“Jo? Can you hear me?”
I hear you, Phee! I’m right here! Phee? Dad? Are you there?
“Keep talking to her as if she can hear you, because she probably can. I’ll be back in the morning to …”
No! Don’t leave. Stay here! Please! Stay with me!
“Thank you, Doctor.”
Phee again. Wait … Doctor? Where was she?
“Jo? Wake up, Jo. Please wake up …”
The voice faded into the maddening whoosh whoosh whoosh.
“I … I’m so sorry, Quinn.” Luke held his phone tight to his ear and stared out the windshield. His pulse raced and he slumped against the armrest for support. He was thankful he hadn’t picked up Mateo from Don and Val’s yet. “When did it happen? Where?”
“Last night. No, Saturday … Sorry, time is all running together. It was Saturday. Around eight.” Quinn Mitchell sounded absolutely done-in.
“And she still hasn’t come to?” That was almost forty-eight hours!
“No. The doctors seem to think she’s responding to some stimuli, but she hasn’t opened her eyes since they brought her in.”
“I’m …” He took a breath, trying to regain his composure. “Sorry … This is really knocking me for a loop. I just saw her downtown a few days ago. A week ago today, in fact.”
“Yes, Phee told me they’d run into you at Baristas.”
“Joanna is always so … full of life. It’s hard to even imagine that precious woman unconscious in a hospital bed.” He knew he was tipping his hand, but right now, he didn’t care.
“I know.” Quinn cleared his throat. “We’re all having trouble wrapping our heads around this.”
“Was anyone else hurt in the accident?”
“Ben Harven was driving. I don’t know if you know him, but he and Jo used to date. Before her mom passed away. Ben was treated for minor injuries and released. We haven’t talked to him yet, but he and Jo were supposed to meet in Cape for supper, so we’re not sure why they were out there. There are a lot of unanswered questions.”
“Quinn, where did it happen?” A vivid image came to his mind: the emergency crews that had gone by Saturday night as he and Mateo were leaving the wedding after his DJ gig.
“Oh, I guess I didn’t say. The accident happened out on Highway 60 up by Dexter.”
That parade of lights and sirens had to have been for her! And for two days, he’d lived not knowing—as if everything was normal. “I saw all the emergency vehicles go by that night. I … had no idea it was for Joanna.”
“You saw them?” Quinn’s tone was incredulous.
“Mateo and I were coming back from doing a wedding south of town. You said it happened about eight o’clock or so?”
“It did. Unbelievable.”
“Yes.” The word came out in a whisper.
If only he’d known! He would have followed the ambulance. Gone to her. Not that he could have done anything the doctors hadn’t already done. But at least he would have been with her.
But … she’d been with Ben. That knowledge sat like a rock in his gut.
“I hope we’re not being presumptuous to call you, Luke, but Phee thought you’d want to know.”
“Yes. Yes, of course. I’m so glad you did. Is there anything I can do?”
“Pray. For her sisters, especially. Phee is worried sick, and she and Britt are still trying to keep the Airbnb afloat in the midst of all this.”
“I will. Do they know the extent of her injuries?” He willed Quinn to answer his real question: Will she make it? Will she live? But he couldn’t bring himself to speak those words.
“Ben’s car was T-boned on the passenger side. Frankly, it’s a miracle she’s alive. She has a concussion. I guess that’s what’s keeping her from waking up. I’m not really sure.”
“So, she hasn’t spoken or … opened her eyes?”
“No. Not yet. She’s pretty bruised up. And her right ankle is broken. Did I say that already? Sorry … I’ve told so many people I’ve forgotten who I’ve told what.”
“That’s okay. And no, you hadn’t said that.” He tried to breathe and felt like he was ten feet under water.
“They don’t seem too concerned about the ankle, but the concussion is apparently pretty serious.”
“I’m so sorry. I … I’ll be praying. For all of you.”
“Just pray she wakes up. And soon.”
Luke didn’t like the level of concern in Quinn Mitchell’s voice.
