Page 18 of Take Me to the Valley

Calista.

What is she doing here? Where am I? I try to open my eyes again, and it's not as bright. When I turn my head toward Calista's voice, pain shoots down my arm.

“Hey, don't move. What do you need?” she asks.

“Where am I?” I croak.

Before she answers, she lifts a straw to my mouth, and I drink. The ice-cold water feels great going down my throat.

“In the hospital in Helena. Do you remember what happened?” she asks.

I think for a moment. What do I remember? We were raiding Kaylee's place. There was arguing at the door. Calvin ran and…. Fuck, the asshole shot me.

“I was shot. Don't remember much after that,” I say.

“This girl saved your life,” Rick says, stepping up beside her.

“What?” I ask.

“Kaylee went home from work sick, so I was just getting to her place to check on her. When I got there, it was chaos with cops running around. Then we heard a gunshot. I raced back, not knowing it was you. By the way, you are never allowed to scare me like that again,” she says, squeezing my hand.

I hadn't even realized until now she was holding it.

“I'll grab a nurse,” Rick says.

Cody takes his place on the bed. “Hey, you know this is the day we always feared. I'm glad you're okay,” he says.

“You and me both,” I say.

“Mom and Dad are in the waiting room. I'm going to go let them know you are okay,” he says and leaves Calista and me alone.

“Skye?” I ask.

“Mom picked her up from school and Drew, Colt, and Kaiden stayed with her. They built this elaborate fort in the living room. We haven't told her yet. We didn't want to stress her out too much,” she says.

“She is a lot for them to handle for more than a night. Plus, she will want to be back in her own bed, and she has a project due at the end of the week, and it’s in her room,” my mind races.

“No Problem. I can go get all her stuff, and go stay with Mom and Dad to help out,” she says.

That calms me enough that I can smile at her. There’s a soft knock on the door, which pulls my attention from her. Her parents walk in, greeting me.

“I'm so glad you are awake!” Maggie comes over, takes my hand from Calista, and holds it between hers. “You gave us quite a scare. While it's always a possibility, we thought the chances were so slim here in Whiskey River!”

Don wraps his arm around his wife's shoulders and smiles.

“I can't wait to hear all about it. Did they tell you that Skye is with us?”

“I just told him,” Calista says from the back of the room.

“Do you want us to bring her up to see you?” Maggie asks.

“I want to hold her, but I don't want her to see me like this. This isn't what I want her to picture every time I go off to work. Do you think we can video call her?”

“Of course! I don’t think Cody is leaving your side, and Calista has been here the whole time, too. So we can set it up, I'm sure,” Maggie says.

Calista has been here the whole time? Why does that thought make my heart race? I'm sure it has to do with Cody being here, too. Cody’s here, and being it’s her brother, she's probably here to support him.

“Well, I just wanted to pop in and see you with my own eyes. Since you seem to be in good hands, we are going to go home and talk with Skye,” Maggie says.

---