Chapter 19 #2
Was there a twinge of disappointment in his voice? “I’m not ready for a child.”
“Yeah, I get it. There’s a lot going on in your life. We just started dating.”
So, they were dating. It was an interesting development. And she would have liked to think about it more. But Dr. Colton would be waiting for them at the hospital.
“I should probably get ready.” Lucy scooped up her towel from the floor. “Your dad will be expecting us soon.”
“I’ll give you some privacy, then.” He pressed his lips to her cheek.
She waited until he walked out of the room. Then, she got dressed. Jeans. T-shirt. Sneakers. She pulled her hair into a ponytail and secured her tresses with an elastic band.
When she entered the living room, he was sitting on the sofa.
“Ready?” he asked.
Was she?
“Yeah,” she said. “I’m ready.”
They left the apartment and walked down the stairs. Aiden held open the door that led to the street. His car was parked at the curb. Using a fob, he unlocked the doors and started the engine. Lucy opened her own door and slipped into the passenger seat.
Aiden was quiet as he drove to the hospital. The silence suited her just fine. Too many thoughts tumbled through her mind. How was Rusty now? Would he ever be okay again?
By staying with Aiden, she was safe for now. But it also meant that she’d been neglecting the ranch. The cattle had been left at the summer pasture for too long. They needed to be moved. But she had no idea how to make that happen on her own.
And after this morning, there was another concern. True, she’d been on the pill since she was a teenager. It’s just that she hadn’t brought the prescription with her to Aiden’s apartment. In fact, Lucy couldn’t remember the last time she’d taken one of her birth control pills.
Sitting in a chair next to Rusty’s bed, Lucy held her grandfather’s hand.
Doctor Jonathon Colton stood on the other side of the bed, and Aiden leaned against the wall.
A deputy sat in the chair in the hallway.
The officer’s presence was a stark reminder that someone wanted her and her grandfather dead.
She’d been at the hospital for hours. Her grandfather had been gradually weaned from the sedatives that had kept him unconscious.
Now, it was anyone’s guess how long it would take for him to wake up.
And until he was fully awake, there was no way to know if his brain had healed.
“Mr. Harris.” Dr. Colton was nose-to-nose with Rusty. “If you can hear me, blink your eyes.”
Lucy stared at her grandfather. He lay without moving.
Dr. Colton let out a long breath. “His respiration and pulse are all normal. Sometimes it takes longer for a patient to come around than we want.”
“Grandpa,” said Lucy, raising her voice. “I’m here with you. I love you and I want you to come back to me.” She paused. “If you can hear me, squeeze my hand.”
His fingertips fluttered against her palm.
“He moved,” she said. “He gripped my hand.”
“That’s good news,” said Aiden.
“It might be a reflex.” Dr. Colton paused. “See if you can get your grandfather to open his eyes.”
Lucy rose from her seat. She leaned toward her grandfather, just like the doctor had done a moment earlier. “Grandpa Rusty,” she said. “It’s me. Lucy. I’m here at the hospital and we’re waiting for you to wake up. Can you open your eyes and look at me?”
Her grandfather’s face didn’t change. His fingers tapped on the covers.
“What was that?” she asked, pointing to his hand. “Was that just a reflex?”
“I think your grandfather’s trying to come back to us,” said Aiden. “Talk to him again.”
“Grandpa,” she said. Her tone was stern. “You need to wake up so I can get back to the ranch. I need to bring the cattle down from the summer pasture.”
His eyes opened.
Lucy kissed his cheek. “I’m so happy to see you. You had me so worried.”
Rusty’s eyes closed again. His head lolled to the side.
“What’s going on?” Panic reached into her chest and gripped her heart with sharp claws. “Is he okay?”
“That’s to be expected,” said Dr. Colton.
“He’s been on a sedative for days, and it’ll take time for everything to get out of his system.
But for now, we know he can hear us and follow simple directions.
Scratch that, he can hear Lucy and listens to what she has to say. He doesn’t care about me at all.”
“Thank you,” said Lucy. “For everything.”
“There’s still a long way for your grandfather to go. But this is a good first step.” He patted Aiden on the shoulder. “I’ll be back. Call me if anything changes.”
“Thanks, Dad. I will.” Once his father was gone, Aiden asked, “How are you going to get the cattle down from the summer pasture?”
At one time, Lucy had it all figured out. But now? “I don’t know.”
“You said it would only take a day with the right people. How long would it take with the wrong people?”
“I can read your mind from here.” She waved her hand above her head. “You have a thought bubble like in a comic book. But I can’t ask for your help. You’ve done so much already.”
“You aren’t asking,” he said. “I’m offering.”
“I can’t.”
“Why not? Because we aren’t that close? We’ve had sex twice.” He held up two fingers. “I’d hardly say that I’m a stranger.”
“Shhh,” she shushed. “Don’t say things like that in front of my grandfather.”
“I’m sorry,” he said. “You’re right.”
Lucy glanced at Rusty. His lips were moving. Was he trying to speak?
She leaned close, her ear just inches above his mouth. With a shake of her head, she dropped into the chair.
“I guess he wasn’t saying anything,” said Aiden. “Don’t worry. He will.”
“Oh no, Rusty was able to talk.”
Aiden’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “Really? What did he say?”
Lucy had definitely been backed into a corner. “He told me,” she said, “to let you help.”