Chapter 23
“Now remember, keep the leg elevated as much as possible and don’t go walking on it if you don’t need to.”
Heather fussed around the living room as Callie settled on the couch, her leg propped on a footstool. Since being released from the hospital a few days ago, Heather hadn’t left her side. She was a good friend, the best.
“Yes, Mother,” Callie teased, wrinkling her nose. “You’ve been telling me the same thing for three days now. I think I’ve got it. And the doctor said I could start walking on it for short periods of time in the next day or so.”
“Veryshort periods of time,” Heather reminded her. Damn the woman for her vivid memory. She was going stir crazy being so immobile. Especially since her lack of action gave her more time to think of Jack, and the fact she hadn’t seen him since he’d been loaded into the ambulance after Victor was killed.
“Mama, wead a me?”
Jonathan crawled onto the couch to sit next to her. He’d been cautious around her and she sighed at his thoughtfulness. It hadn’t hurt that he’d seen her in the hospital where she’d spent more than a few days trying to get her blood count back up and get rid of the infection that had set into the wound. All the machines and tubes had reminded him of his recent hospital stay.
“Sure, sweetheart, it’s not like Auntie Heather will let me do much else.” She glared at her friend. Heather knew she wasn’t actually mad. Her anxiety at not being able to see Jack was bubbling to the surface.
Jonathan grabbed a book from the end of the couch and began to read it himself, or his version of it anyway. As long as he could sit snuggled next to her and she held the book, he was golden.
Heather was in the kitchen, cleaning up the lunch mess, and Callie wanted to ask her again if she’d heard anything about Jack. The answer would be the same as it had been two hours ago. Nothing. Callie hadn’t even been able to see him in the hospital as they’d airlifted him to one in New York while she’d gone to a smaller local one. They’d needed a specialist to repair the damage the knife had done to some of Jack’s internal organs. The thought made her shiver.
But both Heather and Scott, who’d dropped by a few times, assured her he was recovering nicely. He’d even been released already. Unfortunately, he’d been needed by the Bureau to give his report, not only on what had happened with Victor, but on the last few years on the run.
What if he thrust himself right back into that kind of life? If he missed it so much, he asked to be put on a new case? Would he be sent away to go undercover like he’d been when she first met him? Surely they wouldn’t do that right away, not with his injury so recent and still healing. But he could be put at a desk job for a while. His office was in New York. Would she get to see him at all? Would he want to see her?
Of course he would. He loved her. He’d said it right when Victor had shown up. But would he want to stay here with her and Jonathan? Or stay in New York and visit when he could? He’d never said anything about getting married. Of course it had never been an option before. She had no idea how he felt about the institution. Maybe he didn’t believe in it.
The real question was could she live with Jack popping in and out of their lives, still taking dangerous cases, possibly getting himself killed? She wasn’t sure. When her parents had left her each time for their exciting adventures, she shriveled a bit more inside. They’d never understood why she was so painfully shy and quiet. But she hadn’t wanted to put herself out there just to be deserted again. And then they had deserted her for good. She’d crawled right inside her shell and had never really come out unless Heather was with her. Even then, she’d kept that shell close at hand, just in case.
“Mama, wead?” Jonathan held up another book, his eyes filled with questions. He’d been told numerous times that Mommy got tired easily and he should let her get some rest. She’d never be too tired for her son, though. She turned some pages and began the story.
The back door opening brought her attention from the book and she looked up as Heather stood in the kitchen doorway. A sly smile lit her face.
“Scott’s here. And he brought you a visitor.”
Hope reared inside but she dashed it down. She didn’t want to be disappointed again.
“Hey, Calico.”
Moisture filled her eyes and she didn’t even bother blinking it back. The sight in front of her was so beautiful she couldn’t contain her emotions. Jack.
“Daddy.” Jonathan jumped off the couch and ran to his father. Jack grimaced as he leaned over to reach for the boy. Scott appeared from behind Jack to scoop the child into his arms.
“Hey, Jonathan, daddy can’t pick you up right now. But you can give him a hug from here.” Scott held the boy closer and Jack hugged him, placing a kiss on his forehead.
“Hey, pal, I missed you. Have you been good for Auntie Heather and Uncle Scott while Mommy and I were getting better?”
Jonathan nodded and planted a sloppy kiss on Jack’s cheek. “Your boo boo all done?”
Jack ruffled his son’s hair, smiling. “It’s getting there, pal. I wanted to come and make sure your mom was getting better too.”
“How about you, me, and Auntie Heather go out and get some ice cream?” Scott suggested enthusiastically. “We’ll make sure we get those colored sprinkles you like.”
Jonathan looked between Jack and Scott anxiously. He obviously wanted his father but he also loved ice cream.
Jack narrowed his eyes at his cousin. “Ice cream? It’s January. That’s the best diversion you could think of.”
Diversion? Jack had asked Scott to get Jonathan’s attention somewhere else? Was she ready for being alone with him? Would Heather stay or bail on her too?
“Everybody loves ice cream. It doesn’t matter what time of year it is.”
