Read Online White Trash Witch by Franny Armstrong - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Franny Armstrong
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clean, his cologne a gentle spice. She felt so
safe in his arms.
Running a soothing hand over her hair, he murmured,
"It's okay, honey. It'll take time. Don't cry, baby. I'm here, and
I'm not leaving you."
She looked up at him, shaking her head. "I still see
you as Ryder when I close my eyes. It's so confusing."
"Sorry, Wiley," he said, hugging her close.
The doctor brushed past them, and went straight to
her patient. Penlight in hand she checked Dara's pupils, and picked
up the chart.
"I'm Dr. Watts. Tell me your name," she ordered.
"Dara Danson."
"Do you know where you are?"
"Hospital," Dara whispered, appearing ready to cry
more.
"Very good. You've had severe trauma to your right
side. The femur and fibula in your right leg are fractured, as well
as the humorous in your upper arm. We were concerned about brain
damage, but you seem to be doing quite well. The swelling in your
brain was minimal. You're lucky to be alive. You'll have to stay
here for the next few weeks, and then we'll see from there how
you're doing."
"But, Lacy. Who will take care of her?"
"I'm not a child, Mom," Lacy said with a disgusted
tone, her voice filled with threatening tears.
"She can stay at my place for as long as necessary. I
have a chef, a housekeeper, and a driver. She can come to see you
every day," Ryder said, stepping forward.
"Dara, this is Duncan Ryder. We call him Ryder. He's
a friend of mine. Mom is at his place now, though once I call her
to tell her you're awake, I'll bet she'll head right back
here."
"Good. Now, the most important thing for you, Mrs.
Danson, is for you to rest. That means no getting worked up like
you did a few minutes ago. Understood?" the doctor asked.
"Please don't call me that. My name is Dara. Yes. I
understand," she said quietly.
The doctor nodded and left them.
"Maybe I'll go wait out in the hallway," Ryder
murmured in Wiley's ear.
"No. Please, don't go. If my family is staying with
you, I'd like to get to know you," Dara said, cringing at a wave of
pain.
"Can I get you anything?" Wiley said, not sure what
to do for her sister.
"A good divorce lawyer. I don't know how I'll afford
it, but somehow I'll do it. He's gone too far this time. I'll not
stay married to him a minute longer. I'm sorry, baby, I know he's
your Dad, but I've had enough."
"Mom, don't worry about it. He hasn't really been my
dad in years since he started drinking heavily. I just want you to
get better," Lacy said, holding her mother's hand.
"You are such a good kid." Dara kissed her daughter,
gasping when she moved too far.
"Dara, if you'll permit me, I have an excellent
lawyer who specializes in divorces. Would you let me arrange to
have him come see you? When you are ready, of course."
"I'll be ready in five minutes!" she said, then
moaned.
"Honey, you have to relax. Please," Wiley said.
"Call Mom. I…I need her," Dara said, crying
softly.
Wiley picked up the phone. "Ah, what's your number?"
she asked, looking up at Ryder.
"Here, I'll dial it for you." Moving in close he
dialed, then handed her the phone.
Wiley caught his spicy scent and breathed in deeply
before she caught herself. She spoke quickly to her mother, and
then held the phone to Dara's ear.
"Momma? I need you. Oh, Momma, it hurts," Dara said,
breaking down. Groaning, she pushed the phone away.
"Get the nurse, tell her Dara's in pain," Wiley
whispered to Ryder, taking the phone back. He left the room, and
came right back. Wiley spoke to her mother for a moment or two
more, and then hung up the phone.
"Oh, honey, I'd hug you, but I don't know where you
aren't hurt!" Wiley teased, fighting the tears.
"Everything hurts. Take Lacy home with you. She
doesn't need to see this."
"Lacy is right here, and I don't want to leave you,
Mom. I love you," Lacy said, tears flowing.
"Mom will be here in ten minutes. Just hang in
there," Wiley said.
