“I miss you,” Leo told Sacha quietly. He lifted his watery gaze to Gio. “He’s going to wake up. Joker is one of the strongest people I know.” He looked back at Sacha. “I’ve been told all my life that strength comes in all forms, which was kind of hard to believe when it came from someone bigger and stronger than me, and yeah, I got it, but Joker was the one who proved it was true. We have a lot in common, you know.”
Gio blinked at him. He couldn’t think of two people more different than Leo and Sacha. “You do?”
Leo nodded. “As a kid, Joker was picked on for being different. They made fun of his name, bullied him for being small and for where he came from, but he showed them what he was made of and proved his strength over and over. Whatever sport he played in school, he was the best, whether it was gymnastics or football. He didn’t care what anyone thought of him, and then he became a Green Beret.” Leo walked to a bag on one of the dining nook’s chairs and took out something yellowish.
It was the stuffed Goldfish cracker that Sacha had found at the bookstore in Winterhaven during their family holiday vacation. Sacha had been so excited when he came across it, unable to believe Leo hadn’t seen it. Sacha immediately purchased it and gave it to Leo for Christmas. It had been so sweet.
Leo placed the stuffed, smiley fish on the bed next to Sacha’s arm. King came to stand on Leo’s other side at the bed and brushed Sacha’s hair away from his brow. He gently put his hand on Sacha’s head.
“We’re here,” King said softly. “Your family is here.”
A lump formed in Gio’s throat at King’s quiet words. King and Leo stayed a little longer, and when they left, Gio kissed Sacha’s cheek.
“You are so loved, sweetheart.”
The nurse came to take Sacha for another CT scan, and Gio sat on the loveseat. He must have dozed off again, because he jumped when someone put a hand on his shoulder. Gio blinked up at Jack.
“Hey, sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you. Good news. The nurse said the CT scan shows the swelling is gone. It’s safe for the neurologist to begin reducing Sacha’s sedation.”
Gio was so relieved he could cry. Something told him Jack felt the same, because he dropped onto the loveseat beside Gio, let his head fall back, and released a heavy sigh.
There was no way to tell how long it would take Sacha to regain consciousness on his own, but a few hours later, they took Sacha off the ventilator, and his vital signs remained strong. It was almost morning when something woke Gio. He rubbed his eyes but didn’t get up since Jack lay curled up on the other end of the loveseat with his eyes closed. Gio hoped he was actually getting some sleep. For a heartbeat, Gio thought Jack had said something. It sounded like “water.” Wait. That hadn’t been Jack.
It was faint, barely there, but Gio sat up. Jack must have heard it too, because he stood.
Sacha was awake.
Gio stood and quickly went over to the table next to Sacha’s bed. He picked up the small plastic cup with ice chips and fed one to Sacha. His eyes remained closed as he slowly sucked on the ice chip. Gio set the cup back on the bedside table.
“Sacha?”
“Don’t call me that,” Sacha grumbled hoarsely. “Where is she?”
Since when did Sacha ask him not to call him that? Gio always called him Sacha. And who was he talking about? Gio was confused. “Where is who? The nurse? The doctor?”
“Echo.”
CHAPTER SIX
It waslike someone had stabbed Gio in the heart. The back of his eyes stung, and he blinked away the tears. He looked at Jack, his heartbroken expression matching what Gio felt down to his soul.
“Hey, buddy,” Jack said quietly.
“Jack?” Sacha lolled his head toward Jack, but he wasn’t looking at Jack. It was as if he couldn’t see him. Something was wrong.
“I’m right here.” Jack frowned deeply. He waved a hand in front of Sacha’s face. “Can you see me?”
“Colors. Blurry,” Sacha muttered, closing his eyes, then forcing them open. “Where am I? Where’s Echo?”
“Take it easy. You’re in the hospital,” Jack replied.
“Head hurts.”
“Gio is here.”
Sacha’s brows drew together. “Who? Where’s Echo?”
Jack opened his mouth, but Gio placed a hand on his shoulder before turning to Sacha. “I’m sorry, love, but Echo is gone,” Gio said softly. “Has been for a long time now.”
