I thanked Grant and watched him walk across the dark parking lot of the hospital before returning to the waiting room to wait with Cara and Ryan. The next three hours felt like forever. We all sat there quietly watching the same news reel replay. I was going to ask Ryan to ask a hospital staff to turn the channel as my stomach once again began to turn when, finally, a doctor appeared in the doorway of the waiting room.
"Who's here with Jackson Walker?" he asked.
"We are," Ryan called, holding his hand up in the air.
The doctor walked over to us and smiled. "Hi. I'm Doctor Maddox. The surgery went fine. We were able to remove all bullets and fragments. It took a little longer than we expected, but there were no complications."
"Can we see him?" I asked, sitting forward, ready to jump up if he said yes.
"I'm afraid not. He's still in recovery. As soon as he is moved up to his room, which I expect will be about a half hour or so, then we can allow one person in. So whoever is related," he said, looking at all three of us.
"That would be me," I said, standing up.
18
Jackson
The steady beepingof a machine woke me, and I looked around at the unfamiliar surroundings. My name was written on a whiteboard that hung on the wall at the foot of my bed. I looked around. An IV pole hung on the bedside. Why was I in the hospital? How had I gotten here, I wondered to myself. I went to move but stopped when I felt a pull in my side.
"Oh, God," I cried, gripping my side as I looked down at a large white bandage. I looked over to my left and saw Bailey curled up in the chair sound asleep. Her jacket was rolled up under her neck, a blanket over her lap.
I blew out a breath, trying hard to get comfortable, and finally found a position that I was able to relax back against the pillows. The door to my room opened and a nurse walked in. She was quiet and smiled as she came over to a machine and hit a few buttons, then replaced an IV bag. "Good morning," she whispered.
"What am I doing here?" I questioned, looking at the machine she was fiddling with.
"You were shot. You had surgery," she said, connecting up the tubes and taking my vitals.
"How long has she been here?" I asked, looking over at Bailey, who was still sound asleep.
"She spent the night. She was very concerned and refused to leave, so I got her a blanket."
"She was concerned?" I asked. I could hear the surprise in my voice at her admission.
"Yes, very. I sat with her for a while after she came up. She was extremely upset. You're a lucky man. You have a very special girl there."
I looked over and just took her in. She was my everything. I just wished I had realized it sooner than I did. "I know," I whispered.
"The doctor will be in after breakfast. You just try and rest. Did you need anything?"
"Maybe a little water?"
"Sure thing."
Once she returned with a cool glass of water, I relaxed back against the pillow and closed my eyes. I sat that way for a while and then looked over to Bailey. I watched as she slowly opened her eyes, looking confused, and then a look of joy came over her face.
"You're awake. Thank God," Bailey said as she got up and came over to my side, sitting down on the edge of the bed.
I grabbed hold of her hand and smiled.
"How are you feeling?" she asked, gripping my hand tight in hers.
"Okay. What happened?"
"You were shot. I don't know much more than that. Ryan and Grant said they'd be by later today."
I looked at Bailey as a look of concern washed over her face. I'd seen that look before, the same look that she had when she decided to walk out on me five years earlier. I felt the panic start to rise in my chest as she now avoided my eyes.
"What is it?" I asked.