Page 106 of Found in Wild Sage

Her voice is soft and soothing. It’s the voice from childhood when we were sick or had a nightmare. It’s the voice that says, “everything is going to be okay.”

“Good. Thank God.” My eyes shut with relief, and exhaustion, and likely lingering anesthesia drugs pull at me. I force my eyes back open and look to Evie. “You?”

“I’m just fine. And I’m so glad you’re okay.” She brushes her fingers across my forehead.

My eyes shut again. “I’m so tired.”

“You can sleep a bit. I’ll be here when you wake up.”

That’s all I need to know for now.

Six hours later, I’m settled into my room somewhere else in the hospital and my parents have just left, along with Grant, Eirinn, and Davis. They were all looking haggard, so I sent them home. I need to convince Evie to go, too.

“Will you please go home? I’m fine here, and you need sleep. You need to see Charlie and sleep.”

“Are you seriously bossing me around from a hospital bed? You Ryan boys…” She shakes her head, then bends to kiss my cheek. “I’m not leaving you alone.”

I hate to admit it, but I’m satisfied by this as much as I want her to go get some rest. She is beautiful and bedraggled, which tells me she needs to sleep at home.

“Promise me you’ll⁠—”

“Knock knock!” Finn tips his head in, then May pops up next to him and adds, “Yeah, knock knock!”

They both enter but glance back at the door.

“Hey, guys, good to see you.” My impulse is to stand, but that’s not happening just yet.

“So, we brought a surprise with us.” Finn is ineffectively stifling a smile and glances at the door yet again.

Maybe they’ve brought Charlie? But they would’ve checked with Evie.

“Okay…” I look to Evie to see if she knows what this is, but she shrugs.

Then in walks Mac.

He’s a storm cloud when he enters, just like he always has been. Darker features, darker eyes so they’re almost navy, and a deep tan on his face, ears, neck, and forearms. Everywhere I can see. I’ll need to talk to him about sun safety yet again, I see.

“You didn’t have to come.”

It trips out of me in a choked string of words only barely masking tears. I’m not easily moved to cry, but this post-nearly-dying phase of life may have different standards.

One is certainly my big brother coming to see me after staying away for too long.

He doesn’t stop until he’s right next to me. In one fluid movement as though he’s been in this room a hundred times, he slides a chair forward, takes a seat, and clasps my hand.

“If you wanted me to visit, you could’ve just called.”

I laugh, then wince, holding my side. He grimaces.

“I was a touch occupied the last bit.” I gesture to my lovely hospital gown.

He shakes his head. “Always needing attention.”

Finn cackles at this, and May giggles. Mac glances over his shoulder at them with a fond expression, then back to me.

“I’m on duty for being in harm’s way. Me and the big boy. You’re supposed to be safe now.”

His hard look only makes me want to cry more. “The big boy” is Grant, of course. He’s trying to tell me now I’m out of the Army, I shouldn’t be the one getting shot. I can’t explain why this makes me afraid for him, but it does. And for Grant, whose job in law enforcement naturally makes him more at risk. I don’t like that either of them are at greater risk.