by Tamika Brown
Calen sat with his friend for another thirty minutes when the door swung open.
Tela.
Calen rose as she rushed into the room and went straight to Bryce’s bedside. He offered her his seat and could see the tears forming in her eyes. She had been crying for a while, her eyes swollen and puffy. Calen watched as this woman he and his friend barely knew grabbed his friend’s hand and let loose a barrage of tears.
Calen let her cry for as long as she needed to before he tried to talk with her. He moved closer to Tela and draped his arm around her shoulders. She turned into him and let all the toughness people knew her for slide out of her and relaxed against his chest.
“It’s okay. He’s gonna make it, there’s no need for tears,” he crooned.
“But why isn’t he awake, Calen? It’s been days.”
Calen wondered the same thing, but he didn’t know. The doctors weren’t sure.
He decided to tell Tela what the doctor said with the hopes of calming her hysterical tears. “The doctor said he should be awake in a few days. They are going to run some more tests to make sure they haven’t missed anything that would cause him to wake up. Dr. Soto says it is best if he wakes on his own.” This seemed to satisfy her a little, as her tears began to dry and her breathing became evener.
Once she was satisfied with the explanation, he removed his arms from around her shoulders to face her and asked, “Where are you staying while you’re here?”
“I have a room at the Hilton. I made the reservation as soon as I was packed, but I will probably spend most nights here. I don’t want to leave him like this,” she said.
“You know they’re not going to give you any information about his condition. There’s no need to stay here, just come back every day during visiting hours. I think that would be…”
Calen didn’t get the chance to finish his sentence. He lost all concentration because he was busy staring at a rock on her finger so big, it hurt his eyes; it was shining so brightly.
Tela followed Calen’s gaze to her left ring finger and held it up so he could get a better look at it. “I told them I was his wife.” She held her hand up, wiggled her fingers and smiled.
“And they believed you,” Calen said incredulously.
“Yeah, they did. I flashed this baby at ‘em, cried hysterically, which wasn’t a part of my act, by-the-way,” she quickly corrected. “When I asked for him and the desk nurse glimpsed my ring, she just directed me to where I needed to be.”
Calen didn’t any words for Tela. He just shook his head and headed for the other chair in the room. “So how is my baby doing?” Calen missed Shayla something awful.
She still held Bryce’s hand as she settled into the chair beside the bed. “She’s been a doll. If it wasn’t for her…” She took a deep breath to push back the tears threatening to flow again before she continued, “I don’t believe I would have gotten here in one piece. I don’t know what I would have done.”
She started to release some of the tension that she was holding. Calen could visibly see the tension release from her shoulders.
Just then, the nurse came into the room. She quickly glanced at Calen, then Tela before she got to work. “I’m just going to check his bandages, make sure they don’t need changing.”
She methodically pulled back the sheets to expose Bryce’s leg. She glanced at the bandage to see if there was any leakage, then looked at Tela while she replaced the covers.
She was a beautiful woman, but Calen noticed a strangeness in her eyes. It looked as though there was anger, compassion, and sympathy wrapped into the stare of her brown eyes. She couldn’t have been more than twenty-five to thirty-years-old, around the same age as Tela. She checked all Bryce’s vital signs, then turned to the new addition to the room and introduced herself.
“Hello, I’m Tammy. I’m Mr. Bryce’s nurse.” She reached her hand out toward Tela.
Tela gripped her hand and introduced herself. “I’m Bryce’s wife.”
A slight smirk quirked Calen’s lips as he shook his head faintly, but he wouldn’t bust her. If Tela wanted to pretend they were married to stay close to his friend, he would let her.
Relief crossed Tela’s face, before she focused on the nurse. “Can you tell me what’s happening to him? Why isn’t he awake yet?”
“No, I can’t tell you why he’s not awake. I don’t know. You may want to speak with the doctor, but what I can tell you is that all is vitals seem to be normal. His wounds look good. Even the wound on his leg isn’t leaking like we expected it to, which is real good news, lessens the chance of infection.”
“How long do patients who’ve been in something like this stay out?”
Tammy paused before answering; Calen was sure it was to choose her words carefully so as not to give false hope. “Normally, a patient who has been in an explosion as Mr. Bryce has, can be out anywhere from a couple of days to a few months. But, the damage he sustained was minimal in comparison, so we just don’t know what the problem is. I’m sorry. I know that’s probably not what you want to hear about your husband’s condition, but we just don’t know.”
When Calen interjected into the conversation, Tela jumped a little, startled. She was so focused on what the nurse had to say that she must have forgotten he was there. “I spoke with Dr. Soto earlier, and he said that all of Bryce’s tests were normal, that they were gonna run some additional tests to see if they missed anything.”
Tammy nodded. “Yes. He did order some additional tests to be run, but that won’t happen until tomorrow. In the meantime, we’ll wait to see if he wakes up on his own. A lot of times, it’s just the shock and trauma of it all as to why coma patients stay in a coma, but we just don’t know.”
Calen rose to his feet with his hand extended to the nurse. “Thank you so much for everything you are doing to help.”
