by Beth Ehemann
“Sorry,” I whispered loudly as her eyes stopped on mine a second later.
“That’s okay.” She smiled, sitting up gingerly. She straightened her back up tall and pushed her arms high above her head. Four days ago, I would’ve never thought it was possible to look sexy in a hospital gown, but Dani pulled it off flawlessly. The fact that I got to give her a sponge bath yesterday didn’t hurt, either. She sat on a stool in the shower as I stood behind her, gently scrubbing her back with a soapy washcloth. She held her new hot pink cast out to the side, trying not to get it wet. As I watched the trail of bubbles flow over her breasts, down her tummy, and pool where I liked to rest my fingers and tongue, my dick got more than a little chubby. When she noticed the bulge in my pants, she rolled her eyes and snatched the washcloth with her noncasted hand.
I stared at her with my head tilted to the side. “How do you do it?”
She frowned at me. “Do what?”
“Look so damn sexy all the time?”
Arching one eyebrow, she eyed me skeptically. “Have you been helping yourself to my pain meds?”
“I’m not high, Dani.” I let out a hard laugh. “I mean it.”
“Well, I could actually use the ego boost today, so I’ll save the argument and take the compliment. Thank you.”
“You need a bigger boost?”
She let out a heavy sigh. “I already told you. I am not having sex in the hospital.”
“Not that kind of a boost,” I shot back playfully. “I mean an actual mood boost? It’s been three days, and I’ve been getting tons of texts. People want to come see you.”
“Really?” Her voice peaked with excitement.
I nodded. “Yeah, Sadie texted, Ellie texted, Brody and Kacie asked to come by, then Ellie texted again, Ethan checked in, and then the nurses threatened to have Ellie arrested.”
She pressed her lips together and smiled as her eyes softened. “Awww, I miss Ellie . . . a lot.”
“Good, because she’s coming by at lunchtime and basically said nothing short of a tranquilizer dart will stop her.” I chuckled, only half kidding.
She giggled, but her smile faded as quickly as it came. “I’m nervous to see people,” she said hesitantly, her eyes darting around the room.
“Why?”
“Andy, look at me. I’m a bruised, swollen mess.” She sounded defeated. “I’m gonna brush my hair and put on a little makeup, maybe that’ll help.” She stood, moving slowly and carefully. As tempted as I was to rush over and help her, I knew if I did, she would just get pissed and tell me to back off.
“Maybe another sponge bath would help?” I asked nonchalantly. Her head snapped my way, and I wiggled my eyebrows up and down.
She wrapped her good arm around her ribs and tried not to laugh. “I think that helps you more than it helps me.”
She decided that she did want another sponge bath after all, and difficult as it was, I behaved myself completely. She carefully slipped on a loose-fitting T-shirt and yoga pants instead of her hospital gown to feel a little more like herself. I leaned against the door frame with my arms crossed over my chest, watching as she dragged a brush through her long, dark hair and stared at herself in the mirror. Her bruises were healing, but that meant turning some wicked colors, and at the moment the right side of her face was a crazy shade of light purple.
“I look like a Muppet.” She sighed, tossing the brush into the sink in frustration.
“You do not.” I laughed, feeling bad instantly when I realized her eyes were filling with tears. She covered her face as best she could with her good hand, and I rushed over, wrapping my arms around her as gently as I could.
“Baby, don’t cry. You do not look like a Muppet. You were attacked, and you’re a little banged up, that’s all. By this time next week your bruises will hardly be noticeable and your cut will have healed.”
“You’re right.” She sniffed. “I’m just feeling sorry for myself today.”
“That’s normal, too. You’ve been through a lot, Dani.”
She nodded and took a shuddering breath, straightening up tall again. “No more pity parties today.”
“I know one thing that might cheer you up.”
She spun to face me. “What?”
“While you were getting dressed, I got a text . . . from Gloria. Her and the kids will be here any second.”
Dani’s eyes widened, and she gave me a big smile. “Really?”
“Yep.”
