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Danny’s mom is standing outside her minivan. Her husband is sitting inside it, behind the wheel. Brook and I head down there and as soon as we reach the van, Danny’s mom pulls me in for a hug. “Welcome home. I wish it was under different circumstances.”
“Yeah, me too.”
It feels strange to hear her call this home. I lived here for most of my life, but it doesn’t feel like home anymore. I feel like my home is wherever Brook is, which for now is Dallas.
Danny’s mom hugs Brook, then walks to the back of the van. “You can put your things back here. We’ll take them back to the house.”
Danny’s parents insisted we stay with them. They already have a full house with all their kids, but I told Brook I’d rather stay with them than with her mom. I don’t have a problem with Brook’s mom, but I don’t feel comfortable around her, probably because she used to hate me, and despite what Brook says, I know she doesn’t approve of me being with her daughter.
“Good seeing you two,” Danny’s dad says to Brook and me as we get into the van.
“You too,” I tell him. “Can we get going?”
He smiles. “On my way.” He pulls out of the space. “I checked the traffic. It’s light, so we should be there in about a half hour.”
I groan, annoyed that everything’s taking so long. Brook holds my hand, silently acknowledging my frustration.
When we arrive at the hospital, Danny’s dad pulls up to the door. “Go on in. Just text us when you’re ready to go.”
It’s really nice of them to do this. It’s late and I’m sure they’re tired. And since visiting hours are over, they can’t even go up to Jake’s room. But if I told them to go home, they wouldn’t do it. They’ve been in my life for so long that they treat Jake and me like family.
Brook and I go into the hospital and up the elevator to the fourth floor. I stop at the desk. “I’m Dean Sanders. I’m here to see Jake Sanders.”
“Room 408,” the woman says. “But visiting hours are over.”
“I called ahead. They said I could see him.”
She checks her computer and nods. “Yes, I see the note, but only you can go in his room.” She looks at Brook. “She’ll have to wait here.”
“But she’s family. We’re getting married—”
“Dean, just go,” Brook says. “I’ll see him tomorrow.”
I race down to Jake’s room, not wanting to wait another second. I go into the room and see a nurse by Jake’s bed, checking his IV.
“I’m his brother,” I tell the nurse when she looks at me like I shouldn’t be here. “I got permission to see him after hours.” I walk up to Jake, who looks like he’s in a deep sleep. His face looks okay. He doesn’t look like he was hit there. I can’t see the rest of him. He’s covered by the blanket. “How’s he doing?” I ask the nurse.
“He remains in stable condition,” she says, which basically tells me nothing. I’m not a doctor. How am I supposed to know what that means?
“Did he wake up at all?”
“Not yet.”
“Is that normal? Shouldn’t he be awake by now?”
“Every patient is different. When someone loses a lot of blood, the brain doesn’t get adequate oxygen, which can cause a loss of consciousness that can last for days or even weeks.”
I lean down to Jake. “I’m right here. And I really want you to wake up. I need to know you’re okay.”
“Dean,” the nurse says. “Is that right?”
“Yeah. How’d you know?”
“His friends told me. They were here for most of the day.”
“What friends?”
“I don’t remember their names. There were three boys and a girl.”
