Page 88 of I Saved Him Too

My heart races like a runaway train, going faster and faster.

“Ye-yes?”

“What’s wrong?” Donnie mouths, concern etched on his face.

“Sadie, your mom is awake.”

Chapter 31- Sadie

As Donnie and I walk through the hospital’s sliding doors, Detective Carter and Javier, the man I met at Jo’s funeral, are standing near the nurse’s station.

“Hi. What are you doing here?” I ask once we reach them.

“Hi, Sadie,” Javier says softly.

Before I can respond, Carter jumps in. “I’m sorry to just show up, but when your mother was first brought in, I asked the doctor to contact me once she woke up.”

“Oh, okay.” I turn to Javier. “Javier, why are you here?”

“Please call me Javi.” He whips out his badge. “I’m an FBI agent.”

Say what now?

“What’s going on?” Donnie asks with a hint of hesitation in his voice. He presses his chest against my back and places his hands on my hips protectively.

Javi’s eyes follow Donnie’s movement, and a smile tugs at his lips.

“I take it you’re her current boyfriend?”

“Present and future boyfriend,” Donnie says, pulling me closer. The truth in his words sends a warm sensation to my belly.

“Good, that’s good.” He nods in approval.

“Sadie, that’s not the only reason we’re here,” Carter says.

I feel a sudden stab of anxiety in my gut.

Donnie senses the tension in my body and squeezes my hips.

Before I can ask Carter what he means, I look over my shoulder and notice Nurse Abbey approaching.

“Hey there, sweetheart.” She pulls me away from Donnie and into a hug. Abbey was one of my favorite nurses when I stayed at the hospital. She went above and beyond during my stay, to the point of sitting with me off the clock instead of being at home with her family.

Abbey pulls away and rubs her hands up and down my arms. “Dr. Morales wanted to talk to you before you see your mom. Follow me.”

We follow Abbey down the hall past the gift shop and into a spacious waiting room with CNN playing on the TV. There’s a window you can see the hallway from the waiting room.

“I’ll let the doctor know you’re here. In the meantime, help yourself to refreshments and snacks.” Abbey points to the counter at the back of the room.

“Abbey, why does the doctor need to speak to us? Is-is Mom okay?” I can’t lose her too.

“Oh, sweetheart.” She must’ve seen the panic on my face. “The doctor wants to prepare you before you see her.”

That still doesn’t make me feel better, but the warmth of her tone settles the anxiety vibrating through me.

Donnie takes my hand in his and leads me toward the couch. He pulls me onto his lap while Javi and Carter sit across from us. Javi casually rests one leg over the other, but his body is tense.

“Sadie,” he starts, but stops himself. He rubs his bald head and then up and down his face before letting out a breath. He leans forward and rests his elbows on his thighs.

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