She beamed. “That does make me feel better. I miss those little monsters.”
“They miss you, too. They’ve been driving Gloria crazy, asking when they get to come and see you.”
Her face dropped and she looked down toward the floor. “Andy, is this normal?”
“What?”
“Your kids. The way I feel about them. I mean . . . not only am I in love with you, I’m in love with them, too. It’s kinda scary.” Her eyes swept back up to mine. “I’ve never loved this many people at the same time before.”
“It is scary, but it’s also awesome.” Once again I wrapped my arms around her shoulders, covering her whole upper half, and squeezed gently. I took a deep breath of her coconut-scented hair and fell in love with her all over again, right there in a hospital bathroom.
“Ow,” she grunted into my shirt.
“Sorry.” I laughed and let go.
A little while later there was a quiet knock on the door, and Dani’s eyes widened. “They’re here,” she hissed in a panicked tone.
“Calm down.” I held my hand up as I walked toward the door. “Gloria talked to them, and they know you have some bruising and stuff. It’ll be fine.”
She pinched at the skin on her neck nervously and nodded.
I pulled the door open and squatted down just in time for Becca and Logan to jump into my arms. The last few days had been such a whirlwind that I hadn’t had a chance to see or talk to them much, and in that moment, it hit me how hard this must be on them, too.
“Hey, guys!” I closed my eyes and squeezed hard.
“Hi, Daddy,” Becca chirped like her happy, usual self.
Gloria pressed her lips together and smiled down at us as I held them and rocked back and forth for a minute.
“Can we see Dani now?” Becca whined when she was over hugs from her dad.
I laughed and let them both go. “Yeah. She’s excited to see you guys. Come on in.” I gave Gloria a quick kiss on the cheek before turning back toward the room. Logan and Becca followed me in cautiously, clearly nervous about seeing her. Silently, for Dani’s sake, I prayed that they didn’t freak out and run from the room. To me, Dani looked great, but I’d been watching her improve every day. From the kids’ perspective, I totally got where they’d be nervous.
Just as I expected, Becca bounded over and climbed right up onto Dani’s bed, practically throwing herself into her arms.
“Hey, sweetheart,” Dani said, slowly wrapping her arms tightly around Becca.
“I miss you,” Becca muttered.
Dani pinched her eyes tight. “I miss you.”
Becca pulled back and looked up at her, studying her face carefully. “That’s a big bruise!” she exclaimed.
“It sure is, but it’ll be gone soon.” Dani gave her a comforting smile.
“Does that hurt?” Becca pointed at the cut under Dani’s eye.
Dani shrugged. “It did at first, and it’s still a little bit sore, but I’m getting used to it.”
“I had stitches once,” Becca babbled. “I was playing in the backyard on the trampoline and Logan said it was his turn, but it was still my turn. He climbed in and started jumping, and I jumped too high and cut my chin on a rock.”
Dani had a permanent smile plastered to her lips as Becca went on and on about every injury she’d ever had.
“Okay, Becca,” I jumped in finally. “I think let’s give Dani a break from your medical history, okay?”
“Okay,” Becca agreed, hopping down from the bed.
I twisted around to the wall he was leaning against, playing with his fingers nervously. “What’s wrong?”
Without looking up at me, he shrugged.
“Do you want to go over and say hi? Maybe give her a hug?”
He shrugged again, still staring down at his hands.
“Andy, it’s okay. Don’t make him,” Dani said from behind me. I took a deep breath and turned back toward her slowly. She crinkled her eyebrows and shook her head at me. “Really, it’s fine. I get it. Don’t make him.”
It was no secret that Dani and Becca had bonded much faster and much easier than she had with Logan, but I was still disappointed in my son’s reaction, even if he was just nervous.
Gloria looked back and forth from me to Dani a couple of times and then took a step forward. “Well, if he’s not going next, I am.” We all laughed as Gloria made her way over to Dani’s bed. “No, no, don’t get up.” She waved at Dani, who was trying to get to her feet quickly to give Gloria a hug. “I’ll come down to you.” She squatted down to Dani’s level and wrapped her arms around her softly. “I’m sorry if this hurts, but I’m not letting go.”
