Page 129 of Undone

“What happens next?” Noah asked.

“For now, we monitor him for any signs of infection or complications,” the doctor replied. “Once he’s in the clear, we’ll discharge him with a recovery plan and follow-up appointments. Physical therapy starts in a few weeks. But his main job right now is rest.”

“Are you in pain?” she asked.

“Yeah,” I admitted.

“We’ve got you on meds to keep it manageable, but I’ll up your dose,” the doctor said. “But we’ll need to transition to lighter meds soon. We need to find the right balance so you can start moving when it’s time.”

I clenched my jaw, already hating the idea of being dependent on anyone. The nurse gave me a small, understanding smile. “You’re healing. Let others take care of you for a while.”

She glanced at Noah. “You’ve got a solid support system here. Lean on them.”

“Any questions?” the doctor asked, her tone encouraging.

I shook my head, feeling the exhaustion catching up to me. “Not now.”

“Alright,” she said, nodding. “The nurse will be back shortly to check on you. Get some rest.” She gave me one last smile before leaving with the nurse.

The door shut, and the room fell quiet. Gracie leaned closer to me, brushing her little hand across my arm. “You scared me, Daddy,” she said.

My heart ached. I knew I’d scared her. Hell, I’d scared myself.

“I know, G. I’m sorry. But I’m here now.”

Noah stayed close, hovering near the bed. Her eyes were on me, but she didn’t say anything at first. I met her gaze and saw the tension in her face, the concern that never really seemed to leave her.

“You okay?” I asked, my voice still a little rough.

She blinked, clearly startled. “You’re the one in the hospital bed.”

“Still,” I said, giving her the faintest smirk. “What… happened?”

Gracie looked from me to Noah, her eyes wide, curiosity lighting up her face.

Noah let out a weak laugh, shaking her head. “We’ll talk about that later. Right now, you need to focus on getting better.”

“You mean letting you two boss me around?” I said, feeling a small, painful grin tug at my lips even as I winced.

“Exactly,” she said, her tone light but with an edge of affection. “Get used to it.”

Gracie giggled, the sound of it making the heaviness of everything feel a little less suffocating.

For the first time since the chaos in the tunnel, I felt like I could breathe again.

The door creaked open, and I lifted my head, my neck stiff. My dad stepped inside, so quietly as if he was trying not to disturb the fragile peace of the room. He glanced at Gracie first, then at me, and his breath caught, something heavy in his exhale.

“It’s damn good to see you, son,” he muttered, and the words hit me in a way I wasn’t ready for. I wanted to say something, but my throat felt tight, and nothing seemed enough.

“Let me take her back to the hotel. You need to rest, Dorian,” he said, slowly walking toward Gracie, who was now curled up in Noah’s lap. He picked her up, cradling her small body like a precious piece of glass.

His eyes met mine, and I could see the concern etched on his face, the worry that had been there for hours, days maybe.

I nodded slowly. “Thanks. I love you, Dad.”

His expression softened, and he stepped closer, gently rocking Gracie in his arms. “I love you too, bud. Keep that one, will ya?” he replied, nodding toward Noah before walking out of the room.

I grinned. “I think I will.”

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