And I drive. As fast and as safely as I possibly can tothe hospital.
Two damn hours after arriving, we’re led to a small private room. They said family only, but I planted my ass in there like I belonged and dared the nurse with a glare to try and make me leave. Holly and Juliette asked me to stay, so I’m fucking staying.
“It’s a concussion, like we suspected,” the neurologist declares. “He took a pretty good knock to the head, but he will make a full recovery.”
The occupants of the room breathe a collective sigh of relief. Emmett and Isaac are slumped in chairs, their elbows on their knees, both of them with mirrored looks of worry on their faces. Holly and Jules are tucked beneath my arms as we stand. Xander and Jordie weren’t at the game tonight, but Holly has been in constant contact with the younger siblings.
“But…” the doctor continues, sucking our attention to him with a single word. “He has to follow directions and not be stubborn.”
Everyone glances at Holly with agood luck with thatlook. But by the hard set of her jaw, our stubborn-as-fuck patient has probably met his match.
The neurologist goes through the concussion protocol and instructs Holly to keep things quiet and dark in their home. And under no circumstances can he do any physical activity other than walking around the apartment.
“I’ll take Aiden for a few days,” Juliette offers. “He can go to the library with me, and I’ll bring him by around nap time when he’s quiet and sleepy so he can see his daddy. They can rest together.”
Holly nods and reaches for her sister-in-law’s hand. I love the bond between these two women, despite the whole weird beaver insemination deal. I still haven’t gotten the full story on that.
“They said they’re going to keep him overnight, so I’m going to stay here,” Holly says, hitching her purse onto her shoulder.
“I’ll arrange for someone to bring your car here from the arena so you can take him home tomorrow,” I assure her, and she gives me a grateful and exhausted smile.
Without thinking, I link my fingers with Juliette’s. It’s something I do at least a dozen times a day… just not in front of anyone else. Holly’s eyes drop to our joining, and then she looks back and forth between us.
After a long moment, she says, “The doctors said Bubba needs zero stress in his life right now.” Her eyes narrow and fix on me. “And if you do stress out my husband with all…this….” She waves a floppy hand toward us. “Just remember three things. I know where all the swamplands in East Texas are. I have a truck to haulthings. And alligators leave virtually no trace of a body.”
Message received: Do not, under any circumstances, tell my teammate about my secret relationship with his sister.
Or I’ll end up as gator food.
Chapter 44
The book fair
Iwavetotheguys at the security desk at Shady Pines as I pass and make my way to the Illumination Ward. When I reach his room, I find it empty.
That’s not unusual. The staff here encourages the guests to get out of their rooms and socialize. It’s one of the biggest differences I’ve noticed from his last home. When I went to visit him in Denver, he was in his room ninety percent of the time.
I backtrack to the nurse’s desk, finding Shirley, one of Gramps’s favorites. She’s a short Latina woman with an easy smile for everyone.
“Hey, Reno. Looking for Arlo?” she asks as soon as she spots me.
“I am. Is he in the puzzle room?” They have lots of different rooms here, including one with board games, one with a pottery wheel and clay, and yet another with various crafts. But Gramps has recently been drawn to the space filled with jigsaw puzzles. He’s been working on a huge one of downtown London for the past couple weeks.
One of the nurses explained to me that keeping their minds busy makes them forget to forget, and I like that philosophy. Even if it doesn’t work, it improves their quality of life.
“No, he’s in the gathering room for Juliette’s book fair,” Shirley explains. “You remember where that is?” She points a finger down the hallway to the right.
Book fair?
“Thanks, Shirley. I remember where it is from my tour.”
The gathering room is a huge space with tons of windows, making it sunny and cheerful. It’s in the main part of Shady Pines, so I head out of the Illumination Ward and round the corner.
The room is buzzing with activity, but I spot her first. Juliette is wearing a black pencil skirt and a red chiffon button-down blouse. Her black heels are chunky and not too high, but they still make her legs look a mile long. And her hair?
Whew! My girl in full-blown librarian mode is a thing of beauty. She’s wearing her red Guess glasses and a prim bun on top of her head. Sexy doesn’t even begin to describe her look.
I missed seeing her getting ready this morning because I had morning skate, but I’m damn sure seeing her now. I wind my way through the tables piled with books of every genre. It’s set up exactly like the old book fairs I remember from elementary school.