“I’m okay with that,” Dani murmured, returning the hug.
“You poor thing. All banged up like this.” Gloria finally let go and sat on the edge of the bed.
“Yeah.” Dani shrugged. “But I’m tough. I’ll be back to normal soon enough.”
Gloria nodded slowly. “My mother used to say that good food heals you faster than medicine ever could. I’m going to take good care of you the next couple of weeks.”
Dani tilted her head to the side as she looked at Gloria thoughtfully. “Thank you. I can’t wait. After eating your cooking for a month, I’d rather chew on cardboard than eat any more hospital food.”
“You just wait,” Gloria said sternly. “I’ll make all of your favorites. It’ll take me a month to get you back up from all the weight you’ve lost in here, but I love to cook, so it’ll be easy.”
Dani swallowed and frowned as her eyes dropped to the bed. “Well, the guy is caught now, so I was thinking I should probably head on back to my house.”
Becca gasped, Gloria’s head snapped toward Dani, and my heart sank like a fucking rock.
“Dani, don’t leave!” Becca whined.
“Wait, seriously?” I took a step forward with my hands on my hips. We’d spent every minute of the last three days together, and the mention of her moving back home hadn’t come up once.
Dani tried to quickly defuse the bomb that had just exploded in her room. “Let’s just figure everything out later, okay? We don’t have to make any decisions now.”
“Actually, I think that’s probably enough visiting for one afternoon,” Gloria said as she stood. She bent down and gave Dani a kiss on the top of the head. “Get some rest, sweetheart.”
“Bye, Dani.” Becca pouted, clearly not wanting to leave, as she laid her head on Dani’s lap.
“Bye, baby. I’ll see you soon, okay?” Dani twirled one of Becca’s blonde curls in her fingers.
Becca nodded with a frown on her face as she took Gloria’s hand.
“Ready, Logan?” Gloria asked as she made her way across the room to the door.
Another shrug.
I frowned, eying him suspiciously. “Gloria.” My eyes slid to hers. “Can you take Becca out in the hall and give us a minute?”
“Sure. Becca, let’s go look at that big fish tank in the waiting room.” She winked at me and left.
I turned and took a step toward Logan. “What’s going on, bud?”
Once more, he shrugged.
“Okay, enough with the shoulder shrugs, talk to me.”
“I don’t know, I just feel bad,” he mumbled.
“Bad? For Dani?”
He nodded and picked at the hem of his sweatshirt. “She looks bad. Like, not bad, but like it hurts.”
“Well, I’m sure it does, but she’s tough. And she’s not gonna break if you hug her. Do you want to go over and give her a hug?”
His eyes darted around the floor for a couple of seconds, followed by a slow nod.
“Go ahead, buddy. Go say hi.” I reached out and rustled his hair as he peeled himself off the wall and started slowly toward Dani’s bed.
“Hey, you,” Dani said sweetly, giving his leg a friendly squeeze as he sat down.
“Hi.” Logan stared at the ground.
They sat in awkward silence for a minute, neither one of them sure where to start. I was about to jump in and say something to break the tension when Logan’s face swept up to Dani’s. “I’m sorry you got hurt,” he blurted out.
She pressed her lips together and blinked slowly, most likely trying not to cry again. “Thanks. Me too,” she said softly.
“And I’m sorry I didn’t hug you before.”
“That’s okay, sweetheart. I understand.” Dani’s voice shook. “I’m sorry if this is hard for you.”
“It’s harder for you,” he said with a shrug.
Dani let out a quick chuckle. “Yeah, that’s probably true, but I am glad you decided to come and see me today. Made me feel a lot better.”
“Really?” Logan’s voice rose.
Dani nodded. “Yep. Ask your dad . . . I was feeling pretty crummy before you got here, but once he told me you were coming, and now that you’re here, I’m much happier.”
