Page 110 of Years in the Making

“Ahem.” Someone behind me clears their throat, and I straighten to see two men and a woman standing by the end of Teddy’s bed.

“So,” Zoe says, pointing between the two of us with an eyebrow quirked and a shit-eating grin on her face, “when did this start up again?”

“You’re sure his head is good?” Teddy’s father asks the doctor for the third time since they arrived yesterday evening.

“Teddy’s scans all came back showing no signs of trauma to his brain or spine. He’s lucky it was just the liver and some superficial cuts.” The doctor turns back to Teddy. “We’ll keep you here under observation for about five days and continue to monitor the bleeding. Right now, we don’t think you’ll need surgery, but that could change. Bed rest is essential.”

“I’ll make sure he listens,” I tell the doctor but keep my eyes on Teddy. I never want to look away from him again. Even though we have been told again and again that everything looks good, watching him collapse is branded in my memory.

After two days of sitting vigil by his bed, Marley persuades me to take a shower and change in her and Bennett’s hotel room.

“Feel better?” Marley asks when I finally leave the bathroom. She’s lounging on the bed watching some terrible daytime TV show, eating an apple.

“The heat felt good,” I admit. “Thanks for bringing that shampoo.”

“No problem,” she says around an oversized bite. “Think you’d be up for food that doesn’t taste like disinfectant?”

I haven’t had much of an appetite since the accident, but when you’ve got so many pairs of eyes watching you, you just eat whatever they bring. I couldn’t tell you if what I was eating tasted like disinfectant, tuna, or a crème brûlée.

“Sure.”

“Bennett mentioned ordering something into the hospital, but that seems cruel to Teddy, so I suggested we just grab something at a restaurant nearby.”

“I don’t want to be gone for too long,” I say, looking at the time.

Marley gets up and comes to me, tossing her core into the trash as she passes it. “Hey, we’ll just grab burgers quickly, and then you can go back, okay? He was sleeping when we left, and chances are he’s still sleeping.” She takes both my shoulders in her hands and looks me in the eye. “Deep breaths in, one, two, three. Out one, two, three.” We stand across from one another breathing in and out slowly, and I have to admit it is beginning to help. “Better?”

I nod. “Thank you.”

She wraps her arm around my shoulder and guides me out of the room to the elevator. “You’d do the same for me. Hell, you practically did. It just looked a bit different.”

“When are you two going back?” I ask while we slowly descend.

“Trying to get rid of us?”

“No, I just know Bennett is probably anxious to get home. He’s probably in dog withdrawal.”

Marley studies me for a minute before answering. “He’s loosened the reins a bit since you’ve been gone. Cass hasstepped up in Teddy’s absence, and the students he took on were quick learners. We even had a weekend away, if you can believe it.”

I’m genuinely shocked. “Really?”

“Yeah, we went to a cottage Sophie’s fancy professor boyfriend owns or part owns… At any rate, he has—” she starts to say as the doors open.

“Nellie!” I stare at Marley, eyes wide. “Chickadee.” I can feel the hot tears rise and then I’m being pulled from the elevator and my parents are wrapping me in a joint hug.

FORTY-THREE

TEDDY

I’m very over being poked and prodded. My entire abdomen hurts, but I feel fine otherwise. At least I think I feel fine. I’m not allowed to do much other than lie here. What I know for certain is that I’m fucking starving and thirsty. I look up at the bags dripping nutrients and painkillers into my body and feel the sudden desire to rip them open and drink.

While I was being wheeled for another scan this morning, we had to wait for an elevator while breakfast was being delivered. I caught a whiff of a banana and nearly rolled out of bed to get to it. Hell, the idea of eating hospital food right now has me salivating.

The sound of shoes squeaking on the floor draws my attention away from the IV bags, and I see Nellie walk through the door. She looks a bit more refreshed, and she’s changed her clothes. I don’t care how she looks; all that matters to me is that she’s here.

“Hey,” she greets me with a kiss, and I catch a whiff of her shampoo.

“How was your shower?” I ask, reaching for her hand.

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