“Right, of course it isn’t his fault. It’s never his fault when you’re around. He had no hand in it at all, and it’s all me. All the time.”
“Yeah, well. Maybe you should heed my advice for once.”
“He’s my son. Not yours. Can it, or leave. You know the drill.”
The conversation out in the hallway took me aback. I wasn’t sure what to make of it but—but it sounded like Cecilia was standing up for me.
Like she had stood up for me in the past.
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“I’ll be right back,” the doctor said.
With one last pat of his hand, he got up. He stormed out into the hallway, walked right up to that laptop, and closed it in the middle of my father’s sentence. I snickered. Oh man, if there was a mushroom cloud in the distance, I knew why. I sighed with relief as I eased myself back into the hospital bed, thankful to have some peace and quiet.
Then I felt Cecilia’s hand fall against mine.
“I’m sorry, Clint.”
I sighed. “Not your fault.”
“I really thought he’d—”
“Give it a few more years. You’ll stop expecting so much from him.”
She squeezed my hand softly as a nurse came in and hooked me back up to a few things. She got my I.V. drip going again. Got the oxygen tubes seated in my nose. And as the nurse tucked me in, I felt my eyes flutter closed. Dad was partially right, though. I did have a hand in why I was run off the road. But not in the way my father thought. I hadn’t instigated anything this time. I’d prevented it. I’d saved Rae from harm by throwing myself in harm’s way. That shit was noble.
Right?
Don’t second guess yourself because of that asshole.
Part of me wanted to tell my father. But I knew how he’d see it. If I told him it was to save some girl, he’d call me soft. He’d tell me Rae probably deserved whatever was coming to her, and that I needed to let her learn her lesson instead of babying her. And I wasn’t sure I’d be able to keep myself from murdering him if I heard those words come out of his fucking face. Sure, I might have been able to tell Cecilia, but I knew if I told her she’d eventually tell my father. Because she was still in those years where she wanted to please him. Make him happy. Make him proud.
Whereas I’d abandoned those ideals around the time I was fifteen.
Dad won’t understand the idea of defending a woman like that.
Cecilia patted my hand. “Get some rest. I’ll be here when you wake up.”
I nodded. “Sounds good.”
“I’m really proud of what you accomplished today in PT.”
“At least someone is.”
“Your father’s proud in his own way.”
I snickered. “No, he’s not. But, I’m glad you still think so. Means he hasn’t gotten to you yet.”
And when she didn’t answer, I knew she knew I was right.
15
Raelynn
I smiled as I walked through the hospital doors, not bothering to ask for Clint’s room number. I knew where he was, and I was anxious to get to him. I tossed my shoulder pack around behind me, feeling it bounce against my legs. I moved as quickly as I could without running through the hallways, navigating the corridors before coming to his room.
I had a pep in my step and a giggle on my lips as I approached his door.