Dylan's Redemption (21 page)

The nursing staff gave up trying to shoo him away. It didn’t work, and it was a futile attempt for them to try. Instead, Dylan did everything he could to help them with Jessie. He moved her position every few hours to make sure she’d be comfortable. He made sure to take care of her in every small way he could. He did it because she couldn’t do it for herself. The longer it took for her to wake up, the more worried he became.

She moaned sometimes when she became uncomfortable. She even said his name a few times. It did his heart good to hear her call to him. In those moments, he’d hold her hand and kiss her brow. He’d talk to her about their past and the time they’d shared together. He tried to recall happy moments in their lives, like playing soccer as kids, catching a movie as teens, working together at a construction site. He remembered everything sitting there. The way she listened to him. She always laughed at all his dumb jokes. If he felt down or sick, she always cheered him up. He loved the way she turned into a puddle of goo when she saw a puppy or dog. She had a silly side and loved to make faces or talk in strange voices just to make him laugh. Fearless, she’d climb the tallest tree with him. Kind, when they went fishing, she always released her catch.

The more memories that surfaced, the harder it was to think he might lose her. He wanted to build a future with her. He wanted to gather a thousand more memories.

The door opened behind him and he figured Greg or Brian came back to see Jessie. They’d been here every few hours to check on her, and him. He didn’t mind their concern about him. In fact, he liked having them there to help him watch over her.

He turned to ask Brian or Greg to get the nurse, but found his cousins, Brody and Owen, standing there with their wives, Rain and Claire.

“I told you guys not to come.”

“You were there for me and Rain when the mess went down with Roxy. You helped Owen when his wacked-out client went after Claire,” Brody said. “Of course we came to check on you. We’re family.”

Those words hit Dylan hard. His mother had lied and deceived him. She’d hurt Jessie with her words and deeds. She’d made decisions for him that cost him ever knowing his precious daughter. Yet, here were his cousins, taking time out of their lives, away from their kids to come and check on him. He never went more than a few hours without one of them calling to check on him and assure him that Jessie would be okay. They didn’t know her, but they loved him and wanted the best for him. It meant more than words could say to have them here, now, when Jessie’s condition worsened with every passing second.

Rain stepped forward and wrapped her arms around his neck. Tired to the bone, he hugged her back and held on. “She’s going to be okay, Dylan. Hang in there.”

“I’m trying. She’s getting worse.”

“Well, if I’d known there was a party, I’d have gotten dressed,” Jessie murmured from the bed.

Shocked she was awake again—and semi-lucid—he released Rain to go back to Jessie’s side. “Jess, you remember my cousins, Brody and Owen. These are their wives, Rain and Claire.”

“Go home, Dylan. Be with your family. Let me die in peace.”

“Jess, no. You’re not dying. You hear me. I won’t let you, damnit.”

Jessie looked him right in eye. “I tried to find you. I tried to tell you.”

“I know, sweetheart.” He kissed her lips softly. Her eyes fluttered, closing from exhaustion. “Rest.” He ran his hand down the side of her head and held her cheek. “You’re sick. You need to rest.”

“My back hurts.”

“You’ve got an infection where you were stabbed by the glass. You’ve got a fever. They’re giving you some pretty heavy-duty medication. You’re going to be okay.”

“I want to lie on my stomach. My back hurts. My leg hurts.”

“Do you want some more drugs?”

“Let’s leave a few brain cells,” she said sarcastically.

He smiled. “There’s a little bit of my Jess. All right. Let me help you though. You can’t move like you think. You’re weak. I don’t want you messing up the bandages or your stitches.”

“You’re being ridiculous,” she quipped, then tried to sit up and couldn’t. Surprise and worry etched her whole face and her heart monitor kicked up a few extra beats.

“I told you. You’ve been lying in this bed for a week. The infection is bad, Jess.” He hated to tell her like this. He wanted her to stay positive and use her strength to get better. He hoped if she understood how dire the situation, she’d fight. “I need you to get better.”

Brody moved to the opposite side of the bed and stared down at Jessie. “Let’s get you settled. You’ll feel better.”

“I don’t think I’ll ever feel better.”

