by Barbara Gee
“Callie Green,” Vince said. “She was flown in just a few minutes ago.”
The girl pulled her keyboard in front of her and started typing. “She might not be in the system yet,” she said apologetically. After a few more key-clicks, she shook her head. “I’m not seeing anything. If you want to take a seat, I’ll go back there myself and see if I can find out anything.”
“Thanks,” Vince said, following Boone to a nearby row of chairs. The waiting area was empty but for them, and Vince was glad. Hopefully it meant there weren’t many patients back there, so more medical professionals could concentrate on Callie.
Nathan came in after a few minutes, nodding at them before going to a far corner of the room to make a call. Vince watched him for a moment and hoped he was trying to find out more about the man who had attacked Callie.
O’Riley. That was the name of the man who’d tried to kill the girl Vince loved. Hopefully the sheriff, or Tanner and Tuck, could get the man to talk. They needed answers, and Callie’s brother needed to be arrested before he got word she was still alive.
“You doing okay?” Boone asked, his voice low and worried. “I’m so sorry about all this, man. Seems like a real bad dream.”
“If it is, it’s the worst one I’ve ever had,” Vince said wearily, dropping his elbows to his knees and his head in his hands. If only it was just a dream. He’d give anything to be able to wake up and find that Callie was fine and had never been threatened.
“She has to be okay,” he muttered, his throat aching with the emotion he was holding back. “I already love her, you know? I need her.”
“I know.” Boone reached over and clapped a hand to his shoulder. “You’ve got to remember how strong she is. If it’s at all possible, she’s going to pull through this. You know that’s true.”
Vince rubbed his hands down over his face. When he was able to speak, his voice was rough and raw. “And if it’s not possible?” he asked. Because, yes, Callie was strong—that wasn’t even a question. But he’d seen the blood stain, and her absolute stillness, and he couldn’t pretend he wasn’t terrified. “What if she’s hurt too bad, Boone? How do I face that?”
“You’ll find the strength,” Boone said quietly. “You will, Vince, if it comes to that. But we’re not going to think that way. We’re going to believe she’ll be okay. Until we have reason not to, that’s what we’re going to believe.”
Vince let out a long slow breath, wishing he was as confident in his own strength as Boone was. He’d thought rehabbing from his injuries and fighting his way back to the top of the hockey heap had been hard. He’d thought nothing could require more strength that that. But now he knew better. Compared to this—to Callie fighting for her life—that struggle had been nothing.
He scrubbed at his face again. He’d found courage in his faith before, and he knew that’s what he had to rely on now. His faith, his friends, and his family.
When his mind went to family, he realized he’d need to call his parents soon. He’d told them about Callie only last week, and they’d been so excited when he said he wanted them to meet her. He’d never brought a girl home before, so they knew this one had to be someone special.
Now a man had tried to kill that special girl, and Vince didn’t know if she was going to be okay. How was he going to tell his mom and dad that?
Pain ripped through him again, and he was profoundly grateful Boone was there with him. If the doctor came out with bad news, he didn’t want to be alone.
A few more minutes passed before the girl who’d gone looking for information returned. She came through the doors that led to the patient care area and came straight over to them.
“She’s back there. The doctors are working on her. She’s going for an immediate CT scan. She’s had some head trauma, as you probably know. The scan will tell them how much damage there is, if any.”
“How long till I can see her?”
Her expression was apologetic. “It’s going to be a while, probably a couple of hours. I’m sorry. But I can assure you, the very best doctors are with her. She’s in good hands.”
He nodded. “Thanks for checking on her for me.” He stood and paced to a window, shoving his hands in his pockets because they were shaking once again. Hours. He still had hours to wait.
Boone took a few steps and motioned for Vince to follow. “Come on. Let’s go to the cafeteria and get some coffee. It’ll help pass the time.”
Vince didn’t want to leave the waiting area, just in case, but he knew Boone was right. Doing something, even getting a simple cup of coffee, was better than sitting here with his imagination working overtime.
