All of You (50 page)

“You hanging in there, Kat?” Ben asked as he strode past the half-blind security guard without so much as a wave or word of explanation. He pressed his right hip into the door and pushed it open.

Kat nodded, pushing, “Yep. Fine,” past the huge knot in her throat.

The frigid wind burned her cheeks as they made their way to Ben’s truck, but Kat refused to turn her face against his shoulder. It would have been too intimate a position and way too close to what she did every time Danny carried her this way.

A few minutes later, Kat was buckled into Ben’s passenger seat, the heat was blaring, and Ben was trying very hard to make light, distracting conversation as they drove east toward St. Mary’s.

“Should we let your sister know we’re coming?” Ben asked.

Kat nodded, unzipping her purse to dig out her phone. “Definitely. Especially this particular sister.”

Kat’s heart dropped at all the missed calls and texts from Danny that had popped up on her screen.

She’d forgotten she was supposed to text him when she got home and he was obviously very worried.

“Ben, I need you to do me a favor. I was supposed to text Danny when I got home, which should have been a while ago. I can’t text, because my vision is all messed up and I don’t want to call him, because if he hears my voice, he’ll know something is wrong.”

Ben glanced over. “Okay…”

Kat winced. “Can you text him from my phone at the next stoplight?”

Ben’s brows shot up. “You want me to text Mr. Sane and Secure from your phone and
lie
to him for you?”

“You wouldn’t really be the one lying; I would. I just need your hands to do it.”

“I don’t know…I don’t feel right lying to the guy. If you were my girl and some dude texted from your phone, lying to me…” He shook his head. “I’m with Neanderthal man on this one, Kat. Just call him and tell him the truth. He’d want to know.”

Kat pictured the scene she knew was coming at the hospital…the scene she’d known was coming for seven years…

I can’t bear to see his face when they tell me my life is over.

Because it will kill him.

And that will destroy me.

Which will only hurt him more.

Kat shook her head, tears welling and her chest aching unbearably. She rubbed at her sternum. “I just can’t. Please, Ben. I have my reasons. Please…”

Ben shot her a shrewd look and reached for her phone. “Yeah, okay. But when you see me on the six o’clock news missing yet another limb, I hope you’ll have the decency to feel bad.”

Ben slowed to a stop at the next light, fingers poised on Kat’s touch screen. “Okay. Go.”

“Tell him, ‘Sorry. I didn’t mean to worry you. Traffic was bad and I stopped on the way home to grab dinner.’” Kat thought for a moment. “‘Home safe and sound now. I’ll text you later.’”

“I love you?”

Kat flushed. “No.”

Ben hit
send
and handed the phone back to Kat.

“Thanks. I’ll give my sister a call now.”

“Which sister is it? The one works at the hospital?”

“Stella.” She hit
call
and held the phone up to her ear. “The craziest one. And with the gene pool we’re referring to, that’s really saying something.”

‡

“H
ey, babe,” Stella
answered on the third ring.

“Hi, so glad you answered. Quiet night?”

Stella groaned. “Kat, don’t ever say ‘quiet night’ to a nurse!” She huffed. “Now I have to go inform my co-workers you’ve jinxed us. Thanks a lot.”

Kat smiled, despite her physical and emotional goings-on. “Sorry. And I’ll be able to apologize to your co-workers in person, because I’m heading over to St. Mary’s right now.” Before Stella could ask, Kat added, “I fell at work and hit my head.”

“Oh, my God, Kat, are you okay? Did you call an ambulance? Or are Nathan and Danny bringing you?” Stella paused. “Nathan didn’t call; did this just happen? Did you call Danny yet? But you said you were on your way…you’re not driving yourself, are you?”

“Jesus, Stella, take a breath and let me answer.” Kat inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly. “I did not call Danny. I don’t want him worrying when all of this is most likely nothing.”

Liar. You aren’t calling him because you know damn well its something and you’re shutting him out.

Kat shook her head, trying to shut Fickle Bitch Brain up. “Thankfully Ben, the guy who works next door, was nice enough to drive me.”