Brody moved the pillows to help her roll over. “I imagine right now you feel like shit. Trust me, I get it. I’ve been where you are right now.” Brody had been wounded by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan. He suffered some burns and shrapnel wounds that put him in the hospital for weeks and rehab for months.

Dylan carefully took her leg at the knee and helped her roll her hips over. He settled her leg on the pillow. Unable to lie on her stomach all the way, her leg and arm had to be propped up to keep them from rubbing on anything. Brody helped raise her shoulders, and then settled her arm over another pillow. Satisfied, she gave a little moan of pleasure at the new position. Dylan and Brody both arranged the IV lines and the wires attached to her monitors.

Dylan brushed her dark hair away from her face. “I’m going to look at your back and see how the wound is healing. It’s going to hurt a little.” Breathing steadily, she’d gone back to sleep. Dark circles marred the skin beneath her eyes. Her skin had lost the warm glow of the fever, taking on a pale, translucent appearance. Sweat dried in her hairline. He’d have to clean her before it dried on her skin and itched.

“I’ll go get a nurse to help change out the sheets and bring some new bandages,” Claire offered and left the room.

Rain and Owen stood at the foot of the bed. Dylan appreciated their help and support, despite the fact there was really nothing anyone could do.

The sheet covered Jessie’s legs and hips. He opened the back of her gown to look at the wound. Rain gasped. Brody and Owen both swore when they saw Jessie’s back.

Dylan traced his finger over the long, jagged, knife wound. “I’d like to kill the bastard all over again for doing this to her.”

“I’d hold him down for you,” Brody said.

“I’d help you hide the body,” Owen added, despite the fact he’d also chosen a job that required he uphold the law.

Dylan hung his head. “He tried to kill her. Look what he did to her. Pregnant with my baby and that man took a knife and slit her open from her shoulder to her hip. Greg told me she had it stitched up once, but it was a piss-poor job. She had to have the whole thing redone at the emergency room. Fifteen, pregnant, and almost murdered by her father. All alone. I wasn’t there.” Dylan gently traced his fingertips down the long scar again. Then he leaned over and kissed her shoulder.

“I know just how you feel, man,” Brody said, coming around the bed. He clamped his hand on Dylan’s shoulder and squeezed. “I wasn’t there when Rain needed me. I wasn’t there when Autumn needed me to protect her from that bitch, Roxy. We have more things in common now than we did growing up.”

Dylan couldn’t agree more. They’d had completely different family lives, but they’d both gotten the women they loved pregnant and abandoned them, none the wiser they had a child on the way. Or in Brody’s case, two children.

“Like me, you’ve got a second chance to make this right.”

“How do I make this right? My daughter is dead. Jessie has suffered that burden alone and the burden of thinking I didn’t want her. She’s lying here dying because she saved my son. I don’t deserve that, but she’s given it to me. I could have lost my son too. Maybe that’s the punishment I deserved.”

Jessie responded to his voice. Despite the pain, she lifted her hurt arm and grabbed him by the shirt and pulled him down to her. “No, Dylan. You don’t deserve to be punished. She does. She lied.”

He leaned down and kissed her cheek. “I shouldn’t have left you in the first place. I was afraid of what I felt for you. I’m not afraid anymore. I love you, Jess.”

Nothing could have made him feel better than the feel of her fingers sliding through his hair and grabbing on. She pulled his face to hers and he touched his forehead to hers. “Please, Jess. Get better. I love you.” Her hand went lax in his hair. She slept again. He sighed and wondered when she’d have enough energy to stay awake for more than a minute. These brief periods were being wasted. He still hadn’t gotten to tell her anything important, like sorry and thank you for saving his son.

Bent over Jessie, stroking her hair, he pressed a light kiss to her temple.

Claire walked back into the room. “The nurse will be here shortly. We should go if we’re going to make the movie on time.”

“Date night?” Dylan asked.

“No, Pop’s watching the kids right now. We’re going to pick up Will and take him for pizza and a movie with all the kids. You stay here and be with Jessie,” Rain said, giving him a hug goodbye.

“I’ve made you a roast beef and cheddar sandwich,” Claire said, handing him the bag she brought in earlier and set on the table. “I put a couple of your favorite chocolate-chunk brownie bars inside too.” Claire gave him a hug too. “Call me. I’m happy to bring you food anytime.”

