Running my fingers along her marred skin, I study her hand. Several of her nails are broken, as if they were ripped from her fingers. I know she put up a fight, hell, she broke the wrist of her other hand trying to escape. A small, yet sad sense of pride fills me just knowing my girl fought.
She fought to come back to me.
Raising her hand to my mouth, I press a soft kiss against the back and hold it there for a moment, just appreciating she’s alive and will be okay. I send up a silent prayer of thanks to God for bringing her back to me.
I never got the chance to tell her how I felt about her before I left town. Waking up with Ellie wrapped in my arms that morning, I knew what I was feeling. I loved Ellie and I wanted to tell her but the time never felt right and then before I knew it I was out of town. At the time, I wanted to be able to tell her in person. I told myself that when I got back, when I had her in my arms, I would tell her everything.
I wanted her to know how brave she is and how much I admire her courage to start over. I want to tell her thank you for bumping into me at the bus station and how today I still remember how beautiful she was that day. I never saw her coming. I need her to know how much I love her and how, unlike everyone she has loved in her life, I am going to make a promise never to leave her.
I wish she would wake up so I could tell her, so she could see all the people around her who care about her, who haven’t left her side.
Kinsley, Hudson, and Halle have been up here just as much as I have been. The first two days, Kinsley and Halle closed the salon, rescheduling their appointments to be here by her side. My mom and Randy have been up a couple of times to be here for me. My mom insisted she wanted to be here for Ellie, but decided to stay out in the hallway. She didn’t want their meeting to happen while Ellie lay in a hospital bed, unconscious.
The doctor has continued to be reassuring, reminding us that her body went through a great deal of trauma. That word hit me hard, even though I know he only meant to explain she has been through a lot and her body needs time to rest.
Kinsley and Wes show up a little while later. Feeling someone shaking my shoulder, urging me awake, has me sitting up right. My eyes are wide and wild with panic as I look at Ellie in hopes she’s awake.
Looking up, I see Wes and his ugly mug grinning at me, shaking his head.
“Dude, have you showered since you’ve been here?” he asks, laughing. “You’re not going to wake your sleeping beauty when you smell bad enough to make her pass out.”
If anyone else said something like that to me, they would be laid out.
Grumbling low, I throw a “fuck you” back, glaring at him, earning me a small chuckle.
“You might want to stop while you’re ahead, unless you want to end up sleeping on the couch today.” Kinsley chastises him, which has me throwing out a laugh of my own.
“I figured you would want a change of clothes so we stopped by your place,” Kinsley says, holding a bag out to me with a sad smile on her face. “How’s our girl doing?”
“No change,” I mutter solemnly, rubbing my hand over my face.
I know this has been incredibly hard on Kinsley, the look on her face says she is probably getting about as much sleep as I am in this uncomfortable fucking chair. She’s continued to push me to go home, get some rest, and shower. After an hour of trying, she must’ve caught on that it was no use, which is why she showed up here with a bag of my things. I guess she figured if she brought my shit up here, it would help me change my mind about that part of it.
“She’s going to be okay, Callum. Ellie is a fighter, and she hasn’t given up yet. Give her time and she’ll be back here with us.” Bending down, she wraps her arms around my neck. Leaning into her embrace, I let myself accept the warmth of her hug.
“Thanks, Kins, for bringing this up here for me,” I grumble. I meant for it to come out a little softer but I just can’t find it in me.
“You’re welcome. Now seriously, why don’t you do you and everyone else in this room a favor and take a quick shower and head down to the cafeteria to get yourself something to eat? You’re not helping her get better any quicker if you’re not taking care of yourself.” She reprimands. I want to put up a fight and I plan to when I look up at Kinsley from my seat and see her standing there with her arms crossed. The indignation on her face tells me this isn’t up for discussion. If I want to avoid her laying into me, I need to get up and do as she says.
Standing, I grab the bag from the chair. Seeing me follow through has a smile shining brightly on her face. Wes, however, is back at thinking he is the funniest shit on earth as I flip him off.
