I Run to You (39 page)

Brook was a bit shaky as she cleaned her
teeth. Her hair received only a damp combing with dry shampoo, a
fresh gown after the nurse looked at her ribs. They were black, and
most of her body from her thighs up was a mess of scratches and
bruises. “No wonder I hurt all over,” she tried to joke.

“You’ve had quite a trauma.” The woman’s
brown eyes met hers in the mirror. “Lucky, very lucky, to
survive.”

She helped Brook walk to the bed. “You can
have your own PJ’s or clothing after the doctor sees you, I
think.”

Madeline and nurse got her settled. Madeline
kissed her. “My poor baby.”

Brook took her hand. “I’ll be okay. Mom.”

“I know. I know.” Madeline wiped her
cheeks.

“Go eat or something.” Brook told her. “I’ll
bet you haven’t left this room.”

Madeline opened her mouth.

“Go on. People are coming to visit. You and
Mitch go have coffee, or go outside.”

“Okay. But if you need—”

“Go.”

Madeline laughed, kissed her again, and
left.

For the next hour, Brook registered an array
of expressions on the family’s faces as they came through the door,
two, and three at a time. That first look at her was a shocker for
herself, it was that, and more for Ruby— who broke down crying and
couldn’t speak for five minutes. Renee was not much better. Brook
assured them she was okay, but eventually gave up and just held
their hands.

The men were somber, their jokes, efforts, as
they pat her hand and kissed her forehead. G.W. came in, with a
huge stuffed pink rabbit. He set it down, and looked over her
face—and broke down crying.

Brook reached for his rough work-worn hand
but he had to leave the room. She tried to joke to Alvin, “I’ve
finally rendered him speechless.”

Alien’s smile amid that bushy beard was
wobbly.

“Hey.” Brook did take his hand. “They have
him. I’m going to be okay.”

Alvin nodded and swallowed. “Too bad we
didn’t catch em. Save the taxpayers some money.” He kissed her
hand. Sucking a deep breath he asked, “What can I bring you?”

“Starbucks coffee—and a sexy novel. The kind
with necked men on the cover.”

He grinned at that. “Will do.”

When he had gone, Jude came over from where
he had stepped to look out the window.

He rubbed her arm. “We’ve fixed the house
back up. Your car too. It’s waiting in your drive.”

“Thanks.”

His amber eyes, so like Coy’s went over her
face. “Rafe came in when you were out of it, yesterday. He is all
to pieces. Can’t even come in here. Coy’s been sitting with him,
out in the hall floor, most of the night.”

Brook said, “I know it looks bad. I was
horrified. It hurts everywhere, but all the black and blue and
knots… Tell him—I love him, okay?”

Jude nodded. His eyes said a lot about the
past, the present, and then he murmured, “Can Coy come in?”

“Yeah. Sure.” She watched him stand.
“Jude?”

“Yeah.” He turned back from heading toward
the door.

“I don’t want Levi or any of the kids seeing
me yet.”

“He’s all tore up too. I took him to the vet
to visit pup.”

“You tell him, pup tried to protect me. Warn
me. Tell him that he saved my life.”

“Did he?”

“Yes. When I was being forced to the house,
pup was distracting him, pulling his pant leg, and barking. I think
he would have killed me, after he robbed the house—but the dog
making all that noise and rattling him made him rush. He was high,
jittery, talking a little out of his head.”

Jude nodded. “I’ll tell him.” His gaze
lingered on her. “You’re like your mother. A strong woman. Though
life’s not fair or make no sense, can be cruel, you don’t let it
keep you down.”

“I’ll never understand Karla.”

“Nor do we. But I am damn sure glad that Levi
has you in his life too. You’re a fighter.”

After he had gone out, it was quiet for
awhile.

Brook turned to look out the window. It was a
beautiful day, blue sky, white, fluffy clouds. She heard the door
squeak and turned her head, watching as Coy approached.

He looked as bad as Mitch had. Worse, his
face was drawn, stubbled with 3-day beard. Though his clothing
looked fresh, a T-shirt, jeans, he looked drained.

Standing close to the bed, he took her hand,
his eyes going over her face with so much pain and anger she could
feel it.

“Where can I kiss?”

She pointed to her unswollen cheek.

He kissed her butterfly light.

