Linda shook her head. “No. She just woke up. Come on, Elaina. Let’s get something to eat. Felicia, would you like to come?”

“I’ll be down in a minute.”

I went to work setting up the tray, getting Abby’s spoon and napkin ready, adjusting the bed, making sure she was upright enough. “Eat.”

“Damn, Nathaniel,” Felicia said. “She’s not a dog.”

I narrowed my eyes at her. “I know that.”

“Do you?”

Did I treat Abby like a dog? What had I ever done to deserve such criticism?

“Felicia,” Abby said.

Felicia glared at me once more and stomped out the door. Jackson was going to have his hands full with that one, but I was glad Abby had such a caring friend.

“I’m sorry about that. Felicia is . . .” Abby sighed. “Felicia.”

I sat on the edge of her bed, wanting to be near her. Needing to be near her. “Don’t apologize. She cares for you and is looking out for your best interests. There’s not a thing wrong with that.” I pointed to the bowl. “You do need to eat.”

She took a sip. “This is good.”

“Thank you.”

I sat and watched her. Enjoyed the sight of her awake. Alive. Moving. Breathing.

Being Abby.

“Elaina has my collar.”

Okay, it wasn’t enough to be near her. I needed to touch her. “I know. She told me. We’ll get it later.”

I made lazy circles on her leg, then stroked from her ankle up to her knee. Touching her. Reassuring myself she was fine, that she was alive.

“What did you mean earlier—had they told me?” she asked. “Told me what?”

“About the weekend.” I looked into her eyes—they were intelligent and alert. “Tomorrow, Felicia and everyone will head on to Philly as planned. But since you shouldn’t be alone this weekend, you’ll stay with me.”

“I’m sorry. You’ll miss Jackson’s game because of me.”

Like I cared about Jackson’s game with her in the hospital.

“Do you know how many times I’ve watched Jackson play football?” I asked.

“But this is the play-offs.”

“And I’ve seen him in the play-offs too many times to count. I don’t mind missing this one. We can watch it on TV.” I smiled. She didn’t know about my surprise. “But I am disappointed you’ll miss it.”

“Me?” She looked endearingly confused.

“You and I were going to take my jet to Philly tomorrow evening. Spend the weekend in the city. Watch the game on Sunday.” I patted her leg, still not wanting to stop touching her. “Now we’ll have to make do with the couch and takeout.”

Still the confused look.

“Don’t worry,” I said, laughing inwardly. “If they pull this off, there’s always the Super Bowl.”

She started eating again. I thought back to her comments earlier about the yoga and jogging and suddenly I wanted to make myself clear.

“And, Abigail. All you’re going to do this weekend is rest.”

Chapter Fourteen

She finished eating and pushed her tray away from the bed. “Is there a mirror around here?”

“I don’t know,” I said. She wanted to see herself. Was that a good idea? Should I let her? I thought she was beautiful, but what would she think? “I don’t think . . .”

She ran a finger over her cheek and winced. “Is it bad? Do I look that awful?”

I stood up and walked to the sink. Felicia would get her a mirror if I didn’t. I found a small mirror and handed it to her, watched as she examined herself.

“Poor kid was stuck in that car for the better part of three hours, just watching and listening to his parents die.” The voices were low and soft. They didn’t know I was listening. Didn’t know I was awake. “Makes you wonder how something like that will affect him.”

“Ugh,” Abby said. “I’m going to have a black eye. It’ll look like I’ve been beaten.”

“Makes you think it might have been better if he—”

Where am I? Are Mommy and Daddy here?

“Wait, look. I think he’s awake.”

“What is this? What happened?” Abby asked.

I looked over to her. She lightly touched her bandage.

“Head wound,” I said. “There was blood everywhere. It wouldn’t stop and they weren’t trying. They were too concerned with whether you had a broken neck or internal bleeding.”

They were lifting Mommy and Daddy from the car. Why were they covered in red? Was all that blood?

“Head wounds bleed a lot. I remember.”

“Get the boy! Get him out of here!”

Abby said something, but I missed it.

“What?” I asked.

“My bleeding. It stopped.”

Yes, for Abby the bleeding stopped. She was okay. She was alive and she was with me.

“Yes. Once they decided you hadn’t broken your neck, they bandaged your head.” I took her tray. “Let me put this outside.”

Linda stood at the nurse’s station, talking with Abby’s nurse.

I put the tray down and walked toward her. “She’s doing well. She ate all the broth.”

“Good.” She smiled. “Are you going to stay here tonight?”

Where else would I go? “I was planning on it.”

“I’ll round you up some scrubs. They’ll be more comfortable than that suit.”

“Right.” I’d forgotten I still had my suit on. “How long will she be here?”

“Anxious to get her to your house?”

“Do you know how many people die of hospital-acquired infections each year?”

She set down the papers she’d been looking over. “As a matter of fact, I do. But Abby’s extremely healthy. She’s not going to die of a nosocomial infection.”

