Page 107 of Drifting

Dom shakes his head. “In our Jeep, yes, but not in here.”

Shrugging, I stuff it into my pocket. It’s not like I’m going to use it while I’m in the hospital, anyway.

In the parking lot, Dom finds a spot near the entrance, and we head into the waiting room.

We find Uncle Brett sitting in a chair holding a clipboard, looking defeated. “How could I not have known this was happening under my roof?”

“Don’t be too hard on yourself.” I sit beside him and pat his shoulder. “Brenda was an excellent manipulator, and she had you believing everything was fine at home. Don’t forget it was the three of them against just you. Jack even fooled your own sister.” I rub the bridge of my nose. “I was all ready to come in here and threaten your business so you’d sign emancipation papers. But nothing was the way I thought.”

His thick brow rise. “Now, it makes sense. You were going to use the Knight’s to get Cindy out.”

“That was the idea, yeah. I’m sorry, Uncle Brett. Peter had his lawyer looking for any possible, legitimate way, but there was no proof that Brenda was hurting Cin. It would have been Cin’s word against hers. I promised Mom I wouldn’t run away unless she fell off the wagon again, so I had no choice but to do this. Cin’s been my only family for years. I’d do anything for her.” My eyes well up with tears.

Dammit. I’m not usually this emotional. Must almost be time for my friend to visit.

“That’s one of the reasons I love you, my dear niece. When you love someone, you’ll fight for them with everything you have. I’m not mad at you. I’m pissed at myself.” He rubs his beard.

Nick speaks up. “My father was going to let her come and live with us. She’d have everything she’d need, plus an excellent education. That offer still stands, sir.”

Uncle Brett releases a deep breath. “If that’s what she wants, I’ll sign the papers and let her go. She deserves it with the hell she’s been through.”

We spend the rest of the wait in silence.

When they call for us, Uncle Brett looks at me. “You go back first. I need to finish the paperwork.”

Poor guy, he’s embarrassed about what happened, and he doesn’t know what to say to his daughter.

Standing, I follow the nurse to Cin’s room.

When I walk in, the doctor is with her.

In a gown and with her face cleaned off, the state she’s in is all the more horrifying, and rage consumes me. She’s too thin and dirty. Any longer, and she would have died. If Brenda were still around, I’d throw her down the steps and see how she likes it.

My hands curl into fists. “Is she going to be okay?”

Cin smiles weakly at me. “I’m fine. You can calm down, now.”

“How is she, Doc?” Mav put his arm around me, and I melt against his body, taking his heat and letting him warm me up.

I should have known one of them would follow me.

The doctor looks at Cin. “Is it all right to discuss your case with them?”

“Go ahead, they’re family,” she coughs out.

“She’s dehydrated and has pneumonia,” says the doctor. “I have her hooked up to an IV for fluids. She’s also receiving antibiotics. She has two bruised ribs, but her x-rays are fine, and there’s no internal bleeding.

“How long are you going to keep me for, Doc?” Cin asks.

“For at least two days. I want those lungs sounding better before I let you go.”

Cin looks at a dirty strand of hair that lays on her chest. “How about a shower, Doc? I feel gross.”

“I can get one of the nurses to give you a sponge bath,” he says, typing away on his laptop.

Cin’s nose scrunches up. “No, I want a real one.”

“After your second IV bag and with help, then I don’t see any problem.”

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