“Are you my doctor?”
“One of them,” she answered.
“How many do I need?”
“We weren’t really sure. My name is Dr. Varma. My specialty is Neurotrauma and Brain Injury Rehabilitation.”
“Who were the others?”
“Well, now that you’re awake and cognitive, you won’t need Dr. Fitzgerald. He specializes in Disorders of Consciousness, but you’ll see.”
Clint thought on that a minute and couldn’t make head or tails of it. “I’m conscious, why wouldn’t I need Fitzgerald?”
Dr. Varma came over and picked up the blood pressure cuff off the wall and applied it to his arm as she answered. “Dr. Fitzgerald works with patients who are in vegetative or minimally conscious states.”
She frowned as she put down the cuff. “I think that wasn’t my smartest moment.”
“Hmm?”
Shit, I’m confused a lot.
“Taking your blood pressure while discussing minimally conscious states.”
“It was the term vegetable, Doc.”
She gave him a half-smile. “The good news is that we’re having this conversation. You’re doing well, Chief.”
“You keep calling me Chief. I’m in a military hospital?”
“Walter Reed,” she nodded.
The door opened and a nurse came in followed closely by Lydia. Dr. Varma turned with a smile. “You’re just in time. I need you to increase his pain medication this evening. We’ll reevaluate in the morning.”
The nurse smiled at Clint. “Good to see you awake.” He smiled as he plunged medicine into Clint’s IV tube.
“Can he have some soup from the cafeteria?” Lydia asked.
Clint’s stomach rolled over at the thought of food. He shook his head. “Not now, Honey. Maybe later.”
“Actually, we need you to get down something. Maybe some jello?” Dr. Varma suggested.
“We’ve got a really light smoothie,” the nurse suggested.
Clint thought he would gag. He shook his head, which made the pounding worse and his stomach want to heave all the more.
“I just can’t stand the thought of any kind of food. I’d throw up.”
“Nurse, I’m prescribing him some anti-nausea meds for tonight. I’m putting in his chart that if the nausea persists, he can continue with the medicine, but I want to be informed if it lasts longer than forty-eight hours.”
The man nodded and left the room.
“Lydia, Clint is probably going to be feeling pretty tired soon. You need your rest too. You’ve been here for thirty-six hours. I think it’s time for you to head to your hotel room.”
Lydia nodded. “But I’m going to stay until he goes to sleep.”
“It’ll be soon,” the doctor warned.
“That’s fine. I’m just happy to see his eyes opened.”
Dr. Varma nodded and squeezed Lydia’s arm as she left Clint’s room.
“I’m so sorry, Honey. I didn’t say Happy Birthday.”
“Sure, you did, you woke up. What better present could I have?” He heard tears in her voice, and it killed him.
“Lydyya,” he slurred. “Lydyya,” he tried again.
“I’m here. You need to rest.”
“Love ya.”
He felt himself falling into darkness. Was she crying? Why was she crying?
7
Lydia waited until she got into the Uber before she looked at her phone. Her voicemail was full, and she had more calls than she could count. The only outgoing calls she had made had been to her sister and Clint’s parents and sister. They were currently snowed in, in Colorado. She had talked them out of trying to drive to Maryland. Lydia’s sister, Beth, meanwhile, was keeping her husband updated on Clint’s progress the two times he had called her from overseas. He was a member of Clint’s SEAL team, and Lydia was sure he was relaying the info to the rest of the men Clint served with. Lydia hadn’t had the mental or emotional strength to talk to anyone else.
When they pulled up to the Residence Inn, she paid the driver and got out. She wondered if she’d be able to make it to her room, she was so exhausted.
“Lydia. It’s about time you showed up!”
It took a moment for her to register who was talking to her. The petite little blonde looked unfamiliar, then the woman grinned.
“Rylie!”
The waterworks started and Rylie ran over to her, her arms wide. That was her Oklahoma sister, all heart.
“Oh God, what happened?” Rylie’s voice was drenched with worry.