As soon as my eyes meet Kinsley’s, she softens as if reading my mind.
“I promise, I won’t leave her side, neither of us will. If she wakes up, the first thing I’ll do is call you,” she promises as she moves to take my place next to Ellie.
Leaning down, I run my nose along the side of Ellie’s face toward her ear. I have a niggling feeling inside me, taking in the scent of Ellie. It’s still there, she’s still her. But it’s not the same.
The smell of this clean, sterile room seeps in taking away everything that makes her my Ellie.
After I’ve showered and gotten dressed, I head down to the cafeteria in search of something to eat. I’ve ate here and there, mostly food people have brought by. The nurse even brought me a bowl of soup last night. She didn’t say anything but it was clear she was just as worried about me as Kinsley is. At this point, I’m just grabbing a bite to get everyone off my back. I know if I go back without eating something, Kinsley is likely going to end up pulling my ass down to the cafeteria herself and sit me down with a plate of food in front of me.
I don’t know how Wes puts up with all her sass.
After I settle on a bowl of chili with crackers, I turn to take a seat at one of the tables in the corner of the room. Turning on my heel, I’m hit with a wall of emotions when I see who is standing in front of me. I haven’t talked to him since the night of the bonfire, but in this moment, all the bullshit falls away.
Setting the tray down on the closest table to me, I take two steps and wrap my arms around my brother’s shoulders. The emotions surge through me, losing the battle to contain the sobs that lets loose. Wrapping both arms around me, I’m grateful for his support as I can feel I’m slowly starting to fall apart.
“It’s good to see you,” I say, breaking the silence, meaning it. “I wasn’t expecting you.” I grunt as the emotions rise in me again.
With a clap on the back, I take a step back running my thumb and forefinger over my eyes. The stress of the last three days weighing down on me, feels like a ten-ton boulder pressing down on me.
“Yeah, well as soon as Mom told me what had happened, I knew you could use some support. I know we never talked about her nor have I had the chance to meet her, but I know she’s important to you,” he says, taking a step back.
For the first time, I notice Brea standing behind him with her eyes focused on the floor, looking uncomfortable and giving us our space to have our moment in the middle of the cafeteria.
“Hey, Brea. Thanks to both of you for coming. It’s, uh.. It’s really good to see both of you,” I finish, letting the emotion come through in those words, trying to shake it off.
“Of course, man,” he reassures, clapping me on the shoulder again. Lifting his arm to Brea, he ushers her closer to the table where I left my tray sitting.
“How’s she doing?” he asks, a look of concern lining his brow.
Moving to take a seat, I fold my hands together in a fist.
“She’s okay. She hasn’t woken up yet so there are still a lot of unknowns, but the doctor is optimistic,” I say, letting out a deep breath. “All the tests they’ve ran show signs she is responding. Right now, it’s just a waiting game, just waiting for her to wake up.”
Hearing the words come out of my mouth, they carry so much weight. More weight than I realized I was carrying. It’s as if hearing
them out loud brings the reality of the situation back to the forefront of my mind. I keep telling myself it could’ve been worse; the whole situation could’ve been a lot worse.
“That’s good to hear, man,” he says, clasping his hand over the top of mine.
Growing up, I did so much to take care of him, to seclude him from the shit going on between our parents. He was so young, he didn’t deserve to have to deal with their bullshit. I think in my mind it was my way of protecting him.
Having him here, showing me support through something that is quite possibly one of the hardest things I’ll ever have to face means a lot to me. We have a long way to go to mend the shit between the two of us. We are all given second chances, but I’m starting to learn you may never know when.
“How long are you in town for?” I ask, taking a bite of my chili while taking a minute to let my eyes roam over to Brea. Since we hadn’t talked, I wasn’t sure what was going on with them. The way her hands are tied in knots in her lap and the sidelong glances he is shooting her way, it’s clear something is going on with them.
