Page 7 of Conflagration
Not wanting to discuss that night any further, I change the subject. “Speaking of, on a scale of one to ten, how livid are Victoria and William?”
“Girl, there’s no one to ten here. We’re talking mega mad. Richter-scale-off-the-charts livid. The level of their anger puts even the worst earthquake to shame. The only thing keeping Dad from disowning you is the fact that Benjamin’s a delusional asshole who thinks you just need to sow your wild oats. According to him, ‘you’ll come crawling back when you come to your senses.’”
I wince, and this time, the pain isn’t just in my head. It’s in my heart—for ever having thought that a man like him could love me unconditionally.
“In fact, they didn’t even cancel the wedding. A simple postponement was announced, and everyone’s acting like there’s nothing wrong. Of course, now this accident will give them just what they need to prove it.”
“No!” I yell into the phone, sucking in a deep breath at the sharp pain in my side. “I mean, I don’t want them to know. I’ll be out of here in a few days, and I just need the time alone. The last thing I need is them barging in here, especially not Benjamin. I can’t stomach the thought of him trying to play the caring, concerned, dutiful fiancé. Hell, he’d probably try and drag a Justice of the Peace in here just so he can have his trophy wife.” I pause, remembering what I told the nurse. “Plus, my big mouth may have gotten me in trouble here already.”
She sighs, and I switch ears, knowing I’m in for a lecture. “Oh, Ari. What’d you do?”
“They weren’t going to let me see him, Lyss, and I have to. He saved my life, and he doesn’t deserve to be lying in that hospital bed all alone. So when the nurse told me, I glanced down at my engagement ring, and before I could stop myself, I was blurting out that he’s my fiancé.”
“You didn’t!” she gasps, sounding appalled.
I’m not surprised. Alyssa’s the impulsive one, not me. No, I always have a plan, my life mapped out, and lying has never been easy for me. At least that’s how I was until today. Maybe I’m more like Alyssa than I realized and it just took an asshole like Benjamin to make me see it.
“I did. And I know I should regret it, but I don’t. I’m still waiting for the doctor to clear me to go see him. I need to know, Lyss,” I insist, not sure if I’m trying to convince her or me.
She sighs wistfully, and I can imagine her shaking her head. “What are you going to do when he wakes up, Ari? Because, fingers crossed, he’s going to wake up. And unless he has amnesia, he’s going to wonder who the hell you are, pretending to be his fiancée.”
I know she’s right, and I find it funny. Alyssa’s a lot of things, but never the voice of reason. It’s as if we’ve had some a weird role reversal, but I’m too tired to examine it now. “Look, he’s going to wake up. I’m just going to be there to hold his hand, maybe talk to him, to coach him back into it. You know they say people in a coma can hear you, and it’s not fair to him if all he has are doctors and nurses and machines beeping. If—no, when—he wakes up, I’ll deal with it then. It’s not like the nurses care whether we’re really together or not. He’ll wake up, I’ll thank him, and then figure out where my life is headed after that.”
“I hope you know what you’re doing, Ari. Just one night with this guy had you questioning your entire future. I can’t imagine what a fake engagement will do.”
“It’s not a fake engagement. It’s just a means to being able to see him. And obviously, even as a drunken therapist, he was right to have me questioning my future. I was almost too late.”
The nurse reenters the room with the doctor, so I say my goodbyes.
“I’ve gotta go, Lyssa. Please don’t tell anyone about this. I’ll call you tomorrow when I have more news.”
“Fine. It’s going against my better judgment, but for now, I’ll trust you and keep this between us. But you’re racking up a lot of IOUs with me, Ari. Don’t think I’ll forget them.”
Smiling, I know she’s got my back. “Love you, Lyss. And I’ll see you soon. I promise.”
“Okay. Love you, too.”
I click the phone off and turn to the doctor, who’s beaming at me.
“Nice to see you awake, Ms. Covington. I’m Dr. Webber,” he says in a friendly tone that I’m sure puts even the most nervous patients at ease. “I hear you and the young man aren’t just victim and hero but engaged to be married. The nurses are all atwitter with the news.”
Swallowing hard, I nod as I continue the charade. “I have no idea what I’d do without him or what I’d have done if he hadn’t been there for me when I needed him most.” I lay it on thick, playing up the concerned fiancée card. “And I know he needs me now. I can’t stand the thought of him in that hospital bed all alone. Please. Will you please let me see him?”
“It’s late, and visiting hours are over.”
My heart falls, and tears well up in my eyes. I’m surprised that they’re real as they spill over onto my cheeks. This isn’t a show for the doctor. I’m genuinely upset, and even as I try to wipe the offending droplets away, they keep coming.
Dr. Webber places a hand on my shoulder, and I look up at him. “That being said, I think, in this case, the circumstances call for a little bend in the rules. Let’s check you over, and if all looks well, I’ll have Nurse Singleton wheel you to his room so you can see him yourself.”
A sob racks through me, and I’m not sure if it’s from joy, relief, or terror at the idea of seeing him again. “Thank you, Dr. Webber. You have no idea how much that means to me. I’ve been lying here all night wondering how he’s been doing, and it’s been driving me crazy.”
“I can understand that, Ms. Covington. I’ll be thorough but quick,” he assures me as he reads my chart.
Then he and the nurse work together to check the stitches on my head and my torso where my spleen was removed. I wince as he touches the tender spot, and as he checks my chart again, he orders another round of pain medication.
“Please. I’m fine. I don’t want any more medication if it means I can’t leave the room,” I protest as Nurse Singleton starts to push a dose of morphine into my IV.
“As far as I can tell, everything’s looking fine. She’ll wheel you down there just so you can see him then bring you back to sleep in your room. First thing tomorrow, we’ll take you back. How does that sound?” the doctor asks.
