The Dominant
Page 16
If I never saw her again—
Stop it!
I bent over and grabbed my knees. I couldn’t think like that. Wouldn’t think like that.
Finally, the door opened and they wheeled her out.
“What’s going on?” I asked, running to her side. She was still out, but the blood had been wiped away. Most of it, anyway. “Is she okay?”
Why wouldn’t anyone answer?
“Abby,” I said, starting down the hall after her.
“Nathaniel. Elaina,” Linda said, coming up behind us. “Let’s sit down.”
I pointed down the hall. “I want—”
“I know, but you can’t go.” Linda sat on a bench, patting the spot beside her. “Sit down.”
“Oh, God.” My knees felt weak again, and I struggled to breathe. “It’s bad. It’s really bad.”
“Nathaniel!” she said more forcefully. “She’s going to be fine. Sit down.”
I sat.
“Nothing’s broken,” she said as Elaina sat on her other side. “We think she has a concussion, but we need a CAT scan to see the extent of it.”
“Why won’t she wake up?” Elaina asked.
“The brain is a remarkable organ,” Linda said in a soft, soothing tone. “It knows what the body needs, even when we don’t understand. I’m sure she’ll wake up soon. She’s going to be on the fifth floor, G hall. Why don’t you go up and wait for her?” She stood up to leave. “And someone needs to call Felicia.”
An hour later, they wheeled Abby into her room. I followed, anxious to see and touch her. A nurse remained behind, checking her vitals.
“Is she awake?” I asked.
“Not yet, Mr. West.” She tucked a sheet under Abby’s arms before turning to leave. “I’ll be back later to check on her. Call me if she wakes up.”
I slowly approached her bed. The sheet moved up and down with her breathing. Her head had been bandaged in one place. Small cuts marked her face. I reached out and brushed hair back from her forehead. She moaned.
“Wake up, my lovely,” I begged. “Wake up for me.”
Nothing.
“What the hell are you doing here?”
I spun around.
Felicia.
“She’s fine,” I said, smiling. “Abigail is going to be fine.”
“Abigail,” she spat. “Her name’s Abby. She’s lying there in a hospital bed and you can’t even call her by her name. I always knew you had the heart of a f**king animal.” She put her hands on her hips. “I don’t even know why you bothered showing up.”
I clenched my teeth. “You don’t know what you’re talking about!”
She took a step closer to me. “I know all about you and Abby. About your little weekend games. She scratches your kinky itch, that’s all.”
There was no need to argue—to try to justify my life. We were wrong to argue in front of Abby, whether she was conscious or not.
“You don’t know anything about us,” I said.
“Fine then!” She stamped her foot. “Why don’t you explain it to me!”
I stepped away from Abby’s bed. “I refuse to stand here and explain myself to you.” I glared at Felicia. “I answer to no one, but just in case it’s not clear, I care deeply for that woman and you will not—”
“Mr. West!” A nurse interrupted. “I can hear you down the hall. I’m going to have to ask you both to calm down and for one of you to leave the room. You’re disturbing the patients. This commotion isn’t good for Ms. King.”
Felicia pointed at me. “You leave. I just got here.”
I nodded. “You have twenty minutes.”
I went out to join Elaina and Linda in the waiting room.
“What did the CAT scan show?” I asked.
“Nathaniel,” Linda said. “If you and Felicia can’t control yourselves, I’ll have to ask one of you to leave.” She looked at me sharply. “And she is Abby’s emergency contact.”
I sighed. “I understand.”
“Good. The scan showed a moderate concussion. We just need her to wake up now.”
“How long will that be?” How long until those beautiful eyes opened?
“Shouldn’t be too much longer. I’ll go check on her as soon as Felicia leaves.” She clasped my shoulder. “She’s going to be fine. I promise.”
“Thanks.”
She walked off and I turned to Elaina. “Tell me what happened.”
The damn driver ran a stop sign.
I was still fuming when Felicia left Abby’s room.
