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On the outside, he was keeping it together, but his hands were clammy, and his red-rimmed eyes were tired.
“Dad, you sure you’re alright?”
“Me? Fine ... fine.” He looked to the receptionist. She buzzed us in, where a nurse stood. “This is my son and his wife.”
“You have a few boys it seems, Mr. Maddox.”
“Sure do. I’ve got another one on the way. Flying in from California. My oldest.”
“You’ve got a great family,” she said.
“Sure do. I’ll just take them on back.”
“Sounds good. Let me know if you need anything,” she said.
Dad led us to Camille’s exam room but stopped just outside the door, keeping his voice low. “Camille’s having a CAT scan. Trenton’s with her. When he comes back … he’s worried sick, son. Just be gentle with him. I know you boys jab at each other, but he just needs some reassurance. I’ve never seen him like this.”
“Yeah, yeah, of course, Dad. What happened?” I asked. “Abby told me part of it, but she didn’t know much.”
Dad rested a hand on his belly, his gaze falling to the floor. “Camille left work upset. Trenton jumped into the passenger seat. It was raining, and they were arguing. Never saw that little bastard run the stop sign. Her Jeep flipped four and-a-half times. When Trenton came to, he pulled her out. When he couldn’t get her to wake up, he picked her up and carried her over a mile to the nearest house.”
“Christ,” I breathed. “With a broken arm? In two places?”
“Chyeah, he did,” he said, unable to hide his pride.
Dad put his hand on the door. “When they get back, they’re going to”—Dad choked, and then cleared his throat—“they’re going to set his bones, and then cast his arm. They warned him that it’s already started to heal and if he waited it would be harder to set, but he won’t leave her.”
I squeezed him to my side. “He’s tough, Dad. He’ll be okay. What are they saying about Cami?”
Dad’s brow furrowed. “She’s still unconscious. She has a decent gash on her head and some swelling. The window shattered and cut ’em both pretty bad.”
I looked down the hall, trying to organize the thoughts in my head. I needed to say something, anything to make him feel better.
He couldn’t lose anyone else.
I nodded. “Trent’s too fuckin’ mean to die, and Cami’s tougher than he is.”
Dad smiled and wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. “Well that’s good odds, then, eh?” He pushed open the door.
Abby ushered Dad to the only chair in the room, and I popped into the hall looking for another. The nurse that greeted us was already bringing us one. “Thank you,” I said, nodding.
Other than the two chairs and the three of us, it was an empty room. No bed or IV pumps, just the mess the ER staff left behind.
I looked down at a spatter of blood on the floor, and dozens of bloody blue rags. “Jesus,” I said, placing the new chair next to Dad’s.
“Have a seat, sis,” Dad said, getting settled in his chair. “They should be back soon."
“What’s the look for?” I asked Abby, noting the sour expression on her face.
“Nothing,” she snapped.
I stood behind her, gently pressing my thumbs into her neck, kneading her tense muscles in small circles.
She let out a breath and relaxed.
“Baby,” I said. “Tell me.”
She glanced at Dad, who seemed to already know what she was about to say. “Trenton hasn’t let a girl drive since Mackenzie. The first time he ... What she did was selfish. And Thomas coming here—” She caught herself. “Never mind.”
