Page 3 of Trial By Fire
"Is she okay?" I hear Kace McCallum ask while I'm gasping and on my knees.
"Yeah. She's just pregnant," Madi says.
"But Lindsey knows who the daddy is," Dani adds in her cheery, little-girl voice.
I groan audibly and squeeze my eyes tight as another round makes its way out. Still, I hear Kace's cough-choked laugh.
"Okaaay. Anything else I need to know?"
I can't hear the girls' responses to his question because I'm too busy giving my insides a new place to live, but I take comfort in the fact it happened here versus while driving.
After a while—or maybe after I died. Who knows?—I push back and lean hard against the porcelain throne. I should care about germs and all the things since I'm sprawled on the hospital floor of a man's room, but I don't. Amazing how hurling your guts out puts things into perspective, you know? Right now, I could be sitting next to something gross, and I don't even care so long as I don't hurl again.
I'm taking slow, deep breaths with my eyes closed when I feel as if I'm being watched. I want to ignore the sensation but can't and blink my watery, still-stinging eyes open to find Kace leaning waaay out of his bed to get a peek at me.
I smile. Weakly. Or maybe grimace. I'm thinking it's a grimace, given his wince of response.
"How you doing in there?"
"Just peachy," I drawl, my voice emerging husky and raw.
"I've got some crackers in here you can have when you're up to eating something."
I grimace and shake my head, my hand immediately flying up to cover my mouth at the thought. "No food. Ever." I slowly push to my feet and feel a rush of lightheadedness.
"There's an extra toothbrush kit in there if you want it. They brought it this morning."
Now that I can totally go for, once my head stops tilt-a-whirling.
Once the worst passes, I shakily make my way to the sink, and in a niche in the wall, I see a plastic sealed brush and fresh tube of paste. I make use of both and revel in the minty goodness.
Once I spit and rinse and do all the things, I splash some cold water on my face to remove the smudged mascara making me far too raccoonish and face the fact I can't hide away in the bathroom forever—especially when the door is still open. And hazel eyes watch.
I dry my hands. Miss the waste basket and have the indignity of having to bend over to get it to toss it inside this time and finally walk back into Kace's hospital room to find him to be the only occupant. "Where are the girls?"
"I asked Mads to take Dani to get a snack to give you some privacy."
"Oh. That's thoughtful. Thanks."
He waves a hand over his harness-lifted leg and grins. "Sorry I couldn't leave too. That reminded me of my prekid days, before life knocked some sense into me."
He's looking at me again. And obviously not liking what he sees.
"You should probably sit down," he tells me.
I am lightheaded, so I shuffle over to the nearest chair to drop into the seat. I lean my elbows on my knees, groaning softly at the headache beginning to form. "I hope you won't let this…cloud your impression of me. I'm not usually so…"
"Pregnant?"
A huff emerges before I can stop it.
"None of my business but—what's the deal? I got the sense from Mads that things aren't…okay?"
I exhale a breath I didn't know I held and force my head up just as the girls return, and Dani's giggle reaches us first. I use the last of my energy to get myself to my feet and paste on a smile for them. "Perfect timing! Madi, text me when you're ready to leave, and I'll meet you at the elevator. No rush though, okay? Enjoy your visit."
"Okay," Madison says, her gaze sliding from me to her uncle in the bed.
"Daddy, look what I got from the machine," Dani says. "I want to mix the Oreos with the orange juice."
