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It takes nearly three hours to get Alvie the scans he needs to determine if there’s going to be any lasting damage, and I wait as patiently as I can in the waiting room. Which is much more difficult than I would prefer.
With Alvie’s medical history and all of his past concussions from being in the rodeo circuit for so many years, another head injury is not ideal, as the doctors keep telling me.
Naomi’s appearance at the hospital, seeing her looking at him so sweetly while he slept in his bed, shook me. Part of me regrets speaking to her so harshly, but I couldn’t have her distracting me. I need to deal with this on my own.
Alvie has always been my rock. He’s handled the world for me so that I didn’t have to. He takes care of me in every way imaginable.
This is my turn to return that kindness and love. It’s my turn to care for my person.
Having her here would keep me from focusing on Alvie, his needs and recovery.
My mind keeps wandering back to her though. I replay our conversation over and over in my head, the image of her crystal clear in my mind. Her devastation as she left the room was written all over her face.
I should feel guilty, but there’s no room in my head for that right now.
Focusing on the paperwork in my lap, I try to push the feeling away.
“Mrs. Silva?” I glance up to find a young nurse nervously bouncing on her toes.
“Yes?”
“Mr. Silva is finished with his scans. He’s being brought back to his room if you want to go meet him there,” they say.
“Thank you.” I sigh.
The hospital is quiet considering the late hour, and the silence only makes the thoughts in my head feel that much louder.
When I reach Alvie’s room, I catch myself outside of the door, suddenly unable to move.
My heart sinks when I realize that I’m going to have to tell Alvie when he wakes up. I can’t withhold Naomi’s visit from him, and if I tell him she came by to see him, I’ll also have to explain why she left.
Will he be mad? Will he understand?
Shit.
Pulling myself together, I force my body to go through the doorway. The sight of Alvie peacefully lying in his bed with the monitors beeping steadily around him calms me a bit.
I set the paperwork down on a nearby table and walk over to him where he sleeps.
When I reach for his hand, he stirs, blinking awake. His face turns to me like a sunflower to the sun, and I smile when his eyes crinkle at the sight of me.
“Hey, love,” I say quietly.
“Hey,” he croaks out.
I reach out to grab the pitcher of water by his bed and fill the glass. I put the straw in and hold it to his lips, and he gulps it down. When he’s done, his head drops back to the pillow propping him up.
“Fuck. My head hurts.” He groans, eyes fluttering closed.
I giggle. “Yeah, well, it seems you’ve reached the age where you’re gonna have to get one of those Life Alert buttons.”
He scowls back at me.
“Help! I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!” I mock lightheartedly before the sorrow takes over. “You really scared me, Alvie.” I reach for his hand. “There was so much blood and you weren’t responding to me and . . . and . . .” I hiccup.
“I’m sorry, birdie. I’m sorry,” he soothes.
“It was so scary, seeing you like that.” My voice is small. “I was all alone.”
