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“And as a skilled firefighter and trained medic, I’m sure she would be in better hands with—”
“Ifshe needs anything, I’ll call. And it would be inappropriate for her to stay with you, wouldn’t you think? She’s just getting over a div—”
“Can we just get a minute?” The officer breaks up thewho gets herdebate. “Then you three can reconvene this chat.” Jenny peers over at me, smiling as if she won. I don’t even know why I’m fighting this so bad. She would be more equipped to stay with her. But I need her close.
I nod and lean down to press a gentle kiss to her forehead. “I need to get back to the station. I’m gonna figure out how this happened.”
I straighten and walk out when Jenny calls back to me. “I’ll take good care of her. I’ll call with updates so you don’t have to worry.” Her sugary sweet smile infuriates me more. I step out of the room and pull out my phone, dialing my ace in the hole.
“Hello?”
“Hannah. I need a favor. How bad does Levi want my signed football?”
Chapter20
Makayla
Thirty-six hours later. . .
“That should do it.”I hand the nurse my signed release papers. For the millionth time today, my eyes shift to the door. Where the heck is Jenny? She told me she would come back to pick me up as soon as they were ready to release me. I’m starting to think she forgot.
Once he kicked everyone out, Officer Polman asked me routine questions that all led to one remaining question—whether the fire was deliberately set. I never mentioned what Jenny said. It didn’t matter. It was an accident, but I’m worried they won’t see it that way. After he left, the weight of what I experienced kicked in, along with the heavy pain meds, and I passed out. Aside from the few times I was woken up to check my vitals and administer breathing treatments, I slept until early this morning. Clearly, near-death experiences wear you out.
“See, one night wasn’t so bad.”
I throw my legs off the hospital bed and slowly stand, wincing at the soreness in my thigh. “It is when you hate hospitals.”
I slide my feet into a pair of gym shoes. When I woke up this morning, there was a bag of clothes left for me, which I was thankful for. My eyes squeeze shut for a second, fighting off the memory of the fire. It was a level of fear I’ve never experienced. The air restriction and smoke tearing at my lungs. The scorching flames lapping at my skin. My eyes still burn.
“Are you okay?” the nurse asks, resting her hand on my shoulder.
I wipe away the memory and slap a smile across my face. “Yeah. Just tired. Stressed. I have a lot to figure out. I don’t even know where I’m going. Know any good halfway houses?” I joke. But my humor falls flat. “Sorry. I just—”
“Don’t be sorry. What you went through was scary. I can’t imagine. But I can tell you have a great support system. Your friend has been here since this morning. They were instructed to wait outside because the hospital has been a madhouse.”
That news offers me an ounce of relief. “Is it my friend Jenny?” I ask, sliding on the light cardigan.
She shakes her head. “I’m not sure. I didn’t see. The staff nurse just relayed the message to me.” She hands me a bag of ointment and bandages. “Your hands are looking much better. Make sure to switch out the bandages once a day, okay?”
“Will do.”
“Okey dokey! Let’s get you on your way!” She pulls up the wheelchair and waits for me to climb in. I feel silly being wheeled out, but if I’m honest, my thigh kills, and putting pressure on it only makes it worse.
We exit my room and head toward the exit. The closer we get to the door, the more I can’t hide my growing anxiety. I get to leave, but I have no home to go to. I’m thankful to Jenny for stepping up, but even that is temporary. I need to figure so many things out. The fire. My father’s insurance. I cry inside knowing the chances that he even had any are slim to none. The house is gone. And it’s my fault. All those damn times I joked about setting it up in flames and—what if I sleepwalked and set the fire?
Okay, I’m losing it.
Crazy or not, I can’t deny my luck has been complete shit lately. I can’t seem to catch a break. From my miserable marriage and divorce to my father, the fire. . . Ben. He never came back. He said he needed to go to the station and get answers, but a hopeful part of me thought he would return. I tried convincing myself that he had called, told me he got caught up with work, life, anything, and I missed it because my phone went up with the house and all my belongings.
He seemed so genuine. He wouldn’t just blow me off.
Would he?
The debacle from the other night comes to mind. Shocked at Ben putting in his bid to take me would be putting it mildly. It was sweet he offered. And when he wouldn’t let it go, one-upping Jenny perk for perk, it was. . . flattering. Butthenhe left. It’s fine.I’mfine. It makes the most sense to stay with Jenny anyway. I mean, why would I stay with Ben? That’s crazy! Itiscrazy.
“Your ride is waiting just outside the exit, if that’s what’s making you fidgety,” she says, turning the corner to the main hallway.
“That obvious?”
