“So tired,” she murmured.
“I know, just…you might have a concussion. You can’t go to sleep right now.”
She groaned softly. “I take it back.”
He chuckled. “Well, you aren’t getting rid of me that easily. Tell me about the brattiest kid you ever had to teach.”
“Jackson Rand,” she wasted no time in saying, but her eyes were still closed.
He would have been happier if she’d opened them, but at least he had her talking, and the wind was whipping enough dust and debris about in the bed of the pickup that she could get something in her eyes if she had them open, anyhow. “Jackson, huh? What was so terrible about Jackson Rand?”
A small smile tugged at her mouth. “He reminded me a lot of you.”
“Ouch!” He glanced up at Chelsea with a humorous frown, and she winked at him, looking much relieved that they had Havyn talking.
Havyn went on. “Handsome and full of himself.”
He might have been more hurt if it hadn’t been for the smirk twisting her lips. He kept her talking until they reached the hospital at Dedza, which was equipped to do nothing more than clean and stitch the wound on her head. Even though she’d just been grazed by that last spray of bullets, she was far from out of the woods. She would need a CAT scan and further testing.
They transported her to Lilongwe by ambulance, and when only one other passenger was allowed to accompany her, Chelsea had insisted he be the one to ride along with her.
Despite his best efforts, she fell asleep just a few minutes down the road. He held her hand, all the while suppressing the terror that clawed for release. God, please, don’t let me lose her now.
It seemed to take an inordinately long amount of time to get anyone at the Lilongwe hospital to do anything more for her than had already been done, but finally, much to Levi’s relief, a doctor who spoke very good English came through to assure him they would be doing all the necessary tests in just a few minutes. But those few minutes had turned into an hour, and the rest of the building team arrived at the hospital before Havyn had been wheeled off in her bed for a CAT scan.
She still hadn’t woken up.
Levi paced her room, like a caged lion, while he waited for the staff to bring her back. Chelsea, ever thoughtful, showed up with a steaming cup of coffee laced with cream and plenty of sugar, just like he liked it, and after handing it to him leaned against the wall looking pale and shaken.
He eyed her as he swallowed a sip of the much-needed caffeine. “Was anyone else hurt? Any of the kids? I didn’t even think about that…I was just so intent on Havyn.”
Chelsea shook her head. “Cannon and I went back to the site to pick everyone up, of course. And no one else was hurt. The chief said that now that those…men…have made their views known, all will be fine. The school can be repaired, and they likely won’t return to make a fuss again.”
Levi shook his head. “And nothing will be done about it?”
She massaged circles at her temple. “Some policemen did show up, but they didn’t seem too concerned as soon as they found out no one had been killed.”
“Nice.” Levi sighed.
“Yeah, I know.”
Cannon stepped into the room then, and suddenly Chelsea seemed very intent on the linoleum under her feet.
Levi held his hand out to the man. “Thanks for getting her to the hospital so quickly back there. I appreciate it.”
Cannon gave a no-worries shrug and shook his hand. His attention was fixed on Chelsea when he asked, “How is she?”
Levi knew he meant Havyn and not Chelsea, but by the look on both Cannon and Chelsea’s faces, he could tell something was brewing there. How had he missed that all week? Probably because he’d been so fixed on his and Havyn’s own situation.
The tension in Levi’s neck threatened to have him curled over like an old man. He reached a hand up to massage some of it away. “She hasn’t woken up yet. They took her in for a CAT scan a few minutes ago. Will bring her back here when they are done.”
A small sob escaped Chelsea, and she threw her hands over her face.
Cannon was by her side and pulling her into a comforting embrace before Levi even thought to move. Cannon rubbed his hands over her back. “Hey. I think she’s going to be alright. I haven’t known her long, but I know a fighter when I see one.”
“She was coming to check on me.” Chelsea leaned against Cannon forlornly.
“This is not your fault.”
