Everyone nodded. They'd be stupid not to. Hank might have retired from the Marines, but he was clearly still in charge.
Hank grabbed my arm then Ian's, and then he nodded to the others. "You all know what to do," he said before escorting us toward the lobby of elevators.
Ian reached out and pushed the button to bring the elevator down to our level then glanced at me. "Are you going to be okay?"
I pressed my lips together to keep from crying and shook my head. I doubted I'd be okay until Abe was standing on his own two feet. I just prayed that happened soon because I was unraveling at an alarming rate.
I was so far out of my comfort zone I might as well be on Mars. I needed my safe place. Unfortunately, I was starting to realize my safe place was wrapped up in Abe's arms, and he wasn't available at the moment.
Damn it, I was crying.
Chapter Ten
My first sight of Abe was surprising. Considering he was in ICU, I expected all sorts of tubes and IV lines. There was none of that. He had one IV hooked up to his hand, a heartbeat pulse clip on his index finger, and a bandage on his forehead. Other than that, he looked as if he was simply sleeping.
I wished he was just sleeping.
I wished he'd wake up.
I'd been sitting there staring at him for the last several hours. I knew I had nodded off a couple of times simply because once when I woke up, I found myself covered with a thin blanket and no idea how it had gotten there.
The ICU nurses who came in every once in a while to check on Abe couldn't have been nicer to me. I'd heard horror stories of family members visiting sick people and how they had been treated, and these nurses were nothing like that.
I wanted to buy them all cars.
I settled for flowers and enough pizza to feed an army. The nurses had gushed over my generosity until I reminded them that they were taking care of a man who was quickly becoming the most important person in my life. I was the grateful one.
I knew visiting hours were strict for the intensive care unit, but the nurses had pretty much left me alone as long as I stayed quiet and out of the way. I'd been doing my best. I'd taken to walking a circle around the unit once an hour just to keep my legs from falling asleep. I was always within shouting distance.
Hank and Ian took turns checking on me, both men camping out in the ICU waiting room. I was glad they were there. I needed to know I had someone watching out for me. But I was also glad they were only allowed in every couple of hours.
My time with Abe wasmytime. I didn't want to share it with anyone.
Which was why I turned to glare when the door opened not fifteen minutes after Ian left. I quickly pressed my lips together when a woman with skin as dark as Abe's walked into the room. I took one look at the worry in her brown eyes and instantly knew who she was.
I said nothing as she approached the other side of the bed and took Abe's hand between her own. I swallowed hard as I watched her look her son over, her gaze starting at Abe's head and slowly working its way down to his feet then back up again.
For a moment, she closed her eyes, mumbling something I couldn't hear even with my enhanced hearing. When she opened them, they drove right into me. "My son will not leave you, Daniel."
There was a definite accent in her tone. The way she said my name made it sound like she saidDan-Yell.
I had no idea she even knew who I was.
I stood and took the hand she held out to me. My brow flickered in confusion when she pressed my hand to Abe's, then held both of them between hers before closing her eyes once again.
A smile slowly moved across her lips. When she opened her eyes, they were no longer filled with worry. She patted my hand. "You are a good boy, Daniel."
"Thank you, ma'am."
She kept a hold of me with one hand while gently patting my cheek with the other. "Do not fret so. My son is working his way back to you. He will not leave you."
She had said that already, and I prayed that she was right, but it had been hours. "He just needs to wake up," I whispered as I glanced down at him. "I just want him to wake up."
"He will soon. His healing is not quite complete, but thanks to you, it is moving much faster."
I swallowed tightly. "Me?"
"You shared your gift of healing with my son."
