by J. G. Sumner
He looked back at her. “No sleeping with me on the first date, remember?”
That was true. If he came in, they would end up in bed. She had told him there would be no sleeping together on the first date. Now, she was regretting it. That kiss had left her longing for him.
Laney watched as he got in his car and drove away. She grabbed her things and went inside. She locked the door and stood with her back against it, trying to hold on to the feel of that kiss for just a few minutes longer.
Chapter 12
Rebecca
Rebecca spent most of the day at Skyler’s bedside. There was no significant change in his condition. She would get up occasionally and take a walk around the hospital so she didn’t go stir crazy with the monotonous sounds of the ventilator, IV pumps, and cardiac monitor, continuously beeping and humming.
She had just come back from walking around the hospital grounds when Stephen Miller knocked on Skyler’s door.
“Is it okay if I come in?”
“Please.”
Officer Miller entered with two cups of Starbucks. “I brought you some coffee. I thought you were probably getting tired of the hospital kind.”
“Thank you.” She laughed. “You’re right, though. The coffee here always tastes like it’s burnt.”
“I wasn’t sure what you wanted in it, so it’s just black.”
“That’s how I prefer it.” She took an appreciative sniff of the hot liquid.
“How’s he doing?” He gestured toward Skyler.
“There hasn’t been a lot of change over the past couple of days. From what I understand, no change is a good thing. They’re supposed to try and start waking him up tomorrow. We’ll see how that goes.”
“I’m glad to hear it. You must be thrilled.”
“I am, but it’s hard to get excited when he’s lying in bed looking very fragile.”
“I can’t even imagine what you’re going through. You seem to be handling it like a champ. I think you’re a very strong woman, doing this by yourself.”
“I haven’t been alone. Emily has come by, and the nurses have been so supportive.”
“Glad to hear you have support.” Stephen silently glanced down at his coffee.
“How’s the investigation going?” Rebecca took a sip of her warm beverage, noting that the chill she’d been experiencing for several days seemed to be dissipating.
“Pretty well. That’s another reason why I’m here. I’ve interviewed all of his friends, racers, crew, and witnesses of the crash, but I haven’t been able to get hold of that sponsor whose card you gave me. I keep getting a voicemail. I need to follow up on that a little more and maybe have a face-to-face visit. When I was interviewing Skyler’s friend Ryan, I got the impression from him that he wasn’t telling the entire truth. That’s why I stopped by today in hopes that you could give me your thoughts on him.”
The ventilator set off an alarm and the therapist came in, silencing it.
“The boys were here the other day visiting Skyler,” Rebecca said. “I mean Tyler, Danny, and Ryan. Tyler and Danny walked up and touched Skyler and talked to him. Tyler was a little mad at Skyler for letting the accident happen. But I think it was the shock of seeing Skyler the way he is.
“But Ryan…Ryan wouldn’t get near him. He stayed by the door and didn’t say much. He definitely wasn’t his usual self. But I blew it off, figuring he was probably just processing.”
Officer Miller shifted in his seat. “I’m glad to know it wasn’t just me. Have they been friends for a long time?”
“He and Skyler have probably known each other for ten years, since they were little.”
“Any chance he might have been jealous or angry at Skyler?”
Rebecca paused to ponder the question. “Not that I’m aware of. All of the boys were really good about being supportive of each other. I don’t think any of them would want to hurt Skyler.”
The ventilator alarmed again, and this time Peyton came in the room and jotted down some information.
“Everything okay?” Rebecca shifted her attention to the machine pumping air into Skyler’s lungs.
“Yeah, his alarms are just reading higher lung pressure. It could be from a combination of things. We’ll keep an eye on it.” Peyton smiled encouragingly and walked out of the room.
The policeman nodded. “Maybe I need to go have another chat with Ryan. I’ll put a little pressure on him to see if he changes his story.”
Rebecca put down her coffee. “Does this mean you don’t think this was an accident?”
“There’s no proof to suggest it wasn’t. The tests on the bike were conclusive of having a few loose bolts making the tire fall off. Now, the bolts weren’t stripped, so the tire didn’t fall off because of that. The only explanation is that Skyler didn’t tighten them all the way, or someone loosened them. From what everyone has told me about him, he was thorough when checking his bike. There would be no chance that he wouldn’t have tightened those screws. The only one who knows for sure is Skyler. My gut tells me that there’s something else going on here.”
“I appreciate the fact that you’re trying to close this investigation. However, I would really appreciate it if you took it easy on Ryan. I don’t think for a minute that he’d hurt Skyler. There’s already been enough damage done by this horrific accident.” Rebecca leaned over and rubbed Skyler’s leg.
“I hear you, and I’ll take that into consideration when I speak with him again.”
“There’s one more thing you should probably know.”
“What’s that?”
“The sponsor. The one on that card that I gave you? Apparently he stopped by here yesterday afternoon wanting to see Skyler while I was out. I wasn’t here, and the nurse didn’t let him in. Maybe that’s why you were unable to get a hold of him.”
“That’s very interesting. Has he come by since?”
“Not that I’m aware of.”
