Both Jessi and the nurse stopped speaking and turned to face him.
The nurse raised her brow with skepticism. “You’re his brother?”
“Yes. I’m his brother,” Angel repeated.
The nurse pursed her lips together and shook her head. “I saw you sleep in his bed last night. And now you’re his brother?”
“Yes.” The aggression and sarcasm was heavy behind Angel’s words, and he knew that anger colored his face. “Unless you want me to take a DNA test, get out of my way and let me visit my brother.”
The nurse hesitated before she stepped aside and let them through.
“Quick thinking.” Jessi smiled at him while they resumed their brisk walk down the hallway.
He had no choice but to lie. He needed to see Tommy.
Chapter Thirteen
Tommy struggled to open his eyes. He heard voices, none familiar, and it left him feeling lost. He knew he was out of surgery, and he expected Jessi and Angel to be at his side, just like they always were. Their reassuring voices weren’t prevalent in the background. He was alone. He forced his lids open, and the blur of the room slowly came into focus.
A nurse was at his side, checking the monitor next to his bed. “Welcome back, Mr. Blade.”
“Jessi . . . Angel . . .” His voice was raspy and low, barely audible. The raw scratch in his throat felt like he had swallowed sandpaper. It hurt too much to continue, and the energy dispensed by the two words he uttered left him drained. His eyes were weighted and sleep beckoned, but he pushed himself to stay conscious. His arm felt like it was a hundred pounds, but he forced his hand towards his scalp. Still under a semi-conscious haze from the anesthesia, he pulled at the surgical cap on his head. His soft tresses fell against his shoulder and a relieved smile spread across his face, before sleep fell upon him.
The next time Tommy opened his eyes, he was in a private room with glass walls. He couldn’t keep his lids open for more than a fraction of a second. Only glimpses of his surroundings filtered in. A nurse was stationed just outside the room. Dozens of people walked back and forth behind her. He pushed through the heaviness and strained to stay awake in order to search for Angel and Jessi. He needed to see them and know that they were with him. He needed them at his side.
Too weak to do battle with the narcotics that floated through his system, his eyes closed. The throb in his head sounded like a bass drum. He winced at the pressure of each beat, and his hand went to his hair.
“Don’t touch it, mi amor. There’s a bandage.”
The soothing sound of Angel’s voice brought a smile to Tommy’s lips, even though his eyes remained closed. “A, you’re here.”
“Of course I’m here, mi amor. We both are.”
“Hi, baby.” Jessi’s voice shook, but Tommy could hear the joy behind her words.
“Jessi . . .” With sleep masking his vision, Tommy reached for her with one hand and for Angel with the other. Their touch brought him comfort and calmness. Their voices eased his sore and aching head. It was always apparent how much Jessi and Angel needed him, but he needed them just as much.
Tommy dipped in and out of consciousness every few minutes, long enough to smell Jessi’s perfume near his nose and feel Angel’s lips on his cheek. He had no idea how long he remained suspended in limbo, unable to commit to neither sleep nor cognizance. It was like a lucid dream where he could hear and feel Jessi and Angel in the room and at his side, but his mind wasn’t able to participate. Eventually, he lost the fight with the anesthetic that still had a hold on him, and resigned himself to slumber.
The rolling consonants that infiltrated Tommy’s consciousness were musical and vivid. He listened to Angel without opening his eyes and let the whimsical melody lull him back to consciousness.
Angel was sitting on a small couch a few feet away with both of his hands on Jessi’s belly, singing lightly in Spanish. Jessi watched him with a broad smile that was pure, and free from anxiety. She had been a bundle of stress and nerves since Tommy entered the hospital. Seeing her now, sharing an intimate moment with Angel, reminded Tommy of the abundance of happiness he had in his life and the most important thing in his life right now – that baby. He quietly watched them while lurking in the shadows of his bed.
The small gentle laughter that floated from Jessi’s lips was like the sound of a bird. Angel’s soft song was joyous and heartening. Tommy didn’t want to watch from afar any longer. He wanted to join them.
He cleared his throat, which was still raw. Before he had a chance to call out to either one of them, they were both at his bedside.
“How long have you been awake?” Jessi kissed him softly on the lips. “Do you want me to call the nurse?” She smoothed the sheet down and brushed a strand of hair behind his ear. She was doting on him, and he loved it, but there were little worry lines faintly visible between her brows.