He let out a small sound. She wasn’t sure if it was approval or amusement or both. She gave his arm a squeeze and looked up. His five-o’clock shadow matched the dark circles under his eyes.
When they found the door that said ICU Waiting Room, he pulled it open and she saw Claire Ann sitting in a chair, looking out a window.
The isolation of the scene, the expression of hopelessness on Trace’s sister’s face struck her hard in the chest.
It was as if she were looking at herself nearly three years ago when she’d found out that her daddy was never coming home again.
“Hey,” Trace said, getting his sister’s attention. Claire Ann stood and began to cry as soon as she laid eyes on him.
Kylie let go of him so he could go to her. She hugged herself as she watched Claire Ann fall apart in his arms.
She lowered herself into a nearby chair and pulled her knees to her chest. Intruding on their private moment of familial grief was uncomfortable, but it was the visceral reminder of her own that felt as if it were going to crush her.
“GENERALLY THE goal is twenty-four hours after the sedation has been removed. We’ll expect her to wake up confused, disoriented. She may or may not remember the accident. It will be good for her to be surrounded by family when she comes to.”
Kylie blinked herself awake and saw the man belonging to the heavily accented voice. The doctor was an attractive Middle Eastern man who didn’t look much older than her. She sat up in the same chair she’d slept in as he explained his take on Rae’s medical condition.
“And when can we expect that to happen? How long has it been since they removed the sedation?” Trace’s eyes were shot through with busted red blood vessels, causing her to wonder if he’d slept at all.
“I can check with the nurse to be sure, but I believe you have another sixteen hours or so.”
“Thank you,” Claire Ann said softly.
The doctor shook Trace’s hand and gave Claire Ann a nod as he left. He paid no attention to Kylie, but she understood. She wasn’t technically family. A fact that had become increasingly clear the past twelve hours.
Claire Ann hadn’t spoken five words to her, and Trace had been occupied with doctors and comforting his sister. They’d been able to see Rae, but it was immediate family only for the time being, so Kylie was just about as useful as the uncomfortable piece of furniture she was slowly becoming conjoined with.
“Can I get anyone anything?” Kylie asked. It hadn’t been that long since her last coffee run, but she needed to stretch her legs.
“I’m good, baby, but thank you.” Trace kissed her softly on the cheek. “Grab yourself something, though, before I have to check you in here as a patient.”
Kylie smiled at his concern and stood.
“Claire Ann?”
“No, I’m good. Our mom should be here soon and she’s bringing actual coffee instead of that watered-down gunk from the machines.” Her entire answer came without so much as a glance in Kylie’s direction.
“Okay. Well, I’m gonna go grab myself a cup of watered-down gunk.” Kylie turned toward the door.
Trace was preoccupied by something on his phone—probably a text from Pauly. Kylie had no idea how he’d feel about seeing his mom. All she knew was what she’d heard from Rae. They were estranged because his mom didn’t approve of his career choice.
“Kylie?” Claire Ann stood to follow her. “Got a sec?”
Kylie glanced over her shoulder as they exited the waiting room. “Well my fan club in the cafeteria is expecting me to sign autographs, but yeah, I can squeeze you in.”
Trace’s sister gave her a tense smile. Probably not the best time for humor, but the woman made her uncomfortable.
“Look,” she began as they stepped into the bright white sterile-looking hallway. “I just wanted to say that I appreciated you coming with Trace. I mean, I’m not super excited that ‘Trylie’ is an item again, just because I know what it did to him before. But I was glad he didn’t have to make the trip alone.”
Kylie cringed internally at the nickname the media had given them last year. “Yeah, um, of course. And, Claire Ann? Pauly sort of gave me a message for you, but I got the feeling it wasn’t supposed to be passed along in front of your brother.”
“Please tell me you haven’t said anything to Trace.”
“I haven’t,” Kylie informed her. “But—”
“Just tell me the message.”
Kylie took a deep breath. She really didn’t want to have any secrets from Trace. But she got the feeling that getting back in his older sister’s good graces was going to take serious work and blabbing what was probably her biggest secret wouldn’t be a move in the right direction.