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“This is rather dramatic, even for you, brother,” Penelope says, leaning over him to kiss his hair.
I slip my hand into his, my heart racing at the warmth from his skin, and I sit on the edge of the bed.
I close my eyes and breathe through my nose. He’s here and he’s alive. I have to hold onto that now.
Despite the attack, he’s still perfect. There’s a blanket halfway up his chest. I can only just see the bandage covering the stab wounds. How can he still look so perfect? He’s a miracle.
“Casper, I’m going to need you to wake up soon, okay? You never sleep for long,” I say, my face heating as I remember how often he wakes during the night, then gets me up.
There’s no reaction from him, and I don’t know when the drugs are supposed to wear off after the operation.
“Hey,” I say, stroking his warm hand and marvelling at how damn handsome he is, even like this.
“He’s doing well,” Flora says, putting a comforting hand on my shoulder. “Give him an hour or so for the aesthetic to wear off.”
I look up at her. “Is that how long it takes after general anaesthetic?”
“It varies from person to person. He will wake as soon as he can. Don’t stop talking to him, Ainsley. I believe he can hear you, and if there is anyone he will open his eyes for, it’s you.”
I turn back to his perfect, sleepy face, and smile. “Did you hear that? No pressure, right?”
His family laugh gently.
“I slept like crap last night. Not like you now, lazy. I was debating whether I should break into yours. I would actually have to do it, though, because Marvin wasn’t at ours with his key. But I thought I wanted to give myself that time. By the way, time is stupid, and I won’t be doing thateveragain. We’ll have to go back to the arguing thing we’re so fond of. No promises, but I will try leaving your car alone.”
I place my free hand over his heart, feeling the steady beat against my palm. Tension ebbs from my shoulders as if Casper is telling me he’s okay. Every beat is a promise to wake up.
“When you’re up, you’re staying with me. Or we can stay at yours, if you prefer. I don’t care where we go. I’m going to be such an annoying, over-the-top nurse, it’s going to drive you mad.”
I can picture him telling me he’s not a child and can take care of himself with one breath, then demanding a sponge bath and a happy ending with the next.
“And remember that avenging thing we spoke about? It’s my turn now, which means I’m probably going to need you to represent me in court soon.”
Come on, open your eyes.
“There’s no spare bed in here so you’re going to wake to a grumpy girlfriend sitting on that chair. The nurse is going to try throwing me out. I'll need to pull my best hide and seek moves.”
Please wake up. I need you.
I spend the whole ten minutes talking to him and his family. Then, far too soon, a nurse comes by to check on Casper and kick us out. We can come back later during visiting hours, but for now, they want to clear his room and let him recover.
Casper’s parents head to his house to grab him a few things, with the help of Marvin and Reggie. There’s nothing they can do here, so they take Imani and Freya with them. Everyone is relieved that Casper’s through the surgery and in recovery.
Penelope and I go to a café next to the hospital, where we manage to order a pointless breakfast just in time before they switch to the lunch menu. There’s absolutely no way I’m going home. It’s too far, so she’s waiting with me while his parents go to his house to get some of the things he’ll need when he wakes.
I think they’re keeping busy.
“You should eat,” Penelope says, eyeing the scrambled egg on toast I haven’t touched. She’s only picked at her Eggs Benedict.
“I can’t. They’ll call if there’s any change, right?”
“They said they would. In fact, they promised after you quizzed them. All we can do now is wait for him to wake up. Which hewill. And when he does, he’s going to need you, so please eat.”
My stomach completely rejects the thought of any kind of food.
“I’m too nauseous to eat. Do you think he could hear us? Your mum said so but I’m not sure.”
She smiles and stirs her cappuccino. “Yes, I do. It will be comforting to him. He’ll like hearing your voice.”
