CHAPTER NINE
When Nell and I walked into the surgical waiting room and saw Vaughn, both of us rushed forward into his embrace.
“How’s Clint?” Nell asked, giving him a teary look.
“A nurse told me he’s in the recovery room and a doctor will come to speak to us shortly,” said Vaughn. “I explained you were on your way.”
A man wearing green scrubs approached us. “Are you Clint Dawson’s family?”
At our response, he shook hands with each of us. “I’m Dr. Taunton.”
“I’m his wife, Nell,” she said. “How is he?”
“He fractured both arms. His right arm suffered a clean break in the ulna and is being taken care of with a lower-arm cast, sling, ice, and rest. The left arm, however, required reduction surgery to realign the broken humerus bone in the upper arm. We also performed internal fixation on that bone, which involves placing metal pieces within the bone to hold it in place while it heals. The left arm also had a less severe fracture of the radius bone in the lower arm. Clint told me he’s right-handed, which makes it helpful. ”
“What are we talking about in healing time?” I asked.
“It takes approximately twelve weeks for a broken arm to heal,” said Dr. Taunton.
“However, it can take up to two years to regain full use, strength, and motion in a fractured arm that requires surgery. It’s normal to have some pain for two to three weeks and mild pain for up to six weeks after surgery. ”
“Does he have to wear a cast on his left arm?” asked Vaughn.
“He’ll have to wear a full cast for at least a few weeks,” said Dr. Taunton. “And he may feel tired and run down because his body will be working hard to heal itself. Fortunately, Clint is healthy and has a strong body.”
“When can he come home?” Nell asked.
“I’d like to see him stay here overnight to allow us to monitor how he’s doing,” Dr. Taunton said. “A rehabilitation nurse will speak to him in the morning about what he should and shouldn’t do in the weeks ahead.”
“Can I see him?” asked Nell.
Dr. Taunton checked his watch. “I believe he’s in the unit by now. Sure, go ahead.”
“Thank you, Doctor,” said Nell before rushing away.
Dr. Taunton, Vaughn, and I smiled at her hasty departure.
“Thank you, Dr. Taunton,” I said. “It’s a relief to know he’s in capable hands.”
“The first aid given to him by the Coast Guard team was helpful,” Dr. Taunton said. He turned to Vaughn. “I’m sorry this happened to you.”
Vaughn let out a worried sigh. “Me, too. It was an accident that should never have occurred.”
“Is it okay for more than one family member to see Clint?” I asked.
“Of course. I don’t know how sleepy he’ll be, but I understand. If you have any other questions, please don’t hesitate to ask.”
Vaughn and I glanced at one another, and then he said, “Thank you again, Doctor.”
After the doctor left the room, I went into Vaughn’s arms and hung on tight. “It must’ve been horrible for you.”
Vaughn ran his fingers through his hair. “Everything happened so fast, I did the best I could to save the boat and us, but, obviously, it wasn’t good enough.”
“What about getting the boat back to Sabal?” I asked him.
“Let’s see how Clint is doing. If he’s ready to leave the hospital tomorrow, perhaps Nell can drive him to Sabal, and you and I can sail the boat back. Would you be up for doing that?”
“Sure. I’ll call Liana to come and help us. Stephanie and Randolph are staying with the kids now.”
“Once I’ve seen Clint, I’m going to go back to the sailboat to secure it. Someone is watching it now. We’ll stay at a hotel nearby.”
“Nell and I came prepared to spend the night,” I said.
###
When I saw Clint lying in the hospital bed hooked up to machinery, tears stung my eyes. He looked young and vulnerable, unlike the big executive he liked to project to everyone. Nell was sitting in a chair by his side, holding his hand the best she could.
“Hi,” I said softly to him, bending down to kiss his cheek. “You gave us a scare.”
“I’m not sure exactly what happened except I saw a speedboat heading right for us,” he said weakly.
“Hey, sport,” said Vaughn, placing a gentle hand on Clint’s head. “How’re you doing?”
“Okay, I guess,” Clint said. His eyes fluttered closed.
“Vaughn and I are going to secure the sailboat and get his things,” I told Nell. “We’ll make hotel reservations for tonight, and I’ll see to making the arrangements for Liana to take care of the kids.”
“Okay,” she said. “I’m staying right here for as long as they let me. I’ll be in touch.”
Vaughn and I hugged her and left.
###
Back at the boat, we checked in with the dock master to alert him to our situation. Vaughn and I took care of the sails, put away food, and tidied up. We had enough food, water, and drinks for a sail back home.
We locked up the boat again and called a hotel near the hospital for reservations. Then, we headed back to the hotel in an Uber.
