Blackness Takes Over & Blackness Awaits (52 page)

The four of us sit in anticipatory silence. We all want to wake her back up, but none of us is willing to disturb her. Dr. Callaghan walking in the room brings us all out of our daze.

“Well this is a familiar scene,” he sighs, “that I never wanted to walk in on again.” I don’t know what he’s talking about. I look at him puzzled. He hasn’t seen us like this with her. He clears his throat, “The day after she was attacked when she was younger,” he explains to me, “I came to see her and found her in my son’s bed each of these guys holding some part of her.” That’s right. Kieran told me the same story. This is how they comforted her after Liam. I feel blessed and sick all at the same time: Sick that she would ever in the past or now need this and blessed that I’m one of the people comforting her.

“Just like that day though boys,” he chides, “I need to see my patient.” They all start to peel away from her slowly moving their chairs. I stay; meeting eyes with him letting him know I’m not moving. He nods at me and starts trying to wake Kid softly.

“Kid? Can you open your eyes for me sweetheart?” He rubs her arm up and down a little and her eyes flutter open. She looks into his eyes and an emotion flashes across them, she looks self-conscious. “It’s all right sweetheart. You’re okay. I’ve got you,” he soothes her like a father to a young child not a doctor to a patient. She holds the tears at bay and smiles as best she can at him. He looks her over carefully but quickly before sitting on the edge of her bed brushing a piece of her hair back.

“Kid,” he starts softly, “you were shot four times, three shots in your back and once in your head. The shot to your head did not penetrate your brain but the force of the bullet cracked your skull and caused your brain to swell. We’ve had you in a medically induced coma to allow your brain to recover from the swelling. Your wrists had deep lacerations, and you had many lacerations covering the back of your body. Those are all healing nicely.”

“Thank you,” she pushes out grimacing in pain her usually cool silky voice harsh and raspy. The first words she’s said and she’s thanking someone. She’s some kind of amazing.

“I love you, Kid.” He leans over and kisses her forehead just as Aidan runs in the room, his sneakers squeaking as he skids to a stop. His scrubs are bloody and his brow is covered in sweat. I’m guessing he ran here from surgery. He’s panting and looking at Kid with intensity.

“She’s alright, Aidan,” Cal calls to his little brother. Aidan walks over to the bedside and leans his tall ass over and kisses her forehead. She reaches up cupping his cheek and closes her eyes. She’s exhausted from being awake and told how fucked up she’s been. She falls asleep before Aidan pulls back. Aidan and Dr. Callaghan leave the room a few minutes later and the boys resume their chairs around her bed. I lay my head on the bed next to our clasped hands and sleep with her for the first time in a week. She’s back and I’ll never let her go again.

Kellerman

News of Kid waking up doesn’t take long to make the rounds. Her family has been on a rotation of visiting while she’s been here. Now that she’s awake everyone is here. No one is waking her up or bothering her. They all just want to be near her for when she comes to on her own again.

I don’t know what kind of room Dr. Callaghan has Kid in but it’s not a regular hospital room, it’s huge and can fit all of us easily once the guys roll our beds out of the room. Even with all of these people here it’s pretty much silent in the room, all of us waiting for her to wake up again. I never move from my perch at her side clinging to her hand. Even when Mr. Kavanagh and Sully Sr. try to convince me to take a walk with them, I can’t leave her. I haven’t left this room once since I’ve been here. Not knowing if or when she’d wake up I couldn’t risk not being by her side so I’ve sat in this chair for a week. The worst fucking week of my life.

There’s a waiting room of sorts directly across from Kid’s room. Her family is regularly going back and forth between the rooms, waiting for her to wake up again. Mr. Kavanagh comes in and sits on the other side of her bed taking a turn holding her hand, staring at her face. He looks better than he did while Kid was missing, but just. His salt and pepper hair seems to be a little more salt than pepper in the last ten days and there maybe be a few more frown lines creasing his face. But now, sitting watching his daughter his face is warm and soft.

“My wife and I always wanted a daughter. Don’t get me wrong we loved our boys, but we always wanted a daughter. After the twins were born Anne was so busy with the boys we decided to stop trying for our little girl for a while. Then Anne got sick and having a little girl was no longer an option.” His voice is easy and I think he’s telling me this story, but he’s just gazing lovingly at Kid’s peaceful face.

“One day I got a call from Aaron that he had met someone and she was moving in. I was shocked and worried. He was only eighteen and didn’t have a great track record with girls. Two weeks later I came to the townhouse to have dinner. Kid had cooked us an award winning pot roast dinner. She was breathtaking. The love that she poured into everything: school, the boys, telling a story, cooking that meal, giving me a hug…I knew right then that she was my daughter. She may not have come from me, but she was mine. Her father was a lucky man to get eight years with her. I know I’m blessed to have had the last thirteen. She’s what people in this world hope to be.” He sighs and looks at me.

“I don’t know you very well Dylan, but what I do know I like. The fact that you worked your ass off to find her and haven’t left her side for a moment tells me the level of commitment you have to her. The fact that you haven’t been scared off by this fucked up situation or the people that did this tells me you’re willing to fight for her. The fact that you share her with the boys tells me you accept her family for what it is. The fact that she keeps squeezing your hand in her sleep tells me you’re her safe place. I know you love my daughter and you have my blessing with her. No more calling me Mister Kavanagh…it’s Pop,” he finishes softly before looking deep into my eyes. “Keep her safe Dylan.”

“Pop,” Kid whispers. He and I were staring at each other so intently we didn’t notice she had woken up. His head snaps to hers, as quickly as mine does. She’s staring at him with adoration.

