Chapter 35
Gage jumped at the sound of his phone going off on the table across from him. Seeing Travis’ name flash across the screen, he took a deep breath and prepared himself for whatever news was coming.
“We have her, but she’s hurt,” Travis’ low voice rumbled through the phone. Gage’s gut twisted as his worst fears started to come true. Before he could ask how bad she was, Travis continued, “He knocked her around pretty good, and she took a shot in the shoulder. We have an ambulance on the way. They’ll take her to the emergency room at Oaktown General, so I suggest you head that way. Meet me there, and I’ll fill you in on the details.”
“Okay, but can you tell me one thing. Was it Carly’s ex?” Gage knew without a doubt it had to be, but he wanted confirmation.
“We think so, but we’ll have to wait to see what the investigation shows. The ambulance is here. Got to go. See you at the hospital.” Before Gage could question him further, Travis ended the call. As Gage put his phone in his pocket, he looked up and saw everyone looking anxiously at him.
“They found Carly, but she’s injured. An ambulance is taking her to the hospital. Where are my keys?” he asked, frantically searching his pants pockets and coming up empty in his panic to get to Carly.
“They’re right here.” Gage looked up to see Jonathan holding his keys in front of him with a worried look on his face. “Is she going to be okay?” his frightened son whispered. As Gage looked at his son trying to decide what to tell him, his father stepped up and swiped the keys from Jonathan’s hand.
“You’re in no condition to drive. We’ll find out more at the hospital. I’ll drive. You and Jonathan come with me. Joyce, you bring Carly’s friends in our car, and we’ll meet you there,” his dad commanded as he grabbed Gage by the arm and pointed him toward the hall leading to the garage.
Grateful his dad was taking charge, his mind frantic with worry about Carly, Gage numbly followed him out to his truck with Jonathan right behind.
All the way to the hospital he silently prayed she was going to be all right and promised himself as soon as she was out of danger there would be no more giving her time. He’d tell her how much he loved her and would propose as soon as possible. He’d waited long enough for the right woman to come along, and he wasn’t going to let her go.
***
After being directed upstairs by the ER nurse, Gage and the rest of his small group walked into the second-floor surgical waiting room that was quickly filling with students and teachers from Oaktown High School. Word had spread fast, and Gage gave everyone he could see a nod, grateful for their support. Noticing a small desk tucked into one corner of the waiting area, he headed over and bent down to the little gray-haired lady and gave her a small smile. “Excuse me, ma’am. Can you tell me anything about Carly Owens?”
“Are you family?” she asked, reaching for a stack of cards at the edge of the desk.
“I’m her fiancé,” Gage fibbed and hoped she would give him some information about Carly.
“Close enough,” the little lady remarked, handing Gage one of the forms and a pen. “Fill this out, and I’ll let the nurse in the OR know you’re here. She’ll be able to call you and give you updates.”
Quickly scribbling his name and cell number down, he handed it back to her saying another prayer for Carly.
“This is Ms. Owens’ patient ID number, and if you look over there, you can check to see if she’s still in surgery or has gone to recovery.” She handed him a small card with a number she’d written on it and pointed at a large monitor on the opposite wall. Gage thanked her and then went to join his family and Carly’s two friends in one of the seating areas.
“Did you find anything out?” his mom asked as he took a seat next to her on the uncomfortable two-person bench.
“Not yet. I gave the lady my number, and the OR nurse is supposed to call and give me updates. Here’s her patient number so we can check the monitor over there.”
Gage placed the small card in Rachel’s outstretched hand and watched as she got up and went over to check the screen.
“It says she’s in surgery,” she said as she came back and sat down next to Sophie, reaching for her hand.
Gage nodded and then put his head in his hands, trying to hold it together. He let out a quiet sob as his mom’s arms went around him, and he leaned over to rest his head on her shoulder.
“She’s going to be just fine,” she whispered in his ear as she patted him on the back. He prayed she was right.
As he lifted his head to sit back up, his phone vibrated, and he nearly dropped it as he fumbled to press the button. “Hello,” he croaked.
Gage sat up straight as a female voice asked, “Mr. Wilson?”
“Yes,” he breathed.
“This is Mary, the OR nurse for Ms. Owens. She is doing fine. The surgeon has removed the bullet from her shoulder, and there were no major injuries. After her wound is cleaned and sutured, she’ll go to recovery. Someone will come to get you once she starts to wake up. It will probably be another hour or so.”
“Thank you,” he whispered as he ended the call and looked up to the anxious faces surrounding him.