Logan’s eyes turned quickly to me, and I nodded in agreement. “She’s right.”
A huge grin practically split his face in half as he turned back to Dani and threw his arms around her. She grimaced from the force of his hug, but she immediately wrapped her arms around him, too. I couldn’t hide the smile on my face as two of the most important people in my life embraced each other.
“Can I sign your cast?” Logan mumbled into her shoulder.
“Sure! You really want to?” Dani sounded just as excited as Logan, as he nodded eagerly. She glanced up at me. “Can you check the nurses’ station for a marker or something?”
I nodded and left in search of a Sharpie, which didn’t take long at all. I held a finger up, signaling one more minute to Gloria and Becca, who were still standing down by the fish tank at the end of the hall. Gloria nodded and I dipped back inside the room.
“One black Sharpie, here ya go.” I handed it to Logan, who was still smiling.
His eyes glistened as he took it from me and pulled the cap off.
“What are you gonna write?” I asked, craning my neck to see what he was doing.
“It’s a surprise,” he teased, holding his hand up to block my view. Dani looked up at me with a special gleam in her eye, too. I knew that the little connection she’d just made with Logan was as important to her as it was to me . . . and him. She gave me a hot little wink as he sat up.
“Done,” he said proudly, dragging a pillow over the top of her cast.
I frowned. “Wait, what?”
“She can’t read it until I leave.” His tone turned shy, and his pale cheeks instantly turned bright pink.
“Oh, I see.” I pulled him into a headlock and rubbed the top of his head with my knuckle. “You didn’t ask her out, did you? Because I’m pretty sure she’s already taken.”
“Ewww! Dad, no!” he squealed, wiggling out from under my arm.
“All right, I’m gonna walk them out, and I’ll be right back.” I winked at Dani, who was sitting on the bed, smiling at nothing . . . and everything.
I stepped into the hallway and gave the kids another hug and kiss good-bye. Becca started to tear up, but when I told her there was a chance we’d be coming home the next day, she hopped out of my arms and started booty shaking right there in the hospital hallway.
I stood in the hall and waved until they turned the corner. As I gently pushed the door shut behind me, I heard Dani sniff.
“What�
�s wrong?” I rushed over.
“No, nothing. Your son. He’s just the sweetest.” She held her casted hand up, and I bent down for a closer look.
Scribbled on her cast in black marker . . .
Get well fast so you can come HOME!
My eyebrows shot up and I chuckled. “He even capitalized the word ‘home.’ Smart man.”
Dani’s eyes dropped to avoid my stare, and just like that, the big white elephant in the room tripled in size. “Andy, listen—”
“Nope. I’m not. This is ridiculous, Dani. I love you, the kids love you, you’re part of our lives now. Why take a step backward?”
She sighed. “I don’t have a good answer. It just seemed like since I moved in for safety, now that I’m safe, it makes sense for me to go back home.”
“You moved in for safety and now you’re gonna stay for love. Deal?”
“Deal?” Her eyes glistened as she shook her head. “You keep saying cute things like that and your odds of getting laid in a hospital bed are gonna get better and better.”
Score.
CHAPTER 36
Danicka
The hospital doors slid open, and Andy wheeled me to the waiting car. I was annoyed that the nurses made him wheel me all the way downstairs. I was fine.
“Ready?” Andy said as he tossed my bag in the backseat.
“Yes,” I huffed. “I didn’t need that stupid chair anyway, but the cranky bitch in there wouldn’t listen to me.”
A low laugh rumbled in Andy’s chest. “Aaaaand she’s back, ladies and gentlemen.”
I narrowed my eyes, shooting him a playful glare as I lowered myself into his car. He closed the door and wheeled the chair just inside the lobby before he hustled back to the driver’s side of the car.
“Sorry,” I said with a heavy sigh as he started the car. “I think being cooped up in the same room for five days is taking its toll on me.”
“I’ll agree to that.” He raised my hand to his lips and kissed the top of it as he gave me a wink. “But the good news is you’re free and on your way home . . . to my home. Our home.”
