“Sorry, not going to work on me. I don’t do special treatment.” He doesn’t seem as affected as everyone else who has walked through the door these last few days, but I see it. I see the slight flash of panic in his eyes every time they land on Hetch’s bandage. The way he’s been quietly regarding him. He’s been just as scared. But unlike the rest of us, he's kept himself together.
“Harsh.” Hetch lets out a gurgle for a cough. I’m starting to get used to the sound and am no longer panicked at hearing it. I reach for the water and hand it to him.
“Okay, well I'm gonna head down and get a coffee, leave you boys to it.” I stand, wanting to give them some space.
“You don’t want to stay and watch me kick his butt?” Mitch looks up, his teasing tone much easier to hear than the panicked one.
“Nah, you boys have fun. I'll be back in a few. You need me to get you two anything?”
“We're good.” Hetch reaches for my hand and squeezes briefly. I squeeze back before pulling away with one thing on my mind.
We are good.
And nothing will change that.
Forty-One
Hetch
“You two like to break the rules, huh?” The nurse I’ve come to know as Liberty’s favorite, whispers across a sleeping Liberty as she checks my blood pressure and vitals.
“Don’t blame her. I made her climb on up,” I whisper back, careful not to wake her. It’s been seven days since I woke up and not only did Liberty not leave my side the three days I was out of it, she hasn’t left me since.
“I think she loves you.” She continues to write in my chart, not looking up. I see why she’s Liberty favorite. Even though she may be a little too chatty and maybe a bit too nosy, she does have a way of putting you at ease.
“I don’t know. She still hasn’t said it.” I feel Liberty tense beside me, but she doesn’t stir or wake. We haven’t had much alone time these last seven days. Between my mom, my sister, and my teammates, my room has been a revolving door for visitors. Doesn’t mean I don’t think she does. I’m just waiting to hear where we stand.
“The fact she hasn’t left your side since you’ve been in here says a lot.”
“You picked up on that? Here I was thinking she was sneaking past you nurses every night.” I give her a wink then watch her hide her blush.
“You’re a very lucky man, you know?” She takes off the blood pressure cuff and writes down the results.
Lucky. The one word I’ve been hearing over and over for the last seven days. Lucky I survived the gunshot. Lucky I woke up. Lucky I have such a supportive family.
While I am still trying to work through everything that happened to me, I still feel like luck had nothing to do with it.
More like fate.
“Well, I’ll feel a lot luckier when they let me get out of this place.” As much as I appreciate the whole “saving my life” thing. I’m ready to go home. The visitors, the food, the poking and prodding every other hour, I’m done. Although my neck is still stiff, the pain has diminished to a dull ache, my dizziness and nausea gone, and after no longer dreaming about my father, it’s safe to say my brain is in good working order.
“Well, there you go, getting lucky again. A little birdy tells me you might get your discharge papers today.” She replaces my chart at the end of the bed and starts walking out.
“You’re saying he gets to go home?” Liberty sits up, her sudden alertness way too bright to have only just woken up. The earlier tension I picked up on when the nurse mentioned love, runs through my mind. The little witch has been listening in on our conversation the entire time.
“Morning, Liberty.” Avery laughs at her eagerness but doesn’t comment on it.
“Don’t morning me, Avery. Does he get to go home today?” Liberty turns her puppy dog eyes up at her, her excitement spilling onto me.
Seriously, I love this woman. Not only does she know everyone who comes into my room by first name, she’s become fast friends with most of them.
“Put it this way, if all goes well on Dr. Fenteir’s rounds this morning, you should be able to sleep in your own bed tonight. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have other patients to attend to.” She offers us a brief wave before leaving us alone.
“Oh, my God, honey. You’re going home!” She wraps her arms around my waist, careful to keep away from my neck, and presses her lips to my cheek.
“So you heard, you little faker.” I pinch her side, watching her face light up with a shy smile.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to eavesdrop. I was waiting for her to leave.” Without hesitation, I lean forward and press my mouth to hers.
“Liar.” My lips move against hers in a chaste kiss. The room slips away when her mouth parts and her tongue meets mine first, surprising me and exciting me. I take over the kiss. I devour and savor the first burst of her taste; nothing has ever tasted as good.
This is what I’ve missed the most. These quiet moments where we can just connect again.