Stella paused. “I’m going to keep this lecture short and sweet because you’re hurt and I’ll have plenty of time to elaborate on it later, but you need to call Danny. Now.”

“No. And you can’t tell Nathan, either. Not till I know what’s going on.” When Stella didn’t respond, Kat’s agitation increased. “You need to promise me right now, Stella.
Please
. ‘Sisters before misters,’ right? Isn’t that the stupid phrase you and Gigi used to always go around saying when we were teenagers?”

Kat’s stomach muscles clenched tighter further when Stella didn’t laugh.

“Why are you doing this, Kat? Knowing it’s going to upset him?” Stella paused, again. “And when he finds out Ben drove you…”

Kat huffed. “This is not the time for one of your bone-deep psychological analyses, Stella! I fell, cut the side of my head open, my vision is screwed up, and my goddamn legs aren’t working! Either of them! So can you please promise to keep your mouth shut – just this once – until I can get to the hospital and talk to you in person? Is that really so much to ask?”

Kat felt Ben’s eyes on her, so she turned. The obvious surprise and amusement on his face prompted Kat to curl a lip.

Ben immediately turned back to face the windshield, a half-smile still on his face.

Kat huffed, again. “Stella, say it. Promise me you will not call Nathan until you and I have had a chance to talk.”

“Yeah, okay, fine. But we
will
talk about it, Kat. Soon.”

Kat rolled her eyes. “I don’t doubt it.” She glanced out the passenger side window and saw the red Emergency Room sign lettering. “We’re just pulling in. See you in a few seconds.”

“Okay. I’ll meet you at the doors with a wheelchair. Have Ben pull right up to the curb outside the ER.”

Kat’s first instinct was to protest, because wheelchairs were her least favorite mode of transportation on earth. Unfortunately, the only other alternative was allowing Ben or some stranger hospital worker to haul her around.

“Yeah, okay. Thanks. Bye.” Kat ended the call. “My sister said to pull right up to the curb,” Kat said, shoving her phone back into her purse. “She’s going to meet us. And then you can leave, Ben. Seriously. There’s no need for you to stick around.”

“I’m going to stay at least until they get you settled. I know your sister is here, but she’s working and I don’t like the idea of you sitting alone in the room, not able to see a damn thing and all banged up.” Ben glanced over at Kat. “And since you’re hell-bent on leaving your crazy-ass man out of it, for reasons I’m pretty sure I know and understand, at least let me be here for you. As a friend.”

Kat nodded slowly. “Okay.” She forced a small smile. “Thanks.”

Ben pulled his truck along the ER curb, put it into park, and got out his side as the automatic doors swished open and Stella walked out pushing a wheelchair. Ben walked around, opened Kat’s door, and then turned to greet Stella.

“Hi, I’m Ben Forster.” He extended a hand Stella accepted and shook.

“I’m Stella Drazek,” she replied, dark brow quirked as she took him in. Her lips curled slightly. “It’s so nice to finally meet you. We’ve heard so-”

“Uh, can we continue the meet-and-greet later, please, Stell?” Kat interrupted. “Head wound and serious central nervous system malfunctions going on over here, remember?”

Stella finally released Ben’s hand and shot Kat a
you-don’t-even-wanna-
know
-how-long-our-upcoming-chit-chat-is-gonna-be
look. Ben turned back, lifted Kat out of the truck, and gently placed her in the wheelchair.

Which turned Kat’s stomach.

You only have to sit in it for a few minutes.

They make everyone who has issues walking use one.

No big deal.

Just breathe.

Kat allowed herself a few seconds of wishing Danny was here to hold her hand and make her laugh and carry her so she didn’t have to ride in the damn thing at all.

Stella bent down to flip the foot rests up and then stood back up, adjusting her stethoscope around her neck.

She met Kat’s eyes. “You ready,
cara
?” Kat nodded, and Stella turned back to Ben, standing there sort-of awkwardly, hands shoved into the front pockets of his khakis. “Thank you so much for driving her, Ben. I really, really appreciate it.”

“Oh, uh, Ben is insisting on staying. For a little while. Until I get settled into a room,” Kat said.

