The Rebel's Own(33)

“But you’re his mother. He would listen if you told him to go home.”

“I don’t want to fight about this. Just leave him where he is. He’s not hurting anyone. He just wants to be near his dad.” Kennedy had lost control of her tears long ago; they were now in free fall.

“What about the transplant?” Rebecca asked.

“Dear God, Mother! If you want to leave, you can leave.” Kennedy couldn’t take her Rebecca’s questions and criticism. She especially didn’t like how she was referring to Ryan as just another body to harvest from. “Riley is back on the transplant list. I don’t want to hear you mention it again.”

“How is he?” Elizabeth asked, as she slowly walked into the room, Matt behind her. She walked over to where her son and grandson lay and smiled down at them. “He’s a stubborn little tyke, isn’t he?”

Kennedy just smiled.

“He reminds me so much of Ryan when he was little.” Elizabeth wiped a tear away and turned towards Kennedy. “So, Matt tells me you are pregnant. He also says that you refuse to leave Ryan’s side to get a check-up.”

“I just—” Kennedy cleared her throat of the emotion, “He wants to name the baby Robyn.” Kennedy held onto Ryan’s immobile hand and smiled, “He’s so sure it’s a girl.”

“I think it’s too early to tell.” Elizabeth walked around the bed and held onto her free hand. “But we can give him the good news that the baby is healthy. I know you don’t want to go alone, so I’ll go with you.”

Kennedy nodded her response. She gave Ryan and Riley one last look and followed Elizabeth.

She soon was shown to a room and laid back on the examining table waiting for the doctor, but Kennedy couldn’t overcome the feeling that doing this without Ryan was wrong. Still, Elizabeth had a point; she was under a lot of stress and it couldn’t hurt to check. The doctor warned that it might be too early to hear anything with the Doppler radar, and Kennedy was barely paying attention when she suddenly heard the woman say “two heartbeats” and was startled by Elizabeth’s ensuing squeal.

Afterwards, she walked back to Ryan’s hospital room in a daze, on her own, since Elizabeth had gone to another wing to visit her own husband and tell him the news.

“You need to wake up.” Kennedy sat next to Ryan’s bed and stroked his pale arm. “I know that I act tough, but I can’t do this on my own. This is our family. I can’t handle three kids on my own. Please wake up.” She climbed into bed with Ryan and Riley and finally let sleep take her.

• • •

Ryan’s senses were attacked by the pungent smell of blood, its coppery taste on his tongue. The memory of the loud crash and Kennedy’s cry shocked him into awareness. He woke up with a start, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t move. His body ached all over, so that meant that he was still alive. But he couldn’t seem to get this weight off of him. Ryan slowly opened his eyes, his eyelids even felt sore. He was able to take a peek and the sight of Kennedy and Riley sleeping against his chest brought a smile to his face. He wasn’t sure how safe it was to have this weight on him, but he knew that having them so close did wonders for his heart.

He looked around the room; Rebecca was asleep on the couch. For a second he rethought waking her up. But surely the dragon lady would take pity on an injured man. He tried to call out for her, but his throat felt so dry and scratchy that talking was painful. Lucky for him the nurse call button was at his fingertips. He hated to move Riley and Kennedy, but with the pain, he could barely breathe.

The nurse walked into the room and an exclamation left her lips. “Oh my God.”

Kennedy woke up with a start, her elbow digging into his chest, and a yelp escaped his lips. “Ryan?” He managed to smile at the incredulous look on her face, “You’re awake.”

She cupped his face and rained kisses on him. “RJ, wake up. Daddy is awake.”

Ryan knew it would take a couple of seconds before Riley came round. The boy lifted his head but his eyes were still closed. He groaned in protest for a while, but just as he was about to lay his head back on Ryan’s chest, Ryan spoke up. “Buddy.” He sounded hoarse, his voice foreign to him.

“Daddy!” Riley’s eyes opened up, wide as saucers. “I knew you wouldn’t die, I knew you wouldn’t leave us!”

“I’m sorry, Mrs. Carville, but I have to ask you to get off the patient! Your son, too,” the nurse cut in anxiously.

“Are you in pain?” Kennedy asked, scrambling off the bed and pulling Riley into her arms. Worry lines scribbled on her forehead.