Chapter 31
Odette
I realized I had never called in as we pulled into the hospital parking lot.
I almost tore in through the front lobby, ready to explain and ready to get to work.
Murphy's arm around my waist, helping me inside due to the pain in my ribs, prevented that from happening, while also alerting me to what a terrible idea that would be.
Once I walked in through the ER entrance, the charge nurse, Loretta, took one look at me and gasped, “What happened?”.
“I was part of the pile-up. I’m sorry, I should have called… I—”
“Hush now. Go get yourself checked in, and I’ll get a doctor to order the necessary tests. Where do you think you sustained the most damage?”
“My ribs. I’m unsure if it was the airbag or the seatbelt, but I did my best to ignore the pain and now it feels like knives are stabbing me whenever I take a breath.”
I felt Murphy tense from beside me and move his hand from my side in almost horror when he realized he was grabbing the part I was telling Loretta hurt the most. I almost demanded he put his arm back around me, but I sighed in a bit of relief once he released me.
“Tisk, Odette, you know better. You could have punctured a lung with all that moving.”
Murphy visibly paled. “What?”
“I knew the risk,” I whispered.
“I’ll alert radiology, and you’re getting a CT scan of that head.” Loretta had her touchpad out, alerting whoever she needed to make that happen.
“I don’t think a CT scan is necessary.”
She huffed at me. “Considering you decided to stay out and help, I think it’s absolutely necessary.”
She walked away, mumbling something about young people not knowing when to quit, before giving me a no-nonsense look over her shoulder.
That left Murphy and me alone, sitting on my ER bed, and I couldn’t quite make out the emotion he was feeling.
“Now, Murph…”
“You didn’t tell me your ribs were hurt.” He kept his gaze to the floor.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t think it was that big of a deal.”
“That big of a deal...” Still his gaze stayed strained to the floor. “I didn’t realize how hurt you were… I grabbed you there, made you let me carry you.” He was now mumbling more to himself than to me. “I told myself I wouldn’t ever hurt you again.”
Now I was sure he was no longer talking to me, but lost in some form of shock, I was sure.
“Murphy, no, this wasn’t your fault…”
Before I could get any more words out, Benji came rushing to where I was.
Benji.
“Loretta came to get me as soon as she could. I’m sorry it wasn’t sooner…
I didn’t know you were involved in the accident.
” Benji walked over with my chart and was pushing up his glasses.
Murphy, who was sitting next to me, snapped his head in Benji’s direction and had such a crestfallen look on his face once he made eye contact with him.
Did he know who Benji was?
“Benji. I didn’t realize you were on shift tonight.”
“Ah yes, well...they called me in due to the accident for extra hands,” he mumbled.
At that moment, Murphy got up and made his way to the other side of the bed, not leaving but definitely creating some distance between us. I couldn’t help but keep my gaze focused on Murphy and not Benji, who was currently still talking to me.
“I got those tests ordered for you, so someone will be by shortly…”
I barely registered what Benji was saying because my gaze and focus was on Murphy, and Murphy’s was on Benji.
“Sorry, could you repeat that?” I shook my head and caught Murphy finally looking at me before I turned my attention to Benji.
“I apologize. I should have introduced myself. I’m Benji, Odette’s friend and colleague.”
He extended his hand to Murphy, who had a pensive look on his face.
“Murphy. I’m…”
For some reason, I knew he was about to say he was my ex-husband, and I just couldn’t bear hearing those words come from his mouth right now.
“He’s with me.”
What an idiot.
Both Murphy and Benji looked me over with surprise, although Murphy’s look had softened considerably, and I felt myself calm down.
“Right, well, the nurses should be by to grab you shortly for your tests. As long as everything looks okay, you’ll be discharged later tonight and free to go home, as long as you can get some help.”
He gave a weary look over in Murphy’s direction but advanced to me and put his hand on my shoulder. He gave it a squeeze before parting, and I could have sworn I heard a low growl come from Murphy’s direction.
“Listen, Murphy...”
It was at that moment Loretta and another nurse I didn’t know well, but knew her name, Sammy, came in. Good lord, was I ever going to get a moment alone with the man?! How ironic that I spent years avoiding this, and now it was all I wanted.
I huffed out my impatience, and I swore I saw a small smile on Murphy's lips before it faded to the frown I was growing to hate.
“You ready, kiddo?” Loretta asked, and I shot her a glare, still annoyed that people kept interrupting Murphy and me.
“Don’t you have better things to do this evening then take care of little ol’ me?”
“Probably.” But she pointed to the wheelchair in front of her, letting me know she wanted me to sit. Then she looked at Murphy. “You can hang out here, good lookin’. She’ll be back in no time.”
He was trying to advance toward me, clearly not liking his option of needing to stay here while I had the tests done, but one look from Loretta had him backing down and nodding at her. He finally looked at me. “I’ll be right here when you’re done.”
His hands were tucked into his front pockets, and he sat down, looking exhausted, and I couldn’t help but ache to be near him. Knowing Loretta would have none of it, I let her wheel me out of the room and into radiology.
The almost mundane task of having these tests done after all that unfolded tonight gave me time to really think about everything.
I guess I no longer cared how it looked to the outside world, I was in love with Murphy. But how ? I asked myself.
I fell in love with the way he watches Lux, the way he watches me.
I fell in love with the backyard he built with his hands, for me.
I fell in love with his honesty, even though it cost him everything.
I fell back in love with Murphy in such a short span of time that I knew that’s why I spent those three years with an ocean between us.
It made me wonder if I ever really stopped, because he was mine; he was my soul.
And I think we had to fall apart to get here.
We had to fall apart to get here.