“Of course. I will. And … I don’t mean to put a burden on you, Quinn, but could you let me know if there’s any change?”
“Of course. We’ll keep you posted.”
Luke hung up and bowed over the steering wheel, scarcely able to catch a breath. “Lord,” he whispered. “Be with her. Let her wake up, Father. Please!”
When the words seemed too hard to breathe out, he prayed silently for Jo’s sisters and her father. And for Quinn. Such a good family. He couldn’t even imagine what it would be like for them if they had to go through another tragedy.
Gathering his wits, he turned the key in the ignition, put the truck in gear, and went to pick up Mateo. Spending time with that kid would be the only way he’d make it through this night. But Mateo would know something was wrong. He was disconcertingly sensitive to Luke’s moods. He would have to tell the boy what had happened. And he wasn’t sure he could do it without breaking down.
CHAPTER 34
August
TOO BRIGHT. EVERYTHING WAS SO bright it hurt. The darkness had been bad, but this was almost worse. She tried to cover her eyes with her hands, but she couldn’t seem to move even her fingers.
“Jo? Joanna! Good morning. Nurse! She’s awake. She’s opening her eyes!”
It was Phee’s voice but Jo could only see a silhouette surrounded by that intense light.
“Jo? You’re back. Oh, thank You, God! I’ll be right back. I need to get the nurse. And Britt.”
“Wait … Where is it?”
The silhouette leaned in closer and Phee’s features started to come into focus. “Where is what, honey?”
“No … Where? Am I?”
“Where are you?”
Jo tried to nod, then winced at the pain. Why couldn’t she make them understand her?
“It’s okay. Don’t try to move. You’re in the hospital. In Cape—” Her sister’s voice broke. “You were in an accident, Jo. But it’s going to be okay. Everything is going to be okay.”
If everything was going to be okay, why was Phee crying?
She felt a hand on her forehead. That was good, wasn’t it? She felt it. She scrunched up her face, opened and closed her eyelids. They were working now. At least she thought they were.
“Jo, I’ll be right back. I’m going to get the nurses.”
“The button …” Why didn’t she just push the button? Didn’t they still have call buttons in hospitals? “Push the button.”
“Oh duh.” Phee giggled.
Her sister’s voice was music in Jo’s ears.
“But I don’t see the call button.”
The silhouette came closer and she felt jostled in the bed.
“Look! The call button was under your pillow! That couldn’t have been very comfortable.” More giggling. “Oh. The nurses are here.” Phee became a silhouette again, her voice fading into the distance. She was talking to someone else, and then more voices filled the room, surrounding her.
You were in an accident … Phee had said that.
Accident. A flash of memory … The red truck. She remembered. Ben … Oh, Ben. “Is Ben … is he … ?”
Phee came close again and this time her face was in focus, her expression dark. But her words didn’t match her face. “He’s fine, Jo. He wasn’t hurt badly … just a few scratches and bruises.”
She tried to reach for Phee’s arm. “Is he here?”
“No. He’s … not here.” Phee looked away and when she turned back, her smile was back too. “The nurses are going
to check you now, Jo. I’m going to find Britt and Dad. They’re going to be so happy you’re awake!”
“Dad’s here?”
“Of course. He got here as soon as he could.”
“Wow … that was fast.” She felt like she was slurring her words. “Are they … at church now?”
“At church?” Phee’s brow furrowed and then a look of realization came. “Oh, no. Honey, you’ve been asleep for a long time. Almost three days. It’s Tuesday. Tuesday afternoon.”
“Tuesday?” But … it was only Saturday when she and Ben … Dexter’s. They’d been on their way to eat barbecue. “What day is it?”
“It’s Tuesday, Jo.”
“Oh. You already said that.”
Phee gave a nervous laugh. “Yes. That’s okay.”
“Is it … July?”
“It’s August.” Phee patted her arm. “But just barely. Today is August 1.”
“School will be starting soon.”
Phee’s brow knit as if she didn’t understand what Jo had said.
