His right arm is in a cast and secured to his chest with a sling. White bandages cover some areas on his neck and forehead.
I can’t see much of his body between the hospital gown and blankets, but his face and neck are covered in scrapes and bruises that already look awful. I’m sure they will be even worse tomorrow.
“Fuck,” Wyatt mutters at my side, running his hand over his face.
That about sums it up.
Both of us turn our heads to the left when the door opens. Abby lets out a relieved sigh, setting eyes on us. The door clicks shut behind her as she steps in.
“You’re here,” she says, shoulders falling. It’s like the weight of the world has been lifted from them, now that she’s not the only one here to watch over Kane.
“Yeah, we’re here,” Wyatt says.
Tears glisten in her eyes as she stares at Wyatt and me.
“Come here,” I say, holding my arms out toward her. She falls into me, her head landing against my chest. My arms band around her. “Shh… It’s okay. He’s going to be okay.”
I have to assume that’s true. The only information I have to go off of at this point is what she told me over the phone and what I can see with my own eyes. But it seems like this is what she needs to hear right now.
She doesn’t say anything for several long minutes as she cries quietly against my chest. I keep her held tight against me, while Wyatt runs a hand up and down her back.
She pulls in a few deep breaths, taking a step back. Her tears are wiped away, and she straightens her shoulders.
“I should be the one comforting you guys right now, not the other way around.”
“Not true,” Wyatt says. “You care about him, too.”
“I do,” she says, turning to look at Kane. There’s a softness in her eyes I’ve only seen when she looks at her son.
Most people would probably be jealous in this situation with a woman they liked, but I’ve never been the jealous type.
Relationships are fluid and can take many different shapes and forms. What works for one person is not necessarily what will work for someone else.
Maybe it’s strange, but it makes me happy to see someone I care about caring about Kane in that way.
Like he can sense her attention on him, Kane’s eyes flutter open. He slowly takes in all three of us.
“Why are you crying?” he asks Abby. Then his gaze migrates to Wyatt and me. “Did you guys make her cry?”
“No,” Abby laughs. She steps closer to his side. “I was just worried about you. They were making sure I was okay.”
He reaches for her with his good arm and leans around Abby to glare at my twin and me. “They’d better not make you cry, or I’ll beat the crap out of them… brothers or not.”
Abby laughs again. “Okay, tough guy. I think I’m good for now, but if I need you to defend me against them, you’ll be the first person I call.”
He tugs on her arm, pulling her closer. “I want to hug you.”
“I don’t think that’s such a good idea,” she says.
“I won’t tell anyone my nurse hugged me,” he says, a hint of playfulness in his tone that no doubt is spurred on by whatever meds are flowing through his IV.
They must have given him the good drugs because this version of Kane is pretty funny. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see Wyatt biting his lip. He’s fighting for his life to keep from laughing hysterically.
Abby shakes her head, laughing quietly. “No, because of all that.” She motions to the opposite side of his body.
He glances down. He looks shocked when he sees his casted arm. “Oh… right. I kind of forgot.”
“How the fuck do you forget that?” Wyatt whispers.
