Ava picked up her desk phone and connected. “This is Ava Cahill. Who is this?”
“My name is Chad Walker, ma’am. I work with Noah Walsh. Noah told me his daughter is in the home there, and if I should ever need to reach her...”
Ava’s blood chilled in her veins. The hand holding the phone shook. “Yes, that’s true. Has something happened to Noah?”
“Sorry to tell you, but yes. There’s been an accident.”
Ava tried to swallow, but her throat felt as if it had closed. “What sort of accident?” she managed to say.
“Noah fell from a tower. He was rescuing another man, and...”
She didn’t need the details. The first five words were enough. “Is he...?” She couldn’t say the words. She couldn’t contemplate such wretched news for Sawyer, for herself, for Charlie’s father.
“He’s alive. Taken to the hospital in Daniel’s Creek. I don’t know any more details right now.”
Ava needed to say something. She needed more information for Sawyer. She needed to give Sawyer hope. “How bad was the fall?” she asked.
“About thirty feet, but he was carrying another climber. And the ground was hard.”
“Daniel’s Creek... Daniel’s Creek...” She repeated the name several times as she searched for her cell phone in her purse. How long would it take to google that location? Finally she said, “Where is that?”
Chad Walker told her and estimated it was about a five-hour drive. She looked at her office clock. They should be there by five thirty.
“Hospital’s called Daniel’s Creek Medical Center,” Chad said. “You’ll tell his daughter?”
She’d give anything not to have to do that. “Yes, of course. I will bring her to the hospital myself. Thank you.”
Thank you for what? she wondered as she hung up the phone. For delivering gut-wrenching news that might put Sawyer over the precarious edge she was perched on already? For breaking Ava’s heart, a heart she didn’t even know could be broken by Noah’s leaving them. For destroying any chance Charlie might have had to know his father?
Her chest hurt. She squeezed her hands together until they ached. But there was no time to cry. She spoke to SherryLynn. “Can you find out where Sawyer Walsh is right now?”
After a few seconds, SherryLynn gave her Sawyer’s location. “Have her come to my apartment right away,” Ava said. “And, SherryLynn, I’ll be gone for a few days. Sawyer is going with me. Refer any emergencies to my cell phone, unless the call is from my uncle. Tell him you don’t know when I’ll be back.”
“When are you coming back, Ava?”
“I’m not sure. That call was about Sawyer’s father...”
“What happened?”
“I don’t have all the information, but he’s in the hospital. I’ll call you when I know something.” And then she went into her rooms to pack a suitcase.
Sawyer was oddly stoic when Ava told her about the accident. Ava worried she was close to becoming hysterical, so she kept talking to her. They drove to Sawyer’s cottage, where the girl packed a few essentials, and they were on their way to a place called Daniel’s Creek, through a cold, snowy landscape.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
THE DANIEL’S CREEK MEDICAL CENTER was easy to find. Even without GPS, Ava would have been able to locate the largest, most modern building in the area. Situated between a country cafeteria and a two-story Best Western, the center was a beacon on an otherwise lonely stretch of road.
The trip to the small town had seemed to take forever. Weather conditions forced Ava to slow down for warning signs about ice on the roadway. Sawyer hadn’t said more than a few words the entire trip. She stared out the passenger window and appeared to be watching the bleak, passing landscape. Ava knew she was lost in her own thoughts, and Ava’s heart broke for her. At some point her emotions would get the best of her, and Ava hoped she was prepared to deal with Sawyer’s panic...and her own.
Darkness had already settled when Ava pulled into the center’s parking lot. “There’s a motel next door,” she said to Sawyer. “As soon as I get a chance, I’ll call for a room reservation.”
They parked and entered the building. A security guard at the entrance demanded to see their IDs. He took pictures and provided each of them with a stick-on tag identifying them as visitors. Then he told them where to find Noah Walsh’s room.
