When we walked into the hospital it was eerily calm. Madden spotted a man he knew and tipped his head indicating that I should follow him.
“Frist.” The man nodded at Madden and then me. There was a purse to his lips that I didn’t like. But maybe he always wore that concerned expression.
I hugged myself, again feeling like I didn’t belong.
Madden folded his arms. “How is he, Coach?”
“He’s awake but when they brought him in, he didn’t know anyone or anything. Not good.”
“He didn’t know you?” Madden said, his mouth hanging open.
The man shook his head, concerned. “He didn’t even know himself.”
CHAPTER 9
blue
“Get away from me,” I growled at the nearest nurse trying to adjust my IV. “All of you. Get. Out.” There were too many people in this room. My tears were making them all blurry, and the panic in my chest was trying to drown me. I just needed to think. Needed all of them to go away for a minute. “Especially you,” I barked at the man who swore he was my dad. Jerkwad was doing nothing but causing problems, ticking everybody off, and stressing me the heck out. “Now.You can come back when you can act like you have some sense. But bring your ID because I still don’t believe we’re related.”
He put his hands on his hips and hunkered down, ready for a fight.
“I think you’d better go, Mr. Bishop,” the nurse standing at the computer said. Still, he stood rooted in place. She sighed. “It is completely normal for someone in his state to feel panicked. You are exacerbating the problem by your proximity. We’ll come get you once he’s calmed down.”
The man swore and stormed out of the room. Two nurses followed him out.
The other man stayed though. The one who was leaning against the wall by the window, watching me like he was trying to puzzle something out. The computer nurse remained, but she could barely be bothered to look up from typing, which was fine by me.
Why didn’t I know any of these people? Why didn’t I knowme?
They’d been poking and prodding me for hours. They’d run me through a horrible CT scan with flashing lights that made my headache skyrocket to migraine level. Stupid thing had sent me into a panic attack, because apparently I was claustrophobic.
“Your name is Blue? Or is that a nickname?” The nurse read from the computer screen.
“What?” I spat. “Is that a joke? Are you trying to be funny right now? I can’t remember a freaking thing and you’re going around making jokes. Just awesome.” I huffed. “Nobody in their right mind would name their kid after that dog on Blue’s Clues. Try again.”
“That’s exactly what I said the first time I heard your name,” the man by the window muttered and finished with a low, frustrated laugh.
My jaw dropped. “She’s being serious?” I said to him. “My parents actually named me Blue?”
“That they did.” He nodded.
“Unbelievable. Tell that jackass who claims to be my dad to get back in here so I can give him a piece of my mind. Blue.” I snorted. “Why would anyone do that to their own kid?”
“Oh, I think it’s worked out just fine for you,” the man said with a bob of the head. He was wearing a tracksuit with the initials UK on it and he kept insisting he was my offensive coordinator. But I’d never seen the guy before in my life. I would’ve remembered if he was my coach. But then, for the hundredth time, I reminded myself that I didn’t remember anything. The panic tried to suffocate me again. I squirmed, blinking back tears as I fought to stay above the waves that were trying to pull me under.
He pushed away from the wall, determination in his expression. “Blue, we need to make a statement to the press and?—”
“Stop talking.” I pounded my fist against the mattress. “Don’t you say another word about football and the University of Knoxville.” I glared at him. “And get somebody in here that I know.”
“Maybe the press can wait,” the nurse said calmly to the coach. “For now, why don’t you see if there’s someone in the waiting room that might have a calming influence on him. A friend? Or…does he have a girlfriend out there?” she asked as if there was a sorority of cookie cutter girlfriends just hanging out in the waiting area, doing their nails together, while their busted up boyfriends got poked and prodded in one of these hospital rooms.
The coach huffed out of the room. A minute later, another guy walked in. Somebody around my age. Sucker was stupid tall.
“Did your momma mate with one of those clowns that walk around on stilts?” I asked.
Stilts tossed his chin up and chuckled. “Nice to see you’re still a smart alec.”
Oh, I liked him. “Are we friends?” I asked, trying to sit up all the way. I was tired of lying at an uncomfortable sixty-degree angle.