He ushered her to the door, then turned to Tela. She looked so fragile sitting there beside his friend. She still had her hand intertwined with Bryce’s. She was so unlike the Tela he met in Denver, the Tela who took him on when he basically threatened her not to hurt his best friend. The one that told him Bryce could take care of himself when it came to her interest in him. The one who told him he should mind his own business.
He took a deep breath and sat on the corner of the bed. “Tela, what are you doing here?”
She looked up at him as if puzzled by his question. “What do you mean? I wanted to see about Bryce”
She sat up a little straighter, about to go on the defensive.
With suspicious eyes, Calen watched Tela. “You wanted to see about a guy you just met, one who you spent one night with? I don’t buy it. What’s the real reason?”
He suspected she had somehow fallen in love with his best friend. She either didn’t know it yet or was too afraid to admit it to herself. From what he could gather, Tela wasn’t the type to settle down with one person. She was most definitely a playa’, which was part of the reason he was truly concerned about Bryce from the beginning.
Either way, he planned to find out what she was doing here.
“There’s no real reason.” She dropped Bryce’s hand. “God, can’t I just visit a friend?”
“I repeat, you’ve known him for a little while and you fly thousands of miles when you find out he’s been in an accident? Come on, Tela! What’s up with you two?”
It took her a minute to gather herself, to play it out in her head. Calen decided he’d give her all the time she needed to explain herself. He watched as tears started to form in her eyes. She blinked several times as if willing them not to fall, not in front of him. But it was to no avail.
She lost the battle with her emotions, and silent tears fell as she struggled to find her words. “I don’t know how it happened. When I saw him that first night, he was like any other man I’d been with. I thought he was attractive, and when we started talkin’, I knew I wanted him.”
She paused for a minute to make sure Calen was following her st
ory and perhaps to figure out where to go next. She was struggling. She seemed open when it came to her sexuality, but maybe because she experienced it with Bryce, she didn’t want to reveal too much.
He tried to encourage her, handing her a tissue before she went on.
“When we ended up in his room, I was my normal self. I took command, I went in there like, let’s just do this, one wild night of fantastic sex. But Bryce threw me for a loop.” She sighed, gathering Bryce’s hand in hers once more. “He wanted to please me, to take care of me. I didn’t have to do anything. What he did was out of the norm for me.”
She stopped once more to gather her thoughts. Calen waited patiently as she tried to come to terms with what she was about to say.
“I think it was how he treated me. No one has ever taken care of me. He got past my defenses and seeped into my heart. When I heard what happened to him, I knew I had to get to him, because… I love him,” she finished with a catch in her throat, as if it was the first time she spoke it aloud.
She instantly broke down after the words left her mouth.
Calen moved around to her. She still gripped Bryce’s hand, and he put his arm around her to console her, to show his support, then whispered to her, “Hey. It’s okay. You love him. I knew you did. I just wondered if you knew it. If it means anything, I know my friend and I think he feels the same way about you.”
He decided to tell Tela how Bryce had changed. How she had changed him. “There was something different about him after that night. He stared into the distance the whole trip back home. Like it didn’t sit with him that we had to leave Denver. He was depressed about leaving.” Then he smiled at her. “I’m pleased for both of you.”
Calen gave her another squeeze and moved toward the door as he dug into his pocket. “I’m gonna call Shayla and let her know you got here okay. I suspect you haven’t called her, and she is probably worried sick. How long are you staying here?”
“I really don’t know. I suppose I’ll stay until the weekend. I only brought enough clothes for the rest of the week. If he hasn’t awakened after that, I’ll probably go back home,” she said, no longer wiping tears from her eyes.
“Well, since you’re here with him, I think I’m gonna head back to the States. I have about a week’s leave. I planned to spend it with Bryce, but I believe I’ll go see Shayla. I miss her.”
Tela didn’t get up as he pulled the door to the room open, but she stopped him as he started to step into the hallway. “Calen, thank you for what you did. I don’t think I would’ve ever admitted it if you hadn’t pushed me. And I thank you for allowing me to take care of your best friend as you are taking care of mine.” She shyly smiled through her remaining tears. “When you talk to Shay, tell her I apologize for not calling, but I’m safe. And tell her I love her.”
“No problem. I know you’ll take care of him, and one less thing to worry about. Before I go, is there anything you need me to do?” he asked.
Strain filled her eyes, but she shook her head. “No, thank you. You’ve done so much already.”
“Well, get some sleep if you can. Call me if anything changes.” He closed the door, trusting he was leaving his friend in good hands.
30
Calen
Calen stepped into the hallway and pulled his phone out of his pocket. He knew the nurses didn’t like cell phones on their floor, but figured, since he was an old friend, he could get away with it.
He dialed Shayla’s number. He had committed it to memory the first time she left it on his voicemail. The phone rang three times before she picked up.
He made his way to the lobby.
“Hello?” She sounded sleepy.
He checked his watch and winced. Eleven in the morning in Germany. He forgot he was in a different hemisphere. It was three in the morning in Denver. Yeah, she was asleep.
He spoke carefully into his phone. “Hey, babe, it’s me.”
“Calen? What time is it?” she asked.
