Page 33 of The Kidnapped

“No.”

“Okay. Can you stay here? I’ll be right back.”

Hollis wasn’t planning on moving anytime soon anyway. Raleigh stood up, and Hollis watched as she walked to the desk. Hollis couldn’t hear what she was saying, but a minute later, Raleigh came back and sat next to her.

“They’ve been running some tests, and they’re bringing her back to the room now. The doctor will be out to get you soon, okay?”

“How did you do that?” Hollis asked.

“That nurse is an old friend of mine,” Raleigh shared. “We’re lucky they brought her here, to County General. I don’t know anyone at St. Sebastian’s.”

“But she’s not…”

“No, she’s not, Hollis,” Raleigh said, taking her hand again.

Hollis’s eyes welled with tears, but she didn’t know if they were happy or sad yet.

“I was making dinner. She didn’t call for me. I would have heard. I don’t know what she was doing. Bathroom, maybe. I would’ve helped her. Why–”

“Hey, it’s okay. Come here.” Raleigh pulled Hollis into her side and let her rest her head on her shoulder. “You didn’t do anything wrong. Let’s just see what the doctor says, okay?”

“What if this means we have less time?”

“No what ifs, Hollis.” Raleigh ran a hand into Hollis’s hair, which was certainly a mess, and started massaging her scalp. “Let me get you something to eat, at least. Maybe a coffee, too? It’s probably better here than at the diner.”

Hollis let out a little laugh.

“Olivia Richardson?” A doctor walked out of a room with a chart on a clipboard.

Hollis quickly snapped to attention at the sound of her mother’s name.

“She’s my mom,” she replied.

The doctor walked over to them, and Hollis pulled away from Raleigh to stand.

“We’re still waiting on a few test results, but she’s awake and responsive, which is a good sign. She’s got three stitches in the gash on her forehead, and she lost some blood but didn’t require a transfusion.”

“She’s okay?” Hollis asked.

Raleigh stood then, and without even thinking about it, Hollis reached out her hand for Raleigh to take.

“Like I said, we still have some tests we’re waiting on,” the doctor explained. “And due to her condition and age, I’d like to keep her overnight, at least, to make sure we’re not dealing with any latent issues.”

“Okay,” Hollis said. “Can I see her?”

“I’ll have a nurse take you back. Are you family, too?” he asked Raleigh.

“Yes,” Hollis answered before Raleigh could.

“She’s going to be groggy. We gave her something for the pain and to help her sleep, so you don’t have too much time before she’ll be out for the night.”

“Thank you,” Hollis replied.

He walked off to get the nurse.

“That’s great news,” Raleigh noted, squeezing Hollis’s hand.

“Will you come back with me?”

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