Cowboy Take Me Away(4)
“Mr. McKay, I’m not sure—”
“I am one hundred percent sure that I will not leave my wife alone in this state. If that’s gonna be a problem for you, say so now.”
“As long as you know the only reason we’re putting these restrictions on visitation is to protect her.”
Carson nodded. Then he sighed and rubbed the back of his neck.
“Other questions?”
“Not right now, I’m still tryin’ to get a handle on all this.”
“Understood. It’s a lot to process. We have work to do, to get the treatment started.”
And he had nothing to do but sit around and wait.
“Mr. McKay?”
Carson glanced up at the nurse. “Yes?”
“Your wife has been moved to ICU.”
He pushed to his feet. “Any change in her?”
“I don’t know. I’m only passing along the information about the room change.”
“Thank you.”
The young nurse—her nametag read Lissa—waited for him by the door. “I’ll take you to where your family is waiting.”
Any time before when he’d had to deal with hospital visits or waiting around for any kind of news, he’d had Carolyn as his buffer. As his rock. When it’d been a prolonged wait, like when they were holed up waiting to hear word on Cam when he’d gone missing, they’d taken turns bolstering each other. Always in private. Not because he’d been ashamed of his fear and grief, but because he’d never had to explain it to her. Or she to him. They just understood each other on a level that defied logic.
Carson said, “It’d be a huge favor if you were there as I explain the situation because they ain’t gonna like it.”
“Of course.”
They rode the elevator from the second floor to the main level.
How was he supposed to deal with his kids’ upset over the situation when he hadn’t figured out a way to deal with his own yet? Especially when in doing the only thing he could to protect her, he’d piss off his kids and Carolyn’s sister by enforcing the “no visitation” rule.
She’d do it for you. If your life was on the line you can bet your ass she’d bar the damn door without apology.
But his sweet, wonderful Carolyn could get away with that. His kids would just think he was being an asshole, because he’d been that man more than a few times over the years.
Carson paused outside the waiting room, taking stock of his family.
Cord paced. Colby sat in the corner with his head resting against the wall. Colt stared out the window. Cam studied the carpet. Carter twisted and untwisted a magazine between his hands. Keely prowled the perimeter. Carson’s brother Charlie watched TV, his wife Vi by his side. Carolyn’s sister Kimi sat beside his brother Cal.
Keely’s head snapped up. Then she was throwing herself into his arms. “Daddy! What happened? No one will tell us anything besides Mama’s been admitted. Please tell me she’s okay. Please.”
Carter pried Keely away from him. “Keels. We talked about this. Back off and let Dad talk.”
A million expectant eyes bored into him.
Just spit it out.
“Carolyn was exercising Sheridan. Near as I can tell, something broke in the bridle. Then it spooked the horse and she reared, throwing your mother off. I saw it happen so I was able to get to her immediately. She was instantly knocked unconscious. I called an ambulance and we’ve been here ever since.”