Page 55 of Rival Hearts

The nurse left after giving Jett her next dose of pain meds with perfect timing; Jett’s mom walked in right as Katherine left.

Soon after, the room was filled with people. It felt like one of their Sunday gatherings except a lot more crowded and everyone else had eaten before coming over.

Aunt Becky placed a single-sized bowl of mac and cheese in front of Jett, and Ember rolled her eyes as she handed Jett her chips.

Jett laughed and thanked her cousin before she started to eat a handful of chips before the mac and cheese.

“Erm! Jett Thompson!” Becky’s voice was loud and booming across the room.

“Look,” Jett said, “I’ll eat the mac and cheese. I’ve just been wanting these all day.” Salt and vinegar chips were Jett’s favorite, and she hadn’t had them in a hot minute. Even before the fire, she had run out days ago and hadn’t felt like going to the store. She was really glad her family was all willing to indulge her.

* * *

By the time everyone left and the room was empty, save for Riley, Jett was exhausted and quickly fell asleep. Her family was wonderful, and normally they energized instead of drained her, but she supposed her body was different while she was healing. Now she could only stand to be around Riley’s gentleness non stop, but she was still often sleepy.

Riley didn’t mind. She told her to get as much sleep as she could. Jett’s body was healing and needed sleep to do it, and the more it healed, the quicker Jett would be discharged. So Jett didn’t fight her tiredness. She really wanted to go home.

More specifically, she wanted to go home with Riley.

It was also strange. While Jett loved her job, she strangely didn’t feel her usual need to go back to it. It felt like she had fulfilled her purpose in sacrificing herself to save a life, or maybe that was the pain meds talking and she would feel different when she was able to go back home.

* * *

The next day was pretty uneventful. The doctors said that the damage to her head wasn’t too severe and that her burns were healing nicely, but that they still wanted to keep her an extra day for observation. Jett was absolutely not happy to hear that news, and Riley had to help her keep her calm.

Jett understood it and why, but she just really wanted to get out. She wanted to get back to her life and the people she cared about. Even though Riley was with her every step of the way during her recovery, even pressing the nurse’s call button every time Jett so much as grimaced in pain, and even though Jett’s family visited often, she missed her own place. She missed Riley’s place, and she missed being able to walk freely and without machines trapping her to a bed.

“It’ll be okay,” Riley said when Jett heard the news and tried arguing with the doctor. “You just have to wait one more day.”

“We’ll even let you go in the morning,” the doctor, whose name Jett couldn’t remember, said. “We just need to keep you over for one more night.”

“See?” Riley said. “Not even twenty-four hours and you’re good to go.”

Jett just nodded. She was still frustrated, but that did make her feel better. It was already past lunchtime on Tuesday, so she didn’t have to wait that much longer. Just a few more hours, a night’s sleep, and then she’d be in either hers or Riley’s home. Maybe she could even take a nap to make the time pass faster. That actually didn’t sound like a bad idea.

* * *

When Jett was woken up again, it was from hearing Josephine’s voice as she talked with Riley.

“What all have the doctors said?” Josephine asked.

“She’s recovering great. They’re going to release her tomorrow morning,” Riley said and Jett opened her eyes to watch the exchange. Josephine and Riley both looked a little uncomfortable talking, but Riley had always known Josephine as her big boss, it would take time for her to adjust to Josephine being family. Jett couldn’t expect Riley to be completely comfortable with her family and vice versa.

“How have you been coping?” Josephine asked Riley and there was kindness in her voice that usually when at work was hidden well between her icy exterior.

“Okay,” Riley said, relaxing visibly. “Worried a lot at first, but not as much now that she’s been doing better.”

“Good,” Josephine said.

“I can come back to work after she gets released tomorrow,” Riley said and Josephine shook her head.

“Stay off longer,” Josephine said. “Help her get settled in at home and come back Thursday. I’ll put you on the weekend schedule to make up for your missed time, but if anything happens, let me know and I’ll send you home.”

Jett watched as Riley nodded and smiled, relieved. “Okay,” she said. “Thank you.”

“Of course,” Josephine said. “Now I have to get back to work, but you watch out for her.”

“Will do.”

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