Stella very, very infrequently handed out judge-y looks, but the one she was giving Kat made her want to squirm in the wheelchair.

“He didn’t want me sitting there alone, since you’re still working,” Kat added weakly.

Stella nodded slowly before walking around to grab the wheelchair handles. “Well, I already called Fi, so I guess you’ll have two people hanging out with you.” She turned Kat toward the ER entrance doors. “Ben, after you park, come on in and tell them you’re with Kat. They’ll bring you right back, okay?”

“Will do,” Ben said, already walking around the back of the truck.

As Stella pushed Kat through the doors and into the waiting area of the ER, she leaned down and whispered, “You are
so
lucky that head laceration looks bad, Kat, or the interrogation you’d be subjected to right now…”

Kat ignored her, hissing back, “
Why the hell did you call Fi?
”

“You told me I couldn’t call Nathan. You didn’t say anything about calling a sister,” Stella said so smugly Kat wished she could reach back and elbow her in the solar plexus. “Besides, you should be thanking me; I
only
called Fi. But, if you keep mouthing off, I can very easily pull out my cell and call the other three. And Pops. Oh, and your
boyfriend
…who is going to be beyond hurt and pissed about whatever shit this is you’re trying to-”

“Okay. Fine. Thank you. Just shut up and get me back to a room so you can get back to work,” Kat interrupted, as Stella pressed a big silver button, opening the big-double doors leading back to the main area of the ER.

As they rolled by the main nurses’ station, Stella addressed the woman sitting behind the desk. “Hey, Esther, this is my sister. I’m going to put her in Room Seven and bring the paperwork back there myself. Her vision is screwed up and she’s gonna need help filling it out.”

“No problem, Stella.” The statuesque black woman eyed Kat over the rims of her bifocals and smiled. “And hey there, Stella’s sister. We’re gonna take good care of you, baby, I promise.”

Kat managed a weak smile until they moved past the desk and then it dropped. Kat hissed, “
Did you have to announce my medical history to the entire Emergency Department, Stella? Ever heard of HIPAA
?”

Stella scoffed. “Please. The shit we see in here every night? ‘Vision problems’ is like saying ‘stubbed her toe.’ Plus, you haven’t signed any HIPAA forms yet, so you’re pretty much fair game.”

Stella pulled a hideous mauve and gray curtain aside and wheeled Kat in.

“Can you please get me out of this thing?” Kat asked the moment Stella had pulled the curtain shut behind them.

Kat braced her hands on the arm rests, placed her feet on the floor between the foot rests, and tried to bear weight. She was simultaneously happy she could bear some and disheartened that she couldn’t bear more.

“I won’t be able to get you up and onto the bed alone. So I can either go get one of the guys or we can wait for Ben and/or Fi to get back here,” Stella replied.

She walked around the wheelchair to face Kat, eyeing her up and down clinically. Stella leaned down, eyes narrowed, and pushed some hair away from the head laceration. “That looks even deeper than I thought, Kat. Might need stitches. And I already called Dr. Schlagel. He’ll probably wait to come up here until the tests he ordered are done.” Stella straightened up and folded her arms over her chest, meeting Kat’s eyes. “Before Ben and Fi show up and you go into Superwoman mode, why don’t you tell me exactly what happened.” Her brow quirked. “
Without
downplaying anything to save people worry and
without
omitting things because you think they’re ‘no big deal.’”

“I was sitting on a lab stool and, when I went to stand up, my left leg wouldn’t bear any weight. It gave out, I fell, and my head cracked against the corner of a cabinet.”

When Kat paused, Stella gestured for her to continue. “And?”

This was the hard part. The scary part. The part Kat wished she could omit…from the story and from her consciousness, altogether.

From reality.

“I was alone in the lab, but thankfully Ben came next door and found me on the floor. He helped up, but, when he tried to help me move, everything got worse. I got really dizzy, my vision went blurry and then doubled, and the regular MS stuff – pain, electrical shocks, numbness – it all got worse. In both legs. And in my pelvic region.” Kat’s breath caught. “It was worse than anything I’ve ever experienced before.”