40. Chapter 40
Chapter 40
What was taking so long? Tessa’s neck ached from keeping it tipped back, watching the sky. Megan stood next to her with Bella asleep in her arms. Tessa didn’t blame her for taking her baby out of her crib. Megan wanted to have Bella near her. Like Tessa wanted Lily. When had that little girl taken up so much of her heart?
Sienna came outside. “Ian just arrived. He’ll check Lily over when they return.”
When, not if. She had to have a positive attitude like Sienna.
“There!” Sienna shouted.
Tessa saw someone flying toward them. Black wings—it was Marcus. Where was everyone else?
Sienna grabbed her arm. “He has Lily.”
Tessa couldn’t see that far, but she trusted Sienna’s dragon sight.
A couple minutes later Marcus touched down on the deck, and Tessa held out her arms for Lily. Once she was holding her, tears fell and she breathed Lily’s strawberry little-girl scent. “Are you okay, sweetheart?”
Lily nodded.
She turned to Marcus. “Where’s everyone else?”
“They’re bringing Ben.”
Tessa checked the sky again as her heart seized. “Bringing him? Is he hurt?”
Marcus hesitated.
“Is he okay?” Sienna asked.
“They found Lily hiding alone in the cave where Ben was attacked. When he went in to get her, he collapsed. They’re working on getting him out of the cave now. Eric had me bring Lily first.”
“Did he hit his head or something?” Megan asked.
“No. According to Eric, Ben had Lily in his arms and then he handed her to Eric and grabbed his head and started moaning. I need to get back.” Marcus launched into the air before anyone could reply.
Lily sniffled and Tessa held her tighter.
“It’s okay, sweetheart. Let’s get you inside and get you taken care of so that Dr. Murphy can examine Ben when he gets here.”
Sienna rushed over to the door and opened it for them. “I’m going to wait for them out here.”
“Okay,” Tessa said even though she felt far from it. Why couldn’t they catch a break? It was like Fate wanted to pile more and more on their shoulders. Had Ben finally collapsed from the guilt and worry he was carrying?
Megan followed them inside with Bella, and Ian and Evelyn met them in the living room.
“Can you check Lily? Ben collapsed and they’re bringing him back from the cave.”
Ian nodded and sat on the couch so that he wasn’t towering over Lily. Tessa sat with Lily in her lap, and Ian started to examine her, getting out his stethoscope and penlight. He kept nodding, which Tessa took as a good sign. He also checked her quickly for cuts and bruises and made sure nothing was wrong with her arms or legs.
“She looks good. Scared obviously, but otherwise, she’s good.” He smiled at Lily.
Evelyn blew out a breath. “Thank God.”
Lily’s hair had partially come out of its braids. Tessa pushed back the tendrils and tucked them behind her ear. “I think someone needs a nice warm bath and a snack. Can Evelyn help you with that, sweetheart?”
Lily nodded and Evelyn held out her hand. Lily started across the room and then turned, ran back to Tessa, and gave her a fierce hug before taking Evelyn’s hand and heading for the foyer. Tessa blinked back tears.
“I’ll be right back. I’m going to put Bella down in her crib,” Megan said, following Evelyn and Lily out of the room.
When they were out of earshot, Ian turned to her. “Do we know what happened to Ben?”
“All Marcus said was that he was in the cave and he grabbed his head and went down.”
“The cave he was attacked in?”
She nodded.
“Okay. I’m going to go grab some more things out of my van. I’ll meet you on the back deck. How are you feeling?”
“I’m fine.” Tessa stood and walked on wobbly legs to the deck. She had been keeping it together for Lily, but now her adrenaline was kicking into overdrive. She grabbed Sienna’s hand and they waited.
“Here they come!” Sienna said.
There were several dragons huddled together. As they got closer, Tessa could see that Ben’s wings were not out. Instead Eric and a guard were holding Ben between them as they flew. Marcus and another dragon flew below them with one in front and one behind. Tessa assumed they were flying that pattern to be there if there was an issue. Ben appeared to be deadweight, and her heart tried to take up residence in her throat.
“Land softly and someone support his head and neck,” Ian called out.