She grunted, and he knew she was trying to sit up in the bed. It must be getting harder for her to carry the baby now. How he wished he could be with her through all of it.
He let out a sigh before he answered her. “It’s early there. I apologize. I didn’t mean to wake you. I forgot about the time difference.”
“That’s okay. I’m not having a good night, anyway. I’ve got heartburn— Wait, wait. Did you say eight-hour difference? Calen, where are you?”
“I’m at the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany, where they brought Bryce.”
“Yeah, I know that’s where Bryce is,” she said breathlessly. “What I want to know is what you’re doing there? You didn’t tell me you were going there, or I would have let Tela know. She was on her way there. I don’t know if she’s made it yet. She hasn’t called me.”
“Don’t worry, babe, she made it. Actually, she’s in with Bryce now. She plans on staying a few days.” He paused before giving her the other news about Tela. He didn’t know how she would take it and dreaded the whole thing. “I’ve got something else to tell you about Tela.”
“Oh, God, what did she do this time? I tried to tell her they wouldn’t give her any information about him. She cussed them out, didn’t she? No, no, don’t tell me. I don’t think I could take it. She’s probably sitting in somebody’s jail right now, isn’t she?”
Calen could not get a word in. He let Shayla go on and run down her list of Things That Can Get Tela Arrested before he told her the real deal.
He chuckled. “Babe, babe, calm down, calm down.” He seriously hoped Tela had never done any of the things Shayla listed. But, somehow, he knew she did. “You’re gonna make your blood pressure run high. She hasn’t been arrested. She didn’t cuss anyone out. Well, not that I know of.” He paused. “Anyway… she only told the nurses she was Bryce’s wife.”
Calen stepped into the elevator as he gave Shayla this bit of news. Surprisingly, he had service and could tell by the silence it wasn’t too farfetched for her to believe. Evidently, she didn’t put schemes like this past her best friend.
A few seconds later, the elevator opened up to the main lobby, and he stepped out and headed toward the exit, before he continued the conversation. “I take it you knew about her plan.”
“No. No, I didn’t. Not specifically, what she planned, anyway. All she said was she would get the information she needed.”
“Well, she told me, when she came in, all she did was ask for Bryce’s room, cry a little, and flash this huge rock at the desk nurse, and she let her up. Surprisingly, it’s worked with everyone, because Bryce’s nurse, Tammy, came in, glimpsed the ring, and answered her questions, too.” He still couldn’t believe she had pulled it off. He hoped it wouldn’t blow up in her face. Calen stepped out of the elevator and moved across the lobby to leave the hospital. He parked close to the entrance, and he didn’t have far to walk.
“So, she’s not in any trouble for lying?”
“No, not yet, anyway. Not going to worry about her right now. She loves Bryce, and that’s enough for me.” Silence again. “You knew.”
“I had my suspicions, but nothing confirmed until I witnessed her reaction to the news about Bryce. I saw the look on her face, Calen. She was devastated. I’ve never seen Tela like that before. Usually, she’s so in control. I’d have to say her leaving for Germany, way out of character. But how did you know she was in love with him?”
“I sorta pried it out of her. She cried a little. Then she admitted it. I tried to console her, but I think it’s gonna help both of them with her just being here. She’s done something to Bryce as well. I think he’s fallen for her, too.” Calen moved to get comfortable in his car.
He would go back to the hotel and try to get the earliest flight to the U.S. Hopefully, he could get a flight with only one stop, but he doubted it.
“Oh, Calen that’s wonderful. I always hoped she’d find someone who could handle her. I believe Bryce is the one,” she said in a singsong voice.
“Look, I’m heading back to the hotel now. I’m gonna try to get the earliest flight I can to Denver. Do you think you’ll be up for some company?”
“What? You’ve got some time off? I would love it. You’ll be able to go to my doctor’s appointment. I have to take my sugar test. Definitely not looking forward to that. I can’t eat anything!”
“Well, I’ve got about a week off. I’m ready to see both of you. You get some sleep. I’ll be there as soon as I can. Sleep well. I’ll call you when I land. Love you.”
“Love you, too. I’ll see you when you get here.”
31
Shayla
Shayla’s phone rang.
She rose from the floor to grab the cell phone from her nightstand and saw Calen’s name on the screen. Warmth filled her chest as she pressed answer.
“Hey, it’s me. I’m on my way,” he said, and a car door closed in the background, and an engine roared to life. “I was able to rent a Tahoe at the airport, so I should be to your house soon.”
“Good, you’re just in time.” Winded from bending over, she sat back on her heels. “That means we can ride to the appointment together. It’s at nine.”
“What are you doing?” Worry filled his voice. “You sound out of breath.”
“Nothing. I’m trying to find my shoes.” She halted her search to listen to the deep, rich laughter that tickled her ear through her cell.
She loved his laugh. It reminded her of just how sexy he really was.
“I don’t see anything funny about me trying to find my shoes,” she indignantly said.
“It’s not amusing. It’s really more arousing. I just got a mental picture of you on your hands and knees and that round ass in the air.” His voice became husky with lust. “I’m so glad you live as close as you do to the airport. I’ll see you in a few minutes.”
