Wildflower Hearts

7. Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven

E lias burst out of the elevator, Billy following close with Debra, and they ran up to Mark standing outside the door of Noah’s room.

“What’s going on?”

“Is he really awake?”

“Why aren’t you in there?”

“Whoa, one question at a time.” Mark waved his hands. “Dr. Stewart is in there right now with Lyla. We can’t go in there until they’re done.”

Elias ran his hands through his hair with worry etched all over his face. “What happened? Were you here?”

“I was headed to the house to check on Debra when I remembered I forgot my keys. When I came back, all these people were rushing in and out of his room. Lyla told me Noah woke up.” A big grin appeared on his face as he embraced his wife. “She was talking to him, and he woke up!”

Eyes on the door, Elias stepped forward as Lyla came out of Noah’s room.

She greeted the group with a smile. “He’s doing fine.”

“Fine? Just fine?” Elias pressed. “Come on, Lyla, tell us more than that! Please!”

“I’ll let the good doctor handle that part.”

Chief Stewart slipped out of the room and tucked his small flashlight into his front lab coat. "Let me start by saying that a case such as your brother exemplifies is extremely rare. Possibly, one in a million patients each year experience it. Thanks to a change in IV medication and quick thinking by Nurse Hamilton, Mr. Kingsley responded very strongly. Due to physical connection and voice recognition, he was able to come out of his coma earlier than we expected.”

Elias frowned. “Voice recognition? But we weren’t here.”

“No,” Mark agreed, “We weren’t.” His gaze went to her.

“Nurse Hamilton has been on close calls with Mr. Kingsley more than any of us. This doesn’t mean that he didn’t benefit from your time with him, but like I said, this type of situation is highly unusual. I believe there is no explanation that would satisfy you all and our medical board.”

“Can we see him now?”

“Of course,” Lyla nodded. “He’s been asking for all of you.” She ushered them inside and hung back, watching each brother greet Noah with a smile. He smiled weakly at them as they circled the bed, patting him on the arms or legs.

She began to shut the door, and her gaze caught Elias’s. He smiled, and she returned the gesture before the door closed between them.

“Baby Brother! About time your lazy ass got up!”

“You are a sight for sore eyes, Sweetheart!”

“Glad to see you back, Noah.”

He glanced around at them, smiling weakly. “Hey.”

“You want some water?” Elias grabbed the cup off the tray by his bed, and extended it to Noah, tilting the straw for him. “Got it ready for you.”

Noah sipped for several seconds before he leaned back against his pillows. “Thanks.”

He set the cup back on the tray. “Gotcha covered, little brother, but don’t think this is going to last forever. As soon as you get on your feet, it’s back to being our chief.”

They all chuckled, exchanging happy smiles.

“How do you feel?” Billy questioned. “Are you still woozy from the medication, or do you feel like you could walk around?” He glanced around to see them looking at him strangely. “I didn’t tell him to do it! I asked if he felt he could! Geez.”

Noah licked his dry lips. “I’m a bit dizzy, and I ache everywhere. The pain comes and goes.”

“We’re going to hook you up with the best medicine.” Elias patted him on the arm. “You’ll be so high you won’t come down for years.”

Mark nodded. “As soon as you’re better, we’re out of here.”

“That’s right, Noah. We’ll get you home, and you can sit around and order Debra to make you all the meals you want.”

“I’m good at making ones, except for Elias’s that I spit in first.”

He shot her a look, and she smiled innocently, causing Noah to laugh. He coughed but shook his head as Elias reached for water again. “I’m okay.” He managed to smile. “I see I haven’t missed much.”

“Nah, she’s the same ol’ pain in the ass. Do you want us to leave you alone? I doubt you want to sleep, but…”

“I feel like I’ve been trapped inside my head for days, hearing this voice I didn’t recognize. A woman kept telling me to come back, but I don’t know who she is.” He paused. “Maybe I’m going crazy.”

“You’re not any crazier than the rest of us. Did you talk to Lyla?”

“Who?”

The brothers exchanged curious looks. Elias patted Noah on the arm. “Don’t worry, you will. Get some rest. We’ll be back bright and early in the morning.”

“Okay.” Noah settled against the bed, closing his eyes.

“Night, little brother. We love you.”

“Love you, too.”

Lyla scribbled notes on the file before her. Closing it, she extended it to Melissa. The nurse continued to stare at her, hands folded together on the desk.

“I’m finished with this one.”

“So, I see.” Melissa took the file and placed it in the Inbox on the counter. “You would not believe some rumors that fly around this place.”

“Wouldn’t I?” She opened another file, scanning the contents. “I’m sure you’ll let me know a juicy one.”

“It’s about you.”

For the first time since she could remember, the curiosity bug bit her, and she allowed herself to act on it. “Okay, you’ve got my attention. What about me?”

“Everyone’s all abuzz about you and that Kingsley fellow.”

“There is no me and that Kingsley fellow. I told you, he’s not my boyfriend.”

“Not that one! Noah!”

Lyla hesitated at her mentioning the younger brother. “What does that mean? In case you haven’t noticed, he’s been in a heavily medicated sleep for three days. It’s not like we’ve gone on windy walks or to the movies.”

Melissa surprised her by laughing. “Look at the situation. Noah Kingsley comes in with no chance to live and survives surgery, only to suffer mild seizures and be placed in a medicated coma. What’s the only thing that saves him?”

