Cowboy Take Me Away(167)
“She’s the best.”
“No argument from me.”
Kimi’s voice was so soft he barely heard it. “I’m scared for her.”
“So am I.” Carson closed his eyes. “I’m scared for myself because I can’t imagine…”
“Me neither. Besides Cal, she’s everything to me. She’s been there through it all. Watching over me at Catholic school, playing referee in our screwed up family situation, telling me that falling in love with Cal so fast wasn’t a bad thing. Helping me through pregnancy even when she was pregnant herself. Showin’ me how to be a good mother and bein’ a second mother to my boys, lovin’ them as if they were her own…” She sniffled. “Caro’s been a daily part of my life for so long that even when I know she’s here, I picked up the phone this mornin’ to call her. As the line was ringing, I’m lookin’ at my geraniums, thinking they never grow as good as hers and what is taking her so long to answer the damn phone…and then I remembered she wasn’t there.” She sniffled again and her voice turned hoarse. “Goddammit. I hate that she’s not there. I just wanna talk to her.”
“I do talk to her,” Carson admitted. “From the moment I sit down in her room until the five minutes are up. In these last few days I’ve relived a lifetime of memories with her and it still ain’t enough. I want more time. I tell her that too.”
“Has she responded at all?”
“Like squeezed my hand or something?”
“Yeah.”
“Nope. The faceguard forces me to talk real loud, and I’m sure the nurses think I’m just an old fool. But I’m talkin’ to her as much for her as for me.”
“In some of the articles I read online while I was getting my WebMD,” Kimi said dryly, “it said patients who were in a coma remembered things that happened in the room that they shouldn’t have been aware of. So you talkin’ to her is the best thing you can do.”
“I hope so. It’s the only damn thing I can do.”
Kimi lifted her head and looked at him. The fear in her eyes matched his own. “I’m sorry for bein’ so difficult. Thank you for lookin’ out for Carolyn above all else.”
“Spent most of my life doin’ it, I sure ain’t gonna stop now.”
“Cal’s been extra attentive to me the past few days. It’s helped. So I hope you’re not pissy that he’s been there for me and not for you.”
“Nah. Only thing I’m pissy about is you didn’t bring me food. What the hell woman? I’m starvin’ here.”
“Carolyn would kick my ass if I didn’t feed you.” Kimi reached into her oversized purse and pulled out a paper bag. “There’s a PB and J sandwich and a baggie of carrots. Satisfied?”
“No cookies?”
She lightly punched his arm.
“Thanks, Kimi.”
“You’re welcome. Now that you and me ain’t on the outs, can I come back another time and sit with you?”
“You gonna get all offended and shit if I tell you I hope I don’t see you up here again? Because that’ll mean Carolyn’s awake and we’re outta here.”
“Fine. I hope I don’t have to sit up here with your whiny ass either.”
He laughed.
Neither spoke for a while. Then he said, “It’s been so quiet.”
“That’s because your kids ain’t been yappin’ in your ear. And they made that choice to stay away. For what it’s worth, they’re regretting their decision.”
Carson narrowed his eyes at her. “Been givin’ our kids what for, have you?”
“Between me’n Vi we’ve got ya covered.”
“I don’t know what to say to that.”
“You don’t have to say anything. Because it’s fun yelling at someone else’s kids. But I do have to ask if one of your stubborn kids swallows their pride and shows up here…?”
“Would I turn them away?” He shook his head. “But the parameters haven’t changed for seein’ their mother.”
“I’ll pass that along.” She stood. “Now get up here and give me a hug.”
Carson held onto her for several long moments. “Thanks.”
“You tell my sister I love her. You tell her not an hour goes by that she’s not in my thoughts. You tell her I got no one else to gossip with or share secrets with and I need her to get better soon. You tell her I’m passing on information to the West family so we don’t get accused of only caring about the McKays. You tell her—”