Page 252 of The Night Shift
Parker is slower to react. He groans and mumbles something in his sleep, arms wrapped around his wife, face buried in her chest. “Chère, five more minutes — ow, stop hitting me!”
April pushes him off of her and slams the call button for the nurse, then hurries to my bedside.
“You’re awake.” There are tears in her eyes, I’m not sure why. But then again, April pretty much cries over everything.
I try to sit up. My throat is sandpaper. Every breath scrapes. I manage to get out two words, raw and hoarse: “Where’s Holly?”
I don’t remember everything. Not clearly. My mind feels like a haze. A broken mirror, reflecting things in the wrong order. But I do remember the important parts.
The warehouse.
The axe.
Camille.
Camille’s gun.
Blood. Mine. Holly’s. Too much.
“Holly,” I repeat.
April nods fast, blinking back up. “I’m gonna go check on her for you. I’ll be right back, okay? Please stay awake. Do not close your eyes.”
“Shouldn’t you…aren’t you supposed to be on your honeymoon?”
“Holly called. We came back.”
“Oh.” My throat tightens. “I…I’m sorry about that.”
April’s face sharpens in front of me. She starts crying again — fuck, she’s really crying. She shakes her head, blinking hard. She leans in and hugs me so tight it hurts. Pretty sure she’s squeezing a fractured rib. “I’m so happy you’re awake, Theo. We were so worried.”
I wheeze, grimacing. “Can’t…breathe.”
April immediately pulls back, eyes wide. “Shit, sorry.”
“Holly,” I repeat.
“Right, I’m gonna go get her. And a nurse. Just please stay this way, okay? Donotclose your eyes.”
I nod. My ribs throb in response.
“I’m serious, Theo. Stay.Awake.”
“Yep,” I rasp. “Got it.”
She runs out into the hallway. I keep staring at the empty doorway. Waiting for a blonde head to walk through it.
The monitor beeps steady beside me.
“Hey, man,” Parker says, somewhat awkwardly. He stands at the foot of the bed, hands shoved deep into the pockets of his hoodie looking entirely uncertain about being here. “How’re you feeling?”
“Like a hundred drugs are wearing off all at once.”
“So, not good.”
“Yup.”
“You really scared all of us. April was devastated. She kept thinking you’d wake up and not remember any of us.”