Ava was suddenly frightened of what she and Sawyer might find when they entered Noah’s room. How badly was he hurt? Were his injuries evident on his face? Would he be covered in bandages? Thinking she would prepare Sawyer, she asked the guard for an update on Noah’s condition.
“I don’t have that information here, ma’am,” he said. “You can stop at the patient advocacy office and ask if you want to.”
“Let’s just go to his room,” Sawyer said. “I don’t want to waste any more time.”
“Okay.” Ava patted Sawyer’s shoulder and they followed the directions to the intensive care unit.
“If he’s in intensive care, he’s really bad, isn’t he?” Sawyer said as they walked.
“Not necessarily. Sometimes patients just need extra monitoring.”
“Or sometimes there’s no chance they’re going to survive a three-story fall and nurses are just waiting for them to die.”
“No one is waiting for your father to die, Sawyer. I know this is a small town, but the hospital looks modern and well-staffed. I’m sure the doctors and nurses are watching him around the clock.”
From the nurses’ station, they were directed down a short hallway to a series of rooms with automatic glass doors that opened with soft hisses that almost sounded comforting. They found Noah’s room. A nurse was inside. She was apparently checking his vital signs and recording data on his chart. She came to the door when she saw Ava and Sawyer.
“How is he?” Sawyer asked.
“He’s holding his own,” the nurse said. “Are you immediate family?”
“I’m his daughter.”
The nurse turned to Ava. “And you?”
Ava didn’t know how to answer. The man in the bed is my son’s father. The man is someone with whom I had a wild, unforgettable night six years ago, and I’ve never stopped thinking about him. The man is flawed and reckless, but he has found a way into my heart. Finally she said, “I’m a family friend. I brought Mr. Walsh’s daughter from North Carolina.”
The nurse paused, and Sawyer quickly said, “She needs to come in the room with me.”
“Okay. Usually we just allow immediate family, but we can make an exception since you’re a minor.” The nurse stepped aside, and Ava had her first look at the man who lay motionless on the bed, steel bars on each side of him preventing him from getting up. As if the stationary creature under the covers had any such intention.
Sawyer gave a gasp of shock, wrapped her hands around the bedside bars. “His head. What happened to his head?”
Ava understood her concern. The left side of Noah’s head had been heavily bandaged around his temple. His arm was also bandaged, and his left leg was in a cast. She took Sawyer’s hand and held it tightly.
The nurse checked a couple of gauges. “We’re hoping it’s not as bad as it looks,” she said. “I don’t know if you’re aware how this happened, but he fell thirty feet and landed on frozen ground. That would have been bad enough, but he had another man on his back. Naturally the added weight made the injuries worse than they might have been.”
“How could it be worse than this?” Sawyer asked. “I mean, he could be...” She gulped. “He’s not going to die, is he?”
“I don’t think so,” the nurse said. “We’re doing everything to keep him alive. He’s actually doing pretty well...considering.”
“But why is his head bandaged?”
The nurse replied, “He landed on his left side, which is actually good news. If
he’d landed on his back, well...broken backs take a long time to heal. The bandages you see are covering surface wounds from the impact. Some of them are deep, but most are minor cuts and bruises. Amazing really.”
“Why won’t he wake up?” Sawyer asked. “Can’t he hear you?”
“He’s heavily sedated,” the nurse said. “Again, not unusual for a fall victim.”
“Did you induce the coma?” Ava asked, remembering years before when Jace had fallen from a tree, and the doctors had put him in a temporary coma while his injuries healed.
“No.” The nurse walked to the door, and the glass portal slid open again on a near-silent hiss. “I thought I heard the neurologist’s voice. He’s at the nurses’ station now,” she said. “But he’ll be with you in a moment. He’ll be able to answer your questions.”
Sawyer stood at the bedside, looking down at her father. She moved her hands as if she would touch him, but each time she returned them to the steel bar. “Does he know we’re here?” she asked.
