“Let me know if you need help,” he offers.
My mouth twitches as I suppress the smile.
Carla will be glad to hear things are better between her father and me.
CARLA
For the past two hours, my mind’s been racing, trying to catch up with everything that happened. I’m struggling to come to terms with the fact I was shot.
As I’m moved onto the bed in the private room, my parents and Noah stand to the side, so they’re out of the way.
Tired, my body relaxes against the pillows.
Miss Sebastian makes sure my IV is flowing right, then she checks my oxygen mask. “There you go. Dr. Wells will come to check on you soon.” She points to a remote. “Just press this button if you need assistance.”
I nod and say, “Thank you.” The words are muted by the mask.
“We’ll start decreasing the pain medication, as well,” she informs me.
I’ve only felt discomfort so far, but I’m sure the medication can’t be good for Raspberry. “The sooner, the better,” I agree, not wanting to risk Raspberry’s health.
Miss Sebastian pats my hand before she leaves to attend to her other duties.
Mom’s the first to approach the bed. “Is there anything I can bring you?”
I shake my head. “Noah can bring my clothes…” feeling breathless, I take a moment to get air into my lungs, then I continue, “…from the suite.”
Dad comes to press a kiss to my forehead, then he says, “I need to get back to work, but I’ll see you later. Okay?”
I nod. “Thanks for being here, Daddy.”
He gives me a loving smile before he walks back to where Noah is standing.
Noah’s eyes meet mine, then he says, “I’m going to pack your bag, then I’ll be back.”
When the men leave, it’s just Mom and me. She takes a seat next to the bed, and her eyes scan over me.
“I’m much better,” I say to ease any worry she might have.
Mom nods. “I know.” Leaning forward, she takes hold of my hand. “How do you feel emotionally?”
I stare at Mom as I try to gather my thoughts. “I’m confused.” I take a couple of breaths. “I don’t understand why it happened.”
Mom glances at the door before she says, “Noah and your father will talk to Leigh.” I frown, the sudden change in topic throwing me for a loop. Then Mom explains, “The shooter’s son died during surgery. Leigh was the surgeon. The man blamed her, and he wanted to take revenge by killing Noah.”
My eyes widen as I gasp for a breath of air. “What?”
Mom rubs her hand over mine. “He’s unstable due to the loss he suffered. Your father watched the footage. When the guards tackled the man, the gun went off, and you got shot. Your Uncle Lake is handling the matter, and he said the man will be in a mental asylum for a very long time. I’m guessing once he’s learned to deal with his grief, he’ll have to face his guilt as well.”
“That’s….” I almost say crazy but swallow the word back.
“It’s a traumatic event that never should’ve happened to begin with.”
“Yeah,” I murmur, thinking I almost lost Raspberry because a man couldn’t deal with his grief. “I don’t think I’ll ever understand it.”
Mom presses a kiss to the back of my hand. “You and Raspberry are safe and getting stronger by the second. It’s all that matters to me.”
“Did Noah tell you…” Damn, I hate that I can’t complete a sentence without having to catch my breath, “…that’s what I’ve been calling the baby?”
“I overheard him telling you Raspberry is doing well,” Mom explains.
My thoughts turn to Noah. I hope he doesn’t blame himself for what happened.
“Try to sleep a bit,” Mom murmurs.
Yeah, I don’t think that’s going to be a possibility until I see Noah.
As if Mom can sense that I’m thinking about him, she says, “Noah really loves you.”
Her words make me smile. “I know.”
She lets out a chuckle. “He was even talking to the baby while you were in the ICU.”
“Yeah? What did he say?”
A soft smile forms around Mom’s mouth. “He can’t wait to meet Raspberry.”
I begin to chuckle, but it turns into a cough.
When my breathing returns to normal, Mom helps me have a few ice chips to ease the dryness in my mouth and throat.
Lying back, I rest my hand on my stomach.
Even though I’m out of the ICU, I’m still worried about Raspberry. I hope the ordeal doesn’t affect our baby's development in any way.
Chapter 26
NOAH
Even though Julian offered to be present, I thought it would be best to speak with Mom alone.
Luckily she’s able to spare me a couple of minutes, and the moment we’re alone in her office, I get right to the point. “Mr. Reyes found out some information about the shooter.”
Mom’s eyes narrow. “Oh? He’s been arrested, right? Have they pressed charges?”