“She’s going to be fine,” Gage said as he let out a sigh of relief and cheers erupted around the room.
After calling Carly’s parents who were still on the road, he looked around the packed waiting room and saw Travis as he came through the doors. Ignoring all the questions called out, the grim-faced detective headed straight over.
Gage stood up, bypassing the hand Travis stuck out, and grabbed him in a hug. “Thanks, man,” Gage choked out, unable to say more.
Stepping back, Travis nodded. “I hate to ask, but can I have a moment with you and Jonathan. I know you’re worried, but I promise this won’t take too long.”
“Sure. The nurse just called and said it’ll be awhile before I can go back to see her. It’s crowded in here. Where do you want to do this?” Gage asked, motioning for Jonathan to get up.
“They usually let me have one of the family consultation rooms in these kinds of situations. Let me go see if there is one available,” Travis answered and headed over to the little old lady in the corner.
As Travis talked to the volunteer, Gage took the time to let his parents and Carly’s friends know Carly’s parents were on their way and to look out for them. It was about a nine-hour drive from where they lived, but they hadn’t been able to get a flight that would get them here any quicker. After his mom and Carly’s friends promised to watch for them, Gage put his arm around Jonathan’s shoulders and headed to the door where Travis was motioning.
“I need to ask Jonathan some questions. Since he’s a minor, I’d feel better if you were present,” Travis said as they entered the empty consultation room, and he shut the door. Gage and Jonathan took seats on two of the chairs against the wall while Travis sat across from them.
“Jonathan.” Travis nodded his head as he reached his hand across to take the one Jonathan extended.
“Thank you for rescuing Carly, sir.” Gage’s heart swelled as he watched his son turning into a man right in front of his eyes. He was so proud of the way he was handling everything. He knew it was tearing him up inside at the thought he had let Carly down, but he was holding up better than Gage thought. Especially, after losing his mom just a little over two years ago.
Sitting back in his chair, Travis cleared his throat. “Before we get started, I want to let both of you know we apprehended Carly’s ex-husband, but in the ensuing scuffle he pulled a gun from his pocket and fired, shooting Carly. One of my officers returned fire and hit Mr. Moore in the abdomen. He’s in surgery, but it’s not looking good.”
Conflicting thoughts ran simultaneously through Gage’s head at the news. On the one hand, he was glad the son of a bitch might die, but on the other he had been hoping to give him a taste of his own medicine. It was probably better he might not have the opportunity, a stint in jail wasn’t something he’d want to experience.
Looking back at Travis, Gage put his thoughts of revenge aside. “What do you need to from Jonathan?”
“What happened this afternoon from the time Ms. Owens stepped outside and you noticed her missing,” he asked, looking directly at Jonathan who sat up straighter. Gage listened with pride as his son recanted everything he could remember before he had called Gage in a panic.
While Travis asked Jonathan a few more questions, Gage remembered he’d said Carly was on her phone before she went outside and knew she’d seen that damn picture. He fully intended to set her straight about it when she woke up. It was an innocent picture manipulated by a sleazebag magazine to look like he was cheating on her.
By the time Travis finished asking Jonathan all his questions, an hour had passed. As they got up to leave the small consultation room, his phone vibrated.
“Mr. Wilson, Ms. Owens is out of surgery. Someone will be there to get you shortly.” The OR nurse from earlier said through the phone. Gage hung his head in relief and relayed the news to Jonathan and Travis.
Jonathan hugged him again then hurried away to go back and sit with his grandparents.
“I’ll let you know about Mr. Moore as soon as I hear something. I’ll need to talk to Carly, as well. But that can wait until tomorrow,” Travis said and followed Gage out the door.
“Thanks, Travis. I can’t tell you how grateful I am you got to her in time.”
“No need for thanks. It’s all part of my job. Not a pretty one, but someone’s got to do it. I’ll give Carly a little time, but I’ll need her statement as soon as possible,” Travis said.
“No problem. Thanks again, brother,” Gage replied pulling his high school friend in for another brief hug before turning to go back over to his parents and Jonathan.
***
Gage followed behind a recovery room nurse as she led him through a curtained off area in the large room filled with beds and machines. As she pulled back the fabric, he had to stifle the growl threatening to escape his throat as he set eyes on the battered and bruised woman lying asleep underneath a plain white sheet.
With the pungent smell of anesthetic filling the air reminding him of the few times he’d lain in pain after suffering one injury or another, he took a seat in the lone chair next to Carly’s bed. Picking up her limp hand and staring at the bandage covering her left shoulder, he swore that if the bastard who’d done this made it through surgery, he’d be putting him right back.
