Mamaw smiled and patted Rafael’s cheek. “Thank you, young man. Sorry to drag you and my granddaughter out of bed at this hour. Pregnant women need their rest, but no one but me seems to be concerned with that little tidbit.”
“Is she okay to go home, Doctor?” Bryony asked, directing her attention to the physician standing to the side.
The doctor nodded. “She knows what she did wrong. I doubt it’ll do any good to tell her not to do it again, but she’s fine otherwise. You’ll need to keep an eye on her for the next twenty-four hours and check her blood sugar every hour. Make sure she eats properly and takes her insulin as directed.”
“Don’t worry. I will,” Bryony said firmly. “Can we take her home now or does she need to stay?”
“No, as long as she goes home with someone, she’s free to leave as soon as we get her discharged. That’ll take a few minutes so make yourself comfortable.”
Mamaw shooed the doctor away with a scowl and then stared pointedly at Silas, who still stood by the door. With a sigh, Silas nodded in Bryony’s direction and walked out.
Bryony shook her head in exasperation. “When are you going to stop being such a twit to him, Mamaw? He’s crazy about you and you know darn well you’re just as crazy about him.”
“Maybe when he stops treating me like I’m incapable of taking care of myself,” she grumbled.
Bryony threw up her hands. “Maybe he’ll stop when you prove that you can. You know better than to skip meals, especially after taking your insulin.”
Rafael picked up Mamaw’s hand and gave her a smooth smile. “You cannot fault a man for wanting to ensure the safety of the woman he loves. It’s a worry we never get over. We always want to protect her and see to her well-being.”
Mamaw looked a little gob-smacked. “Yes, well, I suppose…” She cleared her throat and glanced at Bryony again. “I thought you two were leaving in the morning.”
“Rafael will have to go without me,” Bryony said brightly. “You come first, Mamaw. I’m not leaving you alone after promising the doctor I’d look after you.”
Rafael slid his hand over Bryony’s shoulder. “Of course, you should stay. Hopefully my business in the city won’t take long and I’ll be back to see my two favorite women again.”
“You have a smooth tongue, young man,” Mamaw said sharply. Then she smiled. “I like it. I like it a damn lot. If Silas were that smooth, I’d probably have already said yes to his marriage proposal.”
Bryony’s mouth popped open. “Mamaw! You never told me Silas has asked you to marry him. Why haven’t you said yes?”
Mamaw smiled. “Because, child, at my age I’m entitled to a few privileges. Making my man stew a little is one of them. If I said yes too quickly he’d take for granted my affection for him. A man should never take his woman for granted. I aim to make sure he always knows how lucky he is to have me.”
Rafael broke into laughter. “You are a very wise woman, Laura. But do me a favor. Let Silas off the hook soon. The poor guy is probably miserable.”
“Oh, I will,” Mamaw said airily. “At my age I can’t afford to wait too long.”
Bryony squeezed her grandmother’s hand. “I’ll stay over with you at your house. I know you don’t like to be away from your home for very long.”
Mamaw’s expression became troubled. “I don’t want to interfere in your plans. You two have had enough problems without me adding to them.”
Rafael put a finger to his lips to shush her. “You’re no burden, Laura. I’ll be back before either of you know it and then Bryony and I can plan our future together.”
Bryony’s heart pounded a little harder. It was the first time he’d spoken of their future—as in a life—together. He’d told her he loved her. She believed him. But she’d been greatly unsure of where that put them. There were still a lot of obstacles to overcome.
The fact that he seemed committed to them being together long-term sent relief through her veins.
Just then a nurse walked in with discharge papers and began the task of taking Mamaw’s IV out and discussing the doctor’s orders with her.
A half an hour later, they had Mamaw bundled into the car and were on their way back to her cottage.
Once Bryony got her grandmother into bed, she walked back into the living room where Rafael waited. She went into his arms and savored the hug he gave her.
“Crazy night, huh?” he said.
She drew away. “Yeah. Sorry I won’t be able to go with you. I don’t think I should leave Mamaw even if she says she’s fine.”