When He Returns

by Kimberly Rae Jordan

  In the kitchen, he set to work making breakfast. French toast, bacon, and scrambled eggs. He’d left his door propped open, so he could hear if she happened to leave her apartment, but when he didn’t hear any movement from her side of the landing, he went to her door and rapped lightly. On the off-chance she was still sleeping, he didn’t want to wake her.

  The door swung open within a few moments of him knocking. Sierra wore a pair of leggings and a large sweatshirt that hung loosely on her slender figure. Her hair was down and looked damp, like she’d taken a shower not too long ago.

  “Come over to my place,” he said with a jerk of his head toward his door. “I’ve got breakfast ready.”

  Her brow furrowed as she regarded him. “I’m not really hungry.”

  “I’m sure that’s true, but when was the last time you ate?”

  Her hesitation told him it had been far too long.

  “C’mon. You don’t have to talk or anything, just come eat some breakfast.”

  She let out an audible sigh as she stared at him. Her face was devoid of makeup, so the dark circles and puffiness under her eyes were clearly evident. “Alright. Just let me get my phone.”

  Dalton returned to his apartment and dished up two plates, adding some strawberries and blueberries to them. By the time Sierra walked in, he had the plates set on the coffee table in front of the television. He had done a quick scan through the streaming services for a movie she might like, and subsequently, You’ve Got Mail was cued up on the screen.

  In one of the discussions their group had had over which movie to go see, Danica had revealed that Sierra preferred romantic comedies, so he hoped that this was one she enjoyed. The info he’d found online about it had put it as one of the top five romcoms, so he hoped they were right. He hadn’t seen it himself.

  “We’re going to watch a movie?” Sierra asked as she lingered around the end of the couch.

  “Yep,” Dalton said, walking over to put two mugs on the coffee table. “That way we don’t have to talk, and hopefully, you’ll be able to just focus on something else for a little bit before you go up to the hospital.”

  He saw her look down at the food on the table then she glanced up at him. “Thanks. I really appreciate this.”

  “Then let’s eat before it gets cold. I can maybe handle cold bacon, but cold eggs? Nope.”

  With slow movements, Sierra settled down onto the couch in front of the plate closest to her. Dalton sat down as well, then waited as she bowed her head and prayed—silently—for her food before turning on the movie.

  As he ate, his attention was divided between a much younger Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan and Sierra. Thankfully, she began to take a few small bites, her attention on the movie. Though he would have liked to talk with her, he had a feeling that what she needed more was the distraction. And food.

  A smile crossed her face a few times, and he heard her laugh softly once or twice. Even though the movie was clearly dated, he still found himself laughing at times too. All in all, it wasn’t a bad way to spend the morning after a really rough day.

  Dalton knew that it didn’t take away the stress of the events Sierra was currently in the middle of, but he hoped that it gave her a bit of a reprieve. Plus, she’d eaten almost all of what he’d put on her plate. That right there made him feel happy.

  As he took care of her, Dalton realized that there was true joy in the act. Was that how it had felt for Jesse when he’d taken care of Dalton and Angel? Or had that been more an act of desperation?

  Sierra leaned forward and put her plate on the table then picked up her mug, settling back into the couch with her legs pulled up into the position she seemed to favor. Dalton felt a familiar sense of peace as he sat beside her. It was weird that in the midst of trying to make her feel better, her presence was able to make him feel better, too.

  When the credits rolled, she turned to face him with a smile. It wasn’t the big smile that was normally on her face, but a smile was a smile, and he would count it as a win.

  “Thank you. I really love that movie,” she said.

  “That was my first time seeing it.” Dalton held out his hand for her mug, then took it with his into the kitchen to refill them. Once her mug was in the machine, he pressed the button to start it then he looked over at her.

  She had shifted her body to face him. “Meg and Tom always had such a quirky chemistry that worked well for romantic comedies.”

  “That movie is kind of old,” Dalton said as he switched the mugs. “Have they done anything recently?”

