Page 128 of Fought and Freed

Bile rose in her throat, and Maddy covered her mouth. “I’m going to be sick.”

She raced out the door and across the hall to the bathroom, glad she’d seen the bathroom sign when she walked in. She barely made it into a stall before she lost control of her stomach.

Once she was sure she wouldn’t get sick again, she rinsed her mouth with water and returned to the room.

Skylar stood when she stepped back inside. “You all right, Princess?”

“No, not really. I’m sorry.” She leaned against him. “Those are the same drugs Mike gave me, plus some new ones.”

Skylar quickly gave the nurse the rundown of what had happened to Maddy. “Do you think he will recover?”

The nurse frowned. “I’m sorry. His prognosis isn’t good. We won’t know the full extent of the damage until he wakes up, but it’s unlikely he’ll ever fully recover. He’s in a coma right now.”

Maddy gasped, and Skylar grabbed her hand.

“Can we see him?” he asked, since she was too stunned to form the question.

“I’ll take you back.” The nurse stood. “You came at the right time. It’s visiting hours in the ICU.”

Skylar kept hold of Maddy’s hand as they walked back to the ICU unit. It smelled different there than in the emergency room. Like death.

The nurse stopped in front of a room. “I’ll let the doctor know you’re here.”

Skylar squeezed Maddy’s hand, and she took a big breath before letting it out as she stepped into the room.

She let out a sob as she got her first look at Grant. Tubes and wires ran everywhere, his left eye was swollen shut, and a bandage wrapped around his head. A cast encased one of his arms, and she was sure the sheet that covered him hid more damage.

“Oh, Grant, what happened?” she sobbed.

Skylar’s jaw clenched in anger. “They worked him over.”

“Ms. Walsh?” asked a doctor as he joined them.

She swallowed the lump in her throat. “Yes, that’s me.”

“I’m Dr. Ash, the neurologist here.” He held out his hand, and Maddy shook it in reflex. “My nurse explained that we had to relieve some pressure on Mr. Turner’s brain. Right now, we have him on a breathing machine. We’re hoping the swelling will recede, and he’ll wake up, but it’s a waiting game right now.”

“What happens if he doesn’t wake up?” she asked, staring at Grant.

“If he doesn’t wake up in about a week, we’ll test to find out if there’s any brain activity.”

Her gaze jerked to him. “And if there’s not?”

Sympathy filled his eyes. “Then you’ll have to decide whether you want to keep him alive or let him go.”

“By unplugging him?” Skylar interjected.

“Yes.”

Tears flooded down Maddy’s cheeks, and Skylar pulled her into his arms.

As she cried against his chest, he thanked the doctor, who left to give them time alone.

How had Mike found out about Grant?

Maddy pulled away from Skylar to grab a chair and pulled it up to Grant’s bedside, then took his hand. “I’m here, Grant. You can overcome this. You’re strong.”

She sat there talking to him until visiting hours in the ICU ended for the day.

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