Chapter Twenty-Four #2
“Your wrists will sting for a while. Whatever they were bound with essentially burned your skin off when you tried to escape or free them. They didn’t need stitches so we cleaned the area before putting an antibacterial cream on them and then bandaging them.
You’ll need to keep them dry as they heal.
The bruise on your forehead is superficial and there’s a small cut at the bottom of the bruising.
It appears as if something was pressed against your skin hard.
We did need to put ten stitches in the gash near your temple.
It’s been bandaged after we got it taken care of.
The scans we did didn’t indicate any bleeding on your brain.
Do you have any memory loss?” he asks me, reading the chart in his hand.
“Honestly, the gash on my head is from me. I was trying to get free when the chair I was tied to fell to the side and I hit my head. I’m not sure what I hit it on because I passed out,” Tucker squeezes my hand as I admit what really happened to my head.
“Okay. If you won’t be home alone, I believe we can discharge you today.
If you experience any dizziness, nausea, or your head starts to hurt worse, you’ll need to come back to the hospital for more tests.
At this point, I believe you’ll make a full recovery.
You might have minimal scarring on your wrists and where the gash is,” the doctor informs me as I nod in response.
“Thank you, I’d like to go home. Tucker, will you stay with me?” I ask him because I’m not sure if he needs space after everything we just talked about.
“Try to keep me away, Songbird,” he says as my phone starts to ring and I look at the screen to see Jagger’s name flashing.
“I have to take this for work,” I say as the doctor nods and lets me know he’ll get the discharge papers ready. “Jagger, what’s going on?”
“Keaton, are you okay?” he asks the second I answer the phone after putting it on speaker.
“I’m okay. A little sore and I’ve got some battle wounds right now but they’ll heal,” I answer my manager as Tucker smiles and shakes his head at me.
“Your mom called and let me know what was goin’ on.
I’ve had our teams on it and your name isn’t mentioned in anythin’.
We don’t need anyone to connect the dots between Ruby and you or the media will show up in Briar Glen and you won’t get a second of rest. We both know that’s the last thing you want.
I’ll stay on top of it and you rest and heal.
I’ll check back in with you in a few days.
If you need somethin’ before then, let me know and we’ll get it taken care of.
I’m cancelin’ the rest of your tour dates, but I want you in the studio with Memphis as soon as possible.
There’s still talk of your duet goin’ around and videos from the festival are still trendin’ on social media.
We need to capitalize on this as soon as possible.
When you feel ready to record again, let Memphis and me know so we can arrange everythin’.
I’ll talk to you soon, Keaton,” Jagger says, hanging up the phone as I smile because that’s who my manager is.
“I don’t want you rushin’ back to the studio, Keaton. You’re just gettin’ out of the hospital today. Didn’t the tour just take off again after havin’ a few days off?” Tucker asks me and I nod in response.
“Yeah. It will be a few weeks before Memphis can get away from the tour. He can come to the house and we can use the recording studio in the basement. We’ve done it in the past and can make it work again.
I will warn you now that Memphis usually stays with me when he’s in town because he doesn’t want anyone to recognize him.
Plus, we’ll have to have a team here to produce the song and make sure it’s recorded properly,” I answer Tucker as he pulls out his phone and makes a call.
I listen as he asks Wren to pack some clothes and bring them to me so I can be discharged.
Bridger needs to be with us as well. I’ve missed him and it hasn’t even been a full day since I last saw him.
While Tucker talks to Wren about what to bring me, I call my parents to let them know I’m being discharged.
My mom informs me they just landed about an hour away and will meet me at the house.
They want to see Bridger and me before they head home to unpack and rest. I love spending time with my parents but I know this time will be different.
Tucker will be with us and I’m not sure how they’ll react to a man in my house who I haven’t known for very long. I guess only time will tell.
Tucker stays with me as we wait for my discharge papers and Wren to show up.
He also calls one of the Prospects to bring his truck to the hospital and ride his bike to my house.
That’s when he informs me that Tristan and Zach know the code for the gate at my property.
I don’t mind the two of them knowing it because they’ve been there to help me a few times now.
Plus, I doubt they’ll use it for anything other than doing something for Tucker or an emergency situation.
At least that’s what I hope. They still don’t know my true identity so we’ll have to play it by ear I guess.