  “Not a romantic comedy, I don’t think. Which is a shame.” She reached up to take the mug when he carried hers over to her.

  After his had finished brewing, Dalton went back and sat on his end of the couch, shifting to mirror Sierra’s position with his back to the arm. They continued to discuss movies until Dalton’s phone rang. Seeing Danica’s number on the screen, he tapped to answer it then put it on speakerphone.

  “Do you happen to know where Sierra is?” Danica asked. “Has she contacted you?”

  “Yes, I know where she is,” Dalton said. “She’s sitting right next to me.”

  “Are you at the hospital?”

  “No, she’s here in my apartment. We had breakfast and watched a movie.”

  “You had br…” Danica’s voice trailed off. “What?”

  “I figured she wouldn’t eat if no one forced her to, plus she needed a distraction for a little while.”

  “Are you there, Sierra?” Danica asked.

  “Yeah, I’m here,” Sierra said, her face losing the relaxed look she’d had just moments earlier. “I’m sorry I didn’t message you back.”

  Danica sighed. “It’s fine. As long as you’re alright, it’s okay. How are you doing?”

  Dalton wanted to hang up the phone as he watched all the positive things he’d achieved in the past couple of hours unravel. The reality he’d hoped to hold at bay for as long as possible was back as Sierra answered Danica’s question.

  “Have you heard how Ethan’s doing this morning?” Danica asked.

  “I called up there before I came to Dalton’s, and they said that he’d had a good night. That his condition had remained stable.”

  “That’s so good to hear. I know Makayla was going up first thing this morning. When are you going up?”

  “I’m not sure. I don’t want to take away from Makayla’s time with him,” Sierra said, her mouth turning down in a frown.

  “None of that,” Danica said. “Get yourself ready, and we’re going to go up there. You need to be able to see him too.”

  Dalton could see that Sierra wanted to agree but seemed reluctant. “Give us half an hour. That should be enough time for her to get ready. Is JD going too?”

  “He can’t this morning, but he said he’d stop by this afternoon if we were still there.”

  “Okay. We’ll see you in a few minutes.” After he hung up, he met Sierra’s gaze. “Is half an hour enough time?”

  She nodded as she got to her feet. “I’ll be ready.”

  After she set her mug on the counter in the kitchen, she slipped back across the landing to her apartment. Dalton breathed out a sigh then went to get ready himself, hoping that when they got to the hospital, Sierra would be able to see Ethan without having to wait around.

  Just thirty minutes later, they were in Danica’s car headed to the hospital. Dalton was seated behind Sierra so he couldn’t keep an eye on her as Danica drove, but he could tell from the way Danica kept glancing at her that she was still concerned about Sierra. And frankly, so was he.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  When they reached the hospital, Dalton had expected Sierra to race towards the ICU, but as they walked the halls, her steps were slow, making her fall behind Danica. Without thinking, Dalton reached out and grabbed her hand.

  Let me hold your hand.

  He thought the words but didn’t allow them to spill out of his mouth.

  Her slender fingers ti
ghtened briefly then jerked against his. Dalton held tight, hoping it was just instinct, but if she tugged again, he’d release her hand. For a moment, her fingers went limp in his then tightened again. More than anything, Dalton wanted her to know that she was not alone. He was there, not just in word, but physically as well.

  They trailed behind Danica as she talked on her phone to someone. Sierra stayed quiet, but as they neared the waiting room, she tugged her hand free from his. He understood why she’d done it, but still, he missed the feel of her smaller hand in his. Though he didn’t have the biggest hands, hers had still felt frail in his, making him want to lend her what strength he had.

  Dalton knew that frailty was just an illusion where Sierra was concerned. Given all she had dealt with in her life, and in the career she’d eventually chosen, Sierra Collins was anything but frail. If she’d been frail, all of that would have broken her long before this.

  His quick glance of the waiting room showed that Makayla wasn’t there, but his parents were. As soon as they spotted Sierra, they got to their feet and approached her. His mom pulled her into a tight hug while his dad hugged them both.