She curled her lip up. “Twenty minutes. I’ll go call her dad.”
Linda chuckled behind me, and we pushed against the door to enter the room.
Abby lay still. I focused on the movement of the sheet.
She was breathing.
She was fine.
I stepped back so Linda could examine her.
But when would she wake up? Why wouldn’t she wake up? What if her brain was hurt worse than the scan showed? What if she never woke up?
I started chanting in my head, matching my words to the up-and-down movement of her chest.
Wake up.
Wake up.
Wake up.
Her eyelids fluttered.
Oh, please.
“Abby?” Linda asked.
Her eyes opened. I almost dropped to my knees in thanks.
She licked her lips. “Dr. Clark?” Her voice sounded scratchy.
“You’re in the hospital, Abby. How are you feeling?”
She tried to smile, but winced in pain. Don’t move, Abby. It’s okay. You’re okay. Relief flooded through me. Take it easy, Abby.
“I must be badly off to have the chief of staff in my room.”
“Or else you’re very important.” She stepped to the side so Abby could see me.
Excitement filled her eyes. God, she was beautiful. Bandages covered her face, she’d be a mess of bruises for weeks, but she was still the most beautiful person I’d ever seen.
And she was happy to see me.
“Hey,” she said.
I walked slowly, trying to contain all the emotions coursing through me. I took her hand. It felt so good to touch her. “You scared me.”
“Sorry.” She wrinkled her forehead. “What happened?”
She didn’t remember. What if she’d lost her memory? But she knew me, knew Linda. She was fine. I had to keep telling myself that.
“Your cab was hit by a dump truck,” I said. “Damn driver ran a stop sign.”
“You have a moderate concussion, Abby,” Linda said. “I’m keeping you overnight. You were more deeply unconscious than we’d usually expect in concussion cases. But there’s no internal bleeding. Nothing broken. You’ll be sore for the next few days.”
“Did I hear Felicia?” Abby asked, and I cringed. Not yet. I wasn’t ready to hand her over to Felicia yet.
My aunt smiled at her. “New hospital regulation. Nathaniel and Felicia aren’t allowed within twenty feet of each other.”
Keep it light. Good thinking, Linda.
“We had a slight misunderstanding,” I said. “She’s with Elaina. They’ve been talking to your dad.”
“Can I—?” Abby asked.
What? What did she want? What could I do?
“You need to rest,” Linda said. “I’ll go let the others know you’re awake. Nathaniel?”
She would tell Felicia that Abby was awake. I had a few moments. That was all.
Abby waved me over.
What did she need? I’d do anything for her.
“I missed yoga class this afternoon,” she whispered.
Was she serious?
Did she think I’d punish her for missing yoga?
I tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “I think I can overlook it this one time,” I said, just in case she was serious.
“And I’ll probably miss my jog tomorrow morning.”
The medication. It had to be the medication.
“Probably,” I teased.
“But on the upside,” she said with a yawn, “I seem to be getting lots of sleep.”
She was serious. She was seriously telling me she was getting enough sleep.
I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
“Shh,” I whispered instead, brushing her forehead. Her eyelids fluttered, and she drifted off to sleep.
I sat for several long minutes, watching her. Had there ever been a more perfect creature? My heart swelled. She was fine. She was going to be okay.
I ran my hand down her arm, cupped her hand in my palms, and studied it. The soft, pale skin. I raised her fingers to my face and kissed the inside of her wrist, right where her pulse surged strong and steady.
“Abby,” I whispered.
The door pushed open.
“I heard she was awake,” Felicia said. “When were you planning to let me see her?”
I wiped my eyes. “I was just leaving.”
“Sure you were.”
“She went back to sleep.”
Felicia walked to the bed and took Abby’s other hand. “She’s okay, then?”
And for that moment, whatever our differences, whatever our personal lives, Felicia and I were united.
“She’ll be fine.”
An hour later, we all sat inside Abby’s room. Linda and Felicia chatted by the door. Elaina and I stayed by Abby’s bed.