“There’s a highly rated seafood restaurant near the hospital,” said Vaughn. “Let’s have Nell meet us there. I want a hot meal. I’m exhausted.”
“I bet Nell is as ready as I am for some food and a glass of wine.”
“Okay, I’ll call her.” Vaughn talked to her, and the Uber driver dropped us off at the restaurant.
“How’s Clint?” I asked Vaughn before we went inside.
“Nell said he’s drowsy and remembers little except the speedboat and being in the water. She doesn’t think he realizes the extent of his injuries. And she’s delighted we’re here at the restaurant. She’ll be on her way as soon as possible.”
###
The Sea Urchin was a lovely, understated restaurant with an upscale menu. We walked past carved wooden doors into a reception area and were greeted by a hostess wearing black pants and a turquoise knit top.
We were led to a booth with beige leather seats. They softened the deep turquoise color of the walls.
Above the polished wooden table, a dome-shaped turquoise glass lamp hung. Interior lines on the inside of the glass gave an impression of a jellyfish’s tentacles, which I found fascinating.
“Your waiter will be right with you,” the waitress said.
Minutes later, a man who appeared to be about the same age as Clint, who was in his early forties, walked over to our table.
“My name is Ricardo. I will be serving you tonight. In addition to our regular water, I’m offering still water and bubbly water. What would you like?”
“I’d like still water,” I said, knowing I didn’t need anything to rile up my nervous stomach.
“I’ll have the same,” said Vaughn. “And I’d like to look at the wine menu. We have someone joining us.”
Vaughn and I sat quietly while the waiter left and returned with a large bottle of cold water and a wine list. “Our wine steward will be right over to help you with a selection.” He handed out three menus and left again.
I lingered, looking through the menu. I hadn’t realized how hungry I was.
Nell joined us, and our attention turned to her.
“How’s Clint? You told your dad you didn’t think he realized how hurt he’d been,” I said to her.
“He was in a very foggy state,” said Nell. “He’s on painkillers now, but they’ll be careful about keeping him on them for too long. He held my hand and kept saying, “I’m sorry.”
“It’s not his fault,” I said.
“I think he was saying he was sorry for the way he’s been treating me,” said Nell, unable to hold back tears.
“I see,” I said. “You and he will now be able to discuss the situation. I can’t imagine he’ll be able to return to work for a while.”
“Not for a few weeks anyway,” said Nell. “It’s what I wanted all along, but not like this.”
“It’s all going to work out for the best,” Vaughn said, smiling across the table at her. “Let’s try to relax, have a nice dinner, and get to bed early.”
“I don’t know which I want more right now,” said Nell, trying to inject her usual humor into the situation.
“We’ve got time for it all,” I said, reaching to give her hand a reassuring squeeze.
The wine steward approached the table, and he and Vaughn quickly selected a Pinot Noir that would pair well with seafood.
As we sipped our wine, I thought of the past few days and how quickly everything could change. I remembered Nell and Clint’s wedding and how they’d made such a sweet, loving couple.
“What is everyone going to order?” asked our waiter. He turned to me.
“I’m going to have the parmesan sole with a lemon-garlic butter sauce,” I said.
“I’ll have the Chilean Sea Bass,” said Nell. “My favorite restaurant at home serves it, and it’s delicious.”
“And I’m going for the scallops,” said Vaughn.
After the waiter had left with our orders, Vaughn glanced at Nell and me. “Ah, it’s great to be with two of my favorite people. I’m sorry the circumstances aren’t better, but after the scare we had, I’m just glad to be here.”
“Did anything happen to Zephyr?” Nell asked him.
“No, but I thought it was going to be hit for sure.” As one of the Coast Guard told us, after picking up a load of drugs from either an airdrop or from a ship in harbor, these smugglers take off with no regard for anyone else.
We were just lucky the Coast Guard boat stopped when they saw us in trouble. ”
“Shouldn’t the smugglers be liable for this?” asked Nell.
“I don’t see how anything could be proven, especially without arresting the smugglers,” Vaughn said. “It was just a freakish accident.”
“And how,” I said. “It’s hard to believe something like this could happen. But we’ll have to deal with the consequences.”
Our dinners came, and we dug into the food, exclaiming over the delicious tastes.
As soon as our dirty dishes were cleared away, I felt my eyelids droop and couldn’t wait to get to our hotel room for a good sleep. Thank heavens we were close enough to walk to it.
In our hotel room, I called to make sure the kids were okay. Liana assured me everyone was fine there. Satisfied, I brushed my teeth, undressed, and crawled into bed, pleased I’d thought to pack an overnight bag.
Vaughn’s arm wrapped around me as he snuggled up against me, and I closed my eyes.