They got to the small local clinic less than five minutes later, and he leapt out to find a doctor and a wheelchair. He called Spencer and asked him to contact Daisy’s family before rushing to be by her side again.
The doctors forced him to stay in the waiting room while they wheeled her into the ER, and all Mason’s pent-up rage at Daisy and the bastards who had dared to hurt her made him want to break something. He started pacing, prowling up and down the length of the room like a caged animal as he attempted to calm his raging thoughts. Part of him wanted to rush back to Inkululeko and beat the offenders to a pulp, while another—much bigger—part of him wanted to stay here and just never leave Daisy’s side again. He wanted to wrap her in cotton wool and keep her safe from everything and everybody.
“Mason!” He turned just as Daff stepped into the waiting room followed by Lia, their parents, and Spencer. “What happened? How is she?”
“Your sister decided that it would be a good idea to go into Inkululeko after dark and without an escort,” he enlightened them shakily, and Dr. McGregor swore furiously. “She’s fine. A few scrapes and bruises and a nasty cut, but the residents came to her rescue.”
“Oh, thank God,” Lia whispered; she was weeping quietly and hugging her distraught mother.
“Oh my God, that idiot,” Daff snapped, and Mason nodded.
“Finally we agree on something,” he said drily before resuming his pacing. He was aware of the concerned discussions around him, and when they started talking about who would stay with Daisy tonight, he stopped pacing to face them.
“You should probably be aware of the fact that the only place she’ll be staying tonight is at mine,” he stated uncompromisingly, leaving no room for argument in his voice.
“The last time you saw her, you told her that you didn’t even have a friendship,” Lia reminded, and Daff glared at him.
“And that means you don’t get to have a say in her well-being right now,” Daff added.
“Look, I was trying to do the right thing. She thinks she’s in love with me, but she’s not.”
“How do you know that?” Spencer asked him curiously. His brother remained removed from the group, just sitting quietly in the corner and waiting.
“Because I was her first”—Mason’s eyes shifted to her listening parents and felt his face warming slightly—“uh, first boyfriend.” What a stupid word that was. Puerile and pointless, he was neither a boy, nor a friend. “Nobody falls in love with their first significant other.”
“Nonsense,” Mrs. McGregor stated decisively. “I did.”
“As did I,” Dr. McGregor added. Mason looked at them in blank surprise.
“You did?”
“We met in high school, fell in love in our senior year, and got married after Andy finished medical school,” Mrs. McGregor stated, and her husband nodded fondly.
“Don’t be so quick to discount her feelings, son. You once told us you were working on getting her to like you in the same way you liked her.”
“Daisy and I were . . .”
“I know, pretending. Right?” Mason nodded. “And yet you seemed sincere. Now you tell me she says she’s in love with you. Seems to me you finally got what you wanted. Don’t see what the problem is.”
“I—I . . .” The ER doctor walked in, and Mason had never been so relieved to see another person in his life. He was still completely thrown by Daisy’s parents’ easy acceptance of her so-called feelings for him and more than a little stunned by her father’s interpretation of what he believed Mason’s words had meant so many weeks ago.
“Daisy will be fine,” the doctor assured them. “I’ve administered a mild sedative to help combat the shock. She had a deep laceration on her left side, which needed several stitches; a few nasty bruises; and whiplash, but I’m happy to release her tonight. She needs a couple of days’ bed rest for the blow she received to the head—but luckily it’s not a concussion. I do recommend she seeks counseling for any PTSD she might suffer. She’s currently being interviewed by the police, but as soon as they’re done taking her statement she’s free to go home.”
“Daff, I’ll need you to bring Peaches to my place later. I don’t want Daisy to worry about her,” Mason commanded, and the woman gave a disbelieving little laugh.
“Listen here, Mason, you can’t—”
“Daff, do as he says,” Andrew McGregor interrupted firmly.
“But, Daddy . . .”
“He’ll take good care of her, won’t you, Mason?”
“I’ll make sure she gets enough rest.” Mason nodded. His response was met with four exasperated faces and one amused one. “What?”
Daisy was hugged and fussed over by her family, but she was very much aware of Mason just standing in the doorway watching them all. Why was he still here? She would have expected him to make his escape by now. Spencer was there too. The man came into the room to give her a kiss and tell her he was glad she was okay, before saying his good-byes and leaving. But Daisy was too overwhelmed by her family to give much thought to Spencer’s unexpected appearance.
Her father was giving her a gentle lecture on the irresponsibility of her actions, which she humbly accepted because everything he was saying was true. Her mother constantly asked her if she was okay, patting her hair and stroking her face as if she had to have her hand on Daisy at all times. Lia fussed over her bruises, and Daff insisted on seeing her stitches.