her hurried pace.
“Maybe fifteen minutes.” She glanced over her shoulder, her eyes making a silent apology. “No one can see her longer than that anyway. Only family’s supposed to be allowed in, and only one at a time, but she doesn’t really have family per se, other than Cam.”
Walsh couldn’t help but resent that, technically, Cam had a right to watch over her and he didn’t. Walsh had forfeited that when he stepped aside. Meredith stopped at Kerris’s hospital room, leaning back against the closed door, looking up at him from more than a foot below.
“Walsh, she’s not breathing on her own.”
“I know.”
“She has several broken bones.”
“Yeah, you told me.”
“And there’s lots of bruising and scratches and cuts.”
Walsh measured his words in careful doses, despite the rabid dog inside him straining against the leash, desperate to get on the other side of that door.
“Meredith, I appreciate you calling me. But if you don’t get out of my way, I will physically pick you up and move you.”
“I’m just trying to prepare you.” Tears slid down her feline cheekbones. “It’s not pretty.”
“Pretty?” His voice was low and hoarse from tears and fatigue. Irritation and impatience jerked his brows into a scowl. “Is that why you think I love her? Because she’s pretty?”
“It’s not that. She’s just—”
“It’s Kerris.” Enough said. “How will this work? Will you stand guard or something?”
She nodded and stepped aside. Walsh walked in, careful not to look in the direction of the bed until the door was firmly closed behind him. His knees shook and he put a steadying hand out to the wall at his first sight of her. The first time he had seen her, he had marveled at how petite she was. He couldn’t help but wish now that she were bigger, stronger, less fragile. In the big hospital bed, she seemed like a broken flower, lost among a weeded network of tubes, wires, and beeping machinery.
He crossed to the chair beside her bed, sitting back, afraid to touch her. He lowered his forehead to the bed rail, needing its coolness against his fevered skin. Slowly he extended his hand to touch her little fingers, his hand literally twice the size of hers. The arm and leg on the other side were already plastered. Abrasions and cuts marred her beautiful honeyed skin with bruises, bluish and black. Her mouth was held slightly open by the tube snaking inside. Her hair haloed around her on the white pillow, the fire winding through the dark silk subdued in the dim light of the room.
“Hey, baby.”
The gruff whisper of his own voice grated on his nerves. He swallowed back the tears he had promised himself he wouldn’t indulge.
“I…I know we haven’t seen each other in a long time.” He squeezed her hand. “I don’t want to make things complicated, but nothing could have kept me away. I don’t know if you can hear me, but if you can, I hope it’s a good thing that I’m here. I can’t stay long, but…”
If she couldn’t hear him, didn’t know he was here, what was the point? Except his own selfish need to be near her, even though he had no right and no one wanted him here; no one thought he should be here.
“I love you, Kerris.”
It was unnecessary. There was no way she didn’t know that, but he realized he’d told her only once, and then it had almost been an accusation. They’d argued in her kitchen and he’d been furious with her for assuming he was marrying Sofie, for ruining their chance together. He squeezed her hand again, shocked to feel the pressure almost imperceptibly returned.
She’d squeezed his hand!
Meredith thrust her head into the room, her words an uneasy hiss.
“Walsh, it’s time to go. Cam’s coming.”
“Meredith, she just squeezed my hand! That’s good, right?”
“Sure, Walsh. It’s good. Did you hear me? Cam’s coming.”
“Okay, hold on.”
He turned back to Kerris. He stood and stepped as close as the labyrinth of
“Maybe fifteen minutes.” She glanced over her shoulder, her eyes making a silent apology. “No one can see her longer than that anyway. Only family’s supposed to be allowed in, and only one at a time, but she doesn’t really have family per se, other than Cam.”
Walsh couldn’t help but resent that, technically, Cam had a right to watch over her and he didn’t. Walsh had forfeited that when he stepped aside. Meredith stopped at Kerris’s hospital room, leaning back against the closed door, looking up at him from more than a foot below.
“Walsh, she’s not breathing on her own.”
“I know.”
“She has several broken bones.”
“Yeah, you told me.”
“And there’s lots of bruising and scratches and cuts.”
Walsh measured his words in careful doses, despite the rabid dog inside him straining against the leash, desperate to get on the other side of that door.
“Meredith, I appreciate you calling me. But if you don’t get out of my way, I will physically pick you up and move you.”
“I’m just trying to prepare you.” Tears slid down her feline cheekbones. “It’s not pretty.”
“Pretty?” His voice was low and hoarse from tears and fatigue. Irritation and impatience jerked his brows into a scowl. “Is that why you think I love her? Because she’s pretty?”
“It’s not that. She’s just—”
“It’s Kerris.” Enough said. “How will this work? Will you stand guard or something?”
She nodded and stepped aside. Walsh walked in, careful not to look in the direction of the bed until the door was firmly closed behind him. His knees shook and he put a steadying hand out to the wall at his first sight of her. The first time he had seen her, he had marveled at how petite she was. He couldn’t help but wish now that she were bigger, stronger, less fragile. In the big hospital bed, she seemed like a broken flower, lost among a weeded network of tubes, wires, and beeping machinery.
He crossed to the chair beside her bed, sitting back, afraid to touch her. He lowered his forehead to the bed rail, needing its coolness against his fevered skin. Slowly he extended his hand to touch her little fingers, his hand literally twice the size of hers. The arm and leg on the other side were already plastered. Abrasions and cuts marred her beautiful honeyed skin with bruises, bluish and black. Her mouth was held slightly open by the tube snaking inside. Her hair haloed around her on the white pillow, the fire winding through the dark silk subdued in the dim light of the room.
“Hey, baby.”
The gruff whisper of his own voice grated on his nerves. He swallowed back the tears he had promised himself he wouldn’t indulge.
“I…I know we haven’t seen each other in a long time.” He squeezed her hand. “I don’t want to make things complicated, but nothing could have kept me away. I don’t know if you can hear me, but if you can, I hope it’s a good thing that I’m here. I can’t stay long, but…”
If she couldn’t hear him, didn’t know he was here, what was the point? Except his own selfish need to be near her, even though he had no right and no one wanted him here; no one thought he should be here.
“I love you, Kerris.”
It was unnecessary. There was no way she didn’t know that, but he realized he’d told her only once, and then it had almost been an accusation. They’d argued in her kitchen and he’d been furious with her for assuming he was marrying Sofie, for ruining their chance together. He squeezed her hand again, shocked to feel the pressure almost imperceptibly returned.
She’d squeezed his hand!
Meredith thrust her head into the room, her words an uneasy hiss.
“Walsh, it’s time to go. Cam’s coming.”
“Meredith, she just squeezed my hand! That’s good, right?”
“Sure, Walsh. It’s good. Did you hear me? Cam’s coming.”
“Okay, hold on.”
He turned back to Kerris. He stood and stepped as close as the labyrinth of
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