“Ah, Kid,” he murmurs into the back of her hand as he pulls it to his face. “I love you so much.” He kisses her hand and leans in to kiss her forehead. “You’ve got a hospital full of visitors, Kid. You wanna see ’em now or would you like a few minutes?”

“Few minutes Pop,” she whispers. He gets up to leave the room. “Pop.” He turns back at the sound of her voice. “You’re a great father. Thank you for loving me like you do.” I see tears in his eyes as he winks at his daughter.

“I love you,” she whispers.

Pop smiles broadly with love before leaving the room. We’re alone for the first time in over a week.

“Hey,” I whisper.

“Hi,” she whispers back with the best she can do at a smile. She pulls at my hand signaling she wants me to come closer to her. I stand up and move my face close to hers so I can hear her easily.

“Will you hold me, Kel?” she murmurs. Hell yes I will, but I don’t know how I’ll manage it. Her backside is still healing and her bed was clearly designed for one person only. I scoot in next to her snuggling into a space a child could barely fit. My 6’5” frame makes this bed feel like doll furniture. I run my arm beneath her neck and she rolls onto her side her face grimacing in pain. I help her scoot over so she can nuzzle into my chest with her hand on my abs as she sighs. I have never been so comfortable being uncomfortable in my life. I kiss her hair every few seconds.

“I love you, Shannon Kelly,” I say purposefully. “I’ll never let another day go by without telling you that.” I squeeze her into my chest as much as I can without causing her pain.

“I love you too,” she says in the strongest voice to come out of her yet. My heart is pounding against my ribs so hard I’m sure it’ll cause bruising.

“Get outta that bed!” the nurse yells at me from the doorway. We both snicker.

“Busted,” she giggles lightly. I climb out of the bed before the nurse stabs me with a scalpel. I reclaim my seat and hand holding duty. I feel a thousand pounds lighter now. The love of my life is back. I’m going to marry this girl and make her the mother of my children. Those are two things I never thought about until she walked into Mia’s room in October. She made my world tip on its head. Kid brought me back to life.

Shannon

After Kel is threatened out of my bed the family starts pouring in to see, hug and kiss me. I’ve never been showered with so much love and affection by so many people. It’s overwhelming. Kel sits next to me holding my hand as everyone makes the rounds to me. He’s polite and affable, though I know he really wants me all to himself.

Both Maggie and Mary cry and cry as they hug and kiss me, telling me they’re having a tracking device embedded under my skin. I may not argue with that. Ryan and Adam sit with me and tell me an interesting story about busting Kel out of a hospital in McHenry a few minutes after he had surgery. I laugh at most of their story until I realize Kel was shot and had surgery. I’ve lost a week, during which some crazy shit has gone down. Finn comes in and sits with me. He’s got a sling on his left arm and tells me he was shot in the shoulder. He didn’t have to have surgery though. He tells me some of the things going on, but really he just sits with me. As much as I want to see everyone I can’t stay awake for long periods of time. I’m in pain, my head is killing me, and I’m exhausted like nothing I’ve ever experienced. I wake from my most recent nap as Pappy, Collin, and Hugh enter my room looking bleak as they make their way to my bed. Everyone leaves the room.

“Kellerman we need a minute,” Pappy orders softly.

“Sir, I appreciate that but I’m not goin’ anywhere. I’ll put my earbuds in and turn the volume up to give you all the privacy you need, but I’m not leavin’ her,” Kel says strongly. Pappy studies him for a second before he nods in agreement. Kel kisses my hand before he puts his earbuds in and blasts what I recognize as Eminem. He got that from me. I smile at him before I turn to my visitors.

“Kid,” Pappy’s voice breaks as he leans down to kiss my cheek.

“I’m okay, Pappy,” I say pushing my face into his throat. He holds himself there for a few moments composing himself before he pulls back. Collin and Hugh both take turns laying their heads on my chest and sobbing just like Sully did. I hug them each tightly (as tight as a weakling can) before letting them go. The three of them pull chairs up to the side of my bed. While they do, I steal a glance at Kel. He’s staring at our intertwined fingers, no doubt going deaf from the music pounding his eardrums. I squeeze his hand and he looks up into my face. I give him a soft smile before turning back to the O’Sullivans.

“There’s a lot to go over, Kid and you’re in no shape to go through everything but there are a few things we need to go through now. You okay with that?” Pappy asks. I nod.

“Taylor’s dead. Another man died at the scene that was helping the guys find you. His name was Kellan O’Shea and his funeral was today,” Collin informs me. I nod. I feel like I should know who Kellan O’Shea is, but I can’t place him. He died trying to help save me and I don’t even know who he is. Once I’m better I’ll figure it out and reach out to his family.

I’m not surprised Taylor’s dead. I feel sick that he’s gone, tears prick the back of my eyes but no tears fall. I don’t remember everything from that day, but I remember him being there. I’m waiting to hear if Nicky is dead too.

“Do you remember what happened?” Collin asks tentatively.

“Most of it. Some things are a little fuzzy. I’m not sure what I can tell you,” I admit not wanting to put Nicky at risk if he’s alive.

“We know about Scarso if that’s what you’re worried about,” Hugh says softly. I’m not sure what they know or if Nicky is alive. I need to tread lightly. If he’s alive his uncle will kill him if I say the wrong thing. If he’s dead…I don’t want him to be dead.

“I don’t have the energy to tell you about everything that happened while I was there. But, I’ll tell you how it ended. Scarso was with me when we heard gunfire. He was tryin’ to get me out of the house because he believed another crew was sent for me. Before we could leave the room I was held in, Taylor came in. Scarso and Taylor seemed to know each other. Then Taylor drew on Scarso. I didn’t have a weapon so I threw myself in front of Scarso. That’s the last thing I remember,” I huff the last part because I still can’t get a grip on how any of this makes sense.