“The hospital and its-”

“You.” She poked her pen in her direction. “You did, Lyla. You talked to him, held his hand, and it made him come out of a coma! They didn’t teach me those moves in nursing school.” She propped her chin on her hand and fluttered her eyelashes. “You simply must share your secret.”

“Don’t be ridiculous.” Lyla pushed away from the counter and gathered her folders with a flurry of hands. “That’s the most asinine thing I’ve heard.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever heard you say that word before today.”

She rolled her eyes. “There’s a first time for everything.”

Melissa shrugged, snatching up the phone as it rang. “Hold, please.” She covered the bottom of the phone with her hand. “You can protest all you want, but I think the rumors are true. Visit Lover Boy while you have the chance. I bet he’s anxiously waiting on your return.”

“Asinine. A-s-i-n-i-n-e.” She pivoted and ran smack into Chief Stewart. “Oh, Dr. S… Bruce, sorry, I didn’t see you there.”

“It’s perfectly alright.” He glanced over at the head nurse who was talking on the phone. “Were you having a spelling bee?”

She scrunched up her nose. “No, it was nothing. Can I do something for you?”

“Yes, I’m headed to a meeting. Would you check up on Noah Kingsley for me? It might be time to clean him up and give him something other than liquid food.”

“It would be my pleasure.”

Melissa coughed, and they looked at her. She kept her gaze down, the phone pressed to her ear. “I bet that was traumatic. Keep it well-cleaned and change the bandage once every three hours.” She replaced the phone on the receiver and glanced up at them with wide, innocent eyes. “What?”

“You can do this. It’s just another patient,” she mumbled as she glared at the door number. “You are strong, intelligent, and … You’re talking to yourself.” She glanced over her shoulder to see several pairs of eyes locked on her. She turned away and straightened her shoulders. “You can do this. What’s the big deal?” She entered the room to find the overhead lamp on again. She let her eyes adjust to the dim lighting before she stepped further into the room. She tried to be quiet as she noticed Noah was still sleeping and moved to stand beside the bed. She checked his vitals and picked up his wrist to time his pulse. It was strong and steady. “Good.” She gasped when her wrist was suddenly captured by his free hand. His firm grip surprised her, and her gaze flew to find his eyes narrowed in on her.

“Who are you?”

“Please let go of my wrist.”

“Not until you answer me first.” He squeezed her wrist. “Who are you?”

“I’m a nurse.” She leaned her weight onto the bed without touching him any further. “My name is Lyla. See?” She pointed to her name tag. “I work here as an RN. I’ve been looking after you since you arrived.”

He released her, and she stepped away, rubbing her wrist. “For a man in recovery, you have a strong grip.”

“I-” He moaned, leaning back against the pillow.

His jaw clenched, and it was at that moment she noticed a thin sweat of perspiration on his brow. “Are you feeling okay?” She reached out to place a hand on his forehead, and studied his vitals. “Breathe and try to relax; you’re having a muscle contraction. Does this hurt?” She pressed against his stomach, and he shook his head. She shifted her hand and pressed her fingers gently against his side. “Does this?”

He shook his head, eyes watching her. “No.”

“Are you breathing for me?”

“Of course, I’m breathing. I-” He flinched again, and her eyes narrowed. She let her hand hover above the right side of his pelvis. “What the hell are you- Hey!”

“There?”

“Yes! Ow, stop!”

She removed her hand, and glaring at her, he shifted uncomfortably on the bed.

“You need to urinate,” she looked away, “and whatever else you feel is necessary. I’ll call in a male nurse to help you.”

He was ignoring her by this point, a faint blush coating his cheeks. She chose to say nothing else and exited the room without another word.

Thirty minutes later, Lyla found him propped up against his pillows, a frown on his handsome face. She cleared her throat, shoving a lock of hair behind her ear. “Is everything okay, Mr. Kingsley?”

“My name is Noah.”

“Do you need anything, Noah?”

“I definitely don’t need another male helping me piss and shit. Who the hell invented the fucking bedpan?”

“I’m afraid I don’t know the answer to that. I can get you something to eat, or…”

“I’m not hungry.”

“Surely, you must-”

“I said, I’m not hungry.”

“Listen to me, Noah, and listen very carefully. You will eat, whether you like it or not, and yes, it will be nasty cafeteria food. Your brothers have been here all day and night since you arrived worrying themselves sick over you. So, yes, you will eat!”

He was staring at her with that same suspicious look, and she paused at the intensity of it, shifting nervously on her feet.

“What are you-”

“I know your voice.”

“I told you who I was. I sat with you…”

“I thought I was crazy, but you were real all along. You told me to come back.”

“You found your way through the darkness, Noah.” She disagreed with a shake of her head. “I just happened to be at the end of that tunnel, along with your family.”

He scoffed. “You told me to come back to you, and I did… only to find no you.”

“You’re obviously a bit drowsy from the meds you were given earlier, and you’re regaining a sense of balance. How about I bring you back something from the cafeteria?”

He went quiet, merely crossing his arms, and winced. She was halfway out the door when his voice stopped her. “You wouldn’t be able to sneak me a smoke, would you?”

Lyla threw him a look over her shoulder. “Maybe you’d like me to get one of the male nurses and check your colon?”

“Fine,” he huffed.

She heard Noah grumbling as she made her way to the elevator.

“Didn’t want a damn cigarette anyway.”