“Oh,” Whit said, appearing confused. “She never said anything to me about moving. I’ll keep an eye on her place until we hear something definitive.”
Colt thanked him. He and Odell left and Colt went back inside to Regan.
For the next few days, the draft kept her asleep. Colt kept an eye on her around the clock and was pleased that she seemed to be sleeping less fitfully. The bleeding had stopped and he didn’t see any signs that she was still bleeding internally. A steady stream of visitors stopped by to ask about her progress. Glenda, Lacy, Lucretia, and Dovie brought food and did laundry, for which he was extremely grateful because lying on clean bedding lessened the chance of her wounds becoming infected. True to her word, Spring drove Anna over every day and while Anna sat silently by her mama’s bedside, Spring took her mare, Star, out for a run.
Regan opened her eyes. Her vision was hazy, her mouth felt as if she’d eaten cotton. Closing her eyes again, hoping it would help her focus and clear the cobwebs in her mind, she laid still a moment. Breathing hurt, so she took in small breaths. The fog lifted just enough to let her know she was lying in a bed, but not where.
“Welcome back, Mrs. Lee.”
She turned her head and croaked, “Colton?” His features were difficult to make out, so she tried to sit up but pain sharp as shards of glass ripped through her back and she cried out.
“Lie still,” he said. His hands touched her gently.
A moan rose from her.
“Just lie still.”
She drew in little puffs of air until the hurt faded. When it finally did, she asked, “Where am I?”
“In my bed. Here, take a few sips of water.”
Scared of setting off the pain again, she raised her head just enough to feel the cup against her lips, then took a few sips. Lowering herself again, she drew in a few breaths. She was exhausted. “What happened to me?”
“You were shot.”
She had trouble remembering at first, but soon pieces of the event rose in her mind. “I was going to visit Spring and... Two bullets,” she whispered.
“I took them out.”
“Anna?”
“With Spring, but she’s been here to see you every day.”
“How long have I been like this?”
“This is the afternoon of the fifth day.”
“Aunt Eddy got shot once, too.” But before she could explain, she drifted back into sleep.
The next time she opened her eyes, Anna was sitting in a chair beside her. Regan smiled, or at least she thought she was smiling. “Hi, honey,” she said softly. “How are you?”
“I’m fine, Mama. How are you?”
“I’ve been better but I’ll be up and around soon.”
“You’re not going to die?”
“No. It’ll take more than a couple of lousy bullets to do that. Besides I have your love to help me get better and your papa is the best doctor in the Territory.”
Anna smiled.
By the eighth day, Regan could sit up without much pain, if she didn’t do it for long periods of time, and by day ten, she was sick of lying in bed.
“I want to get up, Colton.”
“You need to heal up a bit more.”
“I’m tired of lying around and doing nothing.”