Page 64 of Thinking It Over

Robin pickedme up from the airport in a rental. The drive to the hospital was tense and silent. It was good to see her, but not like this. As we edged closer, I tried my hardest to get my head around the little information Jasper had passed on to me.

Frankie had been in a motorcycle accident. There’d been a passenger with him, a woman apparently. Other than knowing he had broken bones and was unconscious, I knew nothing else. Robin’s silent hug when she’d greeted me implied there’d been no change, and I wasstruck dumb, scared to ask in case something worse had developed.

By the time we entered the hospital, I had fought hard to take a breath and get myself together. It was time for me to step up and back into my role as eldest son and big brother. My dad and sisters needed me. And I hoped like hell Frankie needed me too.

Side by side, holding hands, my sister and I stepped out of the elevator. Robin’s voice startled me after our silence. “He looks bad, but he’s breathing on his own, so that’s good, but yeah.” Robin swallowed audibly, and I gently squeezed her hand. “I just needed to warn you he doesn’t look great.”

I nodded my understanding as I cleansed my hands just outside his room with the antibacterial gel, took a breath, and stepped into the room. The only sound was the heart monitor, beating a regular rhythm. When I stepped fully into the room, my eyes landed on Dad first as I deliberately slipped my gaze over the foot of the bed rather than focus on my brother’s form.

Dad shot up out of the chair, looking ashen and ten years older. Immediately, I stepped over to him and hugged him tightly, pressing a kiss on his cheek. His breathing changed, the sound an echo from our past. Emotions were riding him, and I knew the signs enoughto know he was struggling to keep it together. But that was why I was here, so he didn’t have to.

“Hey, I’m here.” I squeezed my arms around him. “We’ll get this figured out and make sure he bounces back, okay?”

The small bob of his head had my shoulders relaxing a little. He pulled back, the tiniest tell of relief in his eyes. Debbie was then clinging to me, her sobs silent, her tears soaking my T-shirt.

“I’m so glad you’re here,” she whispered against me, and I closed my eyes, knowing I had no other option but to take in my brother’s prone form.

Placing a kiss on top of her head, I asked, “Where’s Georgie?”

She eased out of my hold, wiping her eyes, saying, “At home with Keith. I flew out by myself.”

I nodded, knowing that made sense. Her daughter being here would have added an additional layer of stress on her. I assumed it was the same for Robin.

When Debbie stepped fully away, it was time to see my brother. With controlled movements, my eyes traveled the length of his partially covered body. One leg was in a cast, the other heavily bandaged. His right arm was also in a cast. Cuts and scrapes littered his left arm, and what appeared to be fierce road rash bloodied his triceps, making me wince.

His head, thankfully, was unscathed, and I thanked Christ he’d at least worn a helmet. Several tubes poked out of his arms, one fed through his nostril, and right then, I wanted nothing more than Jasper right here beside me to give me the strength and comfort I needed to take care of my family.

Instead, I’d have to make do with a call as soon as I could. I’d already let him know I’d landed safely, but I needed more of Jasper’s calm and caring. In the meantime, it was time to get answers.

“What have the doctors said?” I glanced at Dad and then at Debbie, who’d seemed to calm herself. My focus then moved to Robin, who sat next to Frankie, holding his uninjured hand. The other, I noticed, was strapped up.

Debbie spoke. “There’s no swelling on the brain, which is a relief.” I nodded, allowing the information to settle over me. “They’ve already operated on his leg and had to put pins in. There were two breaks, one especially nasty.” Her eyes watered, her control slipping when she said, “He’ll need skin grafts on his left leg.” She huffed out a breath and looked up, her way of getting herself under control. “His right arm is a straightforward break, and while he’ll probably scar on his left arm, it should heal by itself.”

I took all of that in, aware Frankie had one hell of a journey ahead of him. “Why isn’t he awake?”

My attention turned to Dad when he said, “He will have hit his head hard. The scans showed no head trauma, but after such a hit, it’ll take a bit of time. They said they expect him to wake in the next few hours.”

“Okay,” I answered, finally sitting, the adrenaline that had been pumping through my veins since the phone call finally crashing through me, making my knees weak and my head spin.

“Shit, let me get you a coffee or something. Maybe a hot tea with sugar?” Robin had stood, no doubt understanding what was happening with my exhausted body and emotional state.

“Hot and sweet, whatever it is, would be good, thanks.”

She smiled, squeezing my shoulder as she passed by.

“Jasper said he was with someone?” I asked.

Debbie gnawed on her bottom lip, not saying anything. I then looked to Dad, who looked nauseous.

Dread settled low in my gut. “What?”

“She died during the operation,” Dad said hollowly.

“Oh my God, who was she?” I gasped.

He shook his head. “We don’t know. She had no ID. We just know she was young. I’m assuming in hertwenties, but we don’t know who she was, where they were going, what they were doing. Nothing.”

Shock rippled through me. “Seriously?”

---