Brody turned and looked at her sharply, surprise evident in his blue eyes, but behind that she saw the pain and the guilt. Mina felt herself go weak, and she reached out to touch his cheek. He leaned into her palm and breathed in the scent of her hand. Mina’s breath caught in her throat at the intimate feel of his skin and the way he pushed against her.
Slowly, he dropped his horse’s reins and moved closer to her; Mina anticipated the hug and leaned up as he wrapped his arms around her. He buried his face in her neck and hugged her. She closed her eyes and let herself enjoy the comfort of his arms, until she felt him shaking softly. He was crying. Mina was saddened, but only slightly. What she wanted more than ever was his love; what he needed right now was comfort. She found herself rubbing his back and telling him that she was going to fix everything. She promised.
When he pulled away, Mina wanted to pull him closer and kiss him. But she knew it wasn’t the time to confess her feelings.
She sighed loudly and finally decided to tell him why she came. “I need your help. I know this sounds stupid, but I think I know a way to wake up Nan from the coma. But first I need a ride someplace. Then I will tell you my somewhat brilliant plan, but it involves calling your very famous cousin and convincing him to make an unplanned tour stop.”
Chapter 23
It was seven o’clock when they first pulled up to the hospital parking garage. They both signed in at the visitor center and got their red and white visitor tags. Mina stopped in the gift shop and bought the cheapest stuffed rabbit she could find and carried it up to Nan’s room.
Visiting mostly consisted of sitting quietly next to Nan and staring at the door waiting for nurses and doctors to make their rounds. It was boring, but Brody didn’t mind at all. He was the one who kept speaking to Nan and acting all concerned when the first nurse came in to check her vitals.
Mina never told Brody her full plan, she just told him enough to make it believable. She said she knew that Nan was going to wake up if Peter and Brody were both there to apologize. She knew it wouldn’t work, but she wanted to be there when anybody walked into her best friend’s hospital room.
When the first nurse came in, Brody stood up and let her approach Nan. Mina sat in a corner chair and pulled out her laser pointer keychain. When the nurse turned her back, Mina ran that laser pointer all over the nurse, head to toe, waiting for a waver or a change of any kind. Nothing. This nurse wasn’t Fae.
After she left, Mina waited twenty minutes then asked Brody to push the call button. A different nurse came in and asked what the problem was. Brody lied beautifully and said he thought Nan was waking up.
Mina scanned this nurse with the laser pointer as well and was actually caught by the nurse, who only gave her a disapproving stare. When she left, Mina felt helpless. “This is never going to work; I have to get more nurses and doctors in here at one time.”
“Why?” Brody asked.
“Because I think one of them is a fraud, and I don’t believe they are here to help Nan,” Mina said it without really believing Brody would understand.
“You think it would really help Nan?” he asked.
“I know it would if I could just see all of them that are assigned to Nan. I know I can find the fraud.” She slumped back in her chair.
“And you can tell this just by looking at them?” he asked. She nodded. He took a moment and thought about it long and hard before standing up and walking over to Nan’s heart monitor. He looked at Mina and smiled. “Are you ready for Armageddon?” He reached for her chest.
“Brody! What are you doing?” Mina gasped.
“I saw this in a movie once. You may want to stand back. I’m about to get in serious trouble.” He winked at Mina and reached for the heart monitor wire that was stuck to Nan’s chest. With a quick tug, the adhesive released, and the beeping stopped. The monitor flat lined, and an alarm went off.
Brody jumped away from Nan but wasn’t quick enough as nurses ran into the room, followed by Dr. Martin.
“Now, look carefully,” Brody whispered loudly as he backed away from the bed.
Mina used the distraction to wave the laser pointer over everyone that entered the room even Dr. Martin, who was on duty, when he rushed inside, but nothing. They were all human. When one of the nurses found the detached wire, she attached it and gave both of them a loud and angry warning.
Dr. Martin turned to Mina and Brody and was surprised by their presence. “What are you two doing here?”
“We are worried for Nan. I think someone is trying to hurt her,” Mina rushed out.
Dr. Martin looked disgusted by Mina’s outburst. “I told you that if you did anything that would influence or harm my future daughter in law that there would be serious consequences.”
“But, Dr. Martin,” Brody cut in. “We didn’t harm her.”