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“Who?” Worried fear flashed in her eyes.
“Me, your parents, and Pete.”
“Where are they?” Her body sagged when she sighed with relief.
“They’ll be back. Let me call them. And”—she pushed the nurse’s button—“the doctor.” She turned to leave.
“Hailey?”
She whipped back around. “Yeah, baby?”
“I love you.”
I wasn’t expecting her to burst into tears. She ran to me and latched on, hugging me tightly and burying her face in my neck. She shook as the tears continued. I winced as pain rippled through me. I hugged her as tight as I could. “Oh, my God. I love you too, Vince. So much. So, so much.”
When the door whooshed open, Hailey lifted herself. “He’s awake,” she said. Her words sounded grateful and full of pride.
While the nurse did a quick checkup, Hailey called and texted my parents and Pete. The nurse looked satisfied at a cursory once-over and left to page my doctor.
“They all send their love,” Hailey reported, taking her seat again. Something in her tone made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Aside from my recovery, I couldn’t fathom what I should be worried about, and Hailey’s smile concealed any worry she might be having.
“Everything all right?” I asked.
“Yes. They’ll be here soon.”
Alone with Hailey again, we started talking. I may have gone through hell, and my senses might be shot, but my ingrained training made it impossible not to pick up on her surface-level questions and answers.
“What’s going on, Hailey?”
“What do you mean?” Her words were innocent enough, but my ears zeroed in on the crack in her voice. One look at my face, and she broke. Tears streamed down her face as she trembled.
“Come here,” I said. Maybe I was broken and damaged, but my voice still commanded. I moved over and patted the space next to me.
She climbed carefully into the bed and snuggled against me. She pressed her face into the crook of my neck. I encircled her body, holding her close. I could feel her heartbeat. I clung to her, wanting to hold onto her forever.
“Hailey, I can’t make any sense of this. I know I’m awake, and this is real, but it all feels like I’m dreaming. I don’t remember my mission except for prepping and getting there. No one will tell me anything. And I’ve been debriefed and questioned ad nauseam. I’m so sick and tired of feeling like a lab animal. If I could get out of this bed, I would. I need some fresh air and to think. And clear my head. But I can’t. I need you to tell me what you seem so worried about. I can see it in your eyes. Hear it in your voice. Hell, I can feel it rolling off you you’re so tense.”
She sniffled against me and played with an invisible piece of lint on the blanket covering me.
“We’re married, and you don’t remember.” She spoke so quietly that I wasn’t sure I heard her correctly.
“Married?” I hoped the surprise in my tone didn’t offend her.
She lifted her head a fraction. “Mm-hmm,” she murmured. “Married. And—”
Screw the pain. I snatched her as close as possible and kissed her. She squealed and kissed me back. “This is the best fucking news I’ve ever received,” I said, coming up for air.
“Really?” Her lashes fluttered, and her cheeks reddened.
And then it hit me. “Goddamnit!” I roared. Hailey reeled back. When I registered her shock and, albeit, fear, I pulled her back and held her. “I’m sorry. I’m not mad at you.”
“I’m sorry, too.”
I chuckled. “What are you apologizing for? I’m the idiot here, not you.”
I felt her hands rubbing up and down my back. It instantly calmed me. “You’re a hero, Vincent, not an idiot.”
“Mm, I can remember a couple of instances you vehemently called me an idiot.”
