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“He’s a tall and burly Mediterranean type. Good-looking enough.”
“And he probably buys her pretty things.” My father smiled.
I couldn’t help but smile back. “Should I go on in?”
My father nodded. “I know she’ll be happy to see you.”
I squeezed my father’s hand and then left him an
d walked into the ICU. A nurse was in with my mother, checking her vitals.
“I’m sorry to intrude. Should I come back in a few minutes?”
My mother’s cracked lips curved slightly upward. “No, that’s my daughter. I want her to stay.”
The nurse smiled, finishing up. “You heard the patient. I’m done here anyway. Just a few minutes,” she said to me. “Ms. Bailey tires easily.”
“I understand.” I sat down in the chair next to my mother’s bed. “How are you doing, Mother?”
She sighed. “Could be better, of course.” Her voice was soft and tired. “Glad to see you though.”
“I’m sorry I haven’t been able to be here this week.”
“Don’t worry about that. Your father explained everything. Your work is important, Jade.”
Was this my mother I was talking to? My mother who always put Brooke Bailey first and everything else second? My mother was saying my work was important?
“I can probably stay here for the weekend if you want me to. I have to go back for work on Monday. I’m the acting city attorney right now, so it’s kind of necessary that I be in the office.”
“The acting city attorney? How did that happen?”
I shook my head. “It’s a long story, Mom. I’ll explain later, when you’re stronger.”
She sighed. “All right. If you think that’s best.”
I did a double take. Was this truly Brooke Bailey I was talking to? Never before had she been concerned with what I thought was best. Never before had she been concerned with what anyone else other than she thought was best.
“So do you know what happened to you?”
“An accident. Airbag didn’t deploy, evidently.”
“That’s right,” I said. “You’re really lucky to be alive.”
“Yes, I suppose I am. I guess my modeling days are over, though they’ve kind of been over for a while.”
“Are you in a lot of pain?”
“No. They’ve got me good and drugged up. I don’t want to think about what the shattered knee is going to feel like.”
“They’ll take good care of you here. They have so far. The doctors saved your life.”
“I know that. I just don’t understand.”
“Understand what?”
“Where is Nico? Is there something people aren’t telling me? He didn’t…die, did he? Your father kept dodging my questions.”
I gulped down a lump that had formed in my throat. I didn’t want to lie to my mother, but I also didn’t want to jeopardize her health. “Don’t worry about Nico. You need to focus on getting better.”