“I have Abby’s necklace,” Elaina said in a matter-of-fact voice. “It’s in my purse.”
“Thanks,” I said. “You can give it to me later.”
Did Elaina know? Did she know it was more than a simple necklace? Did I care?
No.
“Just wanted you to know.” She fingered a loose thread on the sheet. “She wears it a lot, so I know it’s important to her.”
I nodded, unable to think about the collar. I just wanted Abby to wake up again.
We all looked to the door when a hospital employee entered the room with a tray.
“Wait a minute,” I said, after he set the tray down. I lifted the lid. “What is this?”
“Chicken broth.”
“This isn’t chicken broth.” I lifted the spoon and let the liquid dribble back into the bowl. “This is water with salt and pepper thrown in.” I put the lid back down and handed him the tray. “I wouldn’t feed this to my dog.”
“I just deliver,” he said, not fazed by my words. “I’m not taking it back.”
“Then I’ll take it back,” I said.
Elaina giggled. Felicia rolled her eyes.
“I’ll be right back,” I said, walking out the door.
Someone, probably Linda, had alerted the kitchen staff to my arrival.
“You’re not cooking here,” a chef said, arms crossed, standing in front of his stove as if guarding a fortune.
I held up the tray. “I’m not letting her drink this.”
“An impasse.”
“No. I talk and you cook.” The chef sighed, but I continued. “First take two pieces of chicken, with the meat still on the bone . . .”
I heard the difference as I neared Abby’s room. Voices. Excited voices. But more important—Abby’s voice.
She was awake!
“Did Sleeping Beauty wake up?” I said with a smile as I entered the room. I set the tray down and pushed it over to her. “You should see what they call food in this place. They serve chicken broth out of a can.”
“Did you make this?”
“No. They wouldn’t let me. But I dictated.”
She smiled. I swore that smile could light up the heavens.
I looked to Linda. “Did you tell her?” We had decided while Abby was out that she would spend the weekend with me, while everyone went to Philadelphia. Felicia had fussed for a bit, but finally agreed.
Stop it!
I bent over and grabbed my knees. I couldn’t think like that. Wouldn’t think like that.
Finally, the door opened and they wheeled her out.
“What’s going on?” I asked, running to her side. She was still out, but the blood had been wiped away. Most of it, anyway. “Is she okay?”
Why wouldn’t anyone answer?
“Abby,” I said, starting down the hall after her.
“Nathaniel. Elaina,” Linda said, coming up behind us. “Let’s sit down.”
I pointed down the hall. “I want—”
“I know, but you can’t go.” Linda sat on a bench, patting the spot beside her. “Sit down.”
“Oh, God.” My knees felt weak again, and I struggled to breathe. “It’s bad. It’s really bad.”
“Nathaniel!” she said more forcefully. “She’s going to be fine. Sit down.”
I sat.
“Nothing’s broken,” she said as Elaina sat on her other side. “We think she has a concussion, but we need a CAT scan to see the extent of it.”
“Why won’t she wake up?” Elaina asked.
“The brain is a remarkable organ,” Linda said in a soft, soothing tone. “It knows what the body needs, even when we don’t understand. I’m sure she’ll wake up soon. She’s going to be on the fifth floor, G hall. Why don’t you go up and wait for her?” She stood up to leave. “And someone needs to call Felicia.”
An hour later, they wheeled Abby into her room. I followed, anxious to see and touch her. A nurse remained behind, checking her vitals.
“Is she awake?” I asked.
“Not yet, Mr. West.” She tucked a sheet under Abby’s arms before turning to leave. “I’ll be back later to check on her. Call me if she wakes up.”
I slowly approached her bed. The sheet moved up and down with her breathing. Her head had been bandaged in one place. Small cuts marked her face. I reached out and brushed hair back from her forehead. She moaned.
“Wake up, my lovely,” I begged. “Wake up for me.”
Nothing.
“What the hell are you doing here?”
I spun around.
Felicia.
“She’s fine,” I said, smiling. “Abigail is going to be fine.”