“How’s Rafe?’ she asked, as he sat in the
chair, still holding her hand.

“Muttering more Spanish than I can
understand. Though most of it, I gather, is four letter words.”

She laughed and then winced. “Tell him, I’m
all right.”

“You’re not.”

“Coy.”

He kissed her hand and murmured, “I’ll tell
him.”

They sat silent for long moments. Brook
watching him as he kept rubbing her hand and kissing it.

She said eventually, “I told Jude I don’t
want Levi seeing me. But when I get out— I’ll call him.”

“He’s worried sick.”

“I know.”

Coy’s gaze scanned her face. “I love you,
Brook.”

She swallowed and merely flexed her fingers
on his.

He stood and brushed her hair back, face
close to hers. “I’m sorry you went through that. It must have been
a nightmare. That bastard will go away for a long time. And if he
ever gets out, he won’t be walking for long.”

“Let the courts handle him, Coy. If he’s got
a record, and I hear he does, they’ll give him what he
deserves.”

Coy’s cheek flexed but he said, “I wish I’d
have stayed. None of us thought anything would happen in broad
daylight…”

“It’s not your fault. Any of their fault. The
guy was doped up and I wasn’t paying any attention. Pup tried to
warn me.”

His thumb rubbing her hand Coy said, “I want
to kiss away the hurts.”

She raised her other hand and touched his
cheek. “I know.”

When she dropped her hand, he sighed and
straightened. “Max and Jason are coming in the morning. They’ve
been down at the station with Sunny.”

“Okay.”

He released her hand reluctantly. “They’re
throwing us out till 9 tonight.”

“All of you look as bad as I do. Go home and
rest. Be with Levi. I doubt I’ll be in here more than a day
longer.”

He nodded. “Are you afraid to go home?”

“No.” She held his gaze. “But if I get
afraid, I know I can call any of you to come stay with me.”

He nodded.

“Coy.”

“Yeah.”

Brook swallowed and let her eyes roam his
face.

When she swallowed again, and he came back to
her and leaned over, kissing her ear, in it he whispered hoarse, “I
know, babe. I know.”

She watched him leave, feeling weepy and
fumbling for Kleenex.

Jordan came, as did several of the women.
Lucky for Brook they didn’t find it unusual for her to have been
crying.

By the time Madeline was back, Brook was
sleepy. She held Madeline’s hand and slept.

The night went by with a few visits; nurses
coming in. it was not until the next morning, after breakfast, did
Brook met the doctor.

He checked her over and told her, “You can go
home tomorrow. I’ll have some orders you need to follow.” He pat
her knee. “I hear you play a mean bass. Fraid that is not on the
agenda. Rest, walking.” He felt the back of her head. “It’s going
down nicely.”

After checking her ribs, he asked, “Any
nightmares?”

“No.”

He eyed her face. “I’m prescribing a mild
sedative. We have someone on staff you can talk to if you have
problems sleeping—”

“I know what you’re saying.” Brook
nodded.

He smiled, winked, and then left.

She had a shower with Madeline’s help.
Dressed in her own PJ’s and a T-shirt. Laughing—as they got her
back to the bed, she asked Madeline, “Who packed these
clothes?”

“Coy.”

“I haven’t worn this snoopy T-shirt in 10
years.”

Madeline smiled. “I remember it as your
favorite.”

“Which is why Snoopy’s head is almost cracked
off.” Brook plucked at the iron on.

“At least it’s comfortable.”

Brook nodded and lay back. “I want to go
home.”

“In the morning.”

Rolling her head, Brook looked at her.
“Please don’t worry. It makes me worry about you.”

“I can’t help it.” Madeline shook her head.
Tears were coming again.

Opening her bruised arms, Brook held her as
Madeline pulled the chair over. They were still like that when
Mitch came through the door.

He smiled and stood looking at them. Brook
hand soothing Madeline’s hair.

Brook murmured, “The love of your life is
here.”

Madeline raised and smiled at Mitch, reaching
for his hand. He came to the other side and took Brook’s with his
other.

“My ladies.” He called them, kissing their
hands. “You two are quite a pair.”

Brook laughed softly, closing her eyes. “It’s
a good thing your hair is already silver.”

“Mmm.” He sounded amused. “But I’ll keep you
both, just the same.”