  Dalton wasn’t close enough to hear what they were saying, but he had a good idea. He sat down next to Bennett, his older brother who looked like he hadn’t slept in ages.

  “How’re you doing?” he asked, acknowledging the fact that Bennett and Ethan were as close as brothers—best friends, in fact.

  At one point, Bennett and Kenton had been best friends, but they’d had a falling out at some point. Though they’d worked through that and were now friends again, he knew that Ethan and Bennett had a stronger friendship. They were not just friends and brothers-in-law, but also co-workers whose positions within C&M required them to work closely together. And on top of all that, their wives were best friends.

  Basically, their lives were so closely intertwined that there was no way that Bennett wasn’t impacted by this. All around, the loss would be incredible for them if Ethan didn’t pull through, but after Makayla and Sierra and the kids, Bennett would be the one to feel the loss most keenly.

  Once his parents released Sierra from their hug, she glanced around the room, and when her gaze found Dalton, she moved to sit next to him. Dalton couldn’t quite figure out why that action brought a swell of warmth within him, but it did.

  Bennett leaned past him and spoke to Sierra. “You doing okay?”

  “I’m okay. How are you?”

  Bennett looked away, his gaze going to some distant point. “I can’t stop seeing it.”

  Dalton didn’t ask what it was, and neither did Sierra. They both knew what Bennett was referring to, and he knew it would be difficult for Bennett to get over that memory if the worst happened.

  When Makayla appeared a short time later, she looked worse than Dalton had ever seen her. She immediately went to their parents and sank into their arms. Beside him, he heard Sierra take a deep, trembling breath.

  Let me hold you close.

  He wanted to offer her the comfort of his embrace, but though they were friends, he wasn’t sure that she’d appreciate his family being there to witness something like a hug between them. So for now, he let it be a wish…a thought.

  His mom was speaking to Makayla when she straightened and looked around the waiting room. When she saw Sierra, she got to her feet and came over to where they sat. Sierra got up to meet her, and Makayla immediately wrapped her arms around her.

  Dalton watched them for a moment, but then the emotion on his sister’s face was too much for him. He looked away, swallowing hard against his own rising emotions. He glanced at Bennett and saw that his older brother had tears in his eyes.

  That rattled Dalton because he’d always viewed Bennett as strong and unshakeable. Of all his siblings, Bennett was the dependable one. The one to lean on. But now it appeared that he needed someone to lean on, and Dalton wasn’t sure he was strong enough to be that person.

  Thankfully, it didn’t appear that Bennett wanted him to be.

  “The next time they let one of us go in to visit, you go,” Makayla said, placing her hands on Sierra’s shoulders. Though Makayla wasn’t a tall woman, she still stood a couple of inches taller than Sierra.

  “Are you sure?” Sierra asked.

  “Very. Ethan needs to know you’re there too. You’re very important to him.”

  From Sierra’s profile, Dalton could see her lips tighten as she nodded. He was glad that she’d be able to see him, and he knew Makayla was right. Even though Ethan was sedated, it was possible he still heard what was going on around him. Hearing the voices of the two women who were most important to him would be crucial.

  “Are you doing okay?” Makayla asked, and it dawned on Dalton then that in some ways, his sister had been like a mother to Sierra. When she and Ethan had married, Sierra had been in Ethan’s custody, so they’d come as a package deal. “I’m so sorry I didn’t call you. I’ve just been…the kids…”

  “It’s okay. I understand,” Sierra said when Makayla’s voice trailed off. “I’m okay. Just so very worried.”

  “I am too,” Makayla said with a nod. “The doctor said he was holding his own though, so they might consider weaning the sedation in another day or so. The swelling in his head is going down like they had hoped.”

  “That’s good. The first twenty-four hours are important.”

  “He doesn’t look good though,” she said, her tone wavering as emotion took over her expression again.

