That was the only time he talked to me.
We arrive at the emergency room entrance, and I follow the two EMTs, never letting go of Lilly—my hand placed either on her leg or foot. Her eyes are closed, but she's awake. The thin line of her lips is as much a giveaway as her thumb flipping against the remaining four fingers of her hand.
After she's transferred off the stretcher onto a bed, the two guys leave us just as a nurse enters the small room and stops in her tracks when she spots me. "You need to wait outside."
"He is not leaving." George’s voice comes from behind the woman, and she jumps in surprise. However, that is nothing compared to the reaction when she sees him. She yelps and bumps into the small table next to Lilly’s bed, various items clattering to the ground.
"O—oh goodness, I—I’m s—sorry," the poor nurse stammers.
"George?" Lilly’s rasped voice makes all eyes snap to her. It’s the first time she’s said anything since the locker room.
I’m fucking sick of seeing her in a hospital bed.
One side of her face is pressed into the mattress. The EMTs removed the pillow to accommodate her prone position, and she lifts her head slightly.
"Yes, Miss Lilly?"
"Don't scare the nurse." Even in her battered state, she ridicules this bad-ass former Marine, and a snort escapes me.
I love this girl.
George moves closer to make eye contact. "My apologies, Miss Lilly. I am simply ensuring you are not alone until Heather and Tristen arrive."
My parents! "Did someone call Mom and Dad?" I ask no one in particular.
George turns to me while his hand rests next to Lilly's head on the bed. "Yes. Weston called your father, who informed your mother. Your mother was in the city and should be here within the hour. Your father is"—he pulls out his phone and glances at the screen—"about eight minutes out."
The flustered nurse’s jaw hits the floor.
George addresses the woman. "I didn’t mean to startle you. I’m Miss McGuire’s..."
There is a beat of awkward silence.
"Uncle," Lilly supplies.
"Uncle," George and I parrot simultaneously, though our response sounds more like a question.
The woman peers at the dangerous-looking man out of the corner of her eye but knows better than to question Lilly. I clamp my mouth shut. I'm not getting into this.
She turns to her patient. "Miss McGuire, how is your pain level? The doctor will be with you shortly; he's finishing up with another patient. Once he assesses the wounds, I will clean them up."
"Whatever the guy in the ambulance gave me is working," Lilly declares groggily. At least she is not in pain anymore—or at the level she was at when I first saw her on the floor.
"I'm glad to hear that. I will be back shortly. If you need something in the meantime, please press this button over here." She places a small remote on the mattress next to Lilly's hand. "Or one of your, uh...family members can come to get me from the nurses' station."
"Thank you," Lilly whispers, and it's apparent how exhausted she is.
As soon as the nurse leaves the room, I square my shoulders and round on George, who is staring at his phone.
"Dude, where the fuck were you when this went down? I thought you're supposed to 'shadow'"—I make air quotes— "Lilly?" Logically, I know he didn’t have eyes in the locker room, but my irrational side needs to blame someone.
"Your father just pulled up. I will be waiting outside. Weston knows where to find me." And with that, he’s gone. The only thing missing is George dropping a black curtain like a magician and purple smoke remaining in his place.
Motherf—
I slowly walk to the other side of the bed and lower myself onto the rolling chair probably meant for the medical staff. I wrap my fingers around Lilly's, and she blinks at me.
"What happened?" My voice breaks, and I avert my gaze from her exposed back.