“Yes, thank you.” He gave Cathy’s hand a quick squeeze. “I’ll be back. Don’t you go running off without me.”
He followed Mary down the hallway to the nurses’ station. “This is Dr. Tucker,” she said, walking up to a tall, thin man with graying temples. “Dr. Tucker, this is Stone Ward. He’s a friend of Cathy’s.”
Dr. Tucker’s pale gray gaze was steady as he offered a hand. “I understand you’re about the only friend Cathy has. We’ve been unable to locate any family.”
“She doesn’t have any,” Stone said. He knew the doctor would assume he was privy to that information because he and Cathy were close, not because he’d had her investigated.
“I see. I’ve heard that you’re taking responsibility for her. Moving her to a private room and arranging for special care when she’s ready to leave.”
“That’s right.”
“Fine.” Dr. Tucker motioned toward a vinyl-covered sofa in the corner. “Let’s have a seat and I’ll bring you up-to-date on her condition.”
“Thanks.”
When they were comfortable, the doctor opened a chart and read a few lines. “Cathy is doing well. She was lucky. There were no burns or damage to the lungs. She wasn’t seriously injured in the explosion. I don’t anticipate any problems from the head trauma.” He read some more. “As far as her leg goes, the knee is going to require arthroscopic surgery, then some physical therapy to get her up and around. I would anticipate a six-week recovery time from that. Maybe two months. She has a lot of bruising, which may slow her down. When we release her, she’s going to need someone to look after her for a few days.”
“Not a problem,” Stone told him. He planned to bring Cathy home with him. Ula would be thrilled to have a houseguest to fuss over.
“Good. We’re doing one last CAT scan today and if the results are what we expect, she’ll have the surgery tomorrow. That would mean releasing her in three days.”
“That’s fine. My house is already prepared.”
They finalized a few more details, then shook hands. “Very nice to meet you,” Dr. Tucker said. “I’m glad Cathy isn’t alone.”
“Me, too.”
The doctor hesitated. “It’s really none of my business, but I couldn’t help noticing the scarring. Car accident?”
Even as he told himself not to, Stone involuntarily touched the left side of his face. “Yes. About three years ago.”
“I thought so.” Dr. Tucker leaned close and studied the marks. “There’s a very gifted plastic surgeon in my medical building. Her offices are next to mine. If you’re considering surgery, I would highly recommend her.”
Stone shook his head. “No, thanks.”
Dr. Tucker persisted. “There are some wonderful new techniques. She could even out your skin completely and get rid of the thick scars. You’d probably be left with thin, pale lines, but they’re nothing compared with what you have now.”
Stone rose to his feet. “I appreciate the information. About this—” he pointed to his face “—and Cathy. Thank you, Doctor.”
He headed toward the elevator. He knew Dr. Tucker wouldn’t understand his refusal to have plastic surgery. His first doctor hadn’t understood, either. He was healthy, and he had the money to pay for the operation. So what was the problem?
What they couldn’t know and what he wouldn’t explain was that the scars were part of his penance. He carried the scars as a tangible reminder of that night…and Evelyn’s death. Just in case he ever tried to forget.
Chapter Three
Cathy stirred. She was pleasantly drowsy in the dimly lit hospital room, yet the urge to open her eyes was strong. She’d been awake on and off most of the day. She supposed she should try to stay up a little longer, but the thought of sleep tempted her.
She shifted, trying to get comfortable. Except for a few aches scattered throughout her body, most of the pain radiated from the bump on her head and her injured right knee. She’d been awake when Dr. Tucker had made his rounds late this afternoon, and he’d explained her condition. She’d been lucky, he’d told her. She could have died.
Cathy knew that was true. She tried not to think about those horrible minutes while she’d waited for the fire department to come rescue her. If Stone hadn’t stayed on the line with her, she would have lost it for sure.
Stone. She relaxed and smiled faintly. He’d been so good to her, keeping her calm, telling her that she was going to be safe. He’d sent her enough flowers to fill a greenhouse. That was so kind of him.
She missed him and hoped that he missed her, too. It would be a while before she would be able to work. The thought of them not being able to talk upset her, so she decided not to deal with that right now. There were other pressing worries—her job, for one. Was the company still in business? Plus there was the issue of her medical bills. She doubted all of them would be covered by insurance. Her smile faded and with it, her good humor. She didn’t want to think about any of this. It would be better to sleep.
She drew in a deep breath and forced herself to relax. The pain throbbed in time with her heartbeat, but she was due for a shot soon and that would help. In the meantime, she would close her eyes and allow herself to drift away. Her problems would still be waiting when she was stronger.
“They told me you were awake, but I guess they were wrong.”