She flinched at the voice. She hadn’t heard Ian come outside.
They landed and the men picked up Ben so that he was being carried horizontally. Eric held his head so it didn’t flop down.
Tessa and Sienna followed them inside, and Megan met the group of men in the foyer as they transported Ben upstairs like he was made of glass.
They followed them up the stairs and waited in the hall as the men laid him on the bed. The guards filed out. Ian started to examine him. There were several bags in the room that Ian must have brought in earlier when he went to his car.
He directed Marcus to help him and had Eric repeat what happened. It was the same story Marcus had told them and she had in turn told Ian.
Tessa walked over to the other side of the bed and rested her hand on Ben’s arm. His eyelashes fluttered and she leaned closer. “Ben?”
He opened his eyes and looked at her, but not in the way she was used to. He stared at her like she was a stranger.
“Ben?” she said.
“Who’s Ben?” he mumbled.
Her stomach tumbled. “Adam?”
He nodded before shutting his eyes again.
Ian placed his fist on his chest and rubbed, hard. “Adam? Can you hear me?”
But he didn’t open his eyes again.
“I know you all want to be in here, but I need room to work. Marcus is staying and I need Eric to help remove his clothes. It would be better for the rest of you to wait outside while I examine him.”
“Okay,” Megan answered quickly as if she was afraid that Tessa or Sienna might say no to the suggestion. She ushered them out into the hall and shut the door. “We can stay right here if you both want.”
Tessa sucked in a breath and glanced at Sienna, who had no color in her face. Tessa grabbed her hand. “You just got him back. He’s not leaving you again.”
Sienna squeezed her hand. “It just brought back all the memories of the first time. Fate wouldn’t be that cruel, would it?”
Megan shook her head. “No.”
They stood in the hall lost in thought for several minutes until the door opened and Eric walked out.
“How is he?” Sienna asked.
“Still the same. He hasn’t opened his eyes again. I kept asking Ian questions, so he kindly suggested I wait outside.”
“If we’re going to camp out here, we might as well grab some chairs,” Tessa said. She couldn’t speak for the rest of them, but her legs were still wobbly.
Eric nodded and walked into a few bedrooms and pulled some chairs into the hallway.
“Do you think he’s getting his memory back?” Sienna asked.
“If yes, then why didn’t he remember the name Ben?” Tessa took a breath. “Do you think if he gets his memories back, he’ll forget the last fifteen months?” Forget her?
Megan grabbed her hand. “We’ll have to see what he remembers or not when he wakes up.”
Tessa wasn’t sure how long they sat, but after a while Megan went to check on Bella and came back with a wide-awake baby. She handed her to Eric, which helped distract him. Distract all of them as she smiled and giggled at the group sitting in the hall.
Tessa decided to check on Lily. She knocked lightly on her bedroom door and Evelyn answered it.
“How is she doing?” Tessa said as she peeked into the room and saw Lily on the bed.
“She had a nice long bath and something to eat. She fell asleep after her snack. I think a nap is exactly what she needs right now. How is Ben is doing?”
“We’re still waiting to hear from Dr. Murphy.”
Evelyn nodded. “I’m going to stay here with Lily in case she needs anything.”
Tessa walked back to the group and sat. “Lily is sleeping and Evelyn is watching over her.”
“Thank God she’s okay,” Megan said.
“There wasn’t anyone else in the cave?” Sienna asked.
“No,” Eric said. “Ben asked her if she had been taken, and she shook her head. She went there by herself.”
“I wonder why,” Megan said. “The sketch made me think that she was taken.”
“What sketch?” Tessa asked.
“That’s right. You didn’t see it. I left the book on the foyer table.”
“I’m going to grab it.”
Before Tessa could get up, Sienna shot to her feet. “Let me get it. I need something to do.” Sienna headed down the hall before Tessa could respond.
Eric frowned as he bounced Bella on his knee. “She hates not being able to help.”
“I know the feeling,” Tessa said.
Sienna came back quickly and handed the sketch pad to Tessa. “Here’s the picture.”
Megan studied it with Tessa. “We thought it looked like she was being abducted and maybe she ran away because she was scared or possibly to protect Ben from being hurt by them.”
