“I was going to get coffee,” Cady said. “Can I get you a cup, Scarlett?”
She almost said yes and then remembered the baby. Her prenatal vitamins were still in her purse. “No, thanks. If you could bring me a bottled water, I’d appreciate it.”
“Sure.” Cady walked away.
After she turned the corner, Del said, “She’s having a hard time with this. Wynn had just dropped her off and Cady feels as if she should’ve been in the car with him. On top of that, she was in a brutal car accident years ago. Our parents both died and Cady lost her leg. Seeing Wynn lying in a hospital bed is bringing it all back to her.”
“Be frank, Del. I need to know everything,” she urged.
“His left arm is broken and the left knee severely bruised. No pins or rods needed, thank goodness. Two ribs on that side are also broken. His chest and head hit the steering wheel with a lot of force, so they’re both severely bruised. Some lacerations on his left cheek from the glass that shattered.” Del paused. “He hasn’t regained consciousness, though. What we’re worried most about is TBI.”
“Traumatic brain injury,” Scarlett said, knowing it varied widely in severity.
Del glanced over her shoulder and said, “He can help explain it.”
Scarlett turned as a reed-thin doctor in his mid-forties joined them and Del said, “This is Dr. Thomas. He’s Wynn’s neurologist.”
Immediately, she told the physician, “I’m Scarlett Corrigan, Wynn’s fiancée.” She knew claiming that wouldn’t give her the same legal status as a family member but, at the same time, it would make Dr. Thomas more sympathetic and he’d possibly share more information with her.
They shook hands and she said, “Del says there’s a possibility of TBI. Please, tell me everything about Wynn’s condition.”
“The neck absorbs the majority of force in a car crash because the head remains static. That stretches the neck’s muscles and ligaments beyond where they should go as the head finally pitches forward and back. The most common name for that is whiplash. We’ve secured Mr. Gallagher’s neck as a precaution since he’s unconscious and can’t tell us about any neck pain.
“His head slammed against the steering wheel, causing a concussion—a blow to the head which changes the way a brain usually works. A concussion is common in side impact car crashes. The blunt force trauma swiftly paralyzes all senses as the brain bruises. A mild one will cause confusion and disrupt thinking for about a quarter of an hour. A moderate one lasts longer and causes memory loss.”
“Wynn’s concussion is more severe, though,” Scarlett said.
The physician nodded. “Mr. Gallagher is unconscious. He will experience memory loss upon waking and will have trouble moving and thinking when he does. It’s all a part of the stretching and swelling in his brain.”
“Are there other symptoms?” she asked, almost afraid to hear the answer.
“There can be,” the doctor said. “Headaches, fatigue, and blurred vision are the most common. Right now, we have an ice pack secured to his head to alleviate the swelling. Since he was brought straight from the scene of the accident and treated immediately, the chance of permanent brain damage is slight.”
He touched her elbow. “Mr. Gallagher’s prognosis is good, Ms. Corrigan. We’ll know more once he’s awake. He may not remember events or even people he met recently but I’m sure he’ll know his fiancée.” Dr. Thomas smiled. “Let me exam him and then you can come in.”
The doctor entered Wynn’s room.
They had only known each other two months. What if Wynn didn’t recognize her?
How could she tell him she loved him—much less let him know about their baby?
Cady returned with coffee for Del and water for Scarlett. She accepted the bottle and dug through her purse, leaving the vitamins inside it as she opened the bottle and extracted one. She didn’t want either Del or Cady to know she was pregnant. Not before Wynn knew.
Dr. Thomas exited the hospital room. “No change. His vital signs are strong. You’re welcome to sit with him. If he awakens, call for a nurse so they can notify me.”
“Thank you, Doctor,” Del said.
“I’m going to go for a walk,” Cady announced. “I’ll go crazy sitting there.”
“I’ll text you if he wakes up,” Del promised and looked to Scarlett. “Ready?”
She nodded, her throat thick with unshed tears. Del pushed open the door and she walked in.
Nothing could have prepared her for what Wynn looked like.
His arm was in a cast. A thick neck brace immobilized his neck. The ice pack that Dr. Thomas mentioned enveloped his head. He was bare to the waist, his chest a mass of mottled bruises. Both eyes were blackened and his face was swollen. Scarlett blinked back tears. Crying wouldn’t resolve anything. If Wynn awakened, she didn’t want the first thing he saw was her sobbing. The time for tears might come later. For now, she needed to be strong.
Going to the bed, she took his right hand and wrapped both of hers around it, willing her strength to flood into him.
Del slid a chair over. “Sit, Scarlett.”
She did as he asked. He took a seat on the opposite side of the bed and they remained silent, listening to Wynn breathing.
The nurse came in several times over the next few hours, checking on Wynn. Cady returned and sat in a corner of the room. Scarlett kept Wynn’s hand in hers, refusing to release it. When Del suggested they go to the cafeteria downstairs for something to eat, she shook her head.
“I’ll stay. You go.”
“We won’t be long,” he said, escorting Cady from the room.
Since they were finally alone, Scarlett felt free to speak, not knowing if Wynn could hear her or not.
“Wynn, it’s Scarlett. I’m here. I’m not going anywhere. I know we had a fight but all couples fight. No relationship stays on an even keel. We’re both strong, passionate people and, sometimes, we’ll disagree. Sometimes, we’ll argue. You’ve got to know that no matter what, no matter how