Silence descended on the room as Levi sank into a chair, a blanket of weariness cloaking him. It was thirty minutes later when the nurse wheeled Havyn into the room.
Levi jolted to his feet. “How is she? What did the test show?”
The nurse laid a hand on his arm. “You wait. Doctor come.” And with that she breezed out the door.
All three of them crowded around her bed. She was still out, but seemed to be breathing normally.
Chelsea moaned. “What are we going to do? Our flight leaves first thing in the morning.”
Levi reached for Havyn’s hand and wrapped it in his own. “I will stay here with her and get us tickets for home just as soon as we can safely travel. I’ll keep you informed.”
Chelsea chewed the inside of her lip. “I appreciate you being willing to do that. It was all I could do to talk my aunt into letting me have these last couple weeks off. I’m scheduled to work the morning after we arrive back.”
“I wouldn’t be anywhere else.”
Cannon massaged Chelsea’s neck with one hand. “She’s going to be okay, Chels.”
Tears crumpled Chelsea’s face once more, and she collapsed into Cannon’s embrace, sobbing against his chest.
Cannon laid one cheek against her hair. “We’re all going to be okay.” The words were so low that Levi almost didn’t hear them.
He studied Havyn’s face, wondering if everyone really was going to be okay. Surely she’d be alright, wouldn’t she? Like Cannon said, she was a fighter.
He leaned forward and brushed a strand of hair off her brow. “Hear that, Blue? We’re all going to be okay.” Leaning even further, he pressed a gentle kiss to her brow.
Footsteps drew his attention as the doctor strode purposefully into the room. “Well, I have good news.”
Relief coursed through Levi.
“Your friend has a concussion, yes, but her skull is not fractured, and I see no other serious injury to her other than a sprained wrist. With plenty of rest she should be back to normal in about a week, maybe ten days.” He scanned the chart in his hands, then looked up and glanced at each of them with a smile. “So, do you have any questions for me?”
Silence hung for a moment before Levi asked, “Should we be concerned with her sleeping?”
The doctor shook his head. “They used to fear that if a patient with a concussion slept, they might slip into a coma. But studies have disproved this. It is actually good for her to sleep. But do try and wake her at least two times tonight. If she can’t be wakened, then bring her back in.”
“What about flying? We are all scheduled to head back to the States tomorrow morning.”
The doctor frowned. “Oh, I would not want her to fly any sooner than a week from today. Sometimes the pressure changes can increase the symptoms of the concussion.”
“Okay.” Levi glanced over at Chelsea. “Can you think of anything else we need to ask?”
Her face pale, she shook her head. “Not right now.”
“Very well.” The doctor shook Levi’s hand. “I will have them prepare her discharge papers, and you should be out of here within the hour.”
Havyn woke up on the couch at the mission house just as dawn was pinking the valley stretched out below. Realization that she didn’t know how she’d gotten here furrowed her brow. She started to sit up, and a wave of dizziness washed over her. “Whoa.” She pressed a hand to her forehead and sank back onto one elbow.
“Hey.”
Shuffling feet and a dip in th
e couch told her Levi had joined her, but she was still leery of opening her eyes.
She tried for mere slits.
He’d propped one arm on either side of her, and his face, which hovered just above her, looked worried.
Confusion pinched her brow. “What time is it?”
A small smile softened his mouth. “About five thirty.”
She squinted at the gloaming light over his shoulder. “Is it dawn or dusk out there?”
“Dawn.”
Alarm jolted her eyes to full capacity. “We have to get going! We’re going to miss our flight!”
His hands against her shoulders kept her from bolting upright. He frowned. “Havyn, we’ve talked about this several times over the last few days. Don’t you remember?”
A fleeting memory surface, but it was so unclear she went ahead and asked, “Talked about what? Wait…last few days?”
He scrubbed a hand back through what she suddenly realized was sleep-mussed hair. “I need some coffee; you want some?”
Coffee sounded like heaven. She nodded.
