When He Returns

by Kimberly Rae Jordan

  “Hey,” she said as she slipped her fingers under his limp ones and leaned forward to press a light kiss to his forehead.

  To the background noise of beeps and whirs, Sierra began to softly talk to Ethan. She told him about her morning with Dalton and the movie they’d watched. Then she shared some of the memories that had been going through her mind as she’d waited to see him.

  Sierra wasn’t going to speak of the memories she still wanted them to make though, because that would reduce her to tears, and she didn’t want to spend her time with her brother crying. She wanted to be strong for him like he’d been strong for her so many times over the years.

  “Remember that time when we went to the Forks with everyone, and we saw that blown glass chocolate kiss? I wanted you to buy that for Makayla so much. I knew it was too soon, since we hadn’t known them long, but I could see how you looked at her.”

  It was a fun memory—for her, at least. Looking back at that time, though, she could see that things were already beginning to unravel between teenage Danica and Devon—JD.

  She spoke to him up until the time the nurse came to tell her that her time was up. Though she didn’t like the idea of leaving him, she didn’t walk away with the same desperation and loneliness as she had the night before.

  “Thank you,” she said to the nurse as she walked her to the doors leading out of the ICU a few minutes later.

  “We’ll see you later.”

  Sierra nodded then rejoined the others in the waiting room. Makayla wasn’t there and neither were Bennett, Emily, or Steve. When she sat down next to Dalton again, she asked where they’d gone.

  “Mom and Dad took Makayla and Bennett to grab something to eat,” Dalton said. “How was your time with him?”

  “It was hard, but I’m hopeful.” She slid her hands under her thighs, the smoothness of the chair beneath her rubbing against her fingers. She gazed down at the floor. “I have to be strong for him. He has been strong for me so many times in the past, it’s the least I can do now. Be strong, pray, and have hope. So that’s what I’m going to try to do.”

  “And when you do have moments of weakness, just remember that we are still here for you,” Dalton said. “You’re as important to us as Ethan is.”

  “Thank you,” Sierra said, touched by his words. She glanced over at him and gave him a small smile—all she could seem to muster up. “And thank you for this morning too. I needed that distraction.”

  “Are you going to go back to work?”

  Sierra nodded. “If I worked anywhere but in this hospital, I might not, but since I am right here, I might as well. I’m already scheduled off for the next two days, but as long as Ethan is stable and continuing to improve, I think I’ll come to work for my next shift. It will keep me busy, and I’ll still be able to visit him on my breaks.”

  “Do you think he’ll wake up soon?”

  Sierra shrugged. “It’s so hard to tell with injuries like he has. Things can take a turn for the worse at a moment’s notice. He’s stable, but he’s not out of the woods.” She turned to look at him. “How’s Mitch doing?”

  “He’s doing better, but he’ll still be in the hospital for awhile because of his broken bones, I guess. They said Avery stopped by to talk to Brooke about helping him out when the time comes for him to begin physical therapy.”

  “It’s good we have someone in the family that can help,” Sierra said. “Ethan will probably need therapy too.”

  “And no doubt whoever we need but don’t have in the family, Maya’s dad, with his connections in the medical community locally and abroad, will find for us.”

  Sierra had never been more glad for Maya’s family’s extreme wealth and connections than she was at that moment. At least, if the worst happened, she would know that they had tried everything.

  “Do you want to go and get something to eat?” Dalton asked.

  She shook her head. “I’m still full from breakfast. That was amazing and unexpected.”

  “You needed to eat, and I kinda had the feeling you wouldn’t do it without a little push.”

  Sierra couldn’t argue with him on that point. She hadn’t had much of an appetite, and the effort required to make a meal would have been more than she’d been interested in expending.

  She’d appreciated having Dalton take care of that for her, but she didn’t want to get used to it. The last she’d heard from Danica and from her own conversations with him, he hadn’t yet committed to staying in Winnipeg. One day—whether it was in the near or distant future—he’d return to his life in Toronto. She wanted his departure to have the least amount of impact on her daily life as possible.

  Danica came from where she’d been sitting with Tristan and Ryan. As she sat down next to Sierra, she said, “How are you doing?”

  “A little better now that I’ve been able to see Ethan, but it was a good and bad thing. I was glad to see him, but man, it’s hard to see him like that. His face is bruised beyond recognition and so still.” Sierra sighed. “I mean, he’s not a hyperactive person, but this type of stillness is just unnatural.”

  “Will they let the kids see him eventually?” Danica asked.

  Sierra wrapped her arms across her waist as she imagined what that would be like. “I kind of hope they wait until Ethan at least looks a bit more like himself. It will be hard enough for them to see him in a hospital bed. It will be even worse if he looks like he does now. If they can’t really recognize him. Even I’m having a hard time with that, you know?”

  “Makayla said they’re having a rough time of it, especially Stephanie.”

  Sierra didn’t doubt that was true. Stephanie was close to her dad, probably a bit closer than she was to Makayla. The two of them were so close in personality, which often led to conflicts. Ethan had a steadying effect on them both.

