Page 126 of Manny

“No, Maw Maw! Don’t go, please!”

She blows me a kiss. “I’ll send you signs, just like I always do.”

“Wait? What? What signs?” I panic, needing to hear her say the words.

“Open your mind and your heart even more. You’ll feel it, just like when you’re baking and can’t get that caramel right. You’re overheating the mixture, and you keep stirring the caramel instead of tilting the pot.”

“Maw maw!”

“I love you.”

Tears fill my eyes as I watch her fade away. “I love you. Please don’t go!”

A jolt tips me over and I’m falling. I hit something hard, but it doesn’t hurt. I hear voices all around me.

“Clear! Come on, man.”

Oh, shit. Maybe Grandma was wrong? They’re pumping on my chest. I jolt. Well, this is no picnic. So much for being completely unconscious.

“Not losing you today, buddy,” says another voice. “Clear!” I jolt again.

“Got a rhythm,” says the first voice. “That’s it, stay with me.”

“He’s stabilizing,” comes another.

Someone else starts barking orders and I drift off, giving in to the darkness as it sweeps me under once more.

“He looks too pale,” Lace says. “When will he wake up?”

“He suffered severe internal trauma and blood loss,” someone says. “He’s gonna need recovery time, but he should be waking up soon.”

“But he’s stable, right?” Bandit, I’m sure that’s Bandit.

“He’s through the worst of it.”

I try to open my eyes, but they feel so heavy. My throat hurts and I try to move.

“Oh my God, Manny!” I can feel Lace touch my arm, but my eyes struggle to open. My beautiful girl. “Can you hear me?”

“Yeah,” I croak.

“Get a nurse!” Someone calls. “He’s awake!”

I wince. “My chest.”

“Does it hurt?” Lace asks. “He needs more pain meds. Someone give him something.”

“Let the doctor see him,” I’m sure that’s Riot, but I can’t be sure. The last time I heard his voice, he was yelling at us.

I crack an eye open, and my vision is blurry.

“That’s it, easy tiger,” a male voice I don’t know says, and I feel the pain in my chest subside. “Do you know where you are?”

“The hospital,” I groan.

“Very good, and do you remember what happened?”

I cough, I need water. “I got shot.”

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