Nobody had explained that part of the deal to her. It totally sucked, Annie thought. “What if I, like, have some kind of breakthrough?”
“That would speed things along,” the shrink conceded. “I think we’ll all be a lot happier if you understand what pushed you down this path in the first place. That way it’s less likely to happen again. So, tomorrow, same time. If your attitude’s improved and you’ve gotten real with Lacy, too, then we can talk about you going home.”
“Yeah, whatever,” Annie grumbled. Her chances of getting out of here were next to nothing unless she talked. She might as well accept that. Her mom and dad were on the doctors’ side. They were totally united for once.
It was kinda cool, in a way. She had a hunch if it went on long enough, they’d wake up and see what Annie already knew—that they still loved each other. She’d figured that out the first time she saw the way they looked at each other after she woke up. Maybe, eventually, she’d have her family back. If that happened, this totally lame stay in the hospital would be worth it.
Chapter Fourteen
“How did Annie do in her therapy session today?” Maddie asked Dana Sue, who’d stopped by The Corner Spa the next morning. “If you have time for tea, let’s go outside and sit on the patio. The weather’s gorgeous and you look as if you could use a break.”
“I honestly don’t know if I’m coming or going,” Dana Sue admitted, pouring herself a cup of strong Earl Grey tea from one of the pots in the spa café, then heading to the patio. “I go by the hospital for a while in the morning, then again in the afternoon and evening. In between I’m trying to keep up with the paperwork at the restaurant.”
“Isn’t Ronnie at the hospital a lot, too?”
Dana Sue nodded. “And believe me, that just adds to the stress.” She closed her eyes and turned her face up to the sun filtering through the trees. The warmth felt heavenly. If she could have, she would have sat right here all day long.
“You could always divvy up the visiting times, so neither of you needs to be there as much,” Maddie suggested, studying Dana Sue intently. “You wouldn’t cross paths as much, either.” Her expression turned smug. “If that’s what you really want.”
“In theory that’s a great idea,” Dana Sue said. “But right now it seems to be taking both of us coming at Annie at the same time to get any point across. Otherwise she just tries to play us off against each other. Heck, she tries that when we’re both in the same room. She attacks me to stir up my guilt, then turns on the tears for Ronnie.”
“Would you cave if he wasn’t there for backup?”
“No,” Dana Sue said. “I’ve finished pretending that everything will work itself out on its own.”
“Would Ronnie give in if you weren’t around?”
“Now that’s the million-dollar question,” Dana Sue said. “He’s been amazingly stern with her so far, but I know it’s killing him.” She shook her head, determined to give him more credit. “No, he wouldn’t give in. He knows how important this is.”
“Does he have any idea of the kind of stress you’re under and how bad that is for you?” Maddie asked worriedly.
Dana Sue shook her head. “No. At least, I haven’t said anything about my health. Unfortunately, the other night at the restaurant, Erik was tossing out all sorts of hints. I’m not sure whether Ronnie caught on or not. Every now and then, though, he gets this look in his eyes that makes me wonder. And he gets all weird if he thinks I haven’t eaten three meals a day. If he has figured things out, I don’t want to know. I couldn’t cope with his pity on top of everything else.”
“It might be genuine concern, not pity,” Maddie corrected. “He still has feelings for you, Dana Sue. You know he does.”
“I can’t cope with that right now, either.” She regarded her friend wearily. “I’m just so damn tired. I would give anything for one decent night’s sleep. I don’t think I’ll get one, though, till Annie’s back home again.”
“Any idea when that will be?”
“If she’d just wake up and get with the program, it could be tomorrow or the day after, but she’s stubborn to her core,” Dana Sue said ruefully. “From what Dr. McDaniels told me, she was only marginally more cooperative today, even after Ronnie and I ganged up on her last night.”
When Maddie started to respond, Dana Sue held up her hand. “I can’t talk about this anymore right now, okay? I’m at the end of my rope. Besides, I came over here to thank you for getting Ty to go by to visit with her so much. I’m sure a hospital is the last place he wants to be, but he’s been really good about stopping by.”
“He’s worried sick about her,” Maddie confessed. “In fact, his reaction caught me by surprise. I think he’s feeling guilty for some reason. I’ve tried to talk to him. So has Cal. We’ve told him what happened wasn’t his fault.”
“That’s true, but he was there the night it happened,” Dana Sue told her. “Did you know that?”
Maddie looked stunned. “I had no idea.”
“Not actually when it happened, but earlier,” Dana Sue explained. “Annie was having that sleepover we’d talked about, and Ty and some other guys came by the house, even though I’d strictly forbidden Annie to invite any boys. I saw them leaving. With everything else that’s happened, I haven’t confronted her about it yet.”
“I’ll speak to Ty tonight,” Maddie said, frowning. “He knows he has no business being at a party of any kind when the parents aren’t home.”
“Knowing how he feels about Annie, as if she’s another kid sister, he probably felt he should have been looking out for her