Then a new face appeared beside her sister’s. “Joanna? My name is Bernice. I’m the ICU nurse. Can you tell me your full name?”
Jo looked to Phee. If she’d been here more than two days, they surely knew her name by now. Dad would have told them. “Joanna Leigh Chandler?”
Phee laughed. “It’s not a trick question, sis. They’re just trying to make sure you’re thinking straight.”
Bernice looked from Phee to Jo. “Do you know what day it is?”
“Phee said it was August … Tuesday, I mean.”
“Do you know who the president is?”
What kind of question was that? But she answered anyway.
The nurse smiled knowingly at Phee, then patted Jo’s knee. “Good answers. I’m going to take your vitals, and then your doctor will be in shortly. Are you feeling hungry?”
She had to think about that question. She and Ben never made it to Dexter Bar-B-Que. That meant she hadn’t eaten for almost three days. “Yes! Can I please get some barbecue?”
Phee and the nurse dissolved in laughter, but Bernice shook her head. “I’m afraid you’ll have to settle for some nice broth and Jell-O for now.”
The door to her hospital room opened slowly, and Jo scooted up in the bed to peek around the partially closed curtain.
Britt appeared on the other side carrying balloons and a vase of flowers and wearing a wide smile.
Phee swept in behind her and pushed the curtain all the way open. “How are you feeling this morning?”
“Sore. But so much better. At least I can move. They took out that stupid cath this morning and I walked to the bathroom without the walker.”
“Progress!” Britt handed her a stack of envelopes in pastel colors. “Your mail, madame.”
“Those are all for me? Wow, I should get crushed in a car wreck more often.”
“Jo! Don’t even talk like that!” Phee stopped fluffing the pillows behind Jo’s head long enough to swat her leg.
“Ow!”
Phee gasped and covered her mouth with her hands. “I’m so sorry. Are you okay? I wasn’t even thinking.”
Jo laughed. “Just kidding. Wrong leg.”
“You nut!” Phee swatted her again and straightened the bedsheets around her legs. “You must be feeling better.”
“I’ll feel better when they let me eat some real food.”
“What? They haven’t let you eat yet?”
“I got oatmeal for breakfast. Apparently if that goes through okay, I can move up to green bean casserole.”
“We’ll get you some food, Jo.” Britt threw her a conspiratorial wink. “Don’t you worry.”
“I want barbecue. Has Ben been here?” Jo was a little afraid to ask. Her memories were fuzzy from the early hours after she’d come to, but as the meds wore off, she’d started to remember more.
“Not yet.” Phee pulled up a chair by Jo’s bedside. “But I think there’s a card in that stack from him.”
“There is. I put it on top.” Britt moved the tray table over Jo’s lap and placed the stack of cards in front of her. “There’s one from Ginger in there too. And the flowers are from your DJ friend.”
“Luke? How nice.” She wondered how he’d found out about her accident.
“I got to make the bouquet.” Phee fiddled with the ribbon on the vase from Luke. “In fact, you’ve single-handedly kept the flower shop in business these last few days.”
“Oh, quit.” But the lineup of vases on the windowsill did lend credence to Phee’s claim. Jo felt very much loved by all the shows of affection and the prayers she knew were going up on her behalf.
“Did Dad get back okay?” He’d flown in on Sunday night, although Joanna didn’t really remember much about her first days. It had about done her in when Dad started crying telling her goodbye last night.
“He’s home safe and sound.” Britt tidied the water carafe and cup on Jo’s bed tray. “He called me from work this morning. Said he’d call you later this evening.”
“It was good to see him.”
“It was,” Phee said, “but I don’t recommend your method of getting him to come home.”
She threw her sister a wry smile and picked up Ben’s card from the stack. She slid a finger under the flap and drew out a fancy get-well card with butterflies and glitter. She skipped over the printed verse to read the brief note in Ben’s scrawl.
You said it was never wrong to send a card or to say you’re sorry. I’m doing both.
Love, Ben.
She laid the card on the table and blew away a few flecks of glitter that had fallen on the tabletop.
