But it was long enough for his tight, grim look and a flash of fear to register.
She hadn’t figured out what she was going to do yet. Carrie Hayes’s words from last week speared through her. “We trust you with our children.”
“I’m going to ask you to come back in a few days,” Nurse Hudson said as she finished taping the bandage to Willow’s head. “You’re all set.”
Willow slid off the table.
In another cubicle, she spotted Quinn, who sat with a blanket around his shoulders. She walked over. “You okay?”
He nodded but glanced down the end of the hallway, where his father stood with the media.
“You’re a hero, Quinn,” she said and squeezed his shoulder.
He offered a slim smile.
She, sadly, got it. Because despite their heroics, they’d returned, and their lives would reset. Which meant that, to the parents, she’d nearly gotten their kids killed.
Again.
“She risked the lives of the kids.”
Sam was right. Absolutely, terribly right. No wonder he’d reached out for Sierra the minute he’d hit civilization.
She couldn’t bear the memory of his hand clutched in Sierra’s, their fingers entwined.
She was definitely some kind of stupid.
Josh sat on a table at the far end, right by the door, and a plastic surgeon was examining his nose. Gray-black bruises streaked across his face.
His cute wife, dressed in a pair of leggings and a pink shirt, stood at his bedside, holding his hand.
“Willow!” Josh said, but she kept her head down, not stopping as she strode out of the ER bay.
She knew what he was going to say. Sorry, Willow, but we don’t need you.
That might be the kindest thing he could say.
She slipped out, hoping to sneak past the media still clustered inside the ER waiting room. She spotted Gus at the microphone, gesturing with his hands, telling a story.
At least someone had finally gotten the attention he deserved.
She’d nearly made it past the ER desk and was headed for the main doors of the lobby when she heard someone say, “Willow?”
She looked up, spotted Carrie and Pastor Hayes in the ER entryway. Bella walked with them, her arm in a bandage across her chest, looking frail and still recuperating from her ordeal.
Willow had a feeling they might all look like that for quite some time. “Hey, Bella.”
Bella walked over, gave her an awkward hug. “I’m so glad you’re safe.”
“Quinn is in the ER bay,” Willow said, and Bella caught her lip. Oh. Maybe she wasn’t here to see him.
But Bella dashed a look toward the ER.
Even if she wanted to.
“Maggy is with Gus,” Willow said a bit louder. Then she cut her voice low again. “And Quinn is fine.”
Bella brightened and headed for the waiting room.
Carrie’s eyes stayed on Willow, who took a breath.
“Willow,” Carrie started.
She could save them all some time. “Listen, I know what you’re going to say, and I agree. I shouldn’t have anything to do with the youth group. I just get them into trouble with my harebrained ideas.” She managed to swallow. “So I resign my position as youth leader. Not that you needed that—I’m a volunteer—but in case you were wondering, I know I’m done.”
Pastor Hayes had the kindness to give her a sad, grim nod.
Carrie just cocked her head, lips tight, a slight knowing shake of her head.
Willow needed to leave before the heat in her eyes turned to full-on tears.
Oops, not fast enough. They filled and she turned, heading for the first door she could find.
The snack area. Perfect.
The room hummed with the sounds of the vending machines. Darkness pressed into the windows, and she touched her hand to the pane and closed her eyes. The day shook through her, right up to the moment when Gage’s voice crackled through the radio.
“Sam’s out of surgery, but he’s in critical condition.”
All she could think about—the only thing—was getting here as soon as she could. And praying, simply begging God to keep Sam alive.
Even if she couldn’t have him. Even if he still belonged to Sierra.
Willow leaned her forehead against the cool window.
She should simply be grateful that God had answered her prayers.
She pressed her fingers to her lips, wishing she could wipe away the feel of Sam’s arms around her, the way he made her feel brave and needed. And wanted.
She couldn’t dislodge his words from her brain. “You make me feel like the guy who has half a chance of living again.”
That should make her feel at least a little better. She’d done it—put Sierra and Sam back on the right path. Maybe Sam could eventually let go of his anger, let God into his life.