Bella reached for the book, and Sienna scooped up the baby from Eric and started walking with her.
Eric also looked at the drawing, and he cursed under his breath.
“What is it?” Megan asked.
“I think that picture is what happened in the cave. Ben handed Lily to me and then collapsed on the ground, holding his head.”
“Do you think she went there because of the drawing?” Megan asked.
“Why?” Eric said.
“Maybe she heard Ben talking last night about needing his memories back. Do you think she knew going to the cave would trigger them?” Tessa asked.
Before anyone could respond, the door opened and Ian stepped into the hall. They shot to their feet and crowded around him.
“How is he?” Sienna asked first.
“I checked him over, and I didn’t find anything physically wrong with him. He finally woke up and tried to explain what happened. He remembered the attack in the cave and then his memories came back all at once. It flooded his brain and, for lack of a better word, short-circuited it.”
“But he’s going to be okay?” Tessa said.
“Yes, as far as I can tell right now. He has a hell of a headache. I’ve given him some pain reliever, but he doesn’t want anything stronger since he’s still trying to sort through his memories.”
“Does he remember the last year?” Megan asked before Tessa could.
“Yes and no. When I mentioned that Eric was here, he was surprised. Marcus reminded him that he had come back while Adam was missing, and that seemed to jog his memory. I think it’s a matter of his brain trying to sort through things right now.”
“Is there anything we can do for him?” Tessa asked.
“He wants to see Eric and Sienna.” Ian held up his hand. “But you can’t stress him out. He’s in shock and really needs to sleep, but he wants to talk to you first. I want you in and out in ten minutes max. He can talk more in the morning once he’s gotten some rest.”
Sienna and Eric followed Ian into the room, and then he shut the door. Tessa stood there staring at the solid wood door.
Bella’s babbling pulled Tessa away from her stare down with the stained wood. She turned to her best friend and her daughter. Bella held out her hands to her, and Megan handed her to Tessa. “Come on. Let’s go get something to eat.”
They headed downstairs and found that Marilyn had made soup and homemade bread for dipping. Tessa rocked Bella back and forth while Megan scooped soup into bowls and put them on the table. She then retrieved a kid’s plate out of the fridge and heated it in the microwave.
Tessa put Bella in her high chair, and Megan sat next to her to feed her. Bella opened up like a baby bird.
“You’re such a good eater!” Megan said as Bella pushed part of the food from her mouth with her tongue. Megan scooped it up and fed her the rest.
“Of course she’s a good eater. Marilyn makes her fresh baby food.”
Megan smiled. “You and Bella are Marilyn’s favorites. Although I think Lily is up there now too. The last two days have been terrifying. I’m so happy that you, Lily, and Ben are okay.”
“I hope he isn’t…”
“Isn’t what?” Megan said while giving Bella another spoon of food.
She blew out a breath. “Overwhelmed. He’s wanted to remember so badly, and then his memories bring him to his knees.”
“He’s strong. And Eric and Sienna are with him.”
Tessa stirred the soup in front of her. She didn’t want to sit. She needed to do something . “I should go check on Lily again.”
“Evelyn is with her. They’ll be down when they get hungry. I never thought I would have to say this to you, but you need to eat something.” She wiped Bella’s mouth. “I know you want to be with him right now.”
Tessa dipped a piece of bread into the bowl and then stuffed the too-big piece into her mouth so that she didn’t have to respond. She didn’t know what she wanted right now. But this wasn’t about her. It was about Ben.
Of course her friend just stared at her, waiting for her to finish eating.
“He doesn’t need me in the mix right now. You heard Ian. He’s confused and trying to sort through his memories. Like you said, he has Sienna and Eric and Marcus. They’re his family. You and Bella are his family.”
Even though she was a dive-into-the-fray-and-take-no-prisoners type of person, this time she was going to stay back and let him find his bearings again. She might have been his stronghold when he was Ben, but he was shored up now by his family.
And speaking of family—Eric walked into the kitchen with a smile on his face.
“How is he?” Megan asked.
“Adam’s back.”
And Tessa was happy for him, truly.
But at the same time she was also sad that the Ben she knew was gone. Was that wrong of her?