Britt gave her a curious look. “Everything okay?”
Jo pushed the card toward Britt. “You can read it.”
Britt read it and handed it to Phee.
Phee read it, then gave a little huff. “What’s that all about?” Jo sighed, a deep sadness welling inside her. “That’s just Ben being Ben.”
She told her sisters about her conversation with Ben and his quasi-apology for abandoning her when Mom had become so ill.
Phee placed a hand on Jo’s knee. “I don’t want to upset you, Jo, but do you remember your accident?”
“A little. I remember the light was yellow and … there was a truck coming at us. A pickup.”
“The police said Ben was going at least eighty miles an hour when he went through that intersection.” Anger hardened Britt’s voice.
“And witnesses said the light was actually red when he went through.”
Jo dropped her head, remembering all too well. “Is Ben … in trouble?”
“He’s probably looking at some hefty traffic fines. But unless you want to press charges …”
“No. Of course not. Is that why he hasn’t come? Because he’s afraid I’ll sue him?”
“I don’t know, Jo.” Phee frowned. “I called Sunday afternoon to let him know you were still here. But he didn’t answer his phone. I had to leave a voice message.”
“You’re sure he’s okay? He wasn’t hurt badly?”
“No.” Britt shook her head. “The cops who told us about you said he was treated and released that night.”
“Do you want me to try to call him again?” Phee didn’t sound too crazy about the idea.
“No.” Jo felt tears close to the surface. But not for the reasons her sisters might have thought. “So he doesn’t know I … woke up?”
Phee shook her head. “Not as far as I know. I’m sorry, Jo.”
She sought to relieve the downcast looks on her sisters’ faces. “There wasn’t anything between me and Ben. Not this time around. I’m sorry he’s felt like he can’t at least come and see if I’m okay. But … I’m afraid that’s just the way Ben is. He’s not a fan of sickness and death.”
“Or integrity, apparently.” Britt rolled her eyes, then sighed, her fingers folding into fists at her sides. “But I’m glad there was nothing between you this time.”
Jo took
Ben’s card and slipped it back into the envelope. “Phee, maybe you could text him and let him know I’m doing okay.”
Britt gave a little growl. “And be sure and tell him she’s not taking visitors at this time.”
Jo couldn’t help but laugh. “What would I do without my champions? Now let’s see who sent these other pretty cards.”
CHAPTER 35
JO HOBBLED BACK TO THE hospital bed and climbed up onto the mattress, which at present was cranked up so high it more resembled a big easy chair. It wasn’t that the bed wasn’t comfortable, but after almost six days in this place, she was so ready to go home. Likely more so after yet another MRI yesterday when her doctor had raised her hopes that she might go home this morning. Then, like an idiot, she admitted to having another headache and a short bout of double vision. Both of which were completely gone now, but of course, being the good doctor he was, he decided to keep her overnight “just to be sure.”
Visitors had almost overwhelmed her the first few days after she woke up, but the last two days, the flood had become a trickle. She was going a bit stir-crazy. Her sisters had dropped by this morning—Phee on her way to work, and Britt on her way to get groceries for a house full of Airbnb guests at the cottage. They were pulling all kinds of overtime on her account and she felt terrible about it.
A knock sounded at the partially open door to her room. She tried to check her hair in the mirror across from the bed, but without her contacts she just saw a blur. At least they had let her start wearing her own pajamas once the catheter was removed. Ginger had brought her the cute black-and-blue print set she had on tonight.
“Come in …”
The door swung open and Luke took a tentative step toward her. “Do you mind some company?”
“Luke! I’d love some company. Come in.” She pointed to the large vinyl-covered chair that Britt had pushed aside earlier. “Pull up that chair.”
“I won’t stay long.”
“Oh, please do. I’m bored out of my gourd. They’re making me stay another night.”
“That’s what your sisters said. I thought I’d come and try to cheer you up.”
“Well, it’s working. I already feel cheerier.” If he only knew!
Chasing Dreams Page 24