“You can talk to her,” the nurse said as she took Carly’s blood pressure. “She’ll be in and out for a while and probably won’t remember much though.”
Gage nodded and bent down closer. “Carly? Can you hear me?”
A groan and a slight flicker of her eyelids were all he got, but he couldn’t wait any longer.
“I love you, beautiful.”
Her eyelids flickered, and when she gave a cute little snore, Gage knew she couldn’t hear him. But he thought maybe in her subconscious she’d feel the words he should have said weeks ago. He smiled and sat back in the chair, knowing after everything was said and done she would have no doubt how he felt.
After a few minutes, the nurse leaned over. “Ms. Owens. Time to wake up.”
Carly’s eyes opened slowly, and she looked up at the nurse her forehead scrunched in confusion then turned toward Gage when he squeezed her hand.
“Where am I?” she croaked as she blinked up at him.
“You’re in the hospital. You just got out of surgery, but you’re going to be fine,” Gage answered, resisting the urge to scoop her up and hold her close.
Still a loopy from the anesthesia, she gave him a lopsided grin then turned and reached for the nurse.
Chuckling at Carly’s antics, the nurse leaned over and patted her hand, “We’ll be getting you up to a room in just a bit. You can go back to sleep.”
Carly immediately closed her eyes, and he knew she was back asleep and wouldn’t remember a thing. Releasing Carly’s hand, he stretched his arms over his head, the tension in his back releasing with the knowledge Carly would be all right.
Smiling, the nurse looked over and said, “They’ll get her up in a room shortly. You probably have time to go out and speak to your friends in the waiting room.”
“Thanks. I think I will,” Gage replied as he yawned and stood up.
By the time Gage went to the waiting room to inform everyone Carly was going to recover and thanked them for coming, Carly was on the way to a room on the third floor.
Soon after Carly was in her room and Gage had sent Jonathan home with his parents while Rachel and Sophie stayed down in the hospital lobby to meet Carly’s parents when they got there, a knock sounded on the slightly ajar over-sized door. He looked up as a middle-aged man with graying hair in a white coat came into the room.
Holding out a hand while removing a stethoscope from around his neck, he walked over to Gage. “Hello, I’m Dr. Matthews. I’ll be taking care of Ms. Owens while she’s here.”
“Gage Wilson.” Gage ignored the flicker of recognition in his eyes. He appreciated the doctor’s professionalism by not saying anything as he turned his attention to Carly still softly snoring in the bed.
“I have the results of some tests we took before she went into surgery,” Dr. Matthews said going to Carly’s side. After checking her pulse and looking into her eyes with a small light, he began pressing around on her lower abdomen, which Gage found strange but didn’t think about further.
After completing the examination, he looked up. “We couldn’t find any bleeding or swelling in Ms. Owens’ brain, so it looks like she only has a mild concussion. She should be fine once she heals up from the bullet wound. The baby should be okay, too.”
Baby. Did he say baby? A torrid of emotions whirled through Gage’s head.
“Baby…” he finally managed to croak out.
“Yes, baby. I’m sorry, you weren’t aware?” Dr. Matthews asked with a chagrined look on his kind face.
“No,” Gage rasped out, his head shaking back and forth as his brain frantically tried to wrap itself around the fact that Carly was pregnant. Sure, he’d thought about having more children with her, but he hadn’t talked to her about it yet. Once again, he’d let his stupid idea of letting her have more time get in the way of telling her how he truly felt. Had she known she was pregnant? If so, she’d probably been beside herself when she had seen that damn picture.
“I’m assuming you’re the father?” Dr. Matthews said, shaking him out of his thoughts.
“Yes, I’m the father. How far along she is?” Gage replied, coming to grips with the fact he was going to be a dad again.
“Probably only a few weeks. I can only feel a slight swelling in the uterus. I’m going to order a sonogram. They can do it here, so we won’t have to move her. You’re welcome to stay if you’d like,” Dr. Matthews answered while typing on the electronic tablet in his hand.
Before he could respond, Carly moaned, and her fingers began to twitch. Gage smiled and leaned closer. “Sweetheart, wake up.”
“Keep talking to her. That sometimes helps when they’re waking up from all the medication,” Dr. Matthews encouraged as he adjusted something on the beeping monitors.
“Gage?” Carly looked up at him, blinking her eyes a few times. His heart nearly burst with joy. He couldn’t believe this beautiful woman was going to have his child.