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“Gabe, Wes is okay—”
Gabe squeezed my hand. “I can hear her.”
“Is he lucid?” I asked.
“Yes. That’s what I was worried most about—and he was a little disoriented at first—but he’s okay! Everything is normal. He doesn’t remember getting shot, but that’s probably a good thing…”
“What did Dr. Kim say?”
Hannah blew her nose. “He said he’s going to make a full recovery, but the rehabilitation process could take a long time. He needs to be careful about his heart, and the atrophy is pretty bad, so he’ll have to do an aggressive course of physical therapy. But he’s stable enough to be moved out of ICU, probably tomorrow.”
“That’s amazing.” I clutched Gabe’s hand. “Please tell him Gabe and I send our love—we’ll be home tomorrow afternoon. I can’t wait to see him.”
“Tell him I’m thrilled,” Gabe said, joy and relief evident on his face.
Hannah sniffled. “I will.”
“Okay. I love you.”
“I love you too—but wait, don’t hang up!”
“What’s the matter?”
“Nothing.” Hannah blew her nose again. “I just wanted to see…what’s new with you.”
“Um, nothing? Except I’m at a wedding on the other side of the country, and I met Gabe’s mother for the first time. But you already knew that.”
“But what’s…going on?”
I looked around hopelessly, wondering what she meant. “We’re in Boston at Gabe’s mother’s reception. The wedding was beautiful. I’m wearing the dress you picked out, and I can’t breathe in it.”
“She looks totally hot,” Gabe called, “so I owe you one.”
“But nothing’s new?” She sounded crestfallen.
“No—what’re you even talking about?”
“Ugh, it’s nothing. Call me tomorrow, okay? Or tonight…if you feel like it.”
“Okay?”
We hung up, and I shook my head, confused. “Something is up with my sister.”
“Huh,” Gabe said, but he didn’t ask me anything further.
Huh.
He tipped his champagne flute against mine. “Cheers. To Wesley. That’s amazing news.”
“Cheers.” My heart swelled with joy. “I can’t believe he’s awake and he’s okay.”
“I know. I didn’t know what was going to happen. But he’s a fighter, just like your sister.”
We stopped and drank our champagne. Holding his hand, knowing that Hannah and Wesley were okay, I felt elated and calm for the first time in weeks. I squeezed Gabe’s hand again, reveling in the newfound peace in my heart.
I turned and found Gabe watching me, another intense look on his face. “Have you ever been to a wedding before?” he asked.
“Sure—but nothing like this. I went to my cousin’s wedding when I was twelve. It was a backyard-barbecue sort of thing.”
