Page 356 of Boots, Bucket Lists & Bad Ideas
“Good. Do you know where you are?”
“My guess is a hospital.”
“What day is it?”
That one takes me a second. “I... don’t know.”
“Totally normal.” The nurse checks the machines, adjusting something near my IV. “You’ve been out a little while. But you’re doing okay.”
The man in scrubs steps closer. “You were unconscious. Took a hard hit to the head. You’ve got a linear skull fracture and signsof a significant concussion, but no bleeding in the brain. That’s good news.”
I blink, taking it all in. “How long?”
“Just under forty-eight hours,” he says. “You’re stable. We’ll be admitting you for neuro monitoring over the next few days—just to be safe.”
I turn my head and find Jade again. She’s standing just inside the curtain now, her hands clutched to her chest. She doesn’t come closer until the nurse gives a nod.
“We’ll let you rest.” The doctor checks the IV line, then straightens. “Don’t push him too hard. He’ll be groggy, but he’s stable.”
Then they are gone.
Jade doesn’t rush in. She walks back to the chair and sits beside me, like she isn’t sure if she still has permission to.
“I’m going to text your family.”
“Wait.” I reach for her hand. “Not yet.”
She looks reluctantly from the phone to my hand, but finally sets it on her lap and wraps both her warm hands around mine.
Shadows cling under her eyes, and every blink looks like it hurts. Like she hadn’t slept in forty-eight hours.
“Hi,” I say.
She half-smiles. “Hi.”
“You stayed.” My voice is low and scratchy.
She nods, then swallows. “I hope that’s okay.”
“Always,” I breathe, closing my eyes for a second.
“Are you okay?” She rises. “Do you need the doctor?”
“No. I’m okay.” I try to squeeze her hand, but it’s a weak attempt. “Sit with me.”
The silence is different now with her, me, and the mess between us.
She stares at our hands. “You scared us.”
“I’m sorry.”
She shakes her head. “No. I’m sorry. For not believing you. For calling you a”—she inhales—“a liar.”
“You’ve called me worse.”
She smiles, then gives a soft grunt. “That’s what Levi said when I tried to leave. When I didn’t think you’d want to see me.”
“Levi, huh? Maybe fatherhood is good for him.” I lift my hand, slow and clumsy, to cup her cheek.