  “Yeah. He looked really banged up when I saw him,” Sierra said as she reached out to run her hands up and down Makayla’s upper arms. “But the bruises will fade, and he’ll look more like our Ethan in no time.”

  Makayla nodded, but she didn’t try to speak. Instead, she gave Sierra another hug then went back to sit down with their mom and dad. Dalton knew it would be hard to give up her time with Ethan, so he hoped she was able to follow through when the next visiting time came around.

  Sierra shifted on her seat, her movements bringing her closer to the side next to Dalton. As she sat there, the minutes moving slowly, each one feeling like an hour, her thoughts drifted back over the years.

  Memories of her time spent with Ethan tumbled through her mind like tumbleweed. There for a moment, then gone, rolling away into the distance. Fading.

  She wanted more memories. The ones she’d had already were not enough. She wanted more memories of him giving her candies a million times. She wanted more memories of picking up her phone to see a text from him telling her that he loved her. She wanted the memory of him one day walking her down the aisle if she ever found a guy who would never leave her. She wanted the memory of him holding her first child—his namesake, if it was a boy.

  This couldn’t be the end of things for them. He had so many more memories to star in, not just for her, but for Makayla and their children too.

  Please, God, don’t let this be the end.

  She felt a hand cover hers and looked down to see Dalton’s there. Sierra stared at it. His hand wasn’t as big as Ethan’s, but she could feel the strength in it. Had felt the strength in it when he’d taken hers earlier.

  She didn’t, for a minute, read anything more into his actions than him being a supportive friend. One who seemed to be tuned in to what she needed, much like Danica had always been. As her friend’s attention had shifted to JD, Dalton had been there to fill some of the gaps the change in Danica’s focus had created for Sierra.

  As she sat there waiting for her turn to see Ethan, surrounded by evidence of their support for her, Sierra had to admit something that she hadn’t allowed herself to dwell on much. She’d thought she had recovered from the whole situation with her parents, but the fact that she’d expected Makayla and her family to desert her when she needed them most spoke loudly to the fact that she hadn’t.

  She hadn’t even given them a chance to be there for her. In her pain and fear, she hadn’t wanted to face their rejection. Her knee jerk reaction told her more
than anything else that she still expected to be abandoned by everyone but Ethan.

  “You can go see him now.”

  Sierra lifted her gaze to see a nurse standing in the entrance to the waiting room. She had addressed her words to Makayla, so Sierra looked over to see what her sister-in-law would do. Though she’d offered to let Sierra go next, Sierra wasn’t sure she would follow through when push came to shove.

  Sierra didn’t get to her feet until Makayla glanced her way and said, “Sierra will go in this time. She’s Ethan’s sister.”

  The nurse turned to her and gave her a gentle smile. “Come with me.”

  Dalton moved his hand as she got to her feet. Sierra willed her legs not to give out on her as she walked to the woman. She wasn’t the nurse who had been there the last time Sierra visited, but she seemed to know about her.

  As they walked, the nurse gave her a report on what had transpired over the hours since Sierra had last been to visit him, though none of her words were the ones Sierra really wanted to hear. He’s awake and aware. He’s going to recover fully. It’s a miracle!

  Instead, she heard words like cautiously optimistic and stable but still serious condition. As a nurse, Sierra knew that they couldn’t—wouldn’t—give her any promises, but she so desperately wanted them. Being on this side of things was definitely eye-opening, and it was giving her another perspective that would only help her be a better nurse. But the price of that knowledge might be way higher than she wanted to pay.

  In the future, when parents looked at her with pleading in their eyes, needing her to do what she could to take away their child’s pain and promise them that everything was going to be okay, she would know exactly how they felt. And it wasn’t a good feeling. It was a helpless—edging on hopeless—feeling.

  A short time later, the nurse led her to Ethan’s bed, and though Sierra knew why he looked worse, it still took her breath away, and once again the pain pressed against her chest. The bruises had deepened in color, and his eyes were swollen so much that she doubted he could open them even if he were awake enough to do so.