“Just chatting about nothing.”
Marley’s lips flattened. She’d seen the tears streaming down my face when I’d kneeled next to Will. She didn’t push further, but I knew it was time to come clean. I didn’t have a lot of faith in Leo’s ability to keep what he’d seen from Miranda. And my need to confide in someone felt more important than saving face. Marley wouldn’t judge me.
Although she might judge Will. And hadn’t that been my other reason for keeping quiet? I didn’t want to drive a wedge between my sister and James’s oldest friend.
There was a lot to consider, after five years of staying mum. Especially with Will lying in a hospital bed. Having tests run. After I’d hurt him. Even if it had been an accident.
I needed to focus on something else, just for a minute.
“Did you check in with Miranda?” I asked Marley.
“Yeah. She just texted that everyone’s finally gone home.”
Miranda and Leo had stayed back. Unsurprisingly, many guests had lingered to make sure the house and patio got cleaned up. No one wanted Marley and James’s engagement party to end with them coming back to a gigantic mess after spending hours in the ER.
Finally, Dr. McNulty came out holding a clipboard. We’d met her earlier when she told us Will was awake and talking, but that they were going to do a CT scan since he was most certainly concussed.
“I have good news,” the doctor said. “Mr. Yardley is going to be fine. Other than a concussion and some light bruising on his hip, we don’t see any signs of other major injuries. However, with hismedical history, we want to be extremely careful with how we proceed.”
Medical history? I had no idea what she meant, and by the looks on Marley’s and James’s faces, neither did they. My mind went to Will’s hand.
The doctor apparently thought we knew much more than we did. She continued blithely, “Due to his previous concussion, and because he was in a coma for so long, we want to monitor his recovery. It’s possible his trauma could manifest differently. Or later than we’d usually expect. In cases of brain injury, it’s hard to know or make predictions. Also, the bruising on his hip would certainly be considered minor and manageable in another person, but because he has so many metal pins in his leg, there’s the possibility his pain levels will persist and need to be managed in a different way.”
Brain injury? Coma? Metal pins?
What the hell?
Marley and James also tensed, but the three of us kept nodding. God forbid any of us appear confused and make the doctor stop talking.
“We’d like to keep him overnight for observation, so you three should probably head home and come back during regular visiting hours or even in the afternoon because he’ll probably want to sleep for a while.”
James shook the doctor’s hand. “Thanks so much, Dr. McNulty. We appreciate everything you’ve done for our friend.”
“Of course,” she replied. “Frankly, this could have been a lot worse. A Christmas angel was surely on his side. I’ve seen plenty of falls on the ice result in catastrophic injury.” I winced at the reminder I could have seriously hurt Will.
“Can we see him before we go?” James asked.
“Sure. But one at a time, and just for a few minutes. Mr. Yardley told the nurse he’d like to see Ms. Davis first.” Jamesgave his fiancée a questioning glance as the doctor looked down at her chart. “Sorry. There’s a note here to make sure I say he’s requesting to see Ms.MaureenDavis.”
James’s inquisitive stare flew from Marley to me.
“I’m sure he just wants to reassure Maureen that he knows it was an accident,” Marley said, raising her eyebrows so I understood I was on borrowed time. Shewouldbegetting the whole story from me, and soon.
“Oh right, that makes sense,” James said.
I followed Dr. McNulty back into the small ICU area. There wasn’t much privacy. Heavy curtains separated the beds, although the only other patient I saw was an elderly woman who appeared to be sleeping.
Will’s eyes remained closed as I sat on the small stool beside his bed. Nearby monitors beeped rhythmically.
“Hi,” I whispered, not wanting to wake him if he slept.
Slowly, Will’s eyes fluttered open. He turned and gave me a lopsided grin. “Hi, yourself.” His words slurred. He raised his left arm and waved toward the IV bag. “Good drugs.”
I snorted. “You don’t say?”
He reached through the bed rail to put his right hand on my knee.
“Hey.” His grin widened.
