Two framed pictures of youth baseball teams holding trophies rested on a ledge just above the computers.One of the frames had an engraved plate that read:World’s Best Coach.
Tucked behind one of the pictures was a thank you card.One glance at Josh confirmed he probably wouldn’t wake up if a bomb hit the building.I untucked the card.Inside was a taped picture of a fluffy terrier mix and a handwritten note:
Dear Dr.Hurst,
Thank you for all you did for Tater.We got a treasured extra month before you helped us send him to heaven.Your kindness meant everything to us during one of our most difficult times.
May God bless you,
Judy and Paul Sinclair
I tucked the card back where I’d found it.
As quietly as I could, I backed out of the office.Vinny remained asleep.
With a sigh, I checked on Petey’s chest tube and IV.“You look good, bud.You’re lucky, you know.”
The dog raised his head and met my gaze before rolling back to his side with a groan.
“Might as well let all you boys sleep for now.Where else do I have to be?”
I set my timer for two hours and made a makeshift bed next to Vinny out of clean towels.My body wasn’t going to like sleeping on concrete, but I needed a nap.
ChapterFourteen
JOSH
I joltedawake with a flop onto the thin carpet that did little to save me from the unforgiving concrete floor.
How long had I been out?
I grabbed my phone.7:03.
Seven.Zero.Three.
It was morning?
I rushed out of the office.Vinny and Erika were asleep on makeshift beds next to Petey’s cage.Erika had one arm thrown out to the side with her head on a folded towel.The blanket she rested on didn’t provide much padding.Asleep, she looked different.Younger.Softer.But no less beautiful with her brown hair wild and everywhere.
An alarm went off on her phone.She batted at it and muttered something, but got up as if on autopilot.She checked Petey’s fluid bag and then emptied his chest tube.“You look good, bud.”
“You should’ve woken me up,” I said.
With a start, she shot upright so fast that she slammed her thigh on the metal cage door.“Son of a nutcracker.”She bent over at the waist and massaged her thigh.“That’s going to bruise.”
“I would’ve gotten up if you called me.”I tried to smooth down my hair, but it remained nuts based on my reflection in the side of the bank of cages.
“I did call.Twice.You were dead asleep in the office.”She shrugged.“I was here.Vinny conked out.Petey is fine.His chest tube isn’t filling much.We can probably decrease our checks to every four hours today.You can stop the pain meds infusion in another two hours and go to regular fluids and injections every twelve.”
“Thank you for letting me sleep.I needed it.”
She blinked at me.“Did you saythank you?”
I swallowed a laugh.“Yeah.I haven’t slept through the night in…” I tried to count on my fingers.“I don’t know.Four or five days.”
“You being nice still doesn’t mean I’m staying.”
You stayed last night.You were evennice enoughto let me sleep.