“It’s all good,” Lydia rushed to assure her. “Clint woke up tonight. He’s in a lot of pain. But he was talking to me and everything.”
“That’s great news,” a woman’s Texas twang spoke up behind Rylie. Lydia looked over Rylie’s shoulder and saw Finn’s wife, Angie. It was like old home week with some of the SEAL wives here to lean on. She’d been doing that the week before when she’d come back from Germany. A lot of time had been spent at Mason Gault’s house with his wife Sophia, who was on bedrest for a risky pregnancy. She had miscarried twice before. All of the team wives had been staying with her on and off when Mason wasn’t available. Mason’s parents had flown down from Portland for two weeks to spend time with her, and her father-in-law had even let her win at gin rummy.
Sophia and she had really won in the in-law stakes—too bad Lydia had such shitty luck in the father lottery.
“Lydia, are you with me?” Rylie asked.
“Huh?”
“I asked, ‘what did the doctors say’?”
“When I spoke to his doctor out in the hallway, she was cautiously optimistic. Her words, not mine.” Lydia sagged.
“Let’s get you to your room,” Angie said. “You look like you need about twenty-four hours-worth of sleep.”
“No, I have to be back when Clint wakes up.”
Rylie raised her eyebrow and asked, “What, so you can sleep in the chair beside him?”
“Trust me, after waiting so long for him to wake up, there isn’t a chance in hell that I’ll sleep if he’s awake.”
“You look wasted. You’re no good for him like this. Just sleep in as long as you need,” Rylie responded tartly.
“Look, Rylie—”
“Peace, ladies.” Angie wrapped her arms around both of their shoulders. “Peace.” She hugged them both gently. “Lydia, Rylie just wants what is best for you. Rylie, back off a bit, Lydia has been scared spitless for too long. She knows what she needs to do.”
Lydia looked at Angie gratefully.
“What room are you in?” Angie asked.
“I don’t remember.” Lydia went into the side pocket in her purse where she kept her car keys and things like room keys and found the key card still in the paper holder with the number.
Rylie pulled it out of her hand. “This is not a secure way of traveling. Anybody could break into your room with you keeping it with your key and room number together.”
Lydia snatched it back. “I know what I’m doing.” She tried to glare at her friend but her attempt failed as she yawned. “Anyway, it worked out since I don’t know my room number. Quit the overprotective schtick. I can’t handle it right now. Anyway, I’m a cop. At least for now.” Lydia heard her voice crack. So did Rylie. She put her arms around Lydia and squeezed hard. When she pulled back, tears were in the petite woman’s eyes.
“I’m sorry. I’ve been so worried about Clint and you. I just want to help.”
“I know. I know.” Lydia rushed to assure her.
“Let’s get you up to your room,” Angie said.
“What about you two, where are you staying? How long are you staying?”
“We’re staying here,” Angie answered. “I’m sure Finn will fly out too, after he’s back from wherever.”
“Same here. There’s no way Darius won’t be coming here to visit Clint.”
Lydia felt tears coming on again. She loved these people. These people were family. Fuck her father. And t
here was always her sister, Beth. Always Beth. And her mother, she supposed.
“I don’t know what I would do without you.”
“You know you’d do the same thing,” Rylie said.
Lydia didn’t know how to respond, she was just too tired. Angie saw it and started moving their little party toward the elevators. “Lydia, don’t bother setting your alarm. I’ll call the hospital and have them alert me when Clint wakes up. I’ll call you on the hotel phone when that happens and drive you over. I saw you took an Uber, so I assume you didn’t rent a car, right?”
“I did,” Lydia answered Angie. “I left it at the hospital. I was so tired, I didn’t think it was smart for me to drive to the hotel.”
“Good girl,” Angie approved.
“Are you sure you don’t mind about driving me? I don’t mind having the hospital…” Lydia lost her train of thought for a moment when the elevator door opened.
“Trust us, we don’t mind at all,” Rylie chimed in. “We’ll take care of it. Hell, we’ll even get you food and coffee in the morning.”
