Fix It for Us (25 page)

             
“Biz.”

             
“Biz.  Interesting name,” the detective editorializes.  “Biz, there is a risk you could be brought up on charges for assisting a suspect to flee, but since he didn’t go anywhere thanks to his brother, that seems unlikely.  I don’t know what else the prosecutor might go after.  This isn’t an official statement you’re making and you are currently on medication, which could alter your mental faculties.  I was being straight when I said I just need to find out what went on.  I’ll be interviewing the other victims when they’re able.  If the prosecutor does have a beef, I think we can work a deal.  You might have something I can use to bring the Ireland brothers to justice.”

             
The medicine is really making me foggy.  I can’t really follow what the detective is getting at.  The interview with him ends anyway when Charlie, Jules, Smitty and Kathleen all enter the treatment room at once.   They all look questioningly at my present guest.  Detective Garrett introduces himself.

             
Kathleen strolls up to Detective Garrett and asks flatly, “What’s going on here?  You aren’t questioning her without an attorney present, are you?”

             
The detective doesn’t flinch when Kathleen, beautiful, savvy journalist Kathleen questions him openly.  He simply states, “Ms. Connelly is not under arrest.  There are no charges against her that I know of.  It appears that she and Mr. Brandon were victims.”

             
Charlie interjects, “What about Neil Ireland?”  Jules must have told Charlie what happened.  I wound up telling her the whole story when I called her to come get me, after the nurse said I would need to be released in someone’s care at discharge.  I would have asked the nurse to call my ICE, Davis, but he is currently in the Intensive Care Unit, or so I believe.

             
“I’m not at liberty to discuss Mr. Ireland at this time.” Detective Garrett informs Charlie. “I’ll be in touch, Ms. Connelly.”  He leaves his card on the over-bed table next to me.  “Feel better.”

             
I watch four sets of eyes follow him until the detective is out of the room, sliding the door shut behind him.  Then, I am surrounded on all sides.  Charlie and Smitty each place a hand on my lower leg over the blanket and pat me.  Kathleen leans over and kisses me carefully on the forehead. 

Jules doesn’t touch me.  She looks puzzled and eventually asks, “Can I hug you without hurting you?” 

I really don’t know, so I tell her, “I think on my left side, if you’re careful of my IV.”

I have never been hugged so tentatively by Jules.  It’s not the same as her usual crushing squeeze, but it is extremely comforting.

Smitty and Kathleen don’t ask me what happened.  Jules must have brought them up to speed.  No one says anything about my missing engagement ring.  My discussion with the detective exhausted me.  I apologize to my visitors, telling them I am about to fall asleep.  My eyes are heavy and words are becoming hard to comprehend.  Smitty, Kathleen and Charlie announce they are going to get coffee in the cafeteria and will be back.  Jules sits in a chair by my side.  She tells me she’ll be here when I wake up and when it’s time for me to be discharged, I’ll go to Charlie’s.  They’ll get my stuff from the condo in a few days.  A tear runs down my cheek as I close my eyes and let myself drift.  Sleep is my only solace right now.

***

              Kathleen has been tasked with getting me out to the car.  Charlie and Smitty left to pull it around.  Jules is going over the discharge information with my nurse – stuff about pain medicine and how much activity I can have.  Kath helps me out of bed and into the wheelchair.  It aches to move. I’m been given a set of scrubs to wear home.  My clothes were ruined when they were cut off of me in the emergency room.  Every article, thrown away.  At least my driver’s license, ATM card, cash and phone weren’t.  The nurse handed those four small things to me in a large personal belongings bag, when I signed my release papers. 

I don’t really care about the achiness or my clothes.  All I want to do is see Davis.  He’s all I’ve been thinking abou
t, wondering about how he is.  The nurses won’t give me any information.  Mrs. Brandon hasn’t reappeared since taking my engagement ring.  I have a feeling Kathleen knows.  I wait until she’s pushing me out of the room, away from Jules and ask, “Hey, umm, Kathleen, do…do you know how Davis is doing?”

