by C. M. Allen
As I sat there, slowly over time more and more of the club’s members began to roll in. Some in need of medical attention themselves and others who just sat in the waiting room with me, keeping a vigil and waiting on news about Maverick. Ava, Roman and Butch finally arrived and they all three hugged me before taking their seats on either side of me, cocooning me in their support as we all waited.
Butch attempted to keep a strong, stoic mask in place, but I could easily see the worry he had for his friend and brother through the cracks. I squeezed his hand, letting him know that I was here for him just as much as he was here for me right now, that we’re in this together. Looking down at our clasped hands, he squeezed it back before patting it with his other hand.
A few moments later, we heard a set of heavy boots make their way down the hallway towards the room. All of us looked up at once to find Skull and his VP, Hatchet, standing in the doorway. “Thought we’d come and show our support.” Were the only words Skull offered up before they moved to the back of the room and took a seat, both of them looking like they had just been patched up themselves.
Another hour went by before another man, who I’d heard referred to as Rollins, took a seat, asking if we had heard anything yet. To which Butch informed him that we hadn’t.
As the hours ticked by, the waiting room became so full that every seat and open space had been taken up by members of both clubs.
“Uh... is there a Miss Harper Lancaster here?”
Snapping my head up at the mention of my name, I saw a doctor in blue scrubs with a mask in his hands standing in the doorway. He was an older man that looked as though he’s been through his own battle in the OR.
Looking around the room, his eyes finally landed on me as I emerged from the sea of people. “Yes. I’m Harper Lancaster.” My voice shook with my words, not knowing what this man was about to tell me.
If he only knew the power over my life he held in his hands right now.
Looking relieved to see a friendly face in a room filled with hardened looking bikers, he smiled, “I’m Doctor Sullivan. I just wanted to give you an update on Mr. Reed.” When I eagerly nodded my head, he continued. “He sustained a lot of damage to his spleen and liver. We were able to repair the damage as well as stop the internal bleeding that he had, but he did lose a lot of blood and the damage we repaired to his liver was extensive. That being said, we’ve had to put him into a medically induced coma to allow his body to heal better, so now it’s just a waiting game. I’m sorry. I wish I had better news for you.”
“So, what are you saying? Is he... going to be ok?”
Looking somber, he took a deep breath. “That’s up to him and how hard he’s willing to fight.”
“When can we see him?” Butch asked, resting his hands on my shoulders.
“We need to get him into the ICU and situated first. Then one of the nurses will come find you. I’d say about an hour or so, but only one visitor will be allowed in at a time.” Looking back at me, he asked. “Do you have any other questions for me?” When I shook my head, he said. “I’ll be sure to let the nurse know where to find you.” After those final words he turned and walked back out of the room and Butch and I just hugged one another.
Another two hours must have went by before a nurse finally showed up to take me back to see him. When I walked into the room, the sight of him hooked up to so many tubes, wires and monitors caused the tears to fall from my eyes once again.
“Honey, I know it’s hard seeing a loved one like this, but you need to keep your thoughts positive when you’re in here and talk to him. He can hear you,” the attractive blonde nurse, who looked to be in her early to mid-thirties, said as she walked around checking his charts and drips. “I can’t tell you how many people I’ve seen brought into this ICU that were given no chance to live beat those odds because someone they loved sat with them and told them how much they meant to them.”
Nodding my head, I tried my best to smile at her. “Thank you, I will... because he does mean the world to me.” I moved closer, taking his hand in mine before sitting in the chair next to his bed.
“My name is Grace by the way, so if you need anything you just let me know, ok?”
“Yes, thank you, Grace.”
AFTER A WEEK HAD GONE by, there still hadn’t been any word from the doctors about waking Maverick up out of the medically induced coma. The funny thing was, it seemed that God... or the Devil as Butch said, seemed to have a sense of humor. Either that or they couldn’t take watching two Devil’s Deviant’s members at the same time because three days after Maverick was operated on and put into the medically induced coma, Vulture woke up from his. So far, he still remained in the hospital for another few days, but he was doing well and if everything kept going in that direction, he would be home by the end of the week.
I won’t sit here and tell you that even though I was thankful that Vulture was going to be ok, that I didn’t wish it had been Maverick that had woken up instead of him, but Maverick’s situation was different. He was put into this coma by his doctor to heal. Whereas Vulture’s body slipped into one on its own after the surgery he had. We were all thankful that he was finally awake and back with his brothers. Unfortunately, Maverick couldn’t come back to us until the doctors took him off of whatever medication kept him asleep and allowed him to wake up. They did tell me that they thought it was going to be at least another four or five days before they would decide whether or not to bring him out of it. Said that his body still needed more time to properly heal from his injuries.
Day in and day out I stayed by his side, even though everyone from Ava and Butch to nurse Grace, tried to get me to take a break, go home and get a good night’s sleep. But I was too afraid that if I left, he’d think that I had abandoned him and broken my promise to stay by his side.
