Page 90 of Second Chance Serenity

And now, I have to wait.

I hate waiting.

The doors slide open, and Andie walks in alongside a little girl who appears to be no older than five.

“Any word?”

“No,” I tell her. “Is that?—”

“Silas’s niece, yeah. Eloise, this is Lance and Michael. They’re some of your uncle’s friends. Lance, Michael, this is Ela.”

“Hi,” I greet, offering the girl the gentlest smile I can manage when inside, my emotions are a war zone. “This is my nephew, Matty. And my dad, Mr. Anderson.”

“Hello,” she greets, her cheeks turning a deep pink.

My dad and Matty both offer her similar smiles and nods.

“We went out for ice cream, but I’m bringing her back to her uncle now. Do you need anything?” Andie asks.

“No. Thanks.”

“I’ll be back in a few if you change your mind. Come on, sweetie.” They disappear down the hall, going the same direction Margot and my mother went.

The trauma doors slide open, and Reyna’s mother comes out.

I stand, trying to maintain my composure as she crosses toward me, bottom lip quivering, eyes full of tears. Please, God, no. Please no. “She’s out of surgery,” she tells me.

The relief I feel is immeasurable. “She’s alive?”

“Yes. Doc said that she lacerated her pancreas, collapsed one of her lungs, broke three ribs, shattered bones in both of her legs, and had a tear in her stomach. But she’s alive.” She covers her mouth with a hand and chokes on a sob, so I wrap my arms around her and hold her against me, doing my best to keep my own tears at bay.

She’s alive.

That’s all that matters.

“She’s not out of the woods yet, but he’s hopeful that she’ll pull through.”

“Can I see her?” I ask, pulling away.

“Yes. Of course. She’s not awake yet, but come on.” She turns away and heads toward the doors.

I look back at Matty, my dad, and Lance.

“Go. I’ll be fine.” He takes the seat I just vacated, and my dad offers me a nod, letting me know he’ll watch out for him. Lance does the same.

As I follow Reyna’s mother down the hall and onto the recovery floor, it’s all I can do to keep putting one foot in front of the other. My legs might as well be as heavy as lead, and I’m terrified.

What if she never wakes up?

She gestures toward a door. “Go. I’m going to call Carter and Henry so I can let them know her status.”

I stare at the door a moment then take a deep, steadying breath, and push into the room.

It’s mostly dark, with just a light over her bed casting a dim glow across her battered body, the machines beeping in the distance. An oxygen mask is perched on her face, and both of her legs are in casts.

My stomach plummets, and I lose the fight with tears.

The sobs come in rapid succession as I make my way over to the bed and kneel beside her. I take one of her slender hands in mine, gripping it like a lifeline.

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