  “Tristan also said that Shayla is struggling a bit, and no doubt Grace is too, as this undoubtedly brings back memories of when they each lost their husbands.”

  “Makayla hasn’t lost Ethan yet,” Sierra said, her words probably more forceful than Danica had expected given the look her friend gave her.

  “Sorry, sweetie,” she said with a regretful look. “I didn’t mean to insinuate that Makayla was going to lose Ethan.”

  Sierra sighed, tightening her arms around herself. “I know. I didn’t mean to overreact. I just don’t want to imagine that eventuality any more than I already do.”

  “Lots of people are praying for Ethan,” Danica said. “Mom and Dad asked for him to be put on the church prayer chain, plus you know everyone who knows Ethan at church will be praying for him.”

  “I’m glad,” Sierra said. “I think he’s going to need all the prayer he can get. I don’t want to believe God would take him when so many of us still need him, and when he’s still having such an impact in the world, but I know that doesn’t guarantee anything.”

  Danica’s phone rang, drawing her attention from Sierra. “It’s JD.”

  She got up and moved a few feet away to speak to him.

  “Unlock your phone for me,” Dalton said.

  “Why?” Sierra asked even as she pulled out her phone.

  Dalton took it then shook his head. “Never mind. I forgot you had a messed up screen.”

  “What were you going to do?” Sierra asked.

  “I was going to download a game for us to play to help pass the time while we waited, but you’d need to be able to draw on your screen.”

  “Oh.” Sierra took her phone back, her fingers brushing against Dalton’s as she did. “Yeah, I guess that wouldn’t work.”

  She appreciated the thought, especially as the afternoon dragged on. Makayla returned with her folks and Bennett, and she took the next turn to see Ethan. Sierra didn’t press for another visit with him because she felt that Makayla needed it more.

  Once Ethan was awake, she would want to have the opportunity to spend more time with him. At one point, JD arrived, and the four of them went to get a bite
to eat. She wasn’t hungry, but when everyone insisted she go eat, she decided not to argue. Plus getting a break from the waiting room would probably do her some good.

  If only she could get a break from their current reality too.

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  The cafeteria didn’t have much of a selection, so Sierra ended up just getting a sandwich and a drink. Dalton was definitely unimpressed with the food selection, mumbling about how dry and tasteless his sandwich was and how he could have made it so much better. His disgruntled remarks almost made Sierra smile, and his idea about getting a food delivery to the waiting room was enough to lighten her mood for a few minutes. Sierra wasn’t sure that was allowed, but if anyone could make it happen, it would be him.

  They were back in the waiting room when Maya’s mom and dad showed up. They went to speak to Makayla first then came to her. Sierra wished that there was something their incredible wealth could do to fix Ethan, but there really wasn’t. He had good doctors, and the care he was getting was as good as what he’d get anywhere else. There came a point where money couldn’t buy everything.

  Now when it came to his recovery, once he was out of the woods, that was when having wealthy family and friends who were generous with their money would help. She knew it had helped when Emily had had her aneurysm, and Mr. Zavardi had paid for private medical staff to work with her to get her back on her feet. Steve also had a room outfitted at their house so the staff could come to her instead of her going to them.

  Ethan might object to what he would see as accepting charity from people, but Sierra knew that between her and Makayla, they’d get him to accept the help. With the injuries Ethan had sustained, it was going to take a lot of effort and help to get him back to where he’d been before the accident.

  It was her prayer that maybe the doctors were wrong about how serious things were, but in her heart, she knew that they weren’t. Regardless, she would do what she could to help Makayla and Ethan.

  After supper, Sierra went in to see Ethan one last time before she and Dalton took a taxi home. JD and Danica had left earlier, and though they’d offered to come back and pick them up, Dalton had said it was just a waste of time and gas when they could easily catch a cab.

  “Thanks for everything today,” Sierra said when they reached the landing between their apartments. “I really appreciate it.”

  “Are you planning to go up tomorrow?” Dalton asked.

  Sierra nodded. “I’ll probably go for a couple of hours after lunch.”

  “Do you mind company?”

  “Definitely not,” Sierra said. “Plus, it’s your family as well as mine that has been affected by this. You have every right to be there.”

  “I just want to be there to support you and Makayla.”

  “I’m sure she appreciates it as much as I do.”

  “I’m also going to try and visit Mitch again,” Dalton said. “It’s great that he and Ethan are in the same hospital. Makes it much easier for the family to be able to visit them both.”

  They chatted a bit more about Mitch’s prognosis then made plans for going to the hospital the next day. Finally, Sierra bade him goodnight and let herself into the quiet of her apartment. She stood for a moment just inside the door trying to figure out what to do.

  She didn’t have work the next day to prepare for, nor did she have any other plans except to head to the hospital in the afternoon. The silence of the apartment pressed down on her, making her long even more for the days when Danica was still living with her. If it wouldn’t be so unfair to the animal, she might have considered getting a dog. But with her twelve-hour shifts, it would leave the dog alone for far too long.

  Sierra knew that Dalton would probably be happy to hang out with her, but he’d already given up a lot of his day to help her. Not the least of which was the time spent watching a movie that he probably would never have watched on his own.