Ava and Butch both took turns bringing me something to eat or a fresh change of clothes, sitting with him while I washed up. Needless to say, the two of them as well as every other member of the club had visited Maverick and I more than once throughout the past week.
Every day I told him how much I loved him and wanted him to return to me. I would tell him about the kind of life we’d have together. The babies we would one day have. That there was no other man that could ever take his place in my heart... because he was my heart.
Three more days had passed, and I could see that the bruises on his face had begun to turn a yellowish color and started to fade away as well as the scratches. He was beginning to look like the man I fell in love with once again, giving me hope that this meant the doctors would soon bring him out of the coma and back to me.
The door opening to the room drew my attention to the man that now stood in the doorway. Agent Waters of the FBI, back again. He was a paunchy looking older man with a balding hairline that looked as though he spent his days in the local donut shop. He’d been here the day after Maverick was admitted to the hospital, asking questions that to his frustration no one was giving him any answers to. Now he was back, and I didn’t have Ava, Butch or any of the guys to run interference for me.
“Hello again, Miss Lancaster, would you mind if I asked you a few questions?” He inquired, seemingly assessing me for the lies that hadn’t even left my mouth yet.
“Umm, sure. What can I do for you, Agent Waters?”
He only came about four feet into the room and I noticed how he kept his distance from where Maverick lay in his bed.
Odd.
“Can you tell me about when Agent Dekes supposedly kidnapped you and held you against your will?”
“First of all there is no supposedly about it. Dekes did kidnap me and held me against my will.” I snapped at him, irritated at the disbelief he had in his tone that came through loud and clear.
“Fine. Then tell me what transpired that night at the cabin until you were released.”
After I finished telling him everything that happened, he asked. “You stated that he had other government officials with him w
hen he took you, is that correct?”
“Yes, he did. Well, like I said, I think he did anyway...”
“How is it that you were able to tell if you don’t mind my asking?” he asked, cutting me off.
“Well, for one, by the way they spoke to one another. They talked as if they were some kind of military unit.”
“Ever been in the military, Miss Lancaster? Known anyone in the military?”
“No, but...”
Cutting me off again, he looked at me with a raised brow. “Then how would you know how a military unit would communicate with one another?”
“Well, I don’t but the way...”
“So you really have no idea who helped Agent Dekes kidnap you, do you Miss Lancaster?”
“Well, if you would let me get a word out edgewise then maybe I could answer that, Agent Waters.” I snapped back at him, speaking louder.
The door swung open once again and Grace made her way in, sending a wave of relief over me to see a friendly face right now. “I have what I came for. If I have any more questions for you Miss Lancaster, I know where to find you.” With those warm fuzzy words, he walked out of the room, shutting the door behind him.
“Boy, that man has all the warmth of a snow pea.” Grace chuckled.
“Yeah, he’s a real friendly asshole that one,” focusing on what she was doing, I said. “He looks better today. His wounds on his face are healing.”
“Yes, they are, quite nicely. And I have some possibly good news, but I don’t want you to get too excited. The doctor will be in later to look at him to decide whether or not his body has healed enough to bring him out of his coma today.”
“Really?” I got excited anyway.
“That’s what he said, so keep up those positive thoughts, ok.”
Smiling a real smile for what felt like the first time in days, I took Maverick’s hand in mine. “I will, thank you.”
“Well, don’t thank me just yet, it’s still up to Doctor Sullivan. But I think our patient here has come along really well these last few days,” walking closer, she smiled down at me, putting a hand on my shoulder. “I think it’s all the love you keep showering him with. It’s got real healin՛ powers.”
“I hope so, Grace. I want him to wake up so bad, so I can see his eyes when I tell him just how much I love him.”
Tapping me with her hand that sat on my shoulder, she said. “Something tells me he already knows, honey. All right, I’m going to check in on my other patients. Doctor Sullivan should be in shortly.”
After Grace left, I just sat there watching Maverick breathe. “I hope you do know just how much I love you and need you, Maverick.”
A knock on the door a few minutes later had me hoping it was his doctor. But when the door opened, it was the last person I had ever expected to see that filled the doorway.
Skull.
The relationship these two had was volatile at best, and I couldn’t figure out why a man that had so much hate for Maverick would come here to see him... unless.
“Bet you’re wonderin՛ what the hell is this old bastard is doin՛ here, huh?”
Swallowing past the lump in my throat, I finally got out. “Something like that.”
When he just stood there staring at Maverick’s motionless body for a few moments, I couldn’t decide if I needed to hit the emergency call button for help or tell him to pull up a chair, but then he finally spoke. “We go back a long way, him and me. So much hate has always been between our two clubs. Hell, this is the way I had always hoped to see this asshole one day, laid up like this,” he motions to Maverick.