“I can feed her properly when she’s at my house.”

“Take it easy on my kitchen staff. It’s hard to find good help.”

“How about you go find those scrubs?” I growled.

“It’s all going to be fine. Just wait and see.”

I wished, not for the first time, that I shared Linda’s optimism.

Elaina and Felicia returned not long after. I moved from my place at Abby’s bedside to allow Felicia to sit next to her.

“Did you eat, Abby?” Felicia asked.

“Mmm.” Abby nodded. “Best chicken broth ever.”

Elaina tapped me on the arm. “Come outside for a minute.”

We walked outside, and the door closed softly behind us.

“I have to leave, but I wanted to give you this.” She took out her purse and handed me Abby’s collar. “I’ll let you give it back to her.”

And in that minute, I was certain Elaina knew. “Thank you.”

“I’ll come by tomorrow with some clothes for her.” She kissed my cheek. “Are you staying here tonight?”

“Yes.”

She laughed. “Good luck with that. So is Felicia.”

I groaned. Of course Felicia would be staying.

Felicia stood by the bed talking with Abby when I reentered the room. I watched as she squeezed Abby’s hand and whispered in her ear.

I walked over and stroked Abby’s cheek. “I’ll stay tonight.”

Felicia huffed.

“Do you have a problem?” I asked.

“I’m staying with Abby tonight.”

“Really?” I countered. “So am I.”

She waved to the large bag in the corner of the room. “I already brought an overnight bag with a change of clothes and a toothbrush.”

She was fighting with me. Again. In front of Abby. Fortunately, I didn’t care this time. “Linda’s bringing me a set of scrubs.”

“I think that’s improper use of hospital equipment.” She pointed at me. “Maybe I’ll report it to the board.”

She was fighting and threatening me. Or, at least, trying to threaten me.

“Linda’s on the board,” I said.

A nurse entered the room to check Abby’s vitals again, pointedly stepping around us as Felicia sank defiantly into the recliner by the bed.

“We’ll both stay.” I could spend one night in a room with Felicia. It wouldn’t kill me.

“Sorry, Mr. West,” the nurse said. “Only one visitor in the room overnight. It’s a rule.”

A rule. I couldn’t very well go against hospital rules. Not after punishing Abby for not following mine.

“I see.” I glanced at Abby, and her face was flushed. “Felicia, you can stay.” I walked to Abby’s bed. “I’d better leave before they call security. I’ll see you first thing in the morning.” I leaned over and whispered in her ear, “Sleep well.”

By ten o’clock, everyone had left the hospital except staff and overnight visitors. Abby’s night nurse was a short, stocky woman with friendly eyes and a warm smile. When I saw her pass the door of the waiting room, I took my scrubs and followed her.

She stayed in Abby’s room for about five minutes. The door was slightly ajar and I peeked inside. A groggy Abby lifted her arm for the nurse to take vitals. Felicia sat huddled on the reclining chair in the corner. Our eyes met briefly.

I stopped the nurse when she left Abby’s room.

“Is she okay?” I asked, blocking the hall.

“You’re Nathaniel West. Nice to meet you.”

“Yes, sorry.” I held my hand out. “It’s just . . . I’m worried.”

“Abby’s fine. I bet she’ll go home tomorrow.”

“Thank you,” I said.

She winked. “I’ll check on her again soon.”

As the nurse walked away, Felicia opened the door. “Visiting hours are over.”

“I’m not visiting.” I pointed to the waiting room. “I’m waiting.”

“You’re staying here all night?”

“Here in the hallway? No. Here in the hospital? Yes.” I held up my scrubs. “I was just getting ready to change into my board-approved scrubs.”

“Fine. Just make sure you don’t bother Abby tonight. She needs her rest.”

“Hell, Felicia, do you think I’m going to bust into her room and have my wicked way with her? Force myself on a woman who’s been unconscious for the better part of the afternoon?” I took a step closer to her. “Is that what you think of me? That I care only for myself? My needs? I hold her above all. Do you understand? Whenever we’re together, Abigail is at the forefront of my mind. What she wants. What she needs.”

For the first time, I felt a change in Felicia. Nothing major. I knew she still didn’t like me, or what Abby and I did, but maybe, just maybe, I was changing her view of me. I wondered why the thought made me happy.

She lifted her nose. “I don’t believe you.”

“I didn’t expect you to.”

I didn’t sleep well that night. The waiting room couch didn’t fit my frame, and the blankets Linda had found for me were scratchy. But, of course, the real reason was three doors down the hall.

Abby.

I could no longer think of her as Abigail. Not after today. Not after almost losing her.

Abby’s nurse walked down the hall, and I got up from the couch to follow. Once more, Abby was half asleep and Felicia sat huddled on the recliner.

The four of us replayed the scene several times during the night. By six forty-five, the nurse was preparing for a shift change and Felicia dozed uneasily. I walked down to the kitchen to see to Abby’s breakfast.

“Not you again,” the chef said when I walked into the kitchen.