“If he does come by again, give him my card and ask him to call me. Also, if he does come by again, I’d like to know about it.”
“Sure thing.” Rebecca forced a smile. The thought of someone intentionally trying to hurt Skyler was unfathomable.
The alarm on the ventilator began ringing again. Only this time, it didn’t stop. Peyton and the therapist ran into the room. “His pressures are off!” the respiratory therapist exclaimed.
Peyton grabbed the stethoscope from around her neck and listened to Skyler’s lungs. “No breath sounds on the left side. His trachea is deviating to the right and his saturations are dropping. They’re in the eighties!” Peyton ran to the doorway and yelled out to the department secretary, “Call Dr. Milken, stat. He’s on call for Dr. Stone.”
Rebecca’s heart raced. “What’s going on?”
“I think Skyler has developed what we call a tension pneumothorax. We have to fix it immediately or he could die.”
“Oh no!” Rebecca cried out as she jumped to her feet. “How do you fix it?” Stephen Miller put his arms around Rebecca.
“Dr. Milken will have to stick a needle into his lung and release the air.”
“Dr. Milken is on the phone for you!” yelled the secretary.
Peyton ran out.
Rebecca buried her head into Officer Miller’s chest. “Why can’t he just get better? Why do these awful things keep happening to him?”
“It’s going to be okay. They’ll get him fixed up. Don’t worry. This is just a bump in the road.”
Peyton returned a couple of minutes later with an armful of supplies. She grabbed the bedside table and began placing each item in a specific spot. She performed this task quickly and with ease, as though she had done it a thousand times.
Dr. Milken briskly walked in behind her. He approached Skyler’s bedside and took a listen to his lungs. “You’re right about the pneumothorax. Do you have everything ready to go?”
Peyton rushed around opening various packages. “Just another minute.”
As she fi
nished getting the supply table set up, Dr. Milken began updating Rebecca.
“Skyler has what we call a tension pneumothorax. It happens when there’s been some sort of trauma to the lung and air gets forced into a little pocket on the outside. When it gets there, the air has nowhere to escape, and as a result the air builds up and could cause pressure on the heart. I’m going to have to stick a needle into his lung to release the pressure that’s building up. This will help the air escape.
“Then I’m going to put a tube into his chest wall. We call this a chest tube. This will allow air to continue to escape while his lung heals. If everything goes right, we should be able to take the chest tube out in a couple of days.”
“Will putting the needle in work?” Rebecca’s voice was shaky.
“Yes. It’s the immediate fix. After I let the trapped air out, Skyler should return to normal in a relatively short amount of time.”
“Will it hurt him?”
“It won’t be comfortable. However, I’ll be using a local anesthetic. That with the combination of the pain medications he’s already getting should make him comfortable.”
“How long should it take?”
“It shouldn’t take any more than about twenty minutes. I’ll need you to step out while I’m performing the procedure.”
The thought of leaving Skyler when he needed her most was almost too much to bear. “Why can’t I stay?”
“The procedure is sterile, meaning we’re trying to keep away as many germs as possible. Part of the way we do this is by having as few people as possible in the room. Also, it’s very hard to watch this being performed on someone, especially a loved one. We need to be able to get this done as quickly and precisely as possible. We won’t be able to explain things to you or make sure you don’t faint. And trust me, I’ve seen that happen.”
“Where would you like me to wait?”
“I think the family waiting room would be best. I’ll have Peyton come and get you when we’re done.”
Officer Miller grabbed Rebecca’s sweater and placed it around her shoulders as they prepared to step out.
“How about I stay with you while they’re performing the procedure?” he whispered.
“Aren’t you on duty?”
“Actually, I’m off duty right now. I left the station and came over here to see how you and Skyler were doing before I go home.”
“I’d really appreciate the company right now. It would be nice to have someone keep my mind off of what’s going on.”
As Stephen led her out of the room, she turned back and made eye contact with Peyton.
“Please don’t forget to come get me when you’re done.”
Peyton smiled warmly, “Don’t worry. You’ll be the first to know.”
Chapter 13
Laney
Laney woke up the next morning very sore. Her arms and back were protesting every move she made. The paddle boarding the day before had definitely taken its toll. She thought back on the day and couldn’t believe how perfect it had been. Laney had enjoyed every minute of it, especially the kiss. She touched her lips trying to savor the feel of Josh’s mouth pressed against hers.
Josh was perhaps the best kisser she’d ever met, and she longed to feel the warmth and power of his embrace again. When do I get to see him again? Am I going to have to wait to see him at work? I don’t want to wait that long to see him again!
Laney smiled from the memory. With her arms feeling as though they weighed a hundred pounds, she got out of bed and went to the bathroom. Afterward, she grabbed her running clothes, shoes, and laced up. A good run would help clear her mind and put things in perspective.
She grabbed her iPod and ear buds and dialed in a running mix. When she opened the door and headed down the steps, she nearly stepped on the single red rose and the note that was lying on her doorstep.
Smiling, she picked up the note and read it:
Roses are red
Violets are blue
You are mine and I will have you.