“Abigail,” she spat. “Her name’s Abby. She’s lying there in a hospital bed and you can’t even call her by her name. I always knew you had the heart of a f**king animal.” She put her hands on her hips. “I don’t even know why you bothered showing up.”
I clenched my teeth. “You don’t know what you’re talking about!”
She took a step closer to me. “I know all about you and Abby. About your little weekend games. She scratches your kinky itch, that’s all.”
There was no need to argue—to try to justify my life. We were wrong to argue in front of Abby, whether she was conscious or not.
“You don’t know anything about us,” I said.
“Fine then!” She stamped her foot. “Why don’t you explain it to me!”
I stepped away from Abby’s bed. “I refuse to stand here and explain myself to you.” I glared at Felicia. “I answer to no one, but just in case it’s not clear, I care deeply for that woman and you will not—”
“Mr. West!” A nurse interrupted. “I can hear you down the hall. I’m going to have to ask you both to calm down and for one of you to leave the room. You’re disturbing the patients. This commotion isn’t good for Ms. King.”
Felicia pointed at me. “You leave. I just got here.”
I nodded. “You have twenty minutes.”
I went out to join Elaina and Linda in the waiting room.
“What did the CAT scan show?” I asked.
“Nathaniel,” Linda said. “If you and Felicia can’t control yourselves, I’ll have to ask one of you to leave.” She looked at me sharply. “And she is Abby’s emergency contact.”
I sighed. “I understand.”
“Good. The scan showed a moderate concussion. We just need her to wake up now.”
“How long will that be?” How long until those beautiful eyes opened?
“Shouldn’t be too much longer. I’ll go check on her as soon as Felicia leaves.” She clasped my shoulder. “She’s going to be fine. I promise.”
“Thanks.”
She walked off and I turned to Elaina. “Tell me what happened.”
The damn driver ran a stop sign.
I was still fuming when Felicia left Abby’s room.
She curled her lip up. “Twenty minutes. I’ll go call her dad.”
Linda chuckled behind me, and we pushed against the door to enter the room.
Abby lay still. I focused on the movement of the sheet.
She was breathing.
She was fine.
I stepped back so Linda could examine her.
But when would she wake up? Why wouldn’t she wake up? What if her brain was hurt worse than the scan showed? What if she never woke up?
I started chanting in my head, matching my words to the up-and-down movement of her chest.
Wake up.
Wake up.
Wake up.
Her eyelids fluttered.
Oh, please.
“Abby?” Linda asked.
Her eyes opened. I almost dropped to my knees in thanks.
She licked her lips. “Dr. Clark?” Her voice sounded scratchy.
“You’re in the hospital, Abby. How are you feeling?”
She tried to smile, but winced in pain. Don’t move, Abby. It’s okay. You’re okay. Relief flooded through me. Take it easy, Abby.
“I must be badly off to have the chief of staff in my room.”
“Or else you’re very important.” She stepped to the side so Abby could see me.
Excitement filled her eyes. God, she was beautiful. Bandages covered her face, she’d be a mess of bruises for weeks, but she was still the most beautiful person I’d ever seen.
And she was happy to see me.
“Hey,” she said.
I walked slowly, trying to contain all the emotions coursing through me. I took her hand. It felt so good to touch her. “You scared me.”
“Sorry.” She wrinkled her forehead. “What happened?”
She didn’t remember. What if she’d lost her memory? But she knew me, knew Linda. She was fine. I had to keep telling myself that.
“Your cab was hit by a dump truck,” I said. “Damn driver ran a stop sign.”
“You have a moderate concussion, Abby,” Linda said. “I’m keeping you overnight. You were more deeply unconscious than we’d usually expect in concussion cases. But there’s no internal bleeding. Nothing broken. You’ll be sore for the next few days.”
“Did I hear Felicia?” Abby asked, and I cringed. Not yet. I wasn’t ready to hand her over to Felicia yet.
