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My son has no idea how close he came to losing his mother. We’ve downplayed everything and he’s safe at home with Callie and Reed right now. I don’t want him to see Katie like this. It would scare him. Hell, it scares me.
I hear the door open but don’t turn to see who it is. I figure it’s one of the nurses coming in. They do it constantly.
“Here, drink this.”
I frown, looking up at Mom as I take the cup from her hand. More coffee. I’ve drank so much that I’ve lost count. I don’t suppose it matters anyway. Thankfully, this is not the crap they give away here at the hospital, so the taste soothes my frayed nerves.
“I thought you were going to a hotel to sleep.”
“I was, but I felt so lost that I didn’t know what to do with myself. So, I took a shower and swung by Starbucks and grabbed us some coffees and muffins.”
She rattles the bag at me as she says muffins. I don’t want to tell her that the thought of food turns my stomach. My face must have given me away, however, because she just sits the bag down on the window sill. Then takes the seat across from me.
“Wake up, sunshine,” I murmur, reaching out to touch Katie’s hand.
“No change?” Mom asks.
“None. They are giving her meds to keep her a little sedated, but not the strong ones. They said she should start waking up on her own. So far there hasn’t been the slightest indication that it is happening, though.”
“Shit,” Mom mutters under her breath. “I tried calling your brother, but it just went to his voice mailbox. I left a message, but who knows if he will check it. My kids have a way of cutting out everyone when they sulk.”
“I don’t want him here,” I snap.
“You might not, but this isn’t about you. Jeff loves Katie, too. If the roles were reversed, I’d call you too, Jake, and you know it.”
“You need to keep him away from me.”
“Stop that. The two of you are brothers. Whatever else is going on, you need to learn how to put it aside. Family matters, son.”
“Family is just a word to some people.”
“Jake—”
“I don’t want to talk about it, Mom. Not now. My focus and energy need to be on Katie and getting her better for our son.”
“Fair enough, but this isn’t over,” she says grudgingly.
“You’re right about that.”
I’m not letting it go. There will be a day of reckoning between me and Jeff. I don’t know when, but I will definitely make it known that I’m aware of what a fucking liar he is.
“Good. We’ll revisit this soon.”
“How’s Miss Hazel?” I ask, changing the subject because that seems safer.
“I’m fine.”
I jerk around to see Hazel being wheeled in by a nurse.
“Ms. Smith insisted on coming to see her granddaughter herself,” the nurse explains, looking very stressed. I can almost feel a smile pulling at my lips. I can only imagine what kind of fit Hazel threw. She might be old, but she is stubborn and likes getting her way—one way or another.
“Darn straight I did. How’s my baby?”
“No changes, Miss Hazel. We’re just waiting.”
Her eyes move over to me with a frown. “You look like you need sleep.”
“That’s what I told him,” Mom chirps up.
