Page 78 of Grumpy

Then she moved on to the next patient, a different nurse now accompanying her.

“Sorry about that,” the nurse said, approaching Kelly’s cot. “That’s Dr. Hardwick. We think she got that name after she became a doctor. I’m Gen with a G.” In comparison to the doctor, Gen was heavyset and around five-ten. Kelly wondered if she was part Native American, given her tanned skin and black hair, but still had the mental fortitude not to ask that question out loud. “Let’s get you out of these wet clothes. Leave your tag on the bed there so they know it’s claimed. We’re going to head into the bathroom since there’s no privacy out here.”

“How do I get word about my family?” Kelly asked as her feet slid to the floor. Her legs barely held her upright, but thankfully Gen came over and took most of her weight.

“Let’s worry about you first,” Gen told her kindly. They made their way slowly to the women’s room down the hall. Others ran past them, sometimes pushing a stretcher or a wheelchair. Kelly had no idea how Tessa did this on a regular basis. “Then I’ll get their names from you and get you an update.”

They were just about to reach the bathroom door when a ringing came from Gen’s phone on her scrubs pocket.

Gen frowned, looking down. “I’m sorry. I must have forgotten to put that on silent.”

They continued forward into the bathroom. Two other ladies were already inside, one washing blood off her hands and arms. Neither of them looked like hospital staff.

“Normally we would just cut these off you,” Gen explained to Kelly. “But since we can’t do that in the hallway, you’ve got the option of me helping you change or me cutting them off.”

Kelly didn’t really care either way. She just wanted to get information on Grumpy and Maddie, and to find Jackson.

Gen’s phone rang again. “Damn it,” she muttered. “I’m so sorry. Let me turn it off.” She pulled it out to toggle into silent mode. “Odd. It is on silent.”

“Um, excuse me?” Kelly and Gen turned at the young voice. They were standing outside the handicap stall. The other woman, the one not scrubbing blood off her, looked up from her phone. “Is one of you Kelly?”

Kelly’s eyebrows rose in shock. How could she possibly have known that? “Yeah, that’s me.” Her voice sounded so dry, like Grumpy’s did after he’d been talking for a while.

“Um, someone just promised to transfer eighteen hundred dollars into my account if I give you my phone. Is this real?”

“What?” Kelly stood up off Gen’s support to approach the other woman. Her head spun, but she powered through. On the woman’s screen a new text message appeared.

Unknown: It’s Ghost. Answer the phone, sweetheart.

The relief that flowed through her in that moment was indescribable. Holy crap. The club knew where she was. Which meant they knew what had happened.

“It’s real,” Kelly assured the woman, already reaching for the phone. She picked up on the first ring. “Ghost?”

“Finally! Tell that nurse she just missed out on eighteen hundred dollars by not answering her fucking phone. Are you okay?”

Tears streamed down her cheeks and Kelly started to sag. “Grumpy’s hurt. They took him back for surgery. I don’t know about Maddie. It’s such a madhouse here. And Jackson…” her voice cracked.

“Kelly. Take a breath for me. We’re on our way. You take care of you, and we’ll be there in a few hours.”

Kelly nodded, stupidly forgetting that he couldn’t see her. “I just need to know he’s okay, and no one will tell me anything and I’m soaked and cold and my shoulder wasn’t bothering me until that mean looking doctor said something about it and now it’s killing me. And Jackson! Ghost, I lost Jackson. I don’t know where he is or if he’s okay. He was with us and then he wasn’t and I don’t even know his last name! He saved us and I don’t even know his last name!”

“Sweetheart, breathe. You’re in shock. Hand the phone over to the nurse.”

Kelly obeyed, her hand feeling like it was someone else’s.

Gen looked taken aback, but she answered the phone. “Hello?” She listened for a second. “Sir, this is highly irregular—” Her jaw snapped shut, likely at something Ghost had said. “Yes, yes, I understand. I’ll let the doctor know. I just—” She got cut off again. “I truly don’t know, and finding out will take me away from my patient. Let me get her situated before she gets worse, and as soon as I have information, I will let her know.” She passed the phone back to Kelly. “I don’t even know why I am entertaining this.”

Kelly took the phone and sniffled. “Yes, this is Kelly.”

“I know who you are, sweetheart. We’ll be there soon.”

“Okay,” she muttered.

“Hold onto that phone. I just paid good money for it. Keys is working on getting it changed over to all your information. It’ll look like yours soon enough.”

“Okay,” she said again.

“You did good, sweetheart. Get some rest.” He hung up the phone after that.