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Knix nodded and together, they helped get Grayson back into the hospital bed. Though, by the looks of it, the doctor could have lifted Grayson back into bed completely on his own. The man leaned over Grayson, apologizing quietly as he pressed the nurse’s call button. When one came in, he approached her and they spoke in quiet tones. She shot Teddi a look and nodded, then quickly disappeared from behind the curtain oncemore.
“What—” Ibegan.
“She’ll be right back with some sedatives,” the doctor answered my question before I could even finish it. I blinked up at him and thennodded.
The doctor approached Teddi with gentle formality as Bellamy and Marv held her still. Teddi struggled against them, attempting to kick out at them. When the doctor bent down and spoke in low, quiet, soothing tones, she settledslightly.
“It’s okay,” he said. “Everything’s going to beokay.”
She shook her head, letting it roll on her shoulders as if she were already drugged. Who knew? Maybe she was. Maybe she had just been running on adrenaline since the car wreck. The nurse returned and handed a filled syringe to the doctor, going to Bellamy’s side as she helped holdTeddi.
Grayson’s mother began to struggle again, jerking her arms wildly in an attempt to get away. “No, no,” the doctor said. “You’re fine. Everything’s fine. We’re just going to give you something to help you sleep.” He reached for her arm and held it perfectly still as he injected her with something that made her sag in their collective arms, all of the fight draining out ofher.
Knix explained the situation to the doctor—Teddi’s relationship to Grayson and mine as well. The doctor listened with a stone cold face and when Knix wrapped it up, he shook his head. “I’m going to have to call the police,” he said, looking at Grayson. “You realizethat?”
Grayson groaned as the nurse injected him with some pain medication to help relieve the aches of his body. “Just do it,” he said. “I don’t really give a damn anymore. Send them to me when they get here. Soon as I can, I’m getting a restraining order put on that woman.” Then to me, Grayson turned and glared. “You’re getting one too,” hesaid.
I didn’t have it in me argue—I didn’twantto argue. I nodded my agreement and the doctor sighed. “This room is far too crowded. I’ll have you moved up to a room. This has been enough drama for the night—even in the emergencyroom.”
Marv and Bellamy relieved themselves of Teddi to the same nurse that had doped her up as well as a few burly looking orderlies. Exhaustion pulled at my frayed nerves. “Well,” Texas said, “I guess it’s really overnow.”
“God, I hope so,” I replied as I crawled onto the hospital bed withGrayson.
Within the hour, we were moved a floor up into a much larger, private hospital room. Knix and Bellamy left to get everyone a change of clothes. I stayed in the bed with Grayson while Texas flipped through the channels of the television from a chair in the corner and Marv dozed on thecouch.
It was in the early morning—around 8 am or so—when a man stopped by. He wore slick black business pants and a light blue collared shirt buttoned up to the neck. “Dad?” Grayson sat up as the man lightly rapped on the door and camein.
“I got a call from the police,” the older man said. I stared between the two of them, noting the similarities in their features. Mr. Caruso looked like an older version of Grayson—same blue eyes, same facial structure. He was handsome, if a bit moretanned.
“Yeah,” Grayson nudged me over, and I went willingly, standing up from thebed.
Mr. Caruso turned his eyes on me. “Is this the girl?” heasked.
I stiffened but relaxed when I realized he wasn’t being condescending. I held out my hand. “My name’s Harlow, sir,” Isaid.
Mr. Caruso nodded and took my hand. “I’m sorry for what my ex-wife has put you through,” hesaid.
I released his hand and moved back to Grayson’s bedside as Marv woke up, yawning and sitting up, blinking at the rest of us with bleary eyes. Texas cut off the television, got up, and retrieved him. “Come on, buddy. Let’s go get you anothercoffee.”
When they were gone, the awkwardness settled a bit more firmly over the room. Mr. Caruso was the first to speak. “Your mother will be processed for blackmail, fraud, assault, and potentially attempted murder if they can make the charges stick when the hospital releases her,” heannounced.
Wow. I really hadn’t predicted this outcome, Ithought.
Grayson justnodded.
Mr. Caruso moved forward, approaching slowly. “I’m sorry for not being there when you needed me, Grayson,” he said. “I can promise you, though, that you won’t have to see her again. She won’t be blackmailing you or anyoneagain.”
Again Grayson nodded. “As long as she stays away from my friends and Harlow, I’mgood.”
It was obvious to me that Mr. Caruso wanted to say more, but either he was too uncomfortable to say it in front of me or he wasn’t sure how well it would be accepted by Grayson. I decided to make the first move. “You know what,” I said lightly, patting Grayson’s hand. “I think I’m going to go grab something to drink with the others. I’ll be rightback.”
Grayson let me go but lifted his eyes to meet mine as I left. I winked back at him and silently closed the door. I hoped that he and his father would work through the abandonment and loss that Grayson must have been feeling. For now, though, I really needed a shot of espresso or two to keep me from feeling the bruises on my back and the discomfort from sleeping so poorly on a scrunched up mattress, plastered to Grayson’sside.
