Chapter Three
The area was mostly quiet at this hour, just some murmurings from the central nursing desk. The doors to the patient rooms were all closed ensuring everyone's privacy. It must not be easy for the families of other patients having a celebrity in their midst and not being able to come and go with the same ease as other visitors.
Rick seemed to be able to read my thoughts. "As soon as he's more stable, he'll be relocated to a more private wing. We're trying to remain as unobtrusive as we can, but it's impossible not to attract attention. We've had catered meals brought in for the families and medical staff, so they don't have to keep going through security just to get food."
It was good to know their celebrity status hadn't given them such a sense of entitlement that they didn't care about anyone else. It's what I would have expected from them once, but fame had a way of changing people.
He stopped outside of a door that once again had a uniformed man posted outside. He stepped aside and opened the door as we neared it. I stopped so suddenly that Rick bumped into me, pushing me further into the room. Despite what he'd told me, I wasn't prepared to see the broken man lying on the bed in front of me. My hand trembled as it covered my mouth. "Oh, God. Drew."
Rick's hand landed on my shoulder. He squeezed as he said, "Sit with him. Talk to him. If anyone can draw him out, you can. You know where to find us when you're done."
I turned to hug him and ended up stifling a sob I hadn't known was there.
"Shh, Emma. He'll be okay." His warmth found in both his physical hug and acceptance of my presence gave me strength.
I picked up my head and mouthed, “Thank you.” I knew he'd know it was for both reasons.
"I'll make sure you're added to the approved list and let the staff know you're in here. They come in and out as needed, but mostly they'll respect your privacy."
I walked to Drew's bed. There were some bruises on his face along with stitches, but nothing too bad. His face looked a little leaner, his hair a bit longer than the last time I'd seen him. And sneaking out of the sleeve of the hospital gown was a tattoo that hadn't been there the last time I'd seen him. He was so still, his breathing so rhythmic, I might have thought he was sleeping except I knew he never slept on his back. He preferred to lay on his side, curled around me or a pillow if I wasn't there. I think the only time I saw him in bed on his back was if I was on top making love to him.
"Oh, baby." I choked back a sob,
There was a chair in the corner that I pullover over, opposite of his casted wrist and leg. I reached for his good hand being careful of an IV line and cradled it to my face, relieved to feel how warm it was when he lay there so cold and still. His face was covered in a light scruff which under other circumstances I would've found sexy. Now it just emphasized his helplessness.
I kissed his fingers. "I've missed you," I whispered. "I tried so hard to move on, but being back, seeing the guys and you, I guess I didn't make much progress after all. At least I'll finally get the chance to have the last word." I laughed softly. "But I swear, it would be worth it to let you have it now." I paused, waiting, hoping to see if there was some reaction to my voice. There was no response, not even a blip on the heart monitor that he'd heard me. I don't know why it irritated me, as if my voice alone would bring him back to health.
I smoothed the hair above his forehead. "So much has happened, Drew. Some good, some bad. I just never thought I’d experience any of them without you. Now I just want you to open your eyes, so I can tell you everything, to somehow find our way to being friends. I need you to be okay.”
There was still no change. I rambled on about some of the places I'd traveled, little tidbits about my family. As I spoke my eyes grew heavy, and my thoughts grew farther apart, but I couldn't make myself leave his side. I started recalling some of the silly adventures we'd gone through when we were young and foolish, like skipping class to sneak into a theater to watch a movie we couldn't wait to see, only to be caught by a police officer who stopped us to question why we weren't in school. Terrified he'd return us to our parents, we'd darted and run as fast as we could until the stitch in our sides kept us from going further. Then we'd laughed and laughed.
On and on I talked, not sure what I was saying made sense after a while. Nurses came in and out to check on the machines that monitored Drew, but other than a small smile or nod, they left me alone. The long night began to catch up to me, and my head began to nod. Still, I couldn't bring myself to go. I thought I'd be strong enough to check on him and leave. But seeing him for the first time in so long, I finally acknowledged what my heart had always known - I'd never gotten over Andrew Davisson.