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"Yes! But I haven’t spoken to anyone since I landed How is he? Do you know?" I asked, wiping my face as the elevator door opened on the fourth floor

"I think you better talk to his doctor Letme toward the nurses’ station Once there, she spoke quickly to the nurses, who pointed us toward a roo to thank her, I raced for the door, seeing his name on the chart just outside

I prepared myself I took a deep breath, steeled ht find inside, and opened the door Strong, strong, strong I’d be strong Whatever I found on the other side of that door, I’d be strong for hi in a hospital bed, surrounded by tubes and , I ales wrapped around his head--asleep? Unconscious? It didn’t s One, that he wasn’t awake to see ainst the doorjamb When he did wake up--and there was no "if," only when--he’d find a pulled-together Caroline And two, and rateful Grateful that I was here, noith Si it, said the quickest of thanks to whoever , then swept his hair back fro his skin His face was covered in tiny cuts and scrapes, butterfly bandages covering the deeper ones on his left cheekbone Bruises bloo his neck and upper torso, surgical tape rapped tightly I let my breath out in a slow shudder, then pressed the tiniest of kisses on a cheek that still smelled fa for a nurse, a doctor, anyone with a stethoscope who could tellon

I checked in at the nurses’ station Benjamin had already made sure that I was cleared as a visitor, and that I could speak with the doctor as fully as he could Since Benjamin retained power of attorney, he’d have to be the one to communicate with the hospital staff if any decisions needed to be made I knew that any decision would be ht in the abstract, not as so that would actually happen

I spoke with the doctor as caring for Simon, and he explainedfor the results fro up inter, and if I wanted to catch him when he ake, I could stay in his rooet me when the results came in

So I did just that I checked in with Benja down, sat in the chair next to Si once th in his hand, the handsoertips up and down his ar as his eyelids fluttered a bit Was he drea when he took his fall

As I was thinking these randohts, I felt his hand squeeze mine, as it had done a thousand times before I looked from our hands to his face, where those sapphire eyes were open and blinking at me

"Hey," I whispered, and watched as his eyes wandered confusedly for a moment, then focused on mine

"Hey, babe," he whispered back, and my eyes filled with tears Hey and babe were now officially the e "You look pretty" Go ahead and add three rab your nurse, okay?" I said, reaching for the call button

"So glad you’re here," he murmured, and was back to sleep before the nurse even left her chair at the station But that was okay

Simon slipped between asleep and awake the rest of that day, and h he had suffered a significant concussion, the effects would not be lasting and he’d have a full recovery Benja that I’d be staying with Simon at the hospital until he was ready to be released

Sian to really wake up around three in the , preceded by the funniest twenty er on painwith:

"Hey Caroline Did I ever tell you how et tired of hearing it"

"I’ll say it more often"

"Sure, Simon You can tell me whenever you like"