Okay, so poetry wasn’t his thing. And he might be a little creepy. But it’s a nice gesture. She breathed in the scent of the rose. It was fragrant, like the kind cut from a garden, not the kind bought in a store. She went back in and put the rose in a vase with water and left the note on her counter before she headed out the door.
***
Josh
Josh entered Skyler’s room. Rebecca was reading a book and she didn’t notice his presence.
Josh cleared his throat as to not startle her. “Good morning. How are you?”
Rebecca looked up and smiled. “I’m doing fine. How are you this morning?” She stood up.
“I couldn’t be better. Thank you for asking.” Josh checked the ventilator next to Skyler. “I heard we had a little event last night.”
“Yes, it scared the daylights out of me, but Peyton and Dr. Milken were right on it.”
“I’m glad to hear that. Dr. Milken is an excellent doctor. I’m sure he handled everything just fine.”
“Yes. I’m just so surprised how knowledgeable you all are and how quickly you respond to things.” Rebecca put the book down, stood up, and made her way to Skyler’s side.
“When you’re dealing with life and death on a daily basis, you have to know what you’re doing.”
“Well, you all have done an amazing job with my Skyler. I couldn’t ask for a better team of people to care for him.”
“Thank you. It’s nice to hear good feedback. A lot of times, we only hear the negative.” He walked over to the IV pumps and pressed a few buttons. “What do you say we try to wake him up?”
She stared at him. “Are you sure? Do you think he’s ready?”
“With the exception of yesterday, Skyler has been making excellent progress. The last incident was just a small setback. I wouldn’t even refer to it as one. I think it’s time and he’s ready.”
Rebecca covered her face with her hands for a moment. “I was beginning to think this day would never come!”
Josh put up a hand. “Now, I need you to remember a few things. He was down for a long time with all the CPR that was performed. We don’t know how well his brain was oxygenated during that time. I have to warn you that he may not wake up immediately. We won’t know until all of the medications begin wearing off over the next couple of hours. I’m hopeful that he does wake up, but we’ll just have to wait and watch.”
“What are the odds of him coming to?”
He hesitated. “For most cases like this, I’d say the chances are minimal. However, I have to believe he’s in there. The way he responded when you were singing the other day gives me hope that he’ll make a full recovery. As you said before, he’s a fighter.”
Rebecca hugged herself. “What’s the longest it could take?”
Josh sighed heavily. “It could be a couple of hours or it could be a couple of days. One of the medications he’s on may take a while to wear off. It’s a paralytic, which means he can’t move his body parts while he’s on it. The longer that he’s on it, the longer it takes to wear off. Relatively speaking, he hasn’t been on it that long. However, everyone is different in the way they respond.”
“I see.” Rebecca looked away as a tear escaped her eye.
“I’m sorry I can’t give you a more definitive answer. There’s only so much science can offer us. The rest is up to the individual.” He placed his hand on her arm. “Let’s think positively. We’ll cross the next road block when we come to it.”
She nodded. “Thank you for being here today. I know that you didn’t have to.”
“You’re welcome. I’ll check in later to see how he’s doing. Do you have any other questions I can answer?”
Rebecca shook her head. “No, not right now.”
“I’ll let the nurse know what the plan is and she’ll start turning down the sedation as the paralytic wears off. If you were planning on leaving to get food or a shower, I’d do it now and be back in the next couple of hours. No
thing is going to happen immediately. Please be aware, this could be a long haul. My guess is that you’re going to want to be here if and when he wakes up.”
“Thank you. I think I’ll run home right now.” Rebecca reached down and picked up her purse.
“I’ll see you soon, hopefully with good news.” Josh squeezed Rebecca’s shoulder before leaving the room.
He hoped with everything he had that Skyler was going to return to a normal state. The odds were against him, but after what he saw when Rebecca sang to Skyler, anything was possible. This boy could be one of the few miracles he would see in his career.
***
Laney
Laney returned from her run and grabbed a glass of water before jumping into the shower. The five miles helped get some nervous energy out and allowed her to clear her mind. She was ready to get some errands done.
Once she was finished getting ready, Laney grabbed her phone. She couldn’t wait to tell Peyton about her date with Josh. Just as she was about to dial Peyton’s number, the phone rang. Josh’s face and phone number popped up on the screen. How did he get my phone number?
“Hello?” Laney asked cautiously.
“Good morning. How did you sleep?” Josh’s voice was cheery.
“Well, thank you. How about you?”
He chuckled. “Like a baby! Were you sore at all when you woke up?”
“Yes! My arms are killing me. If I did that every day, I’d look like Arnold Schwarzenegger.”
He laughed. “How about I take you out to lunch today?”
“How about I take you out? You paid for everything yesterday. It’s my turn.”
Josh sighed on the other end of the line. “I’m not keeping score. I’m the man and I just asked you out on a date. It would be wrong if I didn’t pay.”
“What decade do you live in?”
“I live in the decade where I’m going to take my dates out and show them a good time. That includes me paying. And you’re plenty independent. You have a career and you live alone. How much more independent do you need to be?”
