hoping she could catch him if he fell. When they come within range of the house, a truck was waiting for them, but Willow waved them off.
“It will take too long,” she called and kept up the breakneck pace. She didn’t stop until she was at the steps of the house.
Meredith fell more than dismounted and rushed to Jace. She didn’t care that she was in her half hung coat and bra or that her arm had gone numb as it swung loosely from her shoulder.
Leo, the EMT from the other night rushed out, and following behind him was Tuck. They caught Jace as he slid from the saddle and quickly carried Jace inside. She tried to follow, but Marjory stopped her.
“Meredith, we have to take care of that arm.” She led her into the kitchen and peeled the coat from her. “I want you to take a deep breath and focus on that.” Marjory forced her into a chair and started moving her arm, tucking it into to her side and then slowly sliding it out. It was agonizing. Following a loud pop, Meredith’s pain was immediately diminished, and she started to weep.
She jumped from the chair. “I need to see if he's all right!”
Marjory pulled her close. “Honey, Leo is just getting started––”
“I tried Marjory. I really tried. I did everything I could think of.” Meredith clung to Marjory.
“I have no doubt. Meredith, look at your shoulder. I know you fired the gun. That’s all anyone can do. Now, let’s get you cleaned up.”
Meredith shook her head.
“At least put some clean clothes on. At least a shirt.” Marjory tucked a strand of hair behind Meredith’s ear.
“Here,” Willow said as she came into the room and handed Meredith a tumbler with amber liquid in it and another flannel shirt. “You need this. Do one quick swallow.”
Meredith took it from her, her fingers numb and stiff, likely from shock. She tossed back the drink. The burning sensation as it ran through her from head to toe felt good. Made her feel alive.
“Leo says that some of the wounds are deep, but the one on his side didn’t puncture a lung, just bruised it. He's cracked some ribs, too. Leo's putting Jace’s pieces back together as we speak.”
“Won’t he need to go to the hospital?” Meredith asked. She set the tumbler down, and with Marjory’s help, put on the shirt.
Willow shrugged. “He needs to try and stop the bleeding first. The ambulance is on the way.”
Meredith nodded and swayed on her feet.
“Let’s get you cleaned up.”
She slumped against Marjory. “I need to see Jace. I’m sorry I couldn’t stop the bear, Marjory. I’m sorry. Tell Pops I’m sorry.” Once she started crying and apologizing, she couldn’t stop.
Marjory took Meredith’s face between her hands. “Hush, darling. You did amazing. You saved his life. Pops and I will be forever thankful. We’re so proud of you keeping a cool head under those conditions. But Meredith, you are covered in my son’s blood, and it makes my heart ache to see it.”
Meredith nodded, gulping in large pockets of air, hoping to gain control.
“Take a shower, then we’ll drive together to the clinic when you get out. I hear someone coming now.”
There was no siren, but the sound of a car speeding toward the house.
Meredith nodded and stepped into the bathroom. She waited for an indication that Marjory had moved away before she came out to stand in the hallway by the stairs. If they were going to take him to town, she was going to get one last look at him before they left. When the doctor ran up the stairs, the house seemed to be placed on pause. Not a sound as people waited for word.
Finally, a door creaked open, and a shuffle told Meredith that Pops was coming down the hall. His frame filled the space at the top of the stairs. Marjory and Willow came to stand next to Meredith.
“He’s going to be fine. Might need some physical therapy, but most of the wounds are superficial enough not to cause worry,” said Pops.
“Most?” asked Marjory.
“The ones on his torso are the worst, but Doc Jensen doesn’t see the point of going into town when he can do everything here. We’ll have to go get a prescription tomorrow.” Pops started down the stairs. “Take me home, lover. All this drama wore me clean out.”
Marjory waited at the landing, then tucked her arm into his. “I need you to hold me, Wes. I don’t think my heart’s stopped racing.” He patted her hand, leaving Meredith and Willow behind.
“I could use another stiff drink since I have no one to hold me. You?” she asked Meredith.
Meredith shook her head. “Maybe after I get this off.” She touched the rough, dried blood on her chest then went into the bathroom to scrub it off. It felt like an eternity before the doctor came downstairs and handed her a prescription and listed several things she should watch for, fever top of the list. After she saw out the doctor, Leo, and Tuck, she bounded up the stairs. Willow was sitting next to the bed, having pulled the rocking chair up so she could sit by her brother.
“He might be waking. I thought I'd keep him company until you got up here,” she said .
“Thanks,” Meredith mumbled as she stared at Jace. He was frighteningly pale.
“Here”––she jumped up and then pushed Meredith into the rocker––“rest. We'll split shifts watching over him. I'll give you some time with him then come back in an hour so you can get some sleep.”
Meredith began to protest, but Willow hushed her and then quickly left the room.
With no one else around but Jace, Meredith let her tears fall again. She'd almost lost him. As it was, he could still get really sick with an infection or have complications. Meredith would not borrow trouble. Those potential problems would have to get in line if they wanted a chance at Jace.
She leaned toward him and brushed a lock of his hair back and whispered his name, the words “I love you” ready to spill out. She'd known she had these feelings yesterday at the barn dance, but today they needed to be said. She'd held her tongue with her father for years, and it had gotten her nowhere. Holding it in with Jace was not going to be a habit.
“I love you,” she whispered. “Please wake up. I need you to tell me you're okay.”
He stayed motionless, his breathing barely visible.
She whispered the words again. This time he mumbled, and Meredith sat up straight.
“Jace?”
His eyelids fluttered opened, then he blinked heavily a few times as if he was fighting the pull of unconsciousness.
“Hey babe,” he croaked.
A relieved giggle escaped her. “Hey, want me to get you some water?” Without waiting for his response, she jumped up and dashed to the bathroom where she retrieved a small cup of water. Back at his side, she helped him raise his head to take a drink .
The work of it was obviously taxing as he was sweating when they were done.
“You're going to live,“ she told him. “A few cracked ribs and a bruised lung is the worst and you have all these stitches down your arm. Leo said the sum was in the sixties.”
“I'm sorry.” He winced as he shifted to free his uninjured hand from out beneath the covers, then took her hand.
His apology nearly broke her. He was likely in some serious pain and was thinking of her first.
“I'm so glad you're going to be okay.” She squeezed and considered telling him again her feelings. This time while he was alert—ish.
Jace gave her a wolfish grin. “I'm sorry you're going to have to do all the work.”
She stroked his hand with her thumb. “It's okay. It's what family does for one another.”
He looked puzzled. “What? Family? More like wives. But some wives really like it and prefer it, actually.” He yawned and then followed it up with a grin.
“Wives? What are you talking about?” She was beginning to think they were talking about two different things.
“I'm talking how you said we could fool around when we got home, but if you’re wanting to get your goods from me, you're gonna have to climb on top and do all the work. I won't complain, though.” He yawned again.
Meredith pulled her hand from his and crossed her arms. “You're talking about sex?”
“Yeah, you wanna give it a try?” He reached for her, but she slapped his hand away then stood up in anger.
“You're lying there with stitches holding you together because a bear clawed you. A BEAR! And you're propositioning me? That's the first thing to come to your mind? Sex?” She didn't bother to see his reaction instead she stormed out of the room. The stupid man didn't deserve to hear what she had to say. She slammed the door to the guest room with as much force as she could muster.