She slaps me on my cheek and my eyes fly open.
“There you go.There’s Summer,” she says, and I realize I can see her smiling face.
There’s a huge bright light shining down on me, and I wonder if that’s the moon.Maybe this is heaven.Is Phoebe in heaven with me?I’m so sad she’s dead!She’s one of the nicest people I’ve ever known.She doesn’t deserve to die.She just got married.I want her to live a long, happy life with Evander.And if she’s in heaven, I hope she gets to keep working as a nurse to help the sick people in heaven.
Are there any sick people in heaven?
“Stop crying,” she orders.I pay attention and stop crying.Was I crying?I never cry!
“We’re helping you, Summer.You need to tell me where you have pain.Where does it hurt?Think a moment and try to tell me.”
But I can’t speak.It hurts too much.I try to move my arm, but it’s like I’m strapped to a board or something.
“Does your head hurt?”Phoebe asks.
I blink once.
“Okay.Now, you can rest,” she tells me.“You rest, and we’ll fix you right up.”
I hear a man ordering people around with words I don’t understand, and then the pain disappears, and I fear nothing.
I happily drift away.
When I come to, I’m lying in a hospital bed with Declan by my side.He’s slumped forward in a chair that he’s pulled up next to the bed.His face has fallen to the bed; it’s all smushed against the blankets.He’s clutching my hand.
But something’s choking me, and I panic.I yank my hand from Declan and bring it to my mouth, trying to remove the horrible monster trying to strangle me.Declan shoots awake, gasps, and pulls my hands away from my mouth.I fight against him, desperate because I’m suffocating.
“Nurse!”he shouts.“Phoebe!
“Please stop,” Declan says to me, softly, his eyes welling with tears.“There’s a tube in your throat that’s been helping you breathe.You’ll really hurt yourself if you yank it out.”
“There you are,” I hear Phoebe say as she enters the room.“Right on time.We’re taking the tube out now.Don’t fight, and it will be out in a jiffy.”
I let Declan hold both my hands and I hold my breath while they pull the tube up, away, and out of me.When it’s finally gone, I open my eyes and see Declan’s concerned face.He looks like he’s aged ten years.He hasn’t shaved, and his hair is messed up.
I’ve never seen his hair messed up.
But he’s so handsome.I can’t believe he’s mine.
“Am I dying?”I ask him.My voice is a thick, croaky mess, but I manage to get the words out.
“No,” he says, bringing my hand to his lips.“You’re just fine.You have a concussion.They put you into a coma while the swelling went down.You’re going to be just fine.”
“What day is it?”I ask.
“It’s Friday,” Phoebe says.“You’ve been in a coma for four days.”
“I thought this was heaven,” I say.
“It is now,” Declan says, and tears slip down his cheeks.
CHAPTER 41
Declan
The doctor points his penlight at the large color monitor, showing us the scans of Summer’s head.She’s been out of the coma for one week, and out of the ICU for four days.Now that she’s in a regular hospital room, I had a cot brought in so that I can stay with her day and night.
Summer’s gotten ornerier as time’s passed, which I’m assuming is a really good sign.Today, the doctor is going to tell her she’s being discharged.Summer and I are both sure of it.Now, we just need to know how her concussion is doing, and when she might be able to safely enjoy multiple orgasms.
