Page 47 of Hush (Fighting Fate)

“Kaeli’s here? Oh, thank god. I was worried Mel was all alone.”

I was still blinking stupidly when the nurse poked her head in. “Hi, sweetie.”

I gazed at her in a daze.

“Your father just arrived…”

That snapped me out of it. “Step father,” I said, not quite hiding my disdain.

She frowned at me, but didn’t comment on my response. Clearing her throat, she forced a smile. “He’d like to see your mother. Do you think you could give him some time with her?”

Ah, that was right. Only one visitor at a time…

I had to stop myself from shooting daggers out my eyes at her, reminding myself she didn’t know any different. “I’m not ready to leave just yet,” I said instead.

She blinked at me. I think she was a little shocked at my response. “He’s quite distraught. I think he just needs to see she’s okay.”

I blanched at her words. “Are you joking? Look at her. Does she look okay to you?”

Her gaze jumped over to Mom’s prone body then back to me. “Of course not,” she said quietly. “I’ll let him know you need some more time with her.”

After she left I tried to get myself to relax. My whole body had tightened up like I was going to explode. Moving back over to the armchair, I sank down and went back to watching Mom breathe.

An hour later the nurse came back in. She gave me a look that told me she was disappointed in me, but I didn’t care. She shouldn’t be so quick to judge. Pinning her with my gaze, I spoke in a low tone. “Where’s my stepfather?”

She pursed her lips. “He decided to go home to freshen up. He’s been driving all night to get back here after he heard about the accident.”

I shook my head at her stupidity. “Is that what he told you?” I rolled my eyes to show her how stupid she was to believe him.

She looked confused for a minute, but then she molded her expression into a more professional one. “He said he might come back later tonight.”

I was about to retort with another snide comment, but Mom’s doctor saved me by striding into the room.

I don’t know why I was suddenly so willing to reveal how much of a douche Ken was. I knew it went against the story both Mom and I had told about how we’d both been hurt, but hearing him sound so concerned about her when I knew just how much of an act it was, pissed me off. That whole Mr. Nice-guy thing was the reason Mom ended up married to him in the first place. It’d all been an act. She’d fallen in love with an imaginary person. That guy didn’t exist.

Dr. Miller gave me

a sympathetic smile. He knew the truth. It was written all over his face.

“You’re still here,” he said with mock surprise. “I’ve just ordered some scans for your mom. Just some follow ups to make sure nothing’s changed over the last twelve hours.” He eyed me kindly. “It’ll probably take a few hours. Why don’t you go home and get some sleep? She’s going to need you at your best over the next few days, and you won’t be able to help her if you’re run down too.”

He made a convincing case. I really didn’t want to leave, but I knew he was right. I nodded.

The smile he gave me made me feel like I’d pleased him, and for some unknown reason, I liked that. “Good girl. Make sure the nurses have your number. I promise I’ll call if anything happens, okay?”

“Okay,” I said. I didn’t think I’d ever heard my voice so small. Strangely, he made me feel like a small child again. It wasn’t a bad thing. It was more like in the way a parent made their child feel safe and loved. After having a douchebag father figure who beat Mom and sent me into a known drug den for so long, having someone like him care about me made me feel like crying.

Picking up my bag, I turned and left Mom in the hands of the only man I seemed to trust in that moment.

As soon as I stepped out into the sunshine I realized I had a problem. No car. Groaning, I squeezed my eyes shut. With a deep breath, I bit the bullet and dialed Mia.

“Hey,” she answered. “Where have you been? I’ve been trying to get a hold of you.”

I sighed. Here goes…“I’m at the hospital. Can you come get me?”

“What?! Are you okay? What happened?” I held my cell away from my ear at her raised, panicked voice.

“I can’t talk right now. Can you come?” I asked softly.

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