Page 59 of Echoes of Danger

“Right here, son,” a voice laced with a thick British accent says. “Hold her tightly, and I’ll work from beside you. Get to driving, Steel. Break the blasted law if you have to.”

I’m jostled around, and I feel myself being passed from one set of arms to another. The fact that these guys can carry me around with all my chunk is kind of sexy.

“The pains gone,” I say to whoever is holding me. “Gonna be okay.”

I look up into familiar eyes and smile. “Why worried? Mmokay.”

“Faster,” he yells, tears in his eyes.

Silly man.

“Ov you,” I say before falling into a dark void.

Chapter Nineteen

Delphi Mae

“Iknow she’s only five-ish months old, but I figured I would start early. My goal is to get her to say Eli before she says Mama or Dada. I think it’ll happen. I’m sorry that we haven’t brought her to see you. They said she’s too young to be in the ICU, but the good news is they moved you down here to the second floor yesterday. So, I’ll ask Pa if we can bring her tomorrow.

“Steel is doing good. Blaze hasn’t left his side since he got back, but I guess that’s not really anything new. They’ve closed down Oasis for a few weeks to give him time to recover. He had two broken ribs and was pissed off at Doc when he ordered him to get them x-rayed. It was funny to watch, but Doc doesn’t play around, so in the end, he won.”

“You’re talking her ear off, son,”

“I know, but I’m hoping the sound of my voice will help her swim back to the surface.”

“Well, I think it’s working. She’s awake.”

“I could lay here for hours listening to you talk,” I say, my voice cracking. “I missed you.”

“She’s awake. You’re awake. Thank you, God.”

“What happened?” I ask.

“What do you remember, baby?”

“Shooting someone,” I admit. “Paston. Did we escape?”

“You’ve been in the hospital for the past week,” Eli says. “The doctors placed you in a medically induced coma to give your body time to rest. Can you open your eyes, Ma?”

“No. I’m afraid this isn’t real.”

I feel the weight of Eli’s words settle in my chest like a heavy stone. “A week?” I whisper, trying to process it all. My head is foggy, my thoughts swirling in a chaotic mess. “I… I don’t remember much. I remember the gun… I rememberhim… but everything else is a blur.”

“It’s okay,” Eli’s voice is soft but firm, steadying me. “You’ve been through a lot. We all have. But you’re here. You’re awake. You’re alive.” He pauses, and I feel the warmth of his hand on mine, a connection grounding me to this moment, to him. “And we’re gonna get through this together. All of us.”

I try to open my eyes, but the heaviness of the moment makes it hard. My eyelids flutter, a feeble attempt, before I finally manage to crack them open. The light is harsh, too bright, and it takes a moment for my surroundings to come into focus. I blink a few times, trying to adjust, and there he is, my son, sitting beside me, looking every bit like the man he’s becoming. But there’s a weariness in his gaze. Worry. Fear. It’s in the way he’s holding himself, in the lines of his face.

“Ma?” Eli asks again, his voice a little shaky now. “Can you see me?”

I blink once more, trying to push the haze out of my mind. “Yeah,” I whisper, finally meeting his eyes. “I see you.”

“What about me?”

My eyes swing to the other side of the room where Jacob leans against the wall, he too looking exhausted. Worried.

“I’ll go get the doctor,” Eli chuckles. “I might head to the cafeteria and get a snack first. So, it’ll be a minute. Love you, Ma. Don’t do that shit again, or I’m handcuffing myself to you.”

I smile as he stands and walks out of the room.

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