“Okay, I’ll help you sit up, but you have to promise not to try and get up till I get back with the cups.” He arched his brows at her.
As dizzy as she was feeling, he didn’t have anything to fear. “Deal.” The room started spinning the minute he helped her sit up, but she tipped her head back against the couch and held as still as possible.
A blanket and a pillow on the big chair across the way showed that Levi had likely been sleeping there. To keep an eye on her? It felt scary that she could only remember snatches of the last three days.
Across the valley a magenta line of light grew almost imperceptibly larger along the jagged peaks of the mountains, and the last stars winked out. Birds twittered shrilly, and the acacia tree at the corner of the yard stood out in black contrast against the pink of the sky. She sighed. So beautiful.
It took her a moment to realize the big picture window was no longer broken, but had been replaced with clear new glass. The view that had once been fractured and splintered was now clear and crisp. Something tugged at the edges of her memory, just hovering out of reach. She gave up trying to figure out what it was after a few minutes, knowing it would likely come to her if it was important.
The room had almost stopped spinning by the time Levi returned with two cups. “Thanks.” As she accepted hers she angled a nod toward the window. “I see you got the glass fixed.”
He sank into the couch beside her, cupping his mug in both hands. “Yeah, Cannon helped me.”
She frowned. “I’m confused. We’ve been here for a while, haven’t we?”
Levi took a slow sip, then set his cup on the table beside him. “Yeah, a couple days. You got a concussion from being grazed by a bullet at the school, do you remember? The doctor said your memory might be fuzzy for a few days and that you might lose some time.”
She strained to think. “I can only remember bits and pieces.” She pinched her nose. “Rayne wanted to talk to me, but I don’t think…” She frowned. “At least I don’t recall what it was about.”
Levi stood and slid a note from the end table. “She never got to talk to you. The shooting started first. But she left you this.”
He handed her a small note card. On the front of the envelope her name had been scrawled in a beautiful loopy handwriting that was so Rayne-like. She smiled and tore it open. But the words swirled on the page and refused to align into focus. She held it out to Levi. “Can you read it to me?”
Levi accepted the paper from her and glanced at it as he sank back down beside her. “‘Havyn, I’m a—’” He chuckled and flipped the edge of the card with his finger. “Let’s just say she used a few expletives to describe herself that I will leave out. But the translation is, she feels like a jerk.” His eyes returned to the writing on the card. “‘Sorry I was such a snob. I hope you can forgive me. Rayne.’”
Havyn was grateful for the apology. Maybe the woman wasn’t so bad after all. “I think she has a lot of hurt. I hope we can be friends now.”
Levi bumped her chin with one corner of the card. “You are an amazing woman.”
She scrunched up her nose. “Not so amazing when I can’t remember much of anything that happened for the last couple days.”
“It’s okay. Today I can see a marked difference in your cognizance. And I’m going to be with you until you are feeling well enough to travel.”
Right… Then he was going back to California and she to Seattle. She sighed. “I must have made you miss your flight. Did anyone else stay?”
He shook his head. “Chelsea wanted to, but she didn’t dare take more time off work, apparently. So…just me. You’ve been on the couch, and Cannon’s been staying up here for a few days with us.”
She groaned softly. “It probably cost us more to change our tickets at the last minute, didn’t it? And what about your vacation? And your work schedule?”
“Don’t worry about it. I’m not currently scheduled for any shoots, and the cost of the ticket change—I took care of that.”
“I’m sorry to have messed things up, Levi. I’ll pay you back.”
His smile lit his eyes before it spread to his lips. “I might just hold you to that, but it won’t be money I’ll be asking for.”
She felt her face heat and glanced past him at the sunrise. And that’s when the earlier elusive memory rushed in. Realizing the window is broken is half the battle… Her gaze darted across the clear, crack-free surface as a sudden flash of more recent memory surged through her. She’d made the decision to find him when the shooting had started. Had been on the verge of saying that maybe God could help them have a good relationship and she’d sure like to try. Of telling him she was willing to risk having him back in her life.
