?Yes, I can see how it might be,? she said. ?Would you ask him and Beth to come in??
?Together?? her mother asked, sounding a little surprised.
?Sure.”
As soon as Maggie and Philip left, Beth rushed into the room and threw her arms around Ivy. Then she pulled back. ?Am I hurting you?? Ivy hugged her. ?There?s nothing to hurt.? Will came in quietly behind Beth. Glancing past Beth, Ivy smiled at him.
“I can?t believe you?re okay,” Beth said, gently touching Ivy just above her temple, In the car, when I looked over at you. She shuddered. ?I wish I could get that picture out of my head. I–I don?t see how I could have imagined it.?
Ivy looked into Beth?s eyes, wanting to know what Beth had seen and longing to tell her what she had experienced. Had Beth, who was psychic, sensed something? Ivy wanted Beth to confirm that Tristan?s embrace had been more than a dream, but Beth?s eyes were clouded with confusion and worry.
?Beth, you look worse than I do,? Ivy observed. ?Are you okay?? ?Yeah, sure.?
?I don?t remember anything from the ER. They checked you over, didn?t they??
Beth nodded. ?It?s just a minor concussion.?
?But a major headache,? Will said, speaking at last. ?I?m trying to get her to take it easy.?
He was standing behind Beth, looking at Ivy over Beth?s shoulder. Could he see it in her eyes? Did he guess that, more than ever, she was thinking of Tristan?
Maybe not, Ivy thought, and reached for Will?s hand. He reached back, cradling her hand in both of his. Ivy knew Will?s hands by heart, long?fingered and strong, almost always flecked with paint. She loved his hands.
?You scared the heck out of me/? Will said, his voice shaking.
?Oh, Will, I?m so sorry.?
He moved forward and slipped his arms around her, holding her ever so carefully.
?Hey, I?m not breakable. I think I?ve proven mat,? she said, holding him tight.
She started to cry, not knowing all of the reasons why. Will wiped away her tears lovingly, as he always had.
?I?ll always be with you/? Tristan had said. He had meant it — she felt his promise as if it were inscribed on her heart. But had Tristan healed her only to send her with his blessing back to Will? Ivy reached for the tissue box. ?Nurse Andy thinks of everything. Help yourselves.?
?Don?t mind if I do,? Beth replied, wiping her cheeks. She and Ivy blew their noses and honked at the same time, which made all three laugh out loud. ?I guess your mother brought the robe.? They laughed again.
A crisp knock was followed by Andy poking his head through the partially closed door of the hospital room.
?Okay, wonder girl/? he said, pushing a wheelchair into the room. ?I?m sending home your fans. You?re wanted in CT world.? He patted the chair.
Ivy hugged Beth and Will once more. ?Get some sleep, okay??
?I?ll be back this after—?
?I?ll probably be asleep,? Ivy interrupted Will. ?After you?ve had some rest, if you want to do me a big favor, entertain Philip.?
?If that?s what you want,? Will replied, looking a little hurt.
?Thank you. Will.?
When they had left, Ivy turned to Andy, who was pointing to the wheelchair. ?I prefer to walk.? ?Sorry, it?s against the rules.? ?But I feel great!? she insisted. ?I could walk and bike for miles.?
“Then if no one is looking, I?ll let you do wheelies.?
Ivy laughed. ?Yeah, yeah. Let?s roll.?
I WILL ALWAYS BE WITH YOU, IVY… ALWAYS WITH you…I will always?Be with you in a minute,? Ivy heard a nurse calling to a patient. She quickly opened her eyes, read the time on the hospital clock—4:12 p.m. — then dropped her head in her hands. It was happening again: For months after Tristan had died, each time Ivy awoke from a happy dream of him, she ached as if she was losing him for the first time.
Just now, she had been dreaming. Ivy knew that. But not last night, she thought.