I can’t see her
since she is behind me, but I sense a knowing in her voice when she responds, “Yeah, I do.  I was wondering how long it would take you to ask.  You’ve been putting on a pretty brave front for all of us, or maybe it’s the medication.  If I were you, I’d be crying every minute.”

“I brought this on myself,” I explain.  “I only hope I can get Davis to understand.”  I lied to Mrs. Brandon.  I said I would think up a good break-up excuse to tell Davis.  Actually, I’m trying to think of the lamest one I can, so he will never believe it.  The only problem
is, I may never get a chance to talk to him.  Mrs. Brandon seems to have Davis under her thumb, even when he isn’t injured.  I know it is all a reaction to losing her other son, Cole, to a senseless suicide, but she is really controlling with Mr. Brandon and Davis.

“Biz, sweetie…
” Kathleen stops pushing the wheelchair and comes around to stoop down in front of me – eye level.  “Davis is going to be fine.  He isn’t awake yet, but only because the doctor’s are keeping him sedated.  They lift it every so often to check him, but he still has a bit of swelling on his face and head.  He hasn’t spoken.  He’s barely opened his eyes, really, but his vital signs are all good.  He’s breathing on his own without oxygen… ”

Cutting her off, I command, “Take me to him.”

Kathleen tilts her head and pleads with her eyes, “Really, Biz?  Meredith was pretty clear.  She doesn’t want you near Davis.  I don’t think she’ll let you in.”

“He’s unconscious.  What can I possibly do or say to him that would cause a problem?  I’m sure you can think of a way to sneak me in,” I implore her.

Kathleen puts both her hands on her knees and pushes up to stand.  I look up at her in an earnest appeal.  She shakes her head, “I am going to get myself in a ton of hot water, but I really don’t like the way Meredith and James are handling this.  They have no idea how much Davis adores you.  I’ll call Meredith and tell her she needs to take a break, that she should meet me in the cafeteria for coffee.  We’ll hide around the corner from Davis’ room.  When I see her leave we’ll slip in.   James is probably there, but we can sweet talk him, no problem.”

All I can do is thank Kathleen profusely over and over, while trying desperately not to tear up.  I’ve cried so much lately, I can’t believe I have any tears left, but I do.  “You understand, don’t you?  I
just need to see him.  See that he’s okay.  Then I can go to Charlie’s.  I’ll be miserable the entire time I’m away from Davis, but I’ll be able to get through it if I can just see him.  Even if he never wants to see me again once he wakes up, I just need to see him.”

             
“Then let’s do this.”  Kathleen cheers and pulls out her cell phone.

***

              “No, absolutely not.  Kathleen, you can’t bring Biz in here.  Meredith will kill me.  Do you hear me, Kathleen?”  James Brandon is driving toward us in his electric wheelchair, as Kathleen brings me to Davis. “I thought Meredith was meeting you for coffee.”

             
I only glance briefly at James before all my attention lands on Davis.  Kathleen wheels me right up to his side, leaves me there and goes over to appease James.  I perceive an argument happening between James and Kathleen, but really it’s all just background noise.  Everything in me is focused on Davis.  He looks like my Davis, but too still, too pale.  There is a large bandage on the side of his face and his eye is swollen and black and blue.  I reach up and take his hand.  It’s cold.  Davis is never cold.  I don’t have much time, Meredith will be back soon.  I can’t get as close to him as I’d like, so I whisper up at him, “Davis, baby, it’s me, Lizard Breath.  I’m here, baby.  I can’t stay long.  Your parents are pretty pissed at me.  I just wanted to say…” There’s no stopping the tears now and I sob on, “I am so, so sorry you were hurt.  I was trying to keep the hurt from you, and you got hurt anyway.  I’m so sorry.  I wish you could hear me.  I hope you can.”

             
Kathleen comes over and puts a hand on my shoulder, “Biz, we gotta go.  Meredith is on her way back up.”  Kathleen shows me the text on her phone saying so.

             
I only have a few more moments to tell Davis everything he means to me, even if he can’t hear it. “ I love you, Davis Brandon.  I didn’t know what love was until I saw myself in your eyes.  I loved you almost immediately, on a cellular level, before my heart and head even caught on.”