Her head felt heavy, and she dropped it against the couch.
Levi matched her action and turned his face to study her from his relaxed position. “What is it?”
She tucked one corner of her lip between her teeth and studied the angles of his face. The place along his jaw where the first rays of morning sun caught in the whiskers and highlighted them. The simmering blue of eyes she could look into forever. “I was coming to find you, that day. After I talked to Rayne I was going to come looking for you.”
A glint of interest sparked in his eyes, but he maintained his casual, relaxed position. “Were you?”
Her heart hammered so loudly she was certain he’d hear it. She nodded.
He swallowed visibly, his gaze never leaving hers. “And what were you coming to find me for?”
She worked the edge of her lip some more as she tried to figure out the best way to tell him what she was feeling. “I remembered some more of what my grandma used to say.”
A frown of puzzlement pinched his brow, but he maintained eye contact. “And what was that?”
Her lips were dry, and she wet them with a flick of her tongue. “She used to say that realizing a window was broken was half the battle of getting it fixed.” She pressed her lips together, waiting for his response.
It came slowly, with the slightest hint of a smile creasing the corners of his eyes. “I think your grandma was a very smart woman.” He angled himself to face her better and propped his arm along the back of the sofa, resting his temple against his fist. “So where do we go from here?”
She gave a little shrug. “I’m not sure I know. I only know I’m not afraid to try, anymore.”
His eyes dropped closed for a minute, and when he opened them again, moisture filled them.
Doubt shot through her, and her heart dropped. Was she too late, then? She held her breath.
He slowly reached out one hand and ran the backs of his fingers over her cheek. “You have no idea how happy I am to hear you say that.”
Relief eased her shoulders. “So I’m not too late?”
He shook his head slowly. “Never.”
She smiled cheekily. “Oh, well in that case, do you mind if we wait a couple more y
ears? I’ve been really busy and—ack!” A squeak escaped as he jabbed her in the ribs. Then she winced and put one hand to her head. “Oh.”
“I’m so sorry! I’m an idiot.” Panic laced his tone. “Are you alright?”
She peered at him through squinted lids. “Yeah, but I don’t think I’m going to be running any races anytime soon.”
He eased her against the couch with a pillow behind her head and quickly tucked a throw around her shoulders. “Tell you what…it smells like Esther has breakfast all ready for us. You stay put and I’ll get you a plate. I made her promise to make it something light. But you’ve hardly eaten anything but some broth for the last couple days. I know you have to be hungry.”
Her stomach grumbled in acknowledgment. And they both chuckled.
“I’ll take that as a yes. Be right back.”
He was halfway across the room when she stopped him. “Levi?”
“Yes?”
“What is happening with the school?”
“Cannon is fixing it. He said they got the new roofing material yesterday, and the windows are on order. Not much else was ruined, thankfully. The kids should be able to move in with just a little delay.”
“I’m worried for the kids’ safety.”
“Cannon says that now that the Nyau have expressed their dislike for the building of the school, there will likely be no more incidents. Some sort of cultural thing.”
“I pray that’s true.” She settled further into the couch, taking a moment to give her concerns for the children to God.
He had been gone for a few minutes when a squeaky little grunt came from the floor and something bumped her ankle. She leaned forward slowly and peered over the edge of the cushion. The tiny little puppy with the black ear and one black paw pressed her cold nose to Havyn’s ankle and looked up at her with soulful eyes. “Where did you come from?” She lifted her up and rested her against her chest, running one finger over the top of her silky soft head. “The last time I held you, you peed all over me. Let’s not have a repeat of that experience, okay, baby?”
The puppy only grunted and nuzzled herself into a more comfortable position, closing her eyes.
My Blue Havyn (Hearts of Hollywood - Christian Romance Novellas) Page 10