“Hang on a second.” He went over to the desk and gave the girl his phone number. “Please call me if there’s any news, okay? We’ll be in the cafeteria. No farther than that.”
She promised, and they went out to the hall and followed the signs. They each got a large coffee and took a table in the corner. It was much busier here than in the emergency department waiting area, and Vince watched people as he sipped the strong, hot brew.
There were quite a few hospital staff, mostly sitting in groups, talking and laughing quietly as they took a few minutes away from their demanding jobs. The other people there were likely visitors, taking a short break from standing vigil over loved ones who were sick. Most of them sat alone, their stress showing on their faces. Vince imagined his did, too.
After fifteen minutes or so, Boone’s phone beeped. He fished his phone from his pocket and read the screen. “Jolene and Kay are here. They brought Brittany because Kim got a flat tire on her way to pick her up and didn’t have a spare.”
Vince grimaced. “If I’d been thinking straight, I would’ve just had Nathan swing back over to the barn to pick her up. It would’ve only taken another couple minutes.”
“It’s not like she’s missed anything,” Boone replied, “and I’m sure she didn’t mind spending the time with Jo and Kay.”
They got up to go back the way they’d come, throwing their cups away as they left the cafeteria. When they got to the doors to the ER waiting area, Vince hesitated.
“I don’t know whether to call my parents now, or wait until we know more. Mom will be mad if I wait too long, but if I call and can’t really tell them anything, they’ll worry like crazy and hate they aren’t here with me.”
“Have you told them about you and Callie?”
“Yeah. I told them I finally met the girl I want to bring home to meet them.”
Boone tilted his head. “Seriously? You haven’t taken any girls home before now?”
“Nope. They haven’t met any of the girls I’ve dated since high school.”
Boone smiled. “They’re gonna love Callie. Guaranteed. I think you should go ahead and call. It’ll get them praying for her, and they’ll appreciate not feeling like they’re the last to know.”
Vince palmed his phone. “I told them you approved of her. They liked hearing that.”
Boone chuckled. “Glad to hear they value my opinion. I’ll tell the others you’ll be in soon.”
Vince went looking for a quiet area, and saw a sign for the chapel. He found the small room and went in, relieved to see it was completely empty. He took a seat on the back bench of the small room and spent the next ten minutes talking to his parents. They were ready to get on the next plane, but Vince convinced them not to. He had a good support system here, and what he really needed was for them to simply pray. For him and for Callie.
Truth was, although he loved his parents dearly, he didn’t feel up to having them come right now. Having them rush to his side would mean a whole new outpouring of emotion, and a certain amount of added stress, and Vince already had more than enough of both things.
He left the chapel and was soon standing outside the doors to the emergency waiting room again. Lots of emotion awaited him in there, too. It was different though, because these people knew and loved Callie, and they needed to be there. Especially Brit, her best frie
nd for almost twenty years.
He took a deep breath and entered, taking turns hugging the three women whose eyes were worried and reddened.
Jolene held onto him for a long time. “We’re with you, Vinny,” she said softly in his ear, using the nickname the team had given him. “Callie’s a fighter and she doesn’t want to leave you.”
He nodded. “Thanks, Jo. That’s what I’m holding on to.”
Kay stepped up to him and put a gentle hand on his arm. He let go of Jolene and turned to her.
“Let’s not automatically think the worst, Vincent. For all we know, her doctor’s going to come out here soon and tell us she was knocked out and she’s going to be woozy for a while, but she’ll have a quick recovery. Let’s hope and pray that’s the case.”
“There was a lot of blood, Kay,” Vince replied, shoving a hand through his hair.
“Head wounds are the worst for that. Even a nick can bleed like the dickens. That doesn’t mean there’s bad things going on inside.”
Vince wanted to believe it, but Callie had looked so lifeless. That image wouldn’t leave his brain anytime soon.