Lydia felt tears threatening again. It was all too much. Too much.
When they got into the elevator, she didn’t know which number to press.
“You’re on seven. We’re on nine,” Rylie prompted. “We’ll walk you to your room to show you how a key card works,” Rylie smirked at her.
Lydia’s tears dried up. “You’re a smartass, do you know that Mrs. Stanton?”
“Yep, I do. I have the official club badge and everything.”
By the time they escorted her to her room and Lydia got inside, Rylie had somehow even gotten her to laugh, it was amazing. Only her.
“Get some sleep, Sweetie. We’ll see you in the morning, no matter how early,” Angie assured her. Both women gave her a hug. Angie went into her room and did a quick check. You could take the private investigator out of Texas, but you couldn’t take the over-the-top over-protective Texan out of the girl.
“All clear,” Angie assured her as she put her gun back in her holster.
“You do realize I can take care of myself, right?” Lydia asked.
“You don’t know if you’re coming or going,” Angie patted her on her shoulder. “I’m in charge right now.
Rylie grinned.
“Hey, better safe than sorry,” Angie shrugged. “I’ll call you on the hotel phone in the morning. Now get some rest.”
Lydia’s eyes gleamed as she saw the fluffy, white duvet cover. She looked over at her one lonely suitcase that she hadn’t bothered to open and didn’t now. Instead, she just stripped and walked into the bathroom, grabbed the little bottles off the counter, and took them into the shower with her. As soon as her hair was washed and her body was clean, she put her hair up in a towel and then climbed naked into the bed.
She didn’t even notice the tears that hit her pillow as she fell into a restless sleep.
Clint was all out of sorts the third time—or was it the fifth time—he woke up. His head was still hammering, but he was damned if he would ask for any more pain meds, they just made him more stupid. He squinted at the blinds. Was it morning yet? He thought he saw light, but maybe it was just streetlights or lights from the parking lot. Why wasn’t there a clock in the damn room? Were they trying to keep him in the dark?
Clint thought about grinning at the stupid joke. Yeah, dark was good for the headaches, but not for enlightenment. This was bullshit.
I need to know what’s really going on. Not with Lydia here, she’s keeping stuff from me too.
Clint swiped across the sheet and blanket with his good hand, trying to find some kind of button to push to get somebody to come in with answers. He wanted them now. What was that pretty Indian doctor’s name? Parma?
I can’t even hold a name in my head? What the fuck! What is wrong with me?
He finally found the button. Pressed it. He waited for an eternity with no one showing up. Fuck that noise. He pressed it again but kept his thumb down on the button. Let it annoy the shit out of them, he didn’t care. He wanted answers.
A woman in nurse's scrubs came in. She was smiling, but even in the dim light, Clint could tell she was annoyed.
Join the fucking club.
“Chief, what can I do for you? Are you hungry? Are you in pain?”
“I need to talk to my doctor.”
“Dr. Varma isn’t on the floor yet. I don’t expect her for another hour.”
“Fine, get me another doctor who can explain my condition to me. Or can you?”
He saw her fidget. “Really, it’s Dr. Varma you need to talk to.”
“How long have I been here? I’m at Walter Reed, right?”
“Yes,” she nodded slowly.
“How long have I been here?” His words came out slowly and concisely. He liked that, he sounded normal. A bit of an asshole, but normal. No slurring like whenever Lydia had been here. Was that yesterday?
“You’ve been here three days.”
“When was I injured?”
“I don’t have that information, Chief.”
“Then let me speak to someone who does have that information.”
“That would be Dr. Varma, and she won’t be available until ten o’clock this morning. If you let me get you something to eat, she should be here by then.”
“I don’t want something to eat! I want to talk to my doctor!”
“It’s fine,” the nurse soothed. She didn’t seem at all upset by his outburst. “Let me go and see if I can page her.”
She left his room.
“Jesus.”
Did I just yell at a nurse? Yell? Where had that come from?
