Whisper by Kathleen Lash Read Free Book Online

across the street. And don’t forget I promised Thanksgiving dinner. I won’t go back on my word.” She definitely wouldn’t be over ordering the kids around when he came home. She’d never make the mistake of being in a man’s way again. Mark didn’t seem to mind, because in truth, he wasn’t completely a man. He’d been thankful to turn control of the house and kids over to her. She believed Keith was different. She wouldn’t hang around to find out anything to the contrary.

    ****
Keith closed the phone before the nurse took it from his hand. He wondered just how long a headache could last and how bad it could get.
    39

    Kathleen Lash

    “How’s the pain?” the nurse asked.
    “I can take it,” he replied.
    “Good, it shouldn’t be long now. A half hour tops.”
    He’d been waiting a few hours to go into surgery and they’d stopped the pain medication so they could put him under. They said they’d fix the damage to his left leg. They seemed more concerned with the noxious gas he’d been breathing right after the cave in. He’d been the worst casualty of the disaster, and company men in suits stayed close to his room.
    More answers would come after surgery and the latest battery of blood work. He refused to think beyond that. He imagined he’d be able to call home again tomorrow so the kids wouldn’t get suspicious.
    They didn’t need to worry. A few nurses talked to him about rehabilitation and the length of time needed to gain strength. A few months, my ass .
    Thanksgiving was a few weeks away. They’d better get the surgery right, rehab him in a hurry, because he’d be on his way home. He’d deal with the remainder of his medical condition once he’d gotten there.
    “Jesus!” he exclaimed, the pain radiating into his hip and from there, to the center of his brain.
    “Can you hold on?” the nurse asked.
    “Sure. I’m fine.” The worst was over. Nothing could be more painful than being dug out, dragged up the shaft and banged around in a helicopter the whole way to the trauma center. Nothing!
    Company suits hovered in the hallway and asked questions. The tallest suit came into his room, took a spot beside his bed and asked, “You holding on, Manchester?”
    “Yeah. Doing just great.”
    “We’ll talk when you’re out of surgery.”
    “Actually,” Keith said, “there’s some talking we’ll do now. If anything happens to me, don’t screw 40

    Whisper

    around with my kids. You make sure that insurance money gets to them. I mean every stinking cent, the very next day. Get me?”
    “You’ll be fine. Don’t talk about crazy stuff right now.”
    “Did you hear me? If you jack them around, my oldest will sue the damned company and he’ll be calling the shots. You’ll be the first one he fires.” The lanky, grey-haired man looked like an attorney. The cocky son of a bitch smiled. On a different day, Keith would’ve punched the smirk right off his face.
    “I’ll keep my job because you’re in the very best hospital getting the very best care. Hell, Keith, if you want fillet mignon for breakfast, ask. They’ll hook you right up.”
    Keith closed his eyes and swiped a hand over his wet forehead. “A beer. I never did get that beer.”
    “As soon as the anesthesia wears off and the doctor says it’s okay,” the nurse said, “you’ll get it.
    What brand do you prefer?”
    Keith opened his eyes and glared at her. She’d been dead serious. When he smiled, she smiled in return and rubbed his forearm.
    “Your friend wasn’t joking. I have orders to stick with you like a tick and get you whatever you want.”
    “Jesus,” he muttered, closing his eyes, “I’m really screwed then. Shit!”
    Both the nurse and man laughed. “No,” the attorney said, “the company just takes care of its own. We’ve never had an accident near this magnitude. We’ll make it right.” Probably wishful thinking, or perhaps being just plain naive, he believed it. He’d been lucky to get a