             
“We have to go Biz.”  Kathleen insists.

             
“Never forget – I LOVE YOU, Mavis.” 

Davis squeezes my hand. I look down at our hands and he does it again.
It’s weak, but there. He heard me!  I know he did.  I tell no one.  Not Kathleen or Mr. Brandon. It’s between Davis and me.  That squeeze gives me hope.  I hold Davis’ hand as long as I can while Kathleen pulls my chair away from his bedside.  As she rushes me out of the room, down the hall and onto the elevator, her phone alerts. 

             
Kathleen answers it.  “I know, I’m sorry,” Kathleen says.  She must be talking to Mrs. Brandon. “She wanted to say good-bye.  Davis wasn’t even awake.  I know.  Yes.  Yes.  I understand.  I’ll catch up with you and James later.  Check in on Davis.  I know, I know.  Bye, Meredith.”  Kathleen sighs after hanging up, “Whoa, she was mad.  Glad she didn’t catch us.”  Then she laughs and pushes me even more quickly.  Charlie, Smitty and Jules are waiting to take me home.  No, not home – to Charlie’s.  Not my home with Davis.

***

              I am living on pain medication, memories and updates from Kathleen.  That’s it.  It’s been two days since I was discharged from the hospital.  I do pretty well if I take my medicine on schedule and don’t forget a dose.  It makes me pretty loopy.  When I absolutely can’t keep my eyes open, I let the sleep come and will myself to dream about Davis.  It isn’t hard, he is foremost in my consciousness.  My phone is by my side at all times.  Kathleen is being my spy and texting me information as often as she can about Davis’ condition.  The text I’ve been waiting for finally pops up in a little speech bubble:

HE’S AWAKE!!

And asking about you.

I text back:

Really?  Do you think Meredith will let me see him?

Kathleen’s response comes quickly:

I don’t know.  They kicked me out of the room.  It got intense pretty quickly after he woke up.

I’ll text you as soon as I know something.

              I get up and do a little dance around Charlie’s living room.  Davis is awake.  He’s better.  Nobody is here to see me.  Charlie is off at one of his new jobs.  Since he’s decided not to go back to Weldon to focus on taking Boxwood to the next level, he had to get day jobs.  The first job is cool – a vintage guitar store.  He sells and repairs guitars.  I’m not supposed to tell anyone about the second job, but he’s working at Hot Topic selling Twilight and My Little Pony merchandise.  He does have a great look for the place.  The sad part is he makes more money there than with the guitars.  Charlie really doesn’t care how he makes the money to live on, he just wants to make music.  I hope he never stops feeling like that.  Jules (his wife – ha!) is in class today.  They only left me alone if I promised to stay in my pajamas and rest.  I have kept the pajama part of the promise.  I can only rest when I take the pain medicine.  When I’m awake, I’m restless, thinking non-stop about Davis, wondering when Randall will appear again and concerned if I am going to get arrested or charged for the whole blackmail/money exchange thing.

             
I’m ecstatic that Davis is awake!  I don’t know what to do with myself.  I’m going to break my promise.  I’m going to get dressed, put on make-up, fix my hair.  I’m hoping it will make me feel better
and
occupy my time until Kathleen texts me.

             
Clearly I didn’t think this through.  I got my pajamas off, my sling off, removed the figure eight brace stabilizing my collarbone, turned on the shower and got in.  It’s challenging washing my hair and body with one hand, but I manage to accomplish the feat.  What I didn’t plan on was afterward – after getting out.  I also towel myself dry with one hand without much pain, but I can’t put the brace back on without help and my arm is starting to hurt.  So much for doing my make up and hair.  I’m sitting on the toilet seat and squirming back into my pajama bottoms when I hear the front door open.  I hold the towel up to my front to cover my breasts.  My hair is still dripping wet down my shoulders and back.  I call out, “Hey.”

             
“Hey yourself.”  It’s Charlie.

             
I need help, no denying it.  I’m going to have to let Charlie assist.  I yell out to him, “I’m so glad you’re here.  I got a little overzealous and decided to get cleaned up.  It wasn’t until after I got out of the shower that I couldn’t do it without someone to help me.”