Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 94716 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 474(@200wpm)___ 379(@250wpm)___ 316(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94716 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 474(@200wpm)___ 379(@250wpm)___ 316(@300wpm)
“She had another miscarriage. Then she demanded to talk to you, and we had to tell her that you weren’t doing so well either. Her doctor can’t explain why she’s not waking up because her injuries weren’t anywhere near as life threatening as yours. I think she’s giving up.” I whispered.
The beep, beep, beep continued. “Don’t leave me, too.” I whispered and dropped my head to the hospital bed beside his hand.
I fell asleep in that awkward position, woke two hours with a crick in my neck the size of Texas, and an overwhelming need to use the facilities.
Just as I got my feet under me to stand, and started to pick my head up, a hand snuck its way into my shaggy hair and held on tight. I turned my head toward Jack’s direction and burst out laughing when he didn’t let go.
“This is familiar. Even from a hospital bed you can’t leave me alone.” I joked.
“Always,” He coughed and then continued. “Don’t let her leave me. Stay with her. Tell her if she leaves me again, I’m going with her. To the moon and back.”
I knew he was telling the truth, too. If Winter died, then so would he. He’d stop fighting so he could be with Winter. He’d made a promise never to leave her again, and he’d honor that promise to the death.
“Okay,” I choked out, but he was already asleep again and didn’t hear me.
Standing, I exited Jack’s door only to turn immediately and enter Winter’s. Their rooms were right next to each other, and even with all the begging and pleading in the world, the nurses wouldn’t let them stay in the same room.
In my opinion, hospital policy was complete bullshit in this situation. I knew if they both had each other, they’d heal faster. Knowing the other one was just right there. Not that my opinion mattered in the slightest.
Elliott’s wife helped smooth the way for the DNR order to be overthrown. Fortunately, since the first day Jack’s heart stopped, we hadn’t had to use it, which was a blessing in itself.
Winter just plain didn’t wake up. After waking the second time and being reminded of the miscarriage, followed by Jack’s prognosis, she’d gone to sleep and hadn’t moved since. That is, unless you tried to get near her stomach. Then she’d wake and start fighting with a vengeance.
The nursing staff had wanted to sedate her, but that was one thing I could control, and refused. My opinion of “just stay the fuck away from her” didn’t go over well with them, and I was kind of on the shit list.
Cheyenne stood, as I came through the door, smoothing her scrubs down over her hips and thighs. She looked worn and ragged, just like the rest of us.
“Hey,” She whispered and took a step away from the bed. “How’s Jack doing?”
“He woke up. Told me to tell Winter that he’d follow her if she left, and then passed out again. You working?” I asked.
Which was obvious, but she didn’t feel the need to make me feel stupid for asking.
She smiled as she heard me tell her what Jack said. “Yeah, I’m on lunch. Thought I’d spend an hour here. Payton’s gonna come down on her lunch break, too. We’ll text Blaine when we leave so she can sit here with one of them.”
“I’ll sit with Jack while you talk to her. Good luck!” She said as she walked out of the room.
I stared at Winter for a few moments, taking in the messiness of her hair, the white pallor of her skin, and the purple bruises that covered most of the exposed skin I could see.
Taking a seat in Cheyenne’s vacated chair, I cradled her palm in between my own and studied the comparison between our two skin tones as I spoke. “Jack woke up. He said to tell you he’d follow you to the moon and back.”
Nothing. No movement. Nor a twitch. Exactly like Jack.
My phone rang in my pocket and I pulled it up to my ear and said, “Hello?”
“They solved the case.” Thomas said with glee highly evident in his voice.
“Who’d they tag for it?” I asked.
I knew who did it, of course, what I didn’t know was if everyone else knew it now, too.
“Mr. Edward Clayton and his no good son, Peter Clayton.” He said mirthfully.
“Score!” I said pumping the air with my fist. “What’s the reasoning for doing it?”
“Apparently, Adam stumbled into a drug den, and instead on having it confiscated, he decided to blow it instead.” Thomas explained.
Confusion wrinkled my brow. “What? That doesn’t even make sense. How did they end up explaining the stray kid that we were looking for?”
“Someone that Edward double crossed called in an anonymous tip. He knew that the fire department could get in there without a warrant on the bogus endangered child call. The man didn’t know the place was wired, though. Came forward later and told the police everything he knew because he felt bad for Adam dying.” He said softly.
“Well, that’s wonderful news. Anything else?” I asked as I glanced over at Winter’s face.
Her brow was wrinkled, but both eyes were still firmly shut.
Raising my hand, I ran it along her brow and it smoothed out under my touch.
“Not really, no. Edward and Peter Clayton are wanted for the murder, but they’ve gone underground. You wouldn’t happen to know their whereabouts, do you?”
“Ahh, no. Not at this time.” I lied through my teeth.
Well, more like an omission, really. I didn’t know what happened to them after Jack, and company, left the bombing site. There were fire and police investigations that were pending, and apparently, there wasn’t much to work with since the whole thing blew to kingdom come.
Luckily, they were out in the country, or the surrounding buildings would’ve been affected. Not to mention all the people.
“How’re they doing?”
“Stubborn and hardheaded. They’re gonna make it.”
“Damn straight.”
We hung up with each other after a few more muttered assurances.
The clanging and banging of a heavy machine outside of Winter’s door announced the arrival of the ultrasound technician that I’d been putting off for the last few days, but it looked like my luck had run out.