Page 3 of A Magnolia Move-In
And I was alone.
Had Walker come to see me? Did he know? I wanted to find my phone, but I couldn’t. I was wearing a hospital gown, and my purse wasn’t in sight. I knew that I should have a call button, but I didn’t know where.
I’d never felt so alone.
There was a strong, steady knock on my door. I parted my lips to speak, but my voice was hoarse, so the words “come in” were soft and raspy.
The knocks came again, and I tried harder to speak. “Come in.” It took a lot of effort to make those words loud enough that the person on the other side of the door could hear. My lungs burned from the impact of the airbags, and I felt as if I were dying.
Whatever pain meds they were giving me weren’t strong enough. I was intensely aware of every bruise on my body. Every torn piece of flesh.
The door opened. My heart rate picked up as I anticipated Walker’s furrowed brow and deep frown. But I was met with the intense stare of my brother. I wanted to say that I welcomed the sight of him, but I didn’t.
I wanted Walker.
“Jackson?” I rasped out. I tried to peer to the side tosee if Walker was behind him, but I couldn’t move, and it hurt too much to try.
“Naomi?” he asked as he entered the room. Even though his hair was long and draped over his forehead, I could see furrows as he frowned.
Tears were flowing now. I wasn’t sure if it was because of the pain I was feeling or the sadness washing through me that my brother was the first to visit me and not the man who swore to love me forever.
“Yeah,” I whispered. I wanted to mask my disappointment, but I couldn’t. I was exhausted and tired, and there was no way I could emotionally pick through what was happening.
He was at the side of my bed, and I watched as his gaze swept over me. “What happened?”
What was I going to tell him? That Walker cheated on me? That I’d gotten in the car to go after him? Jackson didn’t like Walker as it was. If he knew that I went out at night to find the man only to get into a car crash, that would be it. He wouldn’t ever let me hear the end of it.
I was still trying to sift through my emotions. I didn’t need my big brother coming in and confusing me.
“I don’t know. I can’t remember.” And that was how I was going to leave it. Until I could talk to Walker, I wasn’t going to tell the whole story. I was just out and about, that was it.
Plus, my throat was too raw and filled with emotions.
Thankfully, he didn’t seem like he really expected an answer. I watched him study my face, my hands, and thenmy bandaged legs. My right leg was suspended in the air above the bed.
“Ah, are you family?” Dr. Williams asked as he stopped in the doorway.
“I’m her brother.”
Dr. Williams grabbed my chart and headed into the room. “Good. We were waiting for her support system to come in before we discussed what was going on.”
I nodded. They’d told me a lot, but my head was so cloudy from the pain and the drugs, that I didn’t remember anything they’d said.
I settled against the pillow as Dr. Williams started his analysis. I watched as Jackson nodded—relieved that someone else could comprehend what was going on. If they expected me to remember everything my doctor said, that wasn’t going to work. My brain felt like mush.
“…broken bones means months of therapy,” Dr. Williams continued.
That made sense. I’d seen enough TV hospital dramas to know my condition wasn’t good. It was going to take time once my bones healed to return to full function.
“…prepare for the baby…”
I blinked.
What did he just say?
I glanced around the room. There were no children here. Sure, Jackson was dating a girl he’d met on Magnolia, but he wasn’t a father.
At least, I didn’t think he was.