“I love you. I love” Brook was drifting off
to sleep. She squeezed Mitch’s hand.

He sounded choked up. “You too, baby girl.
You too.”

~*~

Although Brook was released the next morning,
she did not get to leave until nearly evening. Paperwork, they told
her.

Mitch drove her home, Madeline with her.
Whatever she expected to see, there was no sign of the attack and
violence.

The neighborhood was quiet, the summer day,
perfect.

Mitch carried her bag and held the door as
they went in.

Brook smiled. Her bar and living room were
full of beautiful flowers, balloons from the kids, stuffed animals,
and cards.

“Wait till you see the refrigerator.” Mitch
laughed and took the bag to her bedroom. “You could feed an army
from the food they’ve brought.”

Madeline fixed her coffee and brought it to
her.

Looking around, Brook leaned and picked of
two of the amusing cards. She said, “You thank them for me, Mom.”
She dashed a tear away. “I love that crazy bunch.”

“They love you.”

Mitch and Madeline had coffee with her, and
then Brook ran them off. “I’ll call. I promise.” She stood on the
porch and watched them pull out. She could tell her Mom was
crying.

Inside again, Brook went to the bathroom and
striped. She got a full-length look at her body. Her face was
somewhere between green, yellow and purple. No swelling though. Her
arms, ribs, everywhere but the left ankle—and as she turned to look
at her back—nausea hit for a moment. No welt but a black and blue
mark, probably from a stick.

Her left buttock was bruised, the back of the
other thigh too. Sighing, she ran the shower, got in, using Renee’s
soothing body wash, and shampoo. She grunted doing her lotion
later, her ribs sore, and her body too weak.

Combing her hair, blow-drying, she pulled on
fresh undies, soft running pants and a hoodie. She went to the
deck, eyeing the can of dog food and pup’s chew toy. She missed the
little scrapper and was glad he was okay.

There was an hour of daylight to enjoy, and
she did so. Sitting on the chaise, absorbing sounds of nature
instead of hospital noise.

Her cell rang. “Hello?”

“It’s Rafe.”

She smiled. “Where are you?”

“Sitting in your drive.”

“I’m on the back deck. You get back here, and
hug me.”

He was obviously getting out of his car. She
could hear him breathing as he headed through the yard, then up the
deck steps.

The cell he held lowered as he stood there,
looking her over. His dark eyes were full of compassion, anger,
hurt. He slid the cell into the pocket of his black slacks.

Brook held out her arms.

He came to her, scooping her up and holding
her gently on his lap. His body rocking her— and his lips
whispering across her forehead, Spanish words that were broken with
English.

“I’m okay. I’m all right.” She soothed his
back in the purple silk shirt he wore,

He leaned back on the chaise, still cradling
her. “Am I hurting your ribs?”

“No.” She leaned her head on his shoulder,
looking up at his handsome face. He winced as his own gaze went
over hers.

“It looks so painful, mi Vida. How could
anyone beat—”

“—He’s been caught. Let’s just move from
that, because I’ve already had the worst done, and I just want to
have my normal life back.”

His hand caressed her cheek, those liquid
black eyes holding hers. “Whatever you want, Babe.”

Covering his hand, she relaxed back, letting
him hold her. He seemed to need to. “I know you’ve talked to Sunny.
What do you hear?”

“The guy plans on pleading guilty. Which is
good. Sunny said after he’d sobered, that he didn’t remember it,
but with all the evidence the police had, including some of the
neighbors saying they saw him hanging around—probably how he knew
you had an alarm system. There is no point in him trying to put on
a defense. He has a long rap sheet. Petty crime and selling dope.
This will keep him locked up for a long time.”

He lowered his hand, resting it on her hip
and she rubbed at his.

“And Karla?”

“She told them what she knew, and is prepared
to testify— if necessary. Bill came down to the station. They’re
still divorcing. She claims she’s’ in love with some guy she met at
a club. Bill’s had it with her. Sunny said she almost looked
normal, running suit, no hair extensions, and sneakers. But she was
scared shitless.”

“It’s still somewhat her fault.”

“Absolutely. She is aware of that. The cops
are too.”

After a while, she offered, “I need to eat
something. I have enough food to last a year in here. Join me?”