Now all she had to do was convince Seth that her plan was the best for both of them.
* * *
Seth stopped outside the closed door of Callie’s hospital room and rubbed his hands over his eyes. His head ached from the lack of sleep, and his stomach growled. The cup of coffee and granola bar he’d eaten early this morning had done little to satisfy his hunger. But sleep and food were the last things on his mind at the moment. Although his mother had assured him Callie was fine, he couldn’t wait to get here and see her.
Taking a deep breath, he pushed the door open and stepped into the room. Callie sat in a chair by the end of her bed. She looked up from the magazine she’d been reading when he entered and smiled. His mother jumped up from her chair and hurried over to him.
She stopped in front of him and stared up into his face. A worried expression flickered in her eyes. “Seth,” she said, “you look like you’re about to fall asleep on your feet.”
He chuckled and raked his hand through his hair. “That’s not the first time I’ve heard you say that to me when I’ve come in from a crime scene, but I’m okay today.”
“I’m glad. We’ve been worried about you.”
His gaze traveled over to Callie. “It took me a while to get some of the loose ends tied up, but I’m here now.”
His mother turned and picked up her purse. “So you are, and I think that’s my signal to get out of here and leave the two of you alone.” She walked over to Callie and kissed her on the cheek. “I’m glad you’re doing so well. I’ll be back. But I want you to know that when you’re released, I expect you to come back to our house.”
Callie smiled up at his mother. “Thank you, Mrs. Dawtry. We’ll see.”
His mother nodded and then patted him on the arm as she walked past him to the door. When she’d left, he took the chair she’d been sitting in and pulled it over next to Callie. He sat down and took her hand in his.
“I could hardly keep my mind on what I was doing this morning because I kept thinking about you and how close Anthony came to carrying through on his plan. I don’t know what I would have done if...”
He choked up, and Callie tightened her grip on his hand. “Don’t think about that. You were able to save me. How did you find me?”
She listened as he told her about hearing the gunshot, rushing to the shelter and how everything had happened from there. “Throughout the whole ordeal, I don’t think I ever quit praying that I’d find you alive. Since then, I’ve thanked God over and over for taking care of you.”
She smiled. “I was praying, too, Seth. I found that comfort and peace in turning my troubles over to God that you and your mother have. I didn’t know whether I’d live or die, but I knew that God was with me until the end. And I prayed for you, too.”
Her words surprised him. “You did? Did you pray that I’d find you?”
“I suppose I did. But my main prayer for you was that you would have a good life. That’s what I’ve always wanted for you.”
A warning triggered in his mind and radiated through his body. She’d said she had things to tell him, and it seemed she was about to do it. The tone of her voice, though, made him realize he might not like what he was about to hear. He tried to pull his hand away, but she held if fast.