Long Way Home by Ann Vaughn Read Free Book Online Page B

“It’s OK.  It will all come back to you in a
bit.  The anesthesia makes you a little foggy right at first.  Are
you cold?”
             “Um...yeah,
a little.”
             “OK,
I’ll bring you a warm blanket, then I’ll go get your folks, all right?”
             He
nodded and scrubbed a weary hand over his face.  Surgery? He knew his knee
hurt but he hadn’t realized he’d messed it up that bad.
             “Here
ya go,” she said, tucking a warm blanket around him.  It felt really good,
he thought as he drifted back to sleep.  The next time he opened his eyes,
both his parents were beside him.
             “There
you are,” his mother said, brushing her hand gently through his hair. 
“How do you feel?”
             “Whole
body hurts,” he replied, more awake now than he’d been earlier.
             “Can
he have anything for pain?” he heard his dad ask someone.
             “Shane?”
the pretty nurse called out.  “On a scale of one to ten with ten being the
worst pain you’ve ever felt in your life, tell me how you feel.”
             “Ten,”
he said without hesitation, “definitely a ten.”
             “All
over, just the knee, what?”

             “All
over.  Head is throbbing.  Face hurts.  Knee is throbbing. 
Other knee is burning.  Throat hurts.”
             “Throat?”
Susie asked, alarmed.
             “From
the tube,” the nurse explained, “we weren’t sure if he had food on his stomach
or not.  Just hang tight, Shane.  Let me get Dr. Kinsley in here.”
             He
closed his eyes with a scowl.  “What’s the deal with my knee?” he asked
when the nurse left.
             “You
must have twisted it in the fight,” Luke said.  “Do you remember?”
             “I
didn’t feel anything at the time.  Adrenaline.  How is Tessa?”
          “She’s
fine.  She will be here as soon as she can.  They had to get the
church done for that wedding.”
             “How
long is this gonna bench me?”
             “Most
likely for the season, son, I’m sorry.”
             He
met his dad’s direct gaze, knowing he wouldn’t lie to him.
             “Will
this keep me from DPS?”
             “Doctor
says you’ll be good as new so long as you don’t push your recovery too soon.”
             “Are
you sure?”
        
             “I
asked.  I knew you would want to know.”
             “What
about Harrison Kelly?  He violated the restraining order.  Will he be
put away now?”
             “For
at least five years.  I’m going to try to press for more.  He’s a
threat to Mary and Tessa.  That’ll carry some weight.”
             Dr.
Kinsley came in, examined him and approved more pain medication for him. 
The next time he awoke, he was in a different room and Tessa was sitting next
to him.
             “Hey,
Tess,” he said, making her smile.
             “Look
who’s awake!  How are you feeling?”
             “Like
I got the crap kicked outta me.”
             She
hugged her arms closer to herself as if fighting off a sudden chill.
             “I’m
so sorry about all of this, Shane.”
             He
shook his head.  “Not your fault and if you apologize to me one more time
you’ll piss me off.”
             She
giggled in spite of being upset.  “All right, no apologies.  But I
will say thank you.  I’m glad you were there today.  I don’t even
want to think about what would have happened if you hadn’t been.”
             He
reached for her hand and brought her fingers to his lips.
             “Dad
says he’ll go away for at least five years.  More if Dad has his way.”
             She
nodded.  “Yes.  That would be a good