“Through the weekend. She was originally planning to head home to visit her family but I convinced her to come along for a road trip. We’ll probably head back to Chicago on Sunday morning,” he says, looking over at Brea, flashing her a small smile like there’s some kind of inside joke I’m missing.
For the first time in as long as I can remember, he looks happy.
We chat for a little bit as I eat my chili. While I’m glad to see them both, my mind keeps thinking back to Ellie and getting back up to see her. The topics are safe, never mentioning the situation between him and our father which I’m grateful for. Today, I just need for everything to be okay.
Until Ellie opens those beautiful green eyes, I just need for everything else to be okay.
If I didn’t know better, I would’ve thought I was waking up in heaven. The deep husky sound of Hudson’s laugh filtering through as I can vaguely make out Kinsley’s voice.
“It’s not my fault. I didn’t realize you were so sensitive. It was a frickin’ bet. Your Cubbies won the World Series, what more did you want,” Kinsley retorts, earning a laugh from Callum.
The sound reverberates through me, deep into my heart and soul healing me in the process.
My eyes flutter and I catch a peek of the bright fluorescent lights shining overhead. God, these things really do make my eyes burn. It’s like looking directly into sunlight as I squeeze my eyes shut, flinching in the process.
“Oh my god, did you see that?” I can hear Kinsley gasp as she whisper-shouts, trying not to be too loud but the relief is evident in her voice.
“I swear I just saw Ellie move.”
Two hands wrap around mine. I can smell Callum’s scent as he leans in, whispering against the shell of my ear. His breath against my skin causes goose bumps to spread across my arms.
“Baby, can you hear me? Wake up for me please, I want to see those beautiful green eyes,” he whispers, the words filled with so much hope.
“Bright,” I mumble, coming out hoarser than I expected. My mouth is dry, as I move to run my tongue along my lower lip, wetting it, while hoping Callum will understand my plea to turn down the lights.
I hear Kinsley mutter “I got it” as her feet shuffle across the floor just as the light clicks off.
My body feels so worn down, making even the slightest of movements hard as I struggle to pry open my eyes. I notice the look of relief that passes over Callum’s when my eyes connect with his. Dark circles are visible beneath his eyes.
“Hi,” I mutter. His bright smile nearly takes my breath away. Running his palm along my cheek, I relish the feel of his warm skin against mine.
“How are you doing? Does anything hurt?” he stresses. Looking around the room, my eyes land on Hudson and Kinsley who are both standing at the foot of the bed. Kinsley has her arm wrapped around her grandfather’s as she leans into him, wearing the same look of worry on their faces as I see on Callum’s.
“I’m okay,” I say, hoping to put them all at ease. “Tired.”
“I’ll let Dr. Kline know you are awake,” Kinsley says, moving quickly and disappearing out the door.
I want so badly to say more but I feel like my mouth is the Sahara Desert. Running my tongue along my lips again, I can feel the prickly skin beneath it. The sting mixed with a hint of blood as my tongue slides across the cut, splitting my bottom lip.
“Let me get you something to drink,” Callum says, setting my hand down on the bed and moving to stand. Hudson waves him off, telling him to have a seat.
“We missed you, Ells.” He smiles, patting his hand over my feet at the bottom of the bed. I can see the emotion in his eyes as he blinks through it, then turning toward the sink to grab the water pitcher.
A second later he’s back, handing Callum a small Styrofoam cup with a straw. Holding it to my face, Callum bends the straw so it’s in front of my mouth as I lean my head forward to take a drink. My head feels heavy, like a ton of bricks on my shoulders. I can’t help but groan as the liquid slides down my throat.
Two knocks sound at the door as Kinsley enters followed by an older man. By the way he is dressed, I’m going to guess he’s Dr. Kline.
Immediately, Kinsley is at my bedside sliding in close to give me a small hug.
“I love you, Ells,” she whispers as she steps back mumbling an apology.
“Hello there. It’s good to have you awake and back here with us. My name is Dr. Kline,” he says, tipping his head toward me with a warm smile on his face.
