“Smashing it on a rock will do that to a skull.” My hand found his and I squeezed, and unable to wait another moment, I edged up and pressed my lips lightly to his. I pulled away, just enough to see his face in focus. “You had me worried, but you’re going to be fine.”
Pain etched into every inch of his face, all but his eyes that shot me his warmth. “I am, and you’re here.”
“I wouldn’t be anywhere else, but let’s not make a habit of coming into town for hospital visits.” My lips touched his again, and I reluctantly eased back, taking a seat while still holding his hand.
“The roads, are they clear?”
“Not really,” I admitted, maintaining my whisper. “But I’ve decided we need to get a Land Cruiser… with a snorkel.”
Dan appeared startled, his eyes widening a fraction before once again he winced.
“Shit, sorry. How about we just sit quietly for a while, and we’ll talk about this later? Craig said—”
The door opening cut me off. An orderly entered with a friendly smile.
“I need Dan so we can take a trip.”
“He’s all yours. Well, for just a little while, as long as you promise to bring him back,” I said, standing, trying my hardest to appear relaxed. It was so much easier to pretend and not dive in deep to the panic swirling at the edges of my consciousness.
The man smiled. “How about you take a walk with us? He won’t be long, and you can wait outside. That way, you know we won’t be running off anywhere.”
While we were joking around, my neediness was alive and well and desperate to not be far away from Dan.
“Sounds good, thanks.” I squeezed Dan’s hand before releasing him to allow the orderly to do his job. Quiet at the doorway, Craig looked on. “Hey, Craig.” I stepped towards him and lowered my voice. “Nick brought me in. He’s probably in the waiting room by now,” I said, ignoring how wide his eyes opened. “Will you go check in on him?”
His stare bounced around my face before fixating on mine. “Uh, yeah, sure. But let me know if there’s any news, yeah?”
“Of course.” I grimaced, remembering once again I’d forgotten about Dan’s parents. “Do you have Hazel or Al’s number?” When Craig nodded, I continued. “You mind seeing if they pick up and give them an update, but make sure to remind them that the road’s still flooded and not to attempt to come into town.”
The questions were evident in his eyes, but he didn’t bombard me. Instead, he said, “Yeah, of course.” He then surprised the crap out of me and tugged me into his arms, giving me a tight hug. “He’ll be okay.” His words were just for me.
I nodded. “I know.” I had to believe them, and saying them aloud threw them out wide into the universe. When I eased away, I took in just how wrecked Craig was and could only imagine his worry on top of how exhausted he was. “You okay?” We stepped to the side as the orderly started moving the bed Dan lay in. Eagerness to be at his side niggled at me, but Craig deserved my focus.
Craig’s shrug startled me and a zip of concern hit me. I knew my brother almost as well as I knew myself. Him not batting me away with an “of course” meant he wasn’t holding up.
My need to support him and desperation to be at Dan’s side all but pulled me in two. The orderly pushed past us and glanced back at me. I gave him a nod, which Craig immediately caught.
“I’ll be fine. Go with Dan. He needs you right now.”
I floundered and reached out, clamping my hand on his forearm. “Would you prefer to come with me so we can talk?”
“Nope.” He shook his head and glanced away. “Go on. I’ll find Nick and find out exactly what you’ve been up to.” While he attempted to tease, the tension latched on to his words. Craig was a stubborn arse, though, and there’d be no swaying him on this.
“Okay. I’ll let you know as soon as we’re back, and please sit down, grab a coffee or something before you fall down, yeah?”
He nodded, already backing away and heading towards the doors to the waiting room.
I raced over to the orderly. “Sorry, and thanks for waiting.”
“No worries. Town’s crazy at the moment. People are going through a lot.” Understanding reflected in his voice as he started pushing the bed.
I moved a couple of steps forwards so I could see Dan. “You okay there, Dan?”
“Uh-huh,” he mumbled, his eyes closed. “Better when my head stops trying to split in two.”
I stroked his arm as we walked, promising myself to never take Dan or the ability to touch him, talk to him, for granted. A thick swallow caught in my throat, but I shoved it down into the depths.
“Do these doors open automatically?” I glanced over at the orderly.
