And whoever it was, they had to be stopped.
I looked at Tambo standing silently at our side then I looked at Tate.
“Can we ask Shambles first if it’s okay?” I whispered.
Tambo turned immediately and walked toward another agent while Tate’s arms gave me yet another squeeze.
Then he answered, “Yeah.”
I thought I’d not be able to take my mind off the microphone taped to my chest but the minute I walked into Sunny’s hospital room that thought flew away.
Her ash blonde hair was cut blunt, her skin was pale under her tan, she had some bruising and swelling on the left side of her face, there were a bunch of tubes sticking in her and her eyes were dead.
Those eyes came to me the minute I walked in and that was all I could think, her bright, shining, usually smiling, always friendly eyes were dead.
I swallowed back tears and looked across the room to see two women, an older one, dressed conservatively, a younger one, dressed a lot like me but in jeans rather than shorts. I knew, because Shambles told me, they were Sunny’s Mom and sister.
“Hi,” I said softly. “I’m Lauren, a friend of Sunny’s.”
The Mom nodded and looked at Sunny.
The sister said, “Hey.”
“I…” I looked at Sunny before I looked back at her family. “Can I talk to her?”
They both stared at me without speaking.
Shambles, who had come in behind me, said quietly, “Mom, Moonbeam, she means alone.”
They looked at me again, they looked at Sunny. I tried to look reassuring, Sunny just looked blank and Shambles took control, herding Sunny’s family out the door.
He stood in it and nodded to me then it closed on him.
I walked to Sunny and sat at the very edge of the seat of a chair that was pulled close to her side. I looked to her and she was staring at the ceiling.
I took her hand in mine. It was limp. I leaned forward and pressed it against my face, my eyes smarting and I felt the wetness escape and glide down my cheeks. I knew she had to feel it too.
My eyes closed.
“I’m sorry, baby,” I whispered to her hand. “I had magic, I’d take this away.”
I opened my eyes, kept her hand to my face and looked toward her head which had turned and her gaze was on me.
Still dead.
“I can’t do that,” I was still whispering.
She didn’t reply.
“You and me,” I kept whispering, “honey…” I pulled in breath and let it out, “we have to do the next best thing.”
Nothing about her face changed. Not a thing.
“You don’t think you’re strong enough but we’ll find your strength together.”
She looked back at the ceiling.
“He has to be stopped, Sunny.”
Suddenly, she yanked her hand forcefully from mine.
Too fast, I went too fast. Darn.
I gave it a minute then got up and sat on the side of her bed but she turned her head away.
I leaned toward her, not too close, not threatening and I laid it out.
“I’m wired. They’re listening, the police, the FBI, you need to know that.”
She swallowed.
“They can hear but this is just you and me, baby. Right now it’s just you and me.”
No response.
I closed my eyes and bit my lip, opened them and urged, “Please, talk to me.”
Sunny remained silent.
I wiped my face and looked out the window not seeing the landscape there only thinking of finding some way through.
Then it came to me. I should tell her the truth.
“I stayed in Carnal because of you,” I whispered.
I heard movement and I looked back down at her to see she was looking up at me.
I nodded. “It’s true. You and Shambles. Betty and Ned too. Banana bread and Middle Eastern night and knowing I was going to have friends, good ones, ones who genuinely cared, didn’t just say it but acted it… when I met you guys, I knew I was home.”
Her lip quivered.
“I’d been far from home a long time, Sunny, lost and wandering, it’s scary to be in that place alone.” My voice dropped to a whisper. “Thank you for bringing me back home.”
“Petal,” she croaked, her voice thick.
“Talk to me, baby,”
She shook her head.
“You’re safe here, you’re safe with me,” I promised her.
She kept shaking her head so I grabbed her hand, leaned deeper and pulled her hand to my chest, encasing it in both of mine and holding strong.
“You’re safe with me,” I repeated and squeezed her hand. “You can’t wander, lost and alone in your head forever. You can’t.” I squeezed her hand again. “Give me the chance to return the favor, honey, let me give you a little of what you gave me. Let me bring you back home.”