Breathe

Faye had turned her head his way and she nodded then she looked back at Malachi.

“See? Chace is a good guy, honey. You can trust him but he’s such a good guy, you can take your time doing that and he’ll be patient. Promise.”

The nurse came in and she was smiling at Malachi. “Well, look at you, awake and showing us your pretty, brown eyes.”

Malachi watched her warily as she approached his bed until Faye straightened and his eyes cut back to her in a way that made Chace’s body get tight.

“I called the doctor,” the nurse said. “She’ll be in soon and, I’m sorry but we’ll need room, Malachi will need privacy and visiting hours –”

“It’s okay,” Faye cut her off. “We’ll give you what you need.”

She leaned back down to Malachi, Chace braced and it happened when she told him, “I’ll be back tomorrow to read –”

His body knifed up, his bandaged hand darted out and batted at the book in her hand which fell to the mattress then he lunged toward her and rounded her neck with his arm with such force, he took her torso into him at the bed.

“Fuck,” Chace whispered, starting toward the bed but the nurse was on them and looking at Chace.

“Get another nurse.”

Chace turned instantly and moved to get the nurse, not wasting any time and when they rushed back, Faye was sitting on the bed, bent deep into Malachi, his arm still tight around her neck and she was murmuring to him.

The other nurse approached immediately.

“Maybe you can explain this attachment,” she whispered.

Chace didn’t delay. “She’s been feedin’ him and keepin’ him in books. They met five minutes ago for the first time but that doesn’t mean she’s not the only thing he’s got.”

“Right,” she whispered and moved toward Faye and Malachi.

Chace approached cautiously and was careful to stop where he’d stopped before, no closer.

“I’ll be back, buddy,” he heard Faye whisper. “Tomorrow. First thing. I promise.”

Malachi didn’t say anything and kept his arm tight around her.

The nurses stared over the bed at each other, clearly uncertain whether to intervene or allow Faye to pull it off.

“Okay,” Faye whispered. “This is what I need, honey. I need you to look out for yourself a little while longer and right now that means I’m worried about your hands. I don’t want you harming yourself. You have to let me go so the nurses can look after you and the doctor can see you. I need that from you, Malachi. Tomorrow, I promise, honey, swear, cross my heart, I’ll be back. Until then, you… are… safe. Totally safe, Malachi. I wouldn’t lie to you about something as important as that. Promise. Do you believe me?”

No sound, no movement, everyone was still for several long moments then Malachi’s arm relaxed and he lay back in bed.

“Thank you, sweetheart,” Faye whispered then moved to her feet while stretching her arm out to put the book on the nightstand and Malachi became agitated again.

His eyes on the book in Faye’s hand, he banged his elbow repeatedly in the bed while his legs shifted under the covers and strange, animal-like noises sounded low from the back of his throat. The nurses moved, one to put a hand on his shoulder, one to put hers gently to his legs.

“What, buddy?” Faye asked and he shook his head back and forth, slamming his elbow into the bed, continuing to make those noises. “Malachi, please, honey, stop doing that. You’ll hurt yourself. Calm down and talk to me. What?”

Sheer intuition made Chace move swiftly. Not closing in on the bed, he rounded Faye at the back, pulled the book out of her hand then leaned into her, taking her with him, using her as Malachi’s shield against him as he shoved the book under Malachi’s flailing arm and tucked it to his side.

Malachi’s arm instantly stopped moving but shifted to trap the book tight there and he settled.

“You want your book,” Faye whispered.

Malachi took in a deep breath, his eyes locked to Faye.

Then he nodded once.

Jesus, this kid had been f**ked up.

Jesus.

A feeling he did not like gnawing at his gut, Chace straightened away from Faye and caught the gaze of one of the nurses.

“Do not take that book away,” he ordered and she nodded instantly.

“You see,” Faye said quietly to Malachi. “You’ll have that until you have me again. Okay?”

Malachi held her eyes and didn’t move.

She ignored this and whispered, “Okay.”

Then she lifted her hand and ran it through his hair before she straightened away.

“See you soon, honey,” she said softly.

He swallowed, his eyes darted to the nurses then back to Faye.

Then he nodded.

“My brave Malachi,” Faye whispered, reached out a hand, touched his bicep then she looked through the nurses, bent, grabbed her purse, smiled at Malachi and, finally, her hand found his and closed around it so tight, he felt pain.

“Later, buddy,” Chace murmured and Malachi looked to him but said not a word.

They passed Dr. Hughes who was hurrying in and so intent to get to Malachi, she only jerked up her chin at them on her way. Faye didn’t notice. She walked out, her neck twisted to look back at Malachi.

She finally lost sight of him and looked forward but she didn’t speak.

Chace led her to her parents. The instant they stopped close, Silas spoke.

“Rosalinda’s. My treat. Liza, Boyd and the boys are meetin’ us there.”

Chace stayed silent, letting Faye decide their evening plans.

“Sounds good,” she said quietly.

There was her decision. She needed family.

So she’d get it.

“Right,” Silas muttered, taking all that was Faye in carefully as Sondra silently did the same then Silas looked up to Chace. “Liza and Boyd have hit the road. So should we. Meet you there.”

Chace nodded, got a clap on his arm from Silas, a smile from Sondra after she kissed her daughter’s cheek. They followed them to the elevator and walked out to the parking lot together.

Sondra and Silas separated from them to head to the Wrangler and they both did this on waves.

Chace jerked up his chin as Faye waved back and he walked with her to the passenger side of his Yukon.

“Beep, honey,” she muttered, her eyes on the door but Chace used his hand in hers, his other hand going to her waist to assist and he turned her, back to the truck and moved in.