“Can you tell me your name and how old you are?”
He’s an older man, dressed in khakis and a button up shirt. The hospital badge hanging from the pocket of his shirt shows his name, Dr. Andrew Kline.
Andrew. Just like my father.
Looking back up at him, I can’t help but think of what my father would look like if he were still alive.
“My name is Ellie,” I say, my voice still sounding hoarse. “I’m twenty-two.”
With a smile and a nod of his head, he leans down using a small flashlight to check my eyes.
“You were found unconscious after taking quite a hit to your head. It left a pretty big bump and some swelling, which has gone down significantly since you arrived a few days ago. Your wrist was fractured. You’ll have to wear a cast for a little while until that heals. You’ll have that on for about four to six weeks.”
At the mention of that, my mind flashes back to being in that basement and fighting hard to escape. While the dress I had been wearing is now gone, I can still smell the musty scent from the basement.
“We were concerned about the lasting effects of your injury and have been running some tests. Now that you are awake, I would like to get you up for a head CT and run some other tests.” I see Callum pacing next to me with his arms crossed, a lot like he had the day in the emergency room. Holding my hand up to him, he looks down at me before pulling up the chair next to my bedside.
“I’m going to have the nurse come in to take you up for the tests and then we’ll get you settled back here for some rest. How is your pain?” he asks as he leans over, checking the IV fluids on the side of the bed.
“I’m really sore and my head feels like it’s going to explode,” I groan. Even talking leaves me feeling worn down and physically drained.
“I’m going to have Ms. Glenda come in and get you up for testing. The detective has been by hoping to speak with you, however I will advise him to come by later. Once you get back in the room, we’ll give you some pain medicine to help you get some rest.” With a nod of my head, I mutter a thank you as Dr. Kline leaves the room.
Leaning back, I turn my head toward where Callum is sitting.
“I’m sorry,” I mumble, remembering his friend’s wedding.
“What for, baby?” Callum asks, confusion etches his face, waiting for me to respond.
“I thought it was you,” I say, thinking back to when I thought Ca
llum had shown up to my house to pick me up. “I wanted to see you in a suit.” I smile, missing how handsome I am sure he would look.
“Don’t you worry about it. I promise I’ll make it up to you.” I can hear his smile through his voice, although the sadness is still there.
“I have plenty of other dresses you can wear, Ellie. Once we bust you out of here, they’re yours to choose from.” Kinsley smiles softly.
“Knock, knock!” As I turn my head, I see an older woman enter the room. “My name is Ms. Glenda, I’m your nurse. How you doin’, honey?” she asks, her voice just as warm and welcoming as her smile. Telling by her accent, she isn’t around here.
“I’m alright,” I mumble, trying to return her smile.
“I’m going to get you upstairs to get checked out. Don’t you worry, you don’t have to move a muscle,” she says. Bending down to unlock the wheels on the bed, she begins moving over the monitors so they are hooked up to the side of the bed.
“I am going to take your girl with me for a little bit, but I promise she’ll be in good hands.” She smiles reassuringly at Callum as he stands up, leaning over the bed, and running his nose in my hair before pressing a soft kiss to my forehead.
Turning my head, I see both Hudson and Kinsley approaching. Hudson doesn’t say much, always wearing a strong exterior but I can see the worry on his face he is working to disguise.
“I’m going to be okay, guys,” I say, smiling. Tears fill Kinsley’s eyes, as she hurries to wipe them away before they fall. As they both approach the bed, Kinsley leans over to give me a hug. I lift my hand to try and return the embrace, fighting to hide my discomfort.
“I’m so glad you’re okay,” she whispers. “Don’t ever scare me like that again.” I can’t help but laugh at Kinsley’s way of trying to put on a tough front.
As soon as she leans back, she gives me a small wave and promises she will be back to see me later. As Hudson approaches, I know I am going to have to work harder to keep my emotions in check.
Where I Found You (Heart's Compass Book 1) Page 19