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They allow me to go into the ICU and see him for a moment.
I kiss his cheek. “Thank God you’re going to be okay, Ronan.”
The machines beep. I watch his heartbeat on the screen. His pulse-ox is ninety-two, which the nurse told me is absolutely fine for having just had surgery.
“You’re going to have to leave now, Ms. Sandusky.”
“All right.” I nod, walk back out to the waiting area.
And Yvette is here. Despite her short stature, she appears like a giantess to me. I take in her strength. God, how I need it.
“Mary!” She grabs me in a hug.
“He’s okay. I just saw him. He’s asleep, but the nurses promised me his vitals are good.”
“Thank God.”
I hold onto her hands. “I don’t know much, Yvette, but it looks like this gunshot wound to his abdomen may have saved his life.”
I expect her to look surprised, but she doesn’t.
“Don’t you want to know how?”
“Of course.”
I relay the story to her about the possible pancreatic cancer.
“The lab hasn’t come back yet, but the surgeon was almost sure it was cancer. And if they got good margins…he’s going to be fine.”
“The universe works in mysterious ways,” is all she says.
Then she closes her eyes, clasps her hands together, looks up to the ceiling.
She’s praying or spellcasting.
And I have so much respect for her in this moment.
“You can probably go in and see him for a minute if you want,” I say a few moments later, when she opens her eyes.
“Yes, I’ll see if that’s possible. His parents are on their way. They should be here tomorrow.”
“I should probably go.”
“Nonsense.”
“I’m not family,” I say. “They’ve only been giving me information because there’s no one else here.”
“I feel very strongly, Mary, that you will be family.”
Her words give me a sliver of hope.
“I would like that. But I’m just glad he’s okay. I’ll walk away if I have to.” I turn.
Yvette grabs my arm, and when I turn back, the look on her face is stern, and despite her four feet ten inches of height, she is a force in this room. “You will not. You fight for him.”
“Oh, absolutely. I didn’t mean to sound like I wouldn’t. But if, in the end, I’m not what he wants, I will walk away. Because what I want more than anything, Yvette, is his happiness.”
“And that’s why you’re the one for him, Mary.” She reaches up and cups both my cheeks. “Don’t you see? That’s what true love is.”