"I'll go make that call. I'll be at the nurse's
station if you need me." Ryder kissed Wiley on her forehead,
safe in his arms.
Running a soothing hand over her hair, he murmured,
"It's okay, honey. It'll take time. Don't cry, baby. I'm here, and
I'm not leaving you."
She looked up at him, shaking her head. "I still see
you as Ryder when I close my eyes. It's so confusing."
"Sorry, Wiley," he said, hugging her close.
The doctor brushed past them, and went straight to
her patient. Penlight in hand she checked Dara's pupils, and picked
up the chart.
"I'm Dr. Watts. Tell me your name," she ordered.
"Dara Danson."
"Do you know where you are?"
"Hospital," Dara whispered, appearing ready to cry
more.
"Very good. You've had severe trauma to your right
side. The femur and fibula in your right leg are fractured, as well
as the humorous in your upper arm. We were concerned about brain
damage, but you seem to be doing quite well. The swelling in your
brain was minimal. You're lucky to be alive. You'll have to stay
here for the next few weeks, and then we'll see from there how
you're doing."
"But, Lacy. Who will take care of her?"
"I'm not a child, Mom," Lacy said with a disgusted
tone, her voice filled with threatening tears.
"She can stay at my place for as long as necessary. I
have a chef, a housekeeper, and a driver. She can come to see you
every day," Ryder said, stepping forward.
"Dara, this is Duncan Ryder. We call him Ryder. He's
a friend of mine. Mom is at his place now, though once I call her
to tell her you're awake, I'll bet she'll head right back
here."
"Good. Now, the most important thing for you, Mrs.
Danson, is for you to rest. That means no getting worked up like
you did a few minutes ago. Understood?" the doctor asked.
"Please don't call me that. My name is Dara. Yes. I
understand," she said quietly.
The doctor nodded and left them.
"Maybe I'll go wait out in the hallway," Ryder
murmured in Wiley's ear.
"No. Please, don't go. If my family is staying with
you, I'd like to get to know you," Dara said, cringing at a wave of
pain.
"Can I get you anything?" Wiley said, not sure what
to do for her sister.
"A good divorce lawyer. I don't know how I'll afford
it, but somehow I'll do it. He's gone too far this time. I'll not
stay married to him a minute longer. I'm sorry, baby, I know he's
your Dad, but I've had enough."
"Mom, don't worry about it. He hasn't really been my
dad in years since he started drinking heavily. I just want you to
get better," Lacy said, holding her mother's hand.
"You are such a good kid." Dara kissed her daughter,
gasping when she moved too far.
"Dara, if you'll permit me, I have an excellent
lawyer who specializes in divorces. Would you let me arrange to
have him come see you? When you are ready, of course."
"I'll be ready in five minutes!" she said, then
moaned.
"Honey, you have to relax. Please," Wiley said.
"Call Mom. I…I need her," Dara said, crying
softly.
Wiley picked up the phone. "Ah, what's your number?"
she asked, looking up at Ryder.
"Here, I'll dial it for you." Moving in close he
dialed, then handed her the phone.
Wiley caught his spicy scent and breathed in deeply
before she caught herself. She spoke quickly to her mother, and
then held the phone to Dara's ear.
"Momma? I need you. Oh, Momma, it hurts," Dara said,
breaking down. Groaning, she pushed the phone away.
"Get the nurse, tell her Dara's in pain," Wiley
whispered to Ryder, taking the phone back. He left the room, and
came right back. Wiley spoke to her mother for a moment or two
more, and then hung up the phone.
"Oh, honey, I'd hug you, but I don't know where you
aren't hurt!" Wiley teased, fighting the tears.
"Everything hurts. Take Lacy home with you. She
doesn't need to see this."
"Lacy is right here, and I don't want to leave you,
Mom. I love you," Lacy said, tears flowing.
"Mom will be here in ten minutes. Just hang in
there," Wiley said.
"I'll go make that call. I'll be at the nurse's
station if you need me." Ryder kissed Wiley on her forehead,
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