Page 68 of Resilient Rhythms
“I’ll be with her,” I cut Kimberly off.
Relief pours from Kimberly’s eyes as she practically beams at Mckenna. “That’s good, right?”
Mckenna snorts and shifts her weight in bed, nodding.
“Excellent.” Kimberly jots something down on her chart. “Then let’s get you discharged, Mckenna.”
“Easy,” I say softly as I help Mckenna lie back on the bed. I ease the comforter over her legs and sit beside her. “Are you hungry, Mckenna? Thirsty? Desperate to start a new Netflix show? There’s so much for us to binge.”
She gives me a soft smile and gestures with her hand that she’d like to write. Understanding that she needs a notebook, I snatch one from the end table and place a pen in her hand.
She jots something down and I lean closer to read it.
I’m good for now. Thank you, Mav.
The words twist my gut.
“Don’t thank me, beauty. I’d do anything for you. I’m so fucking relieved that we’re home.”
She nods but her eyes have taken on a faraway gleam.
Fuck, I hate seeing her suffer because of Bran. I know it’s going to take some time. I know she needs to process and heal and work through things in her own time. But I wish I could make it easier for her; I wish I could be more help than the guy she watches Netflix with.
“Do you want to make an appointment to speak with your therapist?” I ask quietly.
Mckenna writes another note.
“Next week,” I read it aloud. Then, I glance at her and nod. “Right. You need to rest your voice.” I brush a hand over her hair. “Mckenna, I’m out of my wheelhouse here, but I will do anything and everything in my power to support you through this. Whatever you need, whatever you want to do, I’m on your team, beauty.”
She releases a shaky breath and dips her head as tears appear in the corners of her eyes.
She snuggles deeper under the blankets and I note the heaviness of her eyelids.
“Rest, my love,” I murmur. I move to stand and she clutches my hand, threading our fingers together. I nod and stretch out beside her. “I’ll be here when you wake up,” I promise.
I watch as she drifts off to sleep. She curls into my side and I’m mindful of her bandages, of her bruised ribs, as I wind my arm around her shoulders.
She rests her head on my chest and I take my first full breath in over a day. Mckenna’s arm wraps around my abdomen and I like the weight of it, the feel of her, on me.
Within minutes, sleep claims her. I’m a little relieved. For starters, I want her to rest so she can heal.
But I wasn’t lying when I said I’m out of my wheelhouse. What’s the best way to support Mckenna through this? How do I help her navigate something so personal, so fucking terrifying?
Do I ask her questions so she knows she can talk to me? Do I wait for her to broach the subject so I’m not prying? Does she want to talk about it or forget it ever happened?
Maybe I should reach out to my therapist? Yes, I’ll do that.
Maybe Mckenna will feel better once she knows more about Bran’s future. All we know for sure is that he was arrested and is still in jail. His father did not post his bail.
Brian isn’t sure what Mr. Burton’s motive is for leaving Bran in jail but he thinks Bran must have violated whatever deal he made with his father. And, Brian explained, with a family as politically connected as the Burtons, they won’t stick out their own necks to save Bran’s reputation if he’s going to be a liability. It seems that’s exactly what Bran is and I hope his family cuts him off and drags him through the mud. It will make things a hell of a lot easier for the case Mckenna wants to build if Bran doesn’t have his family’s support.
But it’s too early to tell where the chips will fall. Right now, knowing Bran is behind bars and Rose, who lost her job, is fully cooperating with the police, allows Mckenna to sleep easier.
She snores softly and I smile. Pressing a kiss to the crown of her head, I hold her closer.
Tomorrow, Brian and Jeannie are coming over for breakfast and we’re going to talk through things. Then, later this week, we’ll meet again with Laura and her team as well as the Victim Witness Advocate, May.
Now that Mckenna’s been attacked, we can’t waste time. We need to make sure she gets the justice she deserves.