  Rather than calling him or Danica, she turned on her favorite worship playlist and began to clean. She wanted to wear herself out in hopes that she’d sleep better that night. Her worry was still present, but not to the extent that it had been the night before.

  Ethan was still alive.

  Ethan was in stable—albeit serious—condition.

  She took comfort in those two things as she worked, allowing their positive nature and the encouraging words of the worship songs to buoy her spirits. By the time she took a shower and fell into bed, her body was tired, and her mind was calm.

  Dalton headed for the car he’d called for that morning, happy to see that the same driver he’d had before was behind the wheel. When speaking with the person at the company, Dalton had specifically requested him, but they hadn’t been sure if he’d be available or not since he was scheduled tentatively for someone else.

  “Good morning, sir,” the man said as he got out to open the door for Dalton.

  “Good morning.” Dalton gave him a smile and a nod as he slid into the back seat.

  Once the door was closed, and the driver was back in his seat, he said, “Where can I take you this morning.”

  “I need to go to the closest mall with a cell phone store.”

  The man nodded. “That would be Kildonan Place.”

  “Sounds good.” Dalton relaxed back in his seat as the man pulled away from the curb.

  It seemed that for the time being, his driving lessons were going to be put on hold temporarily. He understood the need for that of course, but it was frustrating to be reliant on hired drivers to get him around for simple errands like this one.

  It didn’t take much time at all to get to the mall. The driver let him off at the door and told Dalton to call him when he was ready to be picked up.

  With it being early in the day and nowhere near Christmas, the mall only had a smattering of people in it. Several of them looked like they were there to walk the mall rather than shop. He checked for a map of the mall then made his way to the store he’d been looking for. There were a couple of cell phone kiosks along the way, but he bypassed them.

  Once at the store, it didn’t take him long to lay out what he wanted to the salesperson working there. He wasn’t there for himself. No, this trip was for Sierra, whether she liked it or not. There was no need for her to go around with a beat-up phone with a cracked screen when he could afford to get her the latest model. He had no doubt that she was going to protest, but it was ridiculous that she was using a phone with a screen that she could barely read anything on.

  It didn’t take the salesman long to talk him into a few accessories to go along with a cell phone. By the time he left, he had a phone, a sturdy phone case—in hopes of avoiding another cracked screen—and a set of Bluetooth earbuds.

  He knew he had an argument ahead of him, but maybe he’d wait until they were at the hospital to give it to her. She might be less inclined to argue with him if there were other people around. That might be somewhat manipulative, but in this particular instance, Dalton felt that the end justified the means.

  As he left the store, Dalton contacted the driver and then walked back to the entrance where he’d been dropped off. Back in the car, he directed the man to a nearby grocery store where he picked up some things that he needed. Once he was done there, he had the driver take him home to drop off the groceries before taking him to his appointment.

  He was sure the driver had questions about why Dalton needed a chauffeur to run such simple errands, but to his credit, he never asked. It was probably boring for him to just wait around, but at least he had access to his phone while he waited.

  Dalton hadn’t been sure about keeping this appointment, but in the end, he was glad he did. Just talking about everything that was going on felt good. He’d needed to get it all out, and it wouldn’t have been something he’d have felt comfortable discussing with Sierra or his family.

  Sitting in that waiting room had brought back memories of the night he’d ended up in the ER with Angel. The only difference was that he’d also been in
the ER being treated for an overdose. Jesse had been the one waiting, and he’d told Dalton how terrible it had been, not knowing if one or both of them had died.

  Dalton had been pushing aside those memories, telling himself that things were completely different this time. However, the counselor had pointed out that while the circumstances were different, what was present in both scenarios was the fear of losing someone.

  Though he hadn’t been completely lucid upon arriving at the ER in Toronto, he’d been aware enough to know that Angel was in rough shape. He’d been trying to distract himself by helping Sierra and the others when he could, but it was clear from his conversation with the counselor that he hadn’t been succeeding entirely.

  Dalton felt better after his session with the counselor. However, it didn’t mean he wasn’t still facing some worry—especially for Ethan—and agitation over the whole situation. He wanted to be there the best way he could for both Sierra and Makayla, but he felt helpless at times to know how to do that.

  He didn’t exactly have skills that lent themselves to helping out, and even though he had money, he didn’t have connections like Max Zavardi did. So here he was, buying a phone and a bunch of accessories for Sierra, hoping that even though she might protest, it was something that would make things easier for her.

  Once the driver dropped him off at home, Dalton thanked him and tipped him generously. He’d toyed with the idea of keeping the car to take them to the hospital, but he knew Sierra was planning to drive, and she probably would want the flexibility that came with having her car close by.

  So he let the driver go and headed up to his apartment to grab a bite to eat before it was time to meet up with Sierra to leave for the hospital. Dalton took the time to send a lengthy email to Jesse, sharing with him everything that had happened over the past couple of days and also asking him about what he’d been doing in LA.

  When one o’clock finally rolled around, he left his apartment and knocked on Sierra’s door. He hoped that she’d been able to sleep a bit better, and from the look of things when she answered the door, she had.