***
Another hour dragged by. Kim and Rose showed up, which was great for Brittany, and then Pastor Keller, which was great for all of them. Nathan left then, wanting to get back to help with the investigation of the man in custody, who was refusing to talk. He promised Vince he’d be in touch.
The girl at the desk motioned Vince over. This time he noticed the name tag on her top. Michelle.
“Is any of her family here?” she asked softly.
“No. Her grandfather died last week, and he was her only family.”
“And you’re…um… a close friend?” Her expression was apologetic. “I’m only asking because at some point we’re going to need to get her information in the system. Insurance and all that. We also need to set up a contact person.”
“I’m her boyfriend. Her best friend is here, too. And her pastor. You can take your pick on who to put in charge.”
“I don’t suppose you know whether there’s a power of attorney in place?”
“My guess is no. I doubt many people her age have one, right?”
“Yeah, but I have to ask. Any chance you could track down her insurance card?”
“That I can do.” Vince went back to the group and pulled Brittany aside. She assured him she’d stop by the Double Nickel and grab Callie’s purse on her way home. Chances were the insurance card was in her wallet, and Brit would get it to the hospital the next time she came. Then Maddy Simon called and said she and Tuck were coming to the hospital, along with Ryan and Libby, and Tanner and Izzy. Vince asked them to stop for the purse, knowing the hospital would appreciate getting the information sooner rather than later.
“She hangs her purse on a hook inside the kitchen door, which is unlocked,” he told Maddy when she assured him they’d be happy to stop by the ranch. “Thanks for doing this. And thanks for coming. When Callie wakes up she’ll be happy to know so many people are supporting her.”
“Neither of you will be alone,” Maddy assured him. “We’ll see you in forty-five minutes.”
Vince hung up and went back over to let Michelle know he should have the insurance card within the hour. While they were talking, the phone on her desk rang. She answered it, her eyes immediately finding his. She nodded as she listened and Vince felt his blood run cold. It was about Callie, he knew it, and he gripped the edge of the counter tightly, feeling hope and dread in equal parts.
“Um, well, she doesn’t have any family,” Michelle said into the phone. “Her boyfriend and pastor and a bunch of other friends are here.” She listened for a moment. “Her boyfriend got here right after she was flown in, with a sheriff deputy.” She nodded again, said okay, and hung up.
“The doctor wants to talk to someone. Up to two people. He said you, and whoever else you want.”
Vince went over to the group and held out his hand to Brittany. “The doctor wants to see us,” he said, aware of the silence that suddenly fell. Brit grabbed his hand and practically leapt from her chair. They hurried to the doors leading to the patient area of the emergency department, and Michelle buzzed them through.
A doctor was waiting, a tall, lean man with little round glasses. He looked exactly like the stereotypical doctor, which Vince found oddly comforting.
“Are you Callie Green’s people?” the man asked.
“Yes, sir,” Vince said, shaking his hand. “I’m Vince Abbot, and this is Brittany Holden.”
“I’m Doctor Young. Let’s go somewhere quiet.”
He showed them to a room with a small table and four chairs. They all took seats and Brittany grabbed Vince’s hand again. He felt hers shaking, and he squeezed it more tightly.
“Okay, let me give you an update,” Doctor Young said. “I’ve got mostly good news for you. Ms. Green isn’t completely out of the woods, but we’re very encouraged by what the CT scan showed, as well as our other neurological tests.”
Brittany covered her mouth and choked back a sob and Vince let his head fall back, his relief so strong, he felt close to sobbing himself. Thank you, Lord.
“Is she still unconscious?” Brit asked.
“She is, and will be for a little while. In fact, if she shows signs of coming out of it, we’ll sedate her for a little while longer. We don’t want any stress on her body while her brain stabilizes.”
“What did the scan show?” Vince asked.
“As you know, she took a blow to the back of the head. On rocks, I’m told? Maybe a fall from a horse?”
“We’re not sure of the cause yet, but yeah, there was blood on the rock by her head.”