“I kind of doubt it,” the nurse said. “Sometimes patients are aware of their surroundings, but Noah’s in a deep sleep. That’s good, really. He needs time to heal.” She smiled at Sawyer. “You can touch him if you like. You won’t hurt him. Just avoid the bandaged areas and his chest. He has a broken rib.”
Sawyer sniffed and laid her hand on top of Noah’s where it rested on the blanket. Ava gave a silent prayer that Noah would respond. A wiggle of his finger, a flexing of his palm. Nothing.
A doctor entered the room and came to the bedside. “Hello. I’m Dr. Kirkland, the staff neurologist. I’m monitoring Mr. Walsh, checking for brain damage, interior bruising or swelling...”
Ava told the doctor who she was and that Sawyer was Noah’s daughter.
A great sob came from Sawyer’s lips. “Brain damage?”
Dr. Kirkland patted her hand. “Don’t worry. I haven’t found any. Noah has had two scans and both resulted in encouraging news. We’ll give him another tomorrow just to make sure. Plus, he has responded adequately to stimuli.”
“So...if all of this is good news,” Sawyer said, “why is he still sleeping? Why doesn’t he wake up?”
The doctor smiled. “We call that nature’s protective way of healing. Your father will wake up when he’s ready. He’ll probably have a heck of a headache, and he won’t be too thrilled with a fractured leg, but my guess is, he’ll be happy to be alive.”
Sawyer began muttering to herself. “I knew this would happen... I just knew it!”
Ava put her arm around Sawyer’s shoulders. There wasn’t much she could say right now. Sawyer’s dire prediction had come true. “What about the other man?” Ava asked. “The nurse said Noah was carrying someone down the tower on his back.”
“Oh, he’s okay. He’s down the hall where we watch patients with minimal injuries. He’s been complaining about the food and asking for a beer since he got here.” Dr. Kirkland took another long look at Noah. “I’d say he ought to be more concerned with buying your dad a beer when they get out of here. Noah saved his life most likely. He definitely cushioned the other guy’s landing.”
“How long can we stay?” Ava asked.
“As long as you want,” Dr. Kirkland added. “But things may not change for a few hours, or maybe even a day or so. There’s a motel next door. I’d suggest you go over and get some rest.”
“No,” Sawyer said. “I want to stay here.”
“Okay, then. I’ll see you ladies tomorrow. Don’t worry. Your dad is going to pull through and hopefully be as good as new. He’ll be back to his old self sooner than you think.”
“No!” Sawyer cried. “I don’t want him to be like he always has been.”
Dr. Kirkland gave Ava a confused stare.
“It’s okay,” she said softly, looking from Sawyer to Noah. “These two have a rather complicated relationship. Thank you, Doctor.”
Darkness settled in, calming the hospital around its soothing, soft lights. From Noah’s window, Ava could see the motel across the parking lot. Later she would try to convince Sawyer that they should check in. Sawyer needed rest, time to compose herself for when her father woke up.
After a couple of hours Ava suggested Sawyer go to the vending machines down the hall and get something to eat. Noah’s nurse had gone on break, and no change had been noted in the patient. All of his vital signs were monitored at the nurses’ station a few doors down.
“Sure,” Sawyer said. “I could use a cola. What do you want, Ava?”
“I’ll take a Sprite and some crackers. We passed a fast-food place down the road. We can probably get burgers there even if it’s late when we leave here.” She gave Sawyer some dollar bills and watched her leave, grateful that the girl had something purposeful to do. Waiting was so hard.
Ava walked closer to the bed and leaned over the rail. This was her first opportunity to be with Noah alone, and she experienced a profound emotional reaction. As she looked at him, her heartbeat increased, her breathing shallowed, her eyes stung from tears that needed to be shed. She reached through the rails and took Noah’s hand in a firm grasp.
What a mess this all was. The irony of Charlie’s parent suffering a tragedy like this so soon after his adoptive parents died was devastating. If Noah didn’t change his inclinations to accept risks in his job and personal life, how could she ever tell him the truth about Charlie? Another heartbreak might be more than the child could handle.
