“I…I’m…blind?” she whispered, shocked. “Are you sure? There were tons of smoke, and maybe I closed my eyes because it burned and…”
“No. I’m sorry. We’ve run some tests, and there’s damage to your optic nerves. We don’t know the extent of it and need to keep you wrapped for a while before we can determine it.”
Scarlett lay against her pillow, completely stunned. “Did anyone contact my family? My mom must be going out of her mind. Dad hates flying. I don’t want them to come here.”
“Too late, baby girl,” her dad’s voice came from the doorway.
She felt her mom grab her hand on the opposite side of the bed from the doctor.
“Mom?” she murmured.
“I’m right here, sweetie,” Mary Beth reassured her. “Don’t you worry about a thing. I have your room ready for you, and we’ll get you all settled in no time.”
“What about my friends?” she asked.
“We met a couple of them outside in the hall. They’re chomping at the bit to see how you’re doing. They only allow two at a time in, and we wanted you to know we’re here for you,” her mom gushed.
“Mary Beth, don’t overwhelm her,” her father warned. “Those men have stayed by her side until we got here. It’s only right they come in and see how she’s doing. Why don’t we walk to the cafeteria and get a cup of coffee?”
“We just arrived, Harold,” her mom exclaimed. “What if she needs me?”
“I’ll be fine, Mom. I really need to see the guys. We’ve gone through a lot together. Rocker pulled me out. I want to thank him.”
“All right, sweetie,” she acquiesced. “We’ll be back soon.”
She felt her mom’s hand reluctantly slip from hers, and the door clicked shut.
“I know you have plenty of questions. Why don’t you visitwith your friends, then I’ll return to answer them. It’ll ease your mind once you talk to them,” Dr. Keller said, moving farther away.
A minute later, she heard people enter her room.
“Hey, Sassy P,” Rocker greeted her.
“Oh, Rocker,” she exclaimed, relieved at hearing his voice.
His warm hand enveloped hers.
“Where are the others?” she asked, panicked.
“I’m right here,” Sledge said from the other side of the bed.
“Where’s Parrot?”
The two men didn’t respond right away, and she felt the tension in the room. “Come on, did he get hurt?” she insisted.
“He didn’t make it,” Sledge said quietly.
Scarlett gasped and held her chest, fighting back the tears.
Rocker gave her a gentle squeeze. “They transported all of us to Germany. He died en route.”
“How long have we been here?” she asked, controlling her voice.
“A week. You came to, and then they said you suffered from brain swelling and sedated you,” Sledge explained.
“If you’re here, then you got injured too,” she deduced.
“Yeah,” Sledge said slowly. “Bastards got my hand, and I hope it’s giving them the finger. Rocker caught a bullet to his shoulder and leg.”
