Page 62 of Clara's Secure Hideaway

But that was trauma for her to unpack another time.

“Can we come in?”

Clara gasped at the sweet sound of Sally’s voice. She jumped to her feet and bent to hug Sally as she sat in a wheelchair. The older woman’s normally vibrant coloring was a bit washed out and her gray hair hung loose around her shoulders. A bright pink robe covered her hospital gown.

“What are you doing here?” Clara asked. “You should be resting.”

Sally encased Clara’s hand with hers. “I should be right here with you, and with my son.”

The nurse standing behind the wheelchair gave Sally a smile similar to one Clara used often with her kids. “You can stay for a little while, but then I need to get you back to your room.”

Tears shone in Sally’s eyes. “Try tearing me away from my son and we’ll see what happens.”

The nurse’s face crumpled in compassion. “I’m sure knowing you’re here will give him the strength he needs to open his eyes.” She patted Sally’s shoulder than strode out of the room.

“Let me get you situated,” Clara said. Grateful to have something to take her mind off her spiraling anxiety, Clara wheeled Sally to the side of Heath’s bed where she’d pulled her own chair. “Is there anything else I can get you?”

“No, dear. You sit and tell me what you know about my boy.”

Clara reclaimed her spot and latched her gaze on Heath’s sleeping face. She hadn’t spoken with the surgeon personally, but Owen got updates which he’d passed along. “The doctor took the bullet out and made all necessary repairs. She said everything went as well as possible, and now we’re waiting on him to wake.”

“He’s always been one to take his time in that area. Had to threaten to pour a bucket of ice water on him to get him up in time for school when he was a kid.”

She smiled at the story and wished she knew more about his childhood. “That’s hard to imagine,” she said. “But I have a daughter like that. Loves to snuggle under the covers and take her sweet time with everything.”

“How are the kids? Mila filled me in on what happened.”

A shiver danced down her spine as her mind went back to the terrifying span of time when the kids were missing. “They’ll be fine. Shaken for sure, and they didn’t say much about what happened when they were with their dad. I don’t want to push them. I found the name of a good children’s therapist. I’ll make sure they get all the help they need to get through this.”

“And what about you? Will you make sure to give yourself the same thing?”

Clara sighed and fought to keep the tears in her eyes from falling. As much as she struggled to cope with what she’d done, she refused to cry any more over Mitch. “Yes. The kids need the very best version of me, and I can’t give them that if I’m grappling with what happened.”

“You fought back, honey. That man didn’t give you a choice,” Sally said. “I might not know exactly how things went down, but I know that much. You were protecting yourself and the people you love.”

Emotion smothered her chest. “Heath protected me first. I’m the reason he’s in that bed, fighting to wake up.”

“No, he’s in that bed because he’s a protector. A champion of justice. And a man who’d do anything for the people he cares about.”

Her earlier declaration of love flooded back. She’d been too scared to admit her feelings even to herself before then. But in that moment, when he laid in her arms after using his body as a human shield—after saving her babies—she couldn’t deny it.

Now she prayed she’d get the opportunity to tell him over and over again.

“Clara?” Heath’s raspy voice was so soft and low, more beautiful than any song she’d ever heard.

Jumping to her feet, she leaned over him. “I’m here, and so is your mom.”

His eyes flickered open and latched onto hers. “Are the kids okay?”

Her heart melted into a sticky mass, and she let the tears fall. Because now they were tears of joy. Tears of relief. “They’re back at the shelter with Mrs. Collins and Laura, fast asleep.”

He swallowed hard and grimaced. “And Mitch?”

“He’s dead.” She didn’t go into detail. Wasn’t sure she could actually say the words “I killed him” out loud. But it didn’t matter. She’d fill him in on everything later. “Owen is fine. He was shot in the shoulder, and they had no trouble removing the bullet. And it looks like Silas will make a full recovery as well.”

Heath cleared his throat. “And you? Are you okay?”

“I will be. Now that you’re awake.”

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