Clint rubbed a trembling hand over his sweaty face. He didn’t yell. That was not him. And the nurse didn’t seem troubled by his raised voice in the slightest. It was almost like she’d expected it. What the hell was wrong with him?
What was wrong with him?
Am I going crazy?
8
Lydia was jarred awake by the ringing of a phone. She didn’t recognize the room she was in, and she was sleeping naked instead of in one of Clint’s Navy shirts. Everything was wrong. She squeezed her eyes shut tight, trying to kick her brain into gear.
Clint.
Hospital.
Maryland.
She struggled to reach the phone before it stopped ringing.
“Angie?”
“No, it’s me, Rylie. We just got word that Clint is awake. He’s snarly, demanding to see his doctor.”
Lydia’s heart clenched. Clint wasn’t snarly. Unless he was protecting someone, Clint was the calm in the storm.
“I can be ready to go in five minutes,” she said to her friend. “Make that three.”
“Don’t you want to shower first?” Rylie asked.
It was at that moment that Lydia realized there was a towel on the pillow and her hair was still damp. “Make it ten minutes, I have to dry my hair.”
“Okay, meet us in the lobby. We’ll have some food and coffee ready for you.”
Lydia felt herself breathe just a little easier. “You know you might not be able to visit him, don’t you?”
“Honey, it doesn’t matter. As long as we’re supporting you, we know we’re supporting Clint.”
Lydia bit her lip. “Okay, okay. Nine minutes.”
She hung up the phone and rushed to the bathroom. She had her hair dried in minutes and was then scrambling through her suitcase. At least she had been smart enough to pack warm clothes.
She dressed in a Henley shirt and a heavy sweater over it, with skinny jeans and boots. She put on an opal necklace that Beth’s mother-in-law had given to her. She said it would give her strength in her life. She thought it was hooey, since she’d told Beth something totally different, but she’d been wearing it ever since she’d been told Clint had been injured. She’d take all the strength and support she could get.
When she got down to the lobby, Rylie was holding out a take-out cup of coffee, and Angie was holding
out a breakfast burrito.
“Which do you want first, like I don’t know?” Rylie asked smugly.
“Give me that,” Lydia said, reaching for the coffee.
“No make-up, but you put on some hot jeans for your man,” Angie grinned.
“I have lipstick in my purse. Let’s go.”
By the time they got to the hospital, Lydia had drunk the coffee, eaten the burrito, and applied the scarlet lipstick that Clint was so fond of. All three of them rushed to the nurse’s station. There seemed to be a bit of a commotion going on.
“Excuse me.” Lydia tried to wade through and get someone’s attention. It didn’t look promising.
“Hey! We need permission to go to Clint Archer’s room. This is Lydia Hildalgo, his fiancée.”
One of the nurses turned around with a wary expression on her face. “Now might not be a good time, Honey. Maybe you should come back in an hour.”
“What are you talking about. He’s awake, isn’t he?” Lydia asked.
“Yes. But he’s…distressed. His doctor is in with him, and I really suggest you give him an hour to get himself together.”
What in the hell is this woman talking about?
“No, I want to see him, right now.”
“That’s not advisable,” the nurse said firmly.
Rylie and Angie stepped up beside her. “Lady, you need to listen to her. If anyone can get Clint to calm down, it’s this woman right here,” Angie said in her slow Texas drawl.
The nurse reassessed Lydia. “Maybe you’re right. Follow me.”
She came out from behind the nurse’s station and Lydia followed closely behind her. As soon as she got close to the room, Lydia could hear Clint’s voice. He was pissed.
“What do you mean you can’t tell me what my prognosis is? What kind of half-assed hospital are you running here?”
Lydia winced. “Who is he talking to?” she asked the nurse.
“You mean yelling at? That’d be Dr. Varma and Dr. Ivanhoe.”
Shit, this wasn’t good. Dr. Varma was really calm and nice. How could Clint be going off on her of all people? Lydia sped past the nurse and went into the room.
Her Unbroken Seal: A Navy Seal Romance Page 5