My aunt smiled at her. “New hospital regulation. Nathaniel and Felicia aren’t allowed within twenty feet of each other.”
Keep it light. Good thinking, Linda.
“We had a slight misunderstanding,” I said. “She’s with Elaina. They’ve been talking to your dad.”
“Can I—?” Abby asked.
What? What did she want? What could I do?
“You need to rest,” Linda said. “I’ll go let the others know you’re awake. Nathaniel?”
She would tell Felicia that Abby was awake. I had a few moments. That was all.
Abby waved me over.
What did she need? I’d do anything for her.
“I missed yoga class this afternoon,” she whispered.
Was she serious?
Did she think I’d punish her for missing yoga?
I tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “I think I can overlook it this one time,” I said, just in case she was serious.
“And I’ll probably miss my jog tomorrow morning.”
The medication. It had to be the medication.
“Probably,” I teased.
“But on the upside,” she said with a yawn, “I seem to be getting lots of sleep.”
She was serious. She was seriously telling me she was getting enough sleep.
I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
“Shh,” I whispered instead, brushing her forehead. Her eyelids fluttered, and she drifted off to sleep.
I sat for several long minutes, watching her. Had there ever been a more perfect creature? My heart swelled. She was fine. She was going to be okay.
I ran my hand down her arm, cupped her hand in my palms, and studied it. The soft, pale skin. I raised her fingers to my face and kissed the inside of her wrist, right where her pulse surged strong and steady.
“Abby,” I whispered.
The door pushed open.
“I heard she was awake,” Felicia said. “When were you planning to let me see her?”
I wiped my eyes. “I was just leaving.”
“Sure you were.”
“She went back to sleep.”
Felicia walked to the bed and took Abby’s other hand. “She’s okay, then?”
And for that moment, whatever our differences, whatever our personal lives, Felicia and I were united.
“She’ll be fine.”
An hour later, we all sat inside Abby’s room. Linda and Felicia chatted by the door. Elaina and I stayed by Abby’s bed.
“I have Abby’s necklace,” Elaina said in a matter-of-fact voice. “It’s in my purse.”
“Thanks,” I said. “You can give it to me later.”
Did Elaina know? Did she know it was more than a simple necklace? Did I care?
No.
“Just wanted you to know.” She fingered a loose thread on the sheet. “She wears it a lot, so I know it’s important to her.”
I nodded, unable to think about the collar. I just wanted Abby to wake up again.
We all looked to the door when a hospital employee entered the room with a tray.
“Wait a minute,” I said, after he set the tray down. I lifted the lid. “What is this?”
“Chicken broth.”
“This isn’t chicken broth.” I lifted the spoon and let the liquid dribble back into the bowl. “This is water with salt and pepper thrown in.” I put the lid back down and handed him the tray. “I wouldn’t feed this to my dog.”
“I just deliver,” he said, not fazed by my words. “I’m not taking it back.”
“Then I’ll take it back,” I said.
Elaina giggled. Felicia rolled her eyes.
“I’ll be right back,” I said, walking out the door.
Someone, probably Linda, had alerted the kitchen staff to my arrival.
“You’re not cooking here,” a chef said, arms crossed, standing in front of his stove as if guarding a fortune.
I held up the tray. “I’m not letting her drink this.”
“An impasse.”
“No. I talk and you cook.” The chef sighed, but I continued. “First take two pieces of chicken, with the meat still on the bone . . .”
I heard the difference as I neared Abby’s room. Voices. Excited voices. But more important—Abby’s voice.
She was awake!
“Did Sleeping Beauty wake up?” I said with a smile as I entered the room. I set the tray down and pushed it over to her. “You should see what they call food in this place. They serve chicken broth out of a can.”
“Did you make this?”
“No. They wouldn’t let me. But I dictated.”
She smiled. I swore that smile could light up the heavens.
I looked to Linda. “Did you tell her?” We had decided while Abby was out that she would spend the weekend with me, while everyone went to Philadelphia. Felicia had fussed for a bit, but finally agreed.