At his hateful words, I began to rise up out of my chair ready to tell this jerk off, not caring who he was or capable of. But before I got the chance, his hands rose in the air in surrender. “I know how that sounds. And I’d meant it... at one time. But I’m just gettin՛ too old for all this shit. He’s the smart one you know, findin՛ ways to take his club legit and all. The rest of us could learn a thing or two from the likes of him.” My mouth gapped open at his words, but then he gave me a stern look. “I’ll deny the hell out of that statement if you ever tell him or anyone else that I said it,” he chuckled. “Hope he wakes up and recovers soon. Hate to see that prick Dekes win from the grave.” With those last words, he nodded to me and then walked out of the room, leaving me wondering what the ever-loving hell just happened.
Finally, after another hour went by Doctor Sullivan made it by. After looking over all of Maverick’s vitals and charts, he informed me that he liked what he saw and that they were going to begin the process of reversing his coma tomorrow morning, as well as move him into a recovery room. The joy I felt at his words had me practically jumping into the doctor’s arms. “Thank you so much, doctor.”
“Let’s see how things go first, then you can thank me if everything goes well.”
Once he left the room, I grabbed my phone out of my purse and called Butch and then Ava to tell them the good news.
CHAPTER
25
Maverick
It felt as if I was in one continual dream I couldn’t seem to escape, and it kept playing over and over again in my mind. The only thing consistent every time were the words I kept hearing coming from someone I couldn’t find. I knew that it was Harper’s sweet voice telling me how much she loved me and needed me, and I wanted so badly to find her and take her in my arms. But it seemed like every time I thought that I was close, her voice seemed to get carried away in the wind, leaving me searching once again for her. I knew that I needed to get back to her. I could hear the tremble in her voice when she spoke. She was scared.
Hearing her voice again, I began to hear other voices mixed in with it as well. Butch, I think? After I tried several times, I finally got my eyes to open. The first thing I saw was a hairy bastard looking down at me. Vulture? Shit! Did this mean I was still dreaming? Or did I die, and the Devil decided to punish me by putting me in the same cell as him?
“Hey! He’s awake!” I heard him shout.
But, it was when her beautiful eyes found mine that I knew I had found Heaven. “Maverick? You’re awake. Quick, someone go get the doctor!” She ordered someone else in the room before cupping my face and pressing her soft, warm lips to mine. I savored the feel of them against my own. It felt as if she was breathing life back into me. “Thank God you came back to me. I love you so much,” she cried, lying her head gently on my chest.
The need to comfort her hit me hard and it took all the strength I had, but I put my hand on her shoulder. Her head jerked up at the feel of me touching her. “You have no idea how long I’ve waited to feel your touch on my skin again,” she leaned down and kissed me again.
“Well, well, look who decided to join us here among the livin՛ again,” looking past Harper, I saw Butch walking in the door. “Good to have you back with us, brother,” he took my hand in his and held it for a few moments before releasing it.
“Yeah, saved me a trip to Hell to kick your ass for leaving my best friend,” Ava announced like only she could, walking in behind Roman. Everyone got a small laugh out of it.
When I went to say something, nothing came out, my throat felt like nails were lining it. But only moments later Harper reappeared at my side with a cup of ice chips. “Here, these will help your throat.
After initially waking up that day, it was mostly a blur of doctor’s and nurse’s coming and going in and out of my room in between the times that I was awake. But the one steady I found at my side every time my eyes opened was Harper, telling me just how much she loved and had missed me.
I SPENT ANOTHER FOUR days in the hospital before I was finally released and able to go home.
Home.
After today I had hoped for that word to have a whole new meaning for me. “Don’t you look handsome.” I heard Harper say as she fluttered into the room, making sure everything was just so.
“You think so, Sweetheart?”
Hugging me gently, she looked up into my eyes.
“I can’t even begin to tell you what it means to have you back and calling me Sweetheart again. I know it may sound stupid, but I’ve come to really appreciate the small things after almost losing you.”
I wrapped my arms around her. “You can’t get rid of me that easily. And don’t ever apologize for lovin՛ the small things in life, they make up the big things. Or so I’ve learned, thanks to you.”
“What do you say, you ready to get this get the fuck outa here party started or what, Prez?” Vulture’s voice boomed, walking into the room, pushing a wheelchair.
“More than you know, brother.”
“Sir! Sir! You can’t just take that!” Nurse Grace scolded him, rushing into the room behind him and snatching the chair out of his grip. I watched as a funny look I couldn’t quite place was exchanged between the two before I brushed it off and hopped into the chair more than ready to get the hell out of here.
Before we even made it out of the room, Butch, Gunner, Axle, Repo and Roman all came walking in. “We were just heading out.”
“Yeah? Well, we’re here to escort you out, Prez.” Roman spoke up first.
I won’t lie I was going to miss the title Prez, it would always resonate with me because I earned that shit. But the time had come to do more with this second chance at life I had been given to be with the woman I loved.
And I didn’t plan on wasting a second of it.
When Butch told me the news about Chainsaw and Emma, I couldn’t help feeling responsible for what had become of them and wondered if I should have done things differently. We lost two other members that day in the warehouse and I had missed all their funerals while I was laid up in the hospital, so I was going to make it right when we left here today and stop by the graveyard to pay my respects before we went back to the clubhouse to celebrate.