“Just reminiscing,” I say, my voice raw.“I can’t stop thinking about Eagle.”
She squeezes my arm and gives me an understanding smile.“It’s normal to worry.He’s your brother.”
“I know.But it’s more than that.”I grip the steering wheel tighter, my knuckles turning white.The memory of that night still makes my heart ache, the sting of betrayal still fresh as if it happened yesterday.
“I’m here for you,” Daniela says.“I can’t imagine what you’re going through, but you’re not alone.”
I take a deep breath, letting her words sink in.Somehow, with Daniela by my side, the world seems a little less daunting.I reach out, take her hand in mine.“Thanks.”
She and I are driving to the hospital to see Eagle.
We reach the hospital, and I leave the truck with the valet.
Daniela and I don’t talk as we ascend the elevator to the fifth floor.
It stops on the third and a nurse gets on.
Oh God.Great timing.It’s Grace, the nurse from my father’s ward.
The nurse I asked to coffee and then had to break the date because my mother decided to make a huge dinner to celebrate Raven and Vinnie’s engagement.Never mind that our father couldn’t—still can’t—string two words together.
“Hawk,” she says.Then her gaze drops to Daniela’s hand in mine.
“Hi, Grace,” I say.“How are you?”
“Good.”She smiles, though it seems forced.She holds her hand out to Daniela.“I’m Grace.I’m a nurse here.”
Daniela has to release my hand to shake Grace’s.“Daniela Agudelo.Nice to meet you.”
“Goodness, that’s a mouthful.”Then Grace clamps her hand to her mouth.“I’m sorry.That was… I didn’t mean that to come off the way it did.”
Yeah, this isn’t awkward at all.
Grace pushes the button for the fourth floor, where Dad is.
It’s a painful few moments, the three of us standing in silence while the elevator slowly ascends.Clearly Daniela’s curiosity is piqued by my interaction with Grace, but she remains silent.As for Grace, she glances between the two of us.Not that it was difficult to figure out what’s going on.When the elevator doors open at the fourth floor, Grace steps out, flashing us a polite smile.
“Nice to meet you, Daniela.See you around, Hawk.”With that, she turns and disappears down the hall.The doors close again, and we continue up to the fifth floor.
Daniela finally speaks up, her voice soft.“Old girlfriend?”
I laugh, shaking my head.“No, just a nurse from my dad’s ward.I asked her out for coffee once but had to break it off.”
“Hmm,” is all she says, but the tension in the elevator eases a bit.
We arrive on the fifth floor and walk hand in hand toward Eagle’s room.
My mother is there, of course, which means only one of us can go in.
Just as I’m about to tell Daniela, Dr.Flynn walks by.
“Good evening,” she says.“Just doing my rounds.”
“How’s my brother?”I ask.
She smiles weakly.“Still unresponsive, but we’re optimistic.There’s still time for a full recovery, and he’s young, strong, and healthy.Your mother says that before his overdose, he’d been working out, eating right.”
“That’s right,” I say, a faint smile on my face.“He’s a fighter.”
