44. Halle
CHAPTER 44
HALLE
I t’s dark out when a doctor finally comes to talk to us.
The moment I see him headed in our direction, my stomach sinks. I swallow down the bile quickly rising in my throat. My heart beats so hard that I can hear it in my ears as I try and fail to read the doctor’s flat expression.
“Are you the family of Caleb Thorne?”
“Yes.” Somehow, I find the strength to stand, though my legs are wobbly, and wrap my arms around my body, trying to hold the fragile, broken pieces of myself together. “I’m his… I’m his wife.”
Salem stands with me, looping her arm through mine.
“Is he okay?” she asks, since I can’t seem to find the words to ask myself.
The doctor rubs at his jaw. “We got the bullet out and stitched everything up. He lost more blood than we’d like, but no vital organs were damaged. He’s doing better than we expected already. He’s still asleep in recovery, but as soon as he’s moved to a room, family can see him.”
I can barely see through my tears. “He’s going to be okay?”
He dips his chin. “Everything is looking promising.”
If it weren’t for the way my friends support me, I’m fairly certain I’d fall to the floor. “That’s good. That’s really good.” I struggle to catch my breath, my chest still tight.
“Just sit tight and?—”
There’s a commotion behind us, then a familiar voice pierces the air.
“My son,” a woman says breathlessly. “My son was shot and brought in and?—”
I turn, finding the receptionist pointing in our direction.
Caleb’s parents jog over to us, and his mom stops in front of the doctor. “Oh, God. Please tell me my boy is okay.”
The doctor repeats what he’s already told us, and the older woman sinks to her knees. Her husband follows, though a little more gracefully, and cradles her.
I don’t have much respect for the woman, but sympathy for her overtakes me anyway. If I wasn’t still reeling, I might feel a little bad that it didn’t even cross my mind to call them.
Salem, Thayer, and Laith lead me away, and I’m grateful for it. Something tells me his mom would love nothing more than to spew more hateful shit my way, and I’m so emotionally strung out I’m not sure how I would react.
With each passing minute, the need to get out of this waiting room increases.
“I’m going to find a vending machine,” I announce, standing.
Laith practically jumps up too. “I’ll go with you.”
We’re quiet as we head down the long, empty hall away from the ER’s waiting room.
“I hate hospitals,” he says once the noise has faded. His voice is barely a whisper, but it still manages to echo off the walls.
“I don’t have too much experience with them,” I admit.
“Good. That’s good,” he mumbles, looking around.
At the end of the hall, I survey the contents of the vending machine. I’m not even thirsty or hungry, but I need something to keep me distracted.
Laith pulls out a wad of bills from his pocket and feeds one into the machine. “Pick your poison.”
I choose a Dr Pepper. I can’t remember the last time I drank one, but out of the options in front of me, it seems like the best choice.
The next machine has chips and candy. I point silently to the M&M’s. Laith’s lips twitch with amusement, but he obliges and hands me the chocolate.
“I’m not ready to go back,” I confess.
“That’s okay.” With a sigh, he rests a booted foot against the wall. “We can hang here. ”
I sit on a bench a few feet away, and eventually, Laith joins me.
“Do you ever feel like you’re being punished over and over for something you didn’t even know you did?”
He blows out a breath, crossing his arms over his chest. “All the time. But sometimes we’re just dealt shitty cards. Take my brother, for instance. I’d hate to think he lost his son because the universe decided he needed to pay for something.”
I twist the soda cap off the bottle, then tighten it again. “You have a good point.”
“You’ve made a lot of progress since you moved here. I’d hate to see you regress.”
I drop my head at his words. “I think I needed this place. And I definitely needed him.”
“The right place, the right people, make all the difference.” He leans back against the wall, stretching his legs out in front of him. “You were so closed off when we met,” he goes on. “You’ve changed a lot. Sure, Caleb has helped, but you wouldn’t have made this much progress if you didn’t want to.”
“I didn’t want to fall in love with him,” I confess, head bowed. “But he’s pretty impossible to resist.”
Laith huffs out a small laugh. “If there’s one thing I know for sure, it’s that we have no choice when it comes to who we fall in love with.”
As I peer over at him, I can see it in his eyes, a past that haunts him.
“Hey.” Salem’s voice interrupts us, her focus fixed on me. “They said one person could go back now. I had to tell off his mom, but you’re free to see him.”
Heart pounding, I hop up and smooth my dress, ignoring the bloodstain on the hem. A shiver works its way through me as I follow Salem down the hall. It’s frigid in the hospital and I’m not wearing enough layers.
As I enter the waiting area again, I ignore Caleb’s parents. Frankly, I owe them nothing. If they apologized, then I’d consider playing nice, but until then, they can kiss my ass.
The nurse waits at the door, her expression soothing and sympathetic. “This way, sweetie.”
Salem gives my arm a reassuring squeeze as I head for the double doors.
“He’s doing well,” the nurse assures me, her smile kind. “He’s a little groggy and still pretty tired, so he might fall asleep.”
“Is there… is there anything we should be worried about?” I don’t dare allow myself to believe that, somehow, he’s truly okay. I’m used to having the rug yanked out from under me.
“I can’t give any false promises, but his blood work looks good and surgery went well.”
I exhale a shaky breath, the tightness in my chest loosening a fraction. “Okay. Thank you.”
She takes me to an elevator, and we head up to critical care. It’s a step down from intensive care, but it still worries me.
At the end of the hall, she stops. “He’s just in there.”
“Thank you.”
I hesitate outside the door, taking a moment to gather myself. It’s pointless. The second I lay eyes on him, I burst into tears.
His skin is waxy, his blond hair in wild disarray, and his eyes are ringed in dark circles. The nasal cannula only adds to the pitiful sight.
“Baby,” he says softly. “Don’t cry.”
“Don’t cry?” I laugh, though the sound morphs into a hysterical hiccup. “You got shot , Caleb. Right in front of me.”
He spreads his arms wide, wincing before he can hide the reaction. “I’m doing great. See?”
“Liar.” I cross the small room, only stopping when I’m at his side. I slide my fingers into his hair and down his face. His skin is cool, but he’s real beneath my touch, and that’s all that matters.
He closes his eyes, placing his hand over mine. “I’m sorry about your mom.”
A scoff flies out of me. “She shot you, and you’re apologizing?”
“Yes, because I know she hurt you.”
I shake my head. This man. He’s impossible.
“Still the best day of my life,” he yawns. “I got to marry my girl.”
“You’re insane,” I laugh.
“Insanely in love with you.”
I bite my lip to stifle another laugh. “I’m glad you feel well enough to be so cheesy.”
“It’s the drugs,” he admits, slowly blinking, like he’s fighting sleep. “They make me loopy. ”
“That’s okay.” I pull the chair up closer to his bed with my free hand and sit down. “Go to sleep. I’ll be here when you wake up.”
He gives me a half smile. “Promise?”
“I did make a vow to stick with you in sickness and in health,” I tease.
“That’s right.” His hand grows weak against mine and falls to the bed. “I love you.”
“I love you too,” I say, but he’s already asleep.