“He’s okay, Ava. The bullet went right through the flesh of his outer thigh. It didn’t hit anything important. He’ll probably be back to the running trails in a matter of weeks.”
“Jesus Christ, Patrick.” I close my eyes, then open them to stare daggers. I pound on his chest. “I really thought you were going to tell me he was dead.”
“Um, Ava? That’s… not all.”
For the second time in thirty seconds, I feel like I might faint. Because the undertone of his words has me thinking Trevor is anything but fine.
Confusion riddles my brain and tears wet my cheeks as I await his words. Because he said he’d be okay. He said he’d be running the trails. So why is he looking at me like he thinks my world is about to be flipped on its axis?
“When he got shot, he fell back and hit his head. He lost consciousness.”
“B-but, you said he’d be okay.”
“He will. Physically. But, Ava, when he came to, he was… confused.”
I’m fairly sure if this had happened to any other person, the amount of worry on Patrick’s face wouldn’t be akin to being slammed by a potato truck. But this is Trevor we’re talking about. Someone who’s already suffered a severe head injury.
My heart feels like it’s being squeezed by a vice. I lost him. Then I got him back, but it wasn’t really him. Then we made our way back to each other only for this to happen? For it all to be taken away once again?
It’s this and more that’s swirling through my brain as Patrick leads me though the back door and into his truck. My hands are glued to my belly. Has my daughter just lost her father?
“How bad is it?” I ask through my swollen throat.
“I came right here from the scene, so I can only tell you how things were when he was being loaded into the rig. He was mumbling about being a doctor. He wasn’t making much sense, Ava. I don’t want to scare you, but it seemed like… I don’t know, it seemed like he thought he was a doctor in the ER.”
I cover my face and sob into my hands. I’m not sure my heart can take this again.
“Listen.” Patrick reaches over and takes my hand. “Most people get confused after a blow to the head. It’s not that uncommon.”
“He’s not most people, Patrick, and you know it.”
“I’m here for you. I’ll call Maddie and Regan and whoever else you want me to call as soon as we get there.”
“Chuck and Dawn went to Vermont for the weekend.”
“I have their numbers. I’ll call.”
I shake my head. “No. I need to see Trevor first. They’ll be devastated if… if…”
He squeezes my hand. “Whatever happens, it’ll be okay. Haven’t you already proven that once before?”
I voice my worst fear. “There’s only so much luck two people can have. If he’s lost his memory again—hisnewmemory—there may be no coming back.”
He doesn’t say anything. What is there to say? But the fact that he doesn’t even try has anxiety crawling through my bodylike a tapeworm. Even the baby is on edge, rolling and kicking as if she senses something is wrong.
“Breathe, Ava,” Patrick says as he pulls up outside the emergency room. “This isn’t good for you or the baby.”
“My husband has been shot and has yet another head injury and you want me to breathe?” I cackle out incredulous laughter. “Patrick, I’m about to find out if I’ve lost him again.” I press a hand to my belly. “If my child has lost her father.”
“He’s still your husband. He’s still her father.”
Hot tears fall off my chin. “Not if he doesn’t remember.” Sobs bellow out of me. “I don’t think I can go through this again.”
“Come on.” He runs around the front of his truck and opens my door. “Let’s go see what’s up.”
I’m glad Patrick is with me, because my legs are shaking so hard as we approach the ER desk that I’m sure I might collapse.
I don’t even have to speak. Nina, the nurse at the desk, knows both me and Patrick. She hits the button to open the door to the back. “Trevor is in curtain two.”
