Page 56 of Chasing Liberty

She let out a faint groan and then her eyes fluttered open.

He sprang from his seat and hurried to her side. “Liberty?”

Her eyes met his. “I wished it were just a bad dream.” Her voice was hoarse, her eyes puffy.

“How are you?” He yearned to reach out to her, yet he was cautious not to cause any pain.

“Tired. Drained. I want to go home.” She started to sit up and she saw the IV hooked to her arm. “Where is Doc? I want this thing out of me.”

“He’s taking a call.” He’d give anything if he knew the right words to say to her.

She nodded as if that satisfied her need to not flee, only for the moment.

"Liberty...I’m sorry." He ran his fingers through his hair, his emotions barely hanging by a thread.

She lowered her eyes and tugged at a loose strand on the blanket.

Wyler couldn’t get past the guilt he felt, and he couldn’t divulge that to her. He had one job and that was to protect her and his child. He’d failed. “Doc says you’re going to be okay. You just need to rest.”

“Wyler, you and I need to—”

"Stay out of there!" Doc cautioned, right by the shut door.

“The hell I ain’t. Try and stop me,” Sam Rose roared and then the door came crashing open. He filled the threshold from frame to frame with his bulky shoulders. His expression belonged on a disgruntled bear.

“Sorry, you two.” Doc shook his head in irritation. “I tried to stop him.”

“It’s okay,” Liberty said.

“If you need anything, holler. Behave yourself, Sam,” Doc said then stepped into the hallway.

“Daddy, what in heaven’s name are you doing here?”

“I got word that you were hurt. Betty Sue told Trinity that she saw you coming into the clinic. What kind of cockamamie thing is it when a father doesn’t get a phone call that his daughter is hurt.” Sam narrowed his gaze on Wyler in accusation. “Son, you got some explaining to do.” Sam had seemed to grow by two inches.

“Sir, I—”

“I’m fine!” Liberty interrupted in exasperation. “I’m not hurt.”

She tried sitting up and Wyler was by her side, helping her. He propped a pillow behind her back.

“What are you doing here then? Wyler, if you did anything I’ll wipe you off the—”

“Daddy! Stop! Wyler didn’t do anything.” Liberty sighed, rubbing her forehead.

“What am I missing?” Sam groaned. He sounded a lot like a bear too.

Liberty adjusted the blanket, probably needing a moment to figure out how she’d tell him. She then looked at Wyler in a silent plea. “Can I have a moment alone with Daddy please?”

A part of Wyler wanted to rebel and tell her that he was staying, but he understood. The situation was a difficult one. Reluctantly, he nodded and stepped into the hallway, closing the door behind him.

He didn’t get far. Doc caught him. “Want me to kick Sam out?”

If Wyler had it in him, he would have laughed at the thought of the short, stocky Doc manhandling oversized Sam. “Best to let the two of them sort it out.”

“I swear, he hasn’t changed a bit since his younger years.” Doc tidied up the already neatly stacked magazines on the table. “Good thing I have the patience of a saint.”

“He’s worried about his daughter.”

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