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His hand found my hair, and his blinks were already getting slower.
“You almost did die,” I said. “Twice. They had to use the paddles on you, like they do in the movies.”
His fingers stopped in my hair. “I don’t remember...”
“Probably just as well.” I listened to thethump th-thumpof his heart, the most precious sound. “I’m glad I didn’t see it. I don’t think I’d have survived.”
“I’m sorry,” he whispered, a tear rolling down to his temple.
I wiped it away. “But you’re okay now. The doc said your heartbeat’s back to normal and we just need to watch it and be careful, and you’ll probably need medication for a while, and if that’s what we have to do forever, then so be it.”
He nodded.
“And I was thinking that we can get you a new watch and somehow sync it to my phone as well, so I get your heart-rate alerts too. I dunno if someone’s invented that yet. Or maybe you can wear a chest strap every day and I’ll get the readings on my phone. That might be better.”
He chuckled softly. “Sounds good.”
I sighed, putting my head on his chest again, listening. “I can see straight up your nose.”
He laughed then, and I sat up, taking his hand again. “I missed your smile,” I murmured. “And your eyes. And everything about you. I was really scared, and I’m thankful more than words can say that you’re still here.”
“Me too.” His eyelids half closed. “I’m tired, Tully. I’m so tired.”
I put my hand to his cheek and gave him the best smile I could manage. “The doc said you would be, and that it’s normal, and that you should rest and sleep a lot. So don’t fight it. I’ll be right here. All day. Until they kick me out.”
He smiled as his eyes closed. “Right here,” he mumbled as he fell asleep.
So I sat there, watching him sleep, watching the machines like I had any clue what any of them did. But I watched those little heart lines as if they meant the world to me.
Because they did.
They were steady and consistent, pulsing the sweetest beeping sound in the world.
I watched them, and I watched him.
Until an hour or so later when his eyes opened again, and he smiled. “Still right here,” he said.
“Just like I promised.” He was thirsty, so I got him a drink of water and helped him sip it through the straw. He seemed a little brighter, so I took his hand and kissed his knuckles. “I forgot to tell you something.”
“Oh, what’s that? That you love me, or that you can see up my nose?”
I chuckled. “Well, both of those still apply, obviously. But I called your dad.”
He seemed surprised by this. “You did?”
“Of course. And he’s coming to see you. He’ll be here tomorrow.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
JEREMIAH
My father was coming.
My father was coming here to see me.
Tully had called him, which I understood. But he’d also insisted my father fly into Darwin as soon as possible. Tully had arranged and paid for the ticket without hesitation. I didn’t like the fact he’d paid for it, but it was very much a Tully thing to do.
We both knew there was no way my dad could afford it on his own, and he’d have to take days off work, which he never liked to do.
