Page 109 of Nothing to Fear

“Yeah, we know that.”

“I guarantee he slept better with his girl next to him than he would’ve alone,” Caber said. “Savvy settles him.”

“That’s true,” Alice said. “I’m sure they meant no harm. Young love finds a way, Doctor.”

“We have to take him upstairs,” the doctor said, unimpressed. “He needs a full evaluation.”

“Because he slept with his girlfriend?” Caber asked. “Whatever disease she’s got, she gave it to him before this.”

“Hey!” Darroch chastised as his brothers laughed.

“Please don’t tease him,” Alice said, going to her son, stroking the hair from his forehead. “How do you feel this morning, sweetheart?”

“I was better when Savvy was with me.”

She crouched to seek her shoes beneath the bed. “I’ll come back later.”

“Come back?” he asked. “Where are you going?”

“Youare going upstairs, Mr. Breckenridge,” the doctor said as two men in hospital uniforms came in to free Darroch’s bed from its brakes. “No family allowed. This shouldn’t take more than an hour or two.”

“Savvy’s coming with me,” Darroch said, sitting up straight only to then grasp his head.

“Darroch?” Alice asked.

Concern hung around every brother.

Without thinking, she was there next to him, holding his head in both hands. “Gentleman?”

“Head rush,” he said and smiled. “Worked for me.” He slung an arm around her. “Come with me.”

“I have work today,” she murmured, stroking his face.

“Shit.”

Pulling his mouth to hers, she kissed him. “I don’t start until noon.”

“You’ll be here when I come back?”

She nodded, her nose bumping his. “I’ll be waiting.”

He kissed her as the bed started moving again. They wheeled him out, doctors in tow, until only the family remained.

“Were you here all night?” Benedict asked.

Though she squirmed, she didn’t want to lie. “Yes.”

“Good,” Benedict said, setting a hand on his wife’s hip. “We have to make arrangements for him at home.”

“Yes,” Alice agreed.

“Depends what their scans and tests show,” Caber said. “Do you think they’ll let him out today?”

Alice was calm. “Let’s wait to see what the doctors say.”

“I should…” She rushed to return to her shoes and slip them on. “Get going.”

“You just said you’d be here when he got back.”

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