Last night had been different — it had felt real. ?Hey, Wonder Girl!? The door of Ivy?s room banged back. ?That?s what they?re calling you,? Kelsey said, entering the room, followed by Dhanya, who was carrying a shopping bag.
?Hi, Ivy.? Dhanya?s voice was soft and worried sounding.
?Ohmygod!? Kelsey exclaimed when she saw Ivy?s pink robe flung across the wheelchair next to her bed. ?It was a gift from my mother,? Ivy replied.
Kelsey held it up and Dhanya?s look of concern melted into a suppressed giggle.
Ivy grinned. ?There?s a matching gown in the closet/? she said, swinging her feet over the side of the bed.
?I?ll get ft,? Dhanya offered quickly.
?It feels good to walk,? Ivy told her.
?Oh, Ivy, I?m so sorry! I should never have called Beth for a ride. I?m responsible for what happened to you. I feel so bad. You could have been killed. If s my fault.
If I hadn?t—? ?Wait a minute, listen to me,? Ivy interrupted Dhanya. ?You were right to call Beth. You and Kelsey?—she paused, forcing Kelsey to meet her eyes and acknowledge she had a major part in this —?are responsible for drinking and getting drunk. But not the accident. You didn?t cause the accident. Okay??
Dhanya nodded, a large tear rolling down her cheek.
?Dhanya, I wish you?d save that for tonight,” Kelsey said. ?Aunt Cindy put Dhanya and me on probation,? Kelsey explained to Ivy, ?and scheduled a parent conference on Skype.?
She opened the closet, then whistled.” Dhanya, this outdoes your Disney Princess gowns.? Dhanya blushed.
?You?ve seen the Disney bridal gowns, haven?t you. Ivy ^Kelsey asked. ?Dhanya doesn?t have a boyfriend, but she keeps trying to decide which dress she?s going to wear when she gets married.? ?Back off, Kelsey,? Dhanya said quietly. Kelsey pulled the gown off its hanger and held it up. ?Want to try this on?? she teased her friend.
?No,? Dhanya replied crisply. ?Why don?t you?? Kelsey pulled off her T?shirt and dropped her shorts — she was wearing her bikini underneath— then slipped the nightgown over her head. Built like Serena Williams, she looked both awesome and funny.
Let’s go to the solarium,? Kelsey said. ?Put on the robe and we can pretend we?re twins.? Or wear this one,? Dhanya said, opening her shopping bag and pulling out Ivy?s light green robe. ?Thank you,” Ivy replied gratefully, slipping her arms through its sleeves. Kelsey dug in the pocket of the shorts she had just taken off and retrieved her cell phone. “I’m ready.?
Ivy sat in the chair as Dhanya pushed and Kelsey walked beside it wearing her bikini and the filmy gown, waving to people in their rooms, then waving at the staff gathered around the nurses? station as if she was the queen of a homecoming parade. Ivy couldn?t help but laugh.
The solarium, past double doors at the end of the hall, was a quiet oasis away from hospital chatter and beeping machinery. Filled with sunlight rather than the cold fluorescence of the medical areas, its wicker chairs, ferns, and pots of red geraniums made Ivy feel as if she was sitting on someone?s porch.
We?ve got the place to ourselves,? Dhanya said. ?By the window?? ?Perfect?
Dhanya parked the wheelchair then pulled a small white rocker closer, arranging herself as prettily as a cat. Kelsey stretched out on a curvy wicker lounge and checked her phone.
?So let me fill you in on the guys we?ve met/? Kelsey said to Ivy after a moment of thumb flexing. ?Think gorgeous and rich.? ?Okay.? m.
?More rich than gorgeous,? Dhanya corrected. Kelsey shrugged. ?Their cars are gorgeous. Their boats are.?
?If they really have those cars and boats, and weren?t telling a few lies, like you were,? Dhanya replied.
Kelsey shrugged. ?So, I exaggerated a little.? ?The party was at a fabulous house,? Dhanya told Ivy. ?So somebody had money.? She turned to Kelsey. ?But who knows who was who.?