He tried to give her a smile, but he couldn’t manage even half of one. It touched him deeply that they’d come today.

Owen gave him a bear hug and a slap on the back goodbye. “Hang in there, man. Anything you need, just call.”

“I will. I’m glad you guys came.”

Brody hung back as the others went out. “When I came back and discovered how deeply I’d hurt Rain and that I had two girls, I was overwhelmed with guilt and anger and so much more that I couldn’t put into words. My own worst enemy, I vowed to make things right, like I know you’re trying to do right now. Nothing you say or do will count as much as you proving to her how much you love her. Do that, and you can make this right. It’s possible. Look and Rain and me.”

“Your girls are alive and well. Mine died and I wasn’t there for Jess.”

“Not your fault. Not hers. You can’t change that, Dylan. Neither can she. But if what you shared then is still alive today,
that
you can make thrive, make into a lifetime of love and happiness. After what you’ve lost, you both deserve that. Don’t let the death of your child be the death of the love that brought her here, if only for a short time.”

Brody hugged him and slapped him on the back. “I love you, man. Take care of yourself. Take care of her. That’s all you can do. Everything else will come with time.”

“Thanks, Brody. I really appreciate you coming today. I needed to hear those things.”

“I’m sorry for your loss. I hope the two of you will be happy together again.”

“Me too.”

Brody squeezed his shoulder and left.

Dylan stood over Jessie, staring down at her pale face. “I love you, Jess.” He didn’t know she was still half-awake.

“I see why Rain forgave Brody. He’s not what I expected.”

“He’s been through a lot. After he nearly died in the military, he came home and fought hard to win Rain back. I’m going to fight even harder for you, Jess, but I need you to get better. I can’t live without you.” Dylan took her hand, linking his fingers with hers. “Please, Jess, don’t leave me.”

“I’m not going anywhere.”

Dylan believed her when she squeezed his hand, her grip strong, despite her dire illness.

Chapter Twenty-Three

T
WO DAYS PASSED
before Jessie’s fever broke and the medication kicked in and killed the infection ravaging her body. Dylan never left her side, which made her both happy and annoyed.

Every time she told him to go away, he refused to acknowledge she’d said anything.

She stayed awake for longer periods of time. She didn’t want to talk and often lost herself staring out the window.

Greg worried about her. He didn’t like seeing her so quiet. “It brings back an eerie memory of you after Hope’s death,” he said the other day. He never wanted to see her depressed like that again. She had to admit, she didn’t like scaring him, or feeling this way.

She shuffled back to the bed from the bathroom. The door opened and Greg walked in. Not exactly happy to see him, she’d finally had some time alone and didn’t want to talk to him or anyone for that matter.

Dylan left hours ago to go to his office and do some work. He’d kissed her on the forehead and told her he’d be back and reminded her for the hundredth time they needed to have a long talk. She continued to stare out the window and ignore him. Her silence irritated him even more than her asking him to leave. She didn’t care. She wasn’t ready to talk to him, or hear what he had to say to her.

“I hear they’re springing you from this place tomorrow,” Greg said and pulled the chair in front of her. He sat and blocked her view of the window. “Stop ignoring me. Today, you’ll participate in the conversation,” he ordered.

“I’ll give you a thousand dollars if you find my clothes and take me home right now.”

Surprised, he fell back in the seat and stared at her. “This is new. Ready to leave so soon? I’d have thought nine days in the hospital would be quite relaxing.”

“Relaxing? Someone is either jabbing a needle in my arm or torturing one of the many cuts and scrapes on my body. I’m tired of my ass hanging out the back of this gown, and Dylan won’t leave me alone. He gave me a sponge bath last night that left nothing to the imagination. I’m too weak to fight him, and he’s using it to his advantage.”

“It’s not the first bath he’s given you. The man took care of you like a mother hen the whole time you had the fever. I’ve never seen anyone care so deeply for another. He loves you, honey.”

“He feels sorry for me and guilty. He’s grateful I saved his son. Those things I believe. Love? Not a chance. If he loved me so much, he’d have never left me. He’d have at least done the decent thing and told me he was leaving.”

“Now you’re just being stubborn and ornery,” Greg said, giving her leg a pat.