And Sawyer. The girl hadn’t said much in the past two hours, but Ava knew she was suffering with every passing minute. What if Noah refused to change? Would this incident push Sawyer to the brink, cause her to run away again? Or would this event make Noah evaluate his life from Sawyer’s point of view?
And what about herself? Her relationship with Noah had taken several unexpected turns. She’d been stunned when she’d recognized him as the man from her past. After the shock wore off, she’d questioned his ability to be a parent, and even his right to raise a child.
Then she’d gotten to know him and understand that he loved Sawyer, but he was stubborn and refused to change according to what he believed were his daughter’s unfounded worries. And as she became more comfortable with Noah, Ava recognized what had first drawn her to the man, and those qualities that continued to engage her heart almost like a magnet. Only now she knew him as a kind, sensitive and complicated man who truly loved his daughter. Noah had become much more to Ava than a memory and a troubled dad.
She soothed the skin over his hand with her thumb and entwined her fingers with his. “Come on, Noah,” she whispered. “Don’t do this to Charlie. Don’t do this to Sawyer. You have to wake up. You have to be all right. Noah, please. I think I...” She could have said more, begged him to wake up for her sake, but remembered the nurse indicating that some patients hear what’s being said to them. So Ava could not risk admitting that she was very close to falling in love with Noah. Even though it was true, their relationship had problems, ones that wouldn’t go away just because she cared for him.
She had remained strong through this day for Sawyer’s sake. And she would continue to stay strong until this ordeal was over. She would not give in to the overwhelming need to let her heart rule her head. She would not cry. She would not—
A twitch in Noah’s left hand caused Ava to jerk away from the bed. Her gaze went instantly to his face. His eyes were moving under the lids. His lashes fluttered against his bruised skin.
“Noah, are you waking up? Please, Noah...”
His eyes opened and Ava’s heart hammered. He stared blankly, only for a moment, before he closed them. And then it happened again, several times—reflex action or a serious attempt at regaining consciousness? Ava could only wait and see. She considered ringing for the nurse, but selfishly decided against it. If Noah were truly waking up, she wanted the first precious remembrance alone with him.
After a few moments, when Ava thought her heart would leap from her chest, Noah’s eyes stayed open for several seconds. His gaze darted around the room, and then settled on her face. His lips moved. A smile?
“Wh...where am I?” he said, his voice husky.
“You’re in the hospital. You took a fall.”
“Oh.” He blinked again several times. Now when he looked at her, he seemed aware, focused. He licked his dry lips and said, “Ava, beautiful, sweet Ava. I was dreaming about you. Don’t make me go like this. I want to stay.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
ALL AT ONCE Ava didn’t think her legs would support her. She backed a step away from the bed and sank into a chair. Through the bed rail she could see Noah’s face. His features were relaxed, smooth. His eyes closed again. He appeared to be sleeping comfortably.
Don’t make me go. I want to stay. Noah’s simple statement kept repeating in her mind. When he had opened his eyes, she knew he’d recognized her, but he believed they were together as they had been six years before and he was leaving her alone in her bed. Back then she wouldn’t have considered letting him stay, not after he admitted he was married. But almost from the minute she met him in that glitzy Charlotte bar, she knew how the evening would end, with her wrapped in Noah’s arms.
She’d been feeling sorry for herself after being passed over for a promotion. And she was lonely. She hadn’t had a date in months, and hadn’t met anyone who interested her. For a thirty-year-old woman, the prospect of spending every night alone was daunting.
And then Noah Walsh walked into the bar in jeans, boots, a leather jacket that fit him just right. And Ava, her senses buzzing and her confidence suddenly strong, zeroed right in on him. What if? she asked herself, and not finding a reason to answer the question negatively, she made eye contact with him and the rest was the foundation for memories, both good and bad.
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