“There’s actually evidence of two blows,” the doctor informed them. “From what I can tell, there was one direct hit, then maybe a bounce or something. Thankfully that one was glancing. It caused a second laceration, but no internal damage.” He leaned forward and clasped his hands between his knees. “Ms. Green does have a skull fracture, but it’s a linear fracture. That basically means it’s a surface fracture, with no depression. That’s fortunate, of course. There is also some minor internal bleeding from the smaller vessels. The good news here is that it’s fairly insignificant so far, indicating only a tiny tear. We’ll do another scan tomorrow to make sure it hasn’t increased, but my gut says it won’t. We’re also monitoring the pressure on her brain. Right now there’s nothing measurable. That might change, but I don’t anticipate it getting anywhere near high enough to cause any concern.”
He looked at both of them with a reassuring smile. “It’s okay to breathe,” he said in an attempt to lighten the mood. “I’m giving you good news here.”
Vince wrapped an arm around Brittany, comforting her as she wiped away tears.
“Thank you, Dr. Young,” she said. “I know I should be asking questions but I can’t think of a single one. I’m just so relieved.”
Vince had a question. “You said she’s not completely out of the woods. What’s the biggest threat? The bleeding?”
“Yes, I’d say so. Traumatic brain injuries can be very unpredictable, and while unlikely, another bleed is still a risk. We’ll continue to take every precaution, I can assure you of that, but I’m seeing a lot of reason to be optimistic.”
“So, it’s a waiting game for now?” Brittany asked.
“Exactly. Waiting and lots of monitoring. We’ll be moving her to a room in the critical care unit within the hour. Once we have her settled in there, she can have one visitor at a time, for ten minutes each hour.” The doctor gave another smile. “You’ll have to take turns, but I’m hopeful she can be moved out of critical care within twenty-four hours. I do expect Ms. Green to recover fully, and relatively quickly. She’s very fortunate the blow wasn’t any harder, or at a more vulnerable area. Either could’ve resulted in a much different outcome for her.”
Vince swallowed hard, feeling all kinds of emotions. He tried to hold them in, but Brittany didn’t bother.
She was now sobbing openly, thanking the doctor in between breaths.
Dr. Young stood and patted her shoulder. “Feel free to stay in here as long as you need to. I know you’ve been on an emotional roller coaster. I’ll be nearby, and my shift doesn’t end until midnight. If you need me for anything, just tell the charge nurse at the desk and she’ll page me.”
Vince stood and gratefully shook his hand before he left them, then sat back down and put his arm around Brit again, pulling her against his chest.
“Thank God,” he breathed. “She’s got this, Brit. The good Lord was looking out for her.”
“I’m just so relieved,” Brittany practically wailed. “I still can’t even believe this happened to her. I was just with her, for heaven’s sake. We had such a good talk.” She looked up at Vince, then burst into fresh tears. When she could speak again, she shook her finger at him. “She’s madly in love with you, Vince, I hope you know that. You’d better treat her right, or you’ll answer to me. Just like that dreadful man is going to answer to me. I feel like I could bash his skull in with my own rock. I know that’s not very Christian, but honestly that’s how I feel!”
Vince couldn’t help but smile. “Me too, Brit, believe me. It’s probably good we can’t get at him right now.” He let go of her and stood up, shoving his hands in his pockets. “The sheriff will handle it. And the FBI. I think we can trust Tuck, Ryan and Tanner to get to the bottom of things.”
She nodded and grabbed a handful of tissues from the box on the table. “I feel better knowing they’ll be involved.” She blew her nose and gave him a watery smile. “I know I look terrible right now, but I so don’t care. Our girl is gonna be okay, right? You don’t think the doctor was trying to give us false hope, do you?”
“I can’t see why he would. I’d say we can trust him.”
Brit jumped to her feet. “We need to tell the others. They’re out there wondering what in the world the doctor is telling us, and we need to give them the good news.”
