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“Let me check on that for you.” The nurse dials an extension on her phone and speaks quietly to whomever is on the other end. There’s a bit of back and forth chatter before she ultimately hangs up the receiver. “A doctor will be out shortly to give you an update.”
Savannah frowns at the lack of immediate response. “Thanks a lot,” she mutters to herself.
We sit back down in the chairs closest to the nurse’s station and wait impatiently for the doctor to come out.
“Talk to me, Joey. What’s going through your mind?”
My voice is still shaky as I try to speak. “I was so fucking scared — I thought she was dead. I’ve never seen that much blood in my life. I can’t lose her, Savannah.”
“You’re not going to lose her. She’ll be okay.” Savannah places a gentle hand on my back and rubs it lightly. “My sister’s a badass — nothing keeps her down for long.”
“Has anything like this ever happened before? The 911 dispatcher asked if she had any reproductive issues.”
“Nothing like this has happened before, and I don’t know of any issues. We don’t usually talk about that kind of stuff, though.” Savannah frowns as if she’s just thought of something, but doesn’t know if she should mention it.
Before I can ask what she’s thinking, the doctor appears in the waiting room. “Miss Andrews?”
“Yes, I’m Kelsey’s sister. Is she okay?”
He nods slowly. “Your sister lost a significant amount of blood, so we’ve given her a transfusion and currently have her hooked up to an IV with fluids and medication to slow the bleeding. It also appears that in the midst of her fainting, she hit her head on something. We’re monitoring her for a concussion as well.”
“Is she awake? Can we see her?” I interject. I need to see her, to know that she’s okay.
“She’s stable, but not awake yet. If you’d like to go wait in her room, you’re welcome to. She’s in room 211.”
“Thank you,” Savannah sighs gratefully before grabbing my arm. “Come on, Joey.”
Savannah’s about ten steps ahead of me, powerwalking down the hall and wearing a no-nonsense expression. Seeing the comings and goings of doctors and nurses quickly throughout the hospital hallways makes my head spin even more. I’m trying to prepare myself for the image of her lying in a hospital bed, hooked up to a bunch of monitors. The thought makes me feel nauseated, and I have to brace myself against the wall in order to stop myself from vomiting all over the hallway.
My breath shudders as we stop in front of Kelsey’s room. “I don’t know if I can do this,” I mutter, shaking my head. “I don’t think I can bear to see her like that.”
Savannah braces my shoulders and looks up at me. “Joey Brooks, you’re one of the toughest guys I know. You love my sister, don’t you?”
“Of course I do, which is why —”
“Which is why you’re going to man the fuck up and get in there because she needs you. She needs both of us,” Savannah interrupts me. Kelsey got the gentler heart of the two of them — Savannah is all about the tough love.
I take a deep breath in and out and nod my head, finding it once again hard to speak. Savannah opens the door and we’re immediately greeted by the beeps of the heart rate monitor. You know how in movies and TV shows, they show characters in the hospital and it looks so fake? I wish this were fake. I wish that my Angel was not laid up in this hospital bed, looking so helpless and broken. That tightness squeezing in my chest returns and I collapse into the worn-down plastic chair by her bedside, trying to hold back my tears.
Chapter 31
“Kelsey? Can you hear me? Please, Angel —” I grab onto her hand. “Squeeze my hand if you can hear me, okay?” Her hand lays limp and lifeless in mine, which wrenches my heart even further.
Savannah approaches the bed from the opposite side and takes her other hand. “Hey big sister, I need you to wake up because your man is an absolute mess right now. Plus, you have a deal to uphold.” Her lips form a sly grin.
I flash her a confused look, waiting for her to explain what the hell she’s talking about. She just continues to grin and shakes her head at me. “You’ll see.”
I turn my attention back to Kelsey, trying to wrack my brain for anything that might possibly get her to wake up. I know she can hear me, she just can’t get her beautiful body to respond to my words. I brush her hair out of her face, laying a gentle kiss on her lips. “Come on, Kelsey. Open those gorgeous green eyes for me. I love you so much.” The heart rate monitor starts to beep a little faster, proving my theory that she can hear me.
“Quick, think of something that might help wake her up,” Savannah blurts out when she realizes what I did.
It’s not my favorite idea ever, but it’s the only thing I can think of. I pull out my phone and bring up the song we first kissed to — “Love Story” — and press play, cranking up the volume to the max level.
“Ugh, I hate this song.” Savannah rolls her eyes and covers her ears. “Why’d you pick this one?”
“It was playing when I kissed her for the first time. I figured it might cause an emotional response and make her wake up.” My eyes connect with hers. “Trust me, it wouldn’t be my first choice of songs to play, but it’s one that’s sentimental for us.”
“Joey Brooks, who knew you were such a romantic?” She flashes a teasing grin.
