I dreaded calling Kaylee.
She was a shit mother. There had been a lot of things over the years that she’d done that I didn’t understand, didn’t like, and didn’t agree with, but she loved Dylan. She loved him as much as I did. I’d never questioned that for a moment.
The news was going to devastate her. She’d have to find a flight and travel all the way to Oregon, not knowing whether or not our son was going to be okay. Hours of that. It changed a person. I was about to change her life forever.
Pulling up her contact information, I took a deep breath and lifted my phone to my ear.
Chapter 18
Teddy
I’d never beenmore tired in my life and less likely to sleep.
Sitting next to Jesse’s bed, I ran my thumb back and forth over the back of their hand while they slept. The drugs they were on meant that they’d barely been awake since they came out of recovery after surgery, but the doctor said that was good, and they’d start being awake for longer stretches soon.
I wanted them awake for my benefit, but it was probably better for Jess if they slept through the worst of it. When they woke up fully and realized how bad things were, they’d probably wish that they could go back to sleep.
Three broken ribs. A shattered jaw that they’d placed metal plates in to stabilize and then wired shut. Sprained wrist. Broken nose. Two missing teeth. A spleen that had caused all the bleeding and they’d had to remove during surgery.
After every argument I’d had with Jess about riding in cars with teenagers because I was terrified they’d get in an accident, and now they’d been injured just as badly in our living room.
I was numb with fear.
Jesse would be okay eventually. Their wounds would heal.
We were still waiting to talk to Dylan’s doctor. He was out of surgery but still in recovery, and no one had come to speak with Curtis yet.
He was alive. The charming boy who’d taken my kids under his wing and teased them and hung with them and had designated himself as their protector was alive. I held on to that with both hands as we waited.
Turning my head, I looked over to where Curtis held Finn in his lap. One of the nurses had brought in a pair of sweatpants and grippy socks for him. I wasn’t sure where she’d gotten them, but I was grateful that he was no longer in his underwear. On the floor next to them, Draco sat with his knees bent, his head tipped back against the wall.
He’d stuck close to Curtis’s side since they’d arrived.
The rest of the club was around, but beyond Curtis’s parents, Kara, and Charlie, none of them had come into Jesse’s room. They congregated in the waiting room down the hall in case they were needed, but gave us space otherwise.
“Curt, the doctor came to the waiting room,” Charlie said, poking her head in the door.
“Shit,” Curtis said, rising to his feet. He looked around frantically with Finn still in his arms.
“I’ll take him,” Charlie said quickly as I got up. “Hey, Finn. You wanna sit with me for a couple minutes?”
I stood awkwardly, my hand still gripping Jesse’s as Curtis disappeared.
“Well?” Draco said, gesturing at me. “What are you waiting for?”
“I—”
“Go,” Charlie advised me. “I’ll stay here until you get back.”
With one last look at Jess, I hurried after Curtis with Draco on my heels. When we got to the waiting room, Curtis was already talking to a tall man in scrubs with his back to us. I slowed, watching Curt’s face for any clue about what the doctor was saying. Eventually, I reached them and stepped up next to Curt. Immediately, his arm slid around me.
“You’re sayin’ he’s gonna be okay?” Curtis asked.
“He’s in the ICU right now,” the doctor replied. “But we were able to repair all of his wounds. Now, we just need to watch and wait because infection is still a factor.”
“But you’re givin’ him somethin’ for that, right?”
“Yes, we are. Your son was very lucky. He got help quickly, and they brought him to me, and I’m very good. It’s just going to take time now. Try to be patient.”
