Read Online Battlefield of the Heart by E. A. West - Free Book Online Page B

“You remind me of this therapist I once met. He spent twenty minutes describing the life cycle of worms to get me to relax and talk to him. That has got to be the most mind-numbing thing I’ve ever listened to in my life.”
    She laughed lightly. She must have learned more practical knowledge in those classes than she’d thought. “Did it have the desired effect?”
    â€œYeah.” Danny fell silent for a moment, and then he turned to her with an uncertain expression. “Do you know what you just witnessed?”
    â€œNot really.”
    He sighed and looked out at the parking lot again. “An anxiety attack and a flood of memories. Hospitals trigger them nearly every time I go in one for someone other than myself.”
    She hesitated, but the worst that could happen was he told her it was none of her business. “Why do hospitals affect you like that?”
    â€œBecause of something that happened in Iraq.” He shifted his position so he faced her. “We’d heard rumors someone we were looking for was in that hospital. We went in and the place was pretty empty of patients.” He looked away as he spoke in a barely audible voice. “The guy next to me got hit in the leg. I got hit in the chest, but my body armor stopped the bullet. Others in our squad took down the gunmen. We found out later we’d been set up. They lured us there with fake information so they could kill us.”
    Cindy laid her hand on his shoulder, stunned he’d told her something he apparently hadn’t even admitted to Lacey. “You know that’s not going to happen here.”
    Danny turned to her, his eyes haunted. “That’s what I keep telling myself, but it doesn’t always work.”
    She nodded and lowered her hand. Unsure of what to say, she remained silent. She figured he’d let her know if he wanted to talk.
    They sat there a while longer, and then Danny sighed and stood. “We’d better go back in before Josh and Corbin worry too much.”
    Cindy rose and fell into step beside him as he headed for the entrance. “Are you going to be okay?”
    He flashed her a wry look. “If I’m not, at least now you know what’ll happen and why.”
    She smiled and prayed he’d be okay for the rest of the evening. She’d help again if he needed it, but she hated seeing him freak, as Lacey had put it. The poor guy had been through so much, and she doubted she’d heard even the beginning of it.
    They returned to the waiting room to find more people sitting in the padded wooden chairs and Corbin looking worried. Josh ran his gaze over Danny and Cindy as they sat down, and Danny raised his eyebrows. “Have you heard anything yet?”
    â€œYeah, they’re having to triage the surgeries thanks to really bad luck and not enough ORs or surgeons,” Corbin said with a sigh.
    â€œMonique’s been shoved to the bottom of the list because she’s in the best shape,” Josh added. “They don’t know how long it’ll be until they get to her.”
    â€œThat reeks.” Danny glanced around the room. “How many people do they have ahead of her?”
    â€œFour.” Corbin cast a glare at the group for the gunshot victim. “My baby’s sick and in pain, and they’re making her wait because of morons who can’t drive and think the best way to solve an argument is with a semi-automatic. There should be a law that says stupidity gets you put on the bottom of a triage list regardless of how much blood you’re losing.”
    â€œAt least one of the people ahead of your wife is an innocent bystander,” Josh said quietly.
    Corbin groaned and leaned forward, bracing his forearms on his knees. “I know. I’m just frustrated and worried about Monique.”
    â€œThey’ve got her on heavy-duty antibiotics and painkillers,” Josh said, laying a hand on Corbin’s back.