Page 56 of The Veteran

I glanced up and saw Sean standing in the doorway. He jerked his head to the side.

“I’m going to get drinks,” I said to the others, needing to feel useful. “What would you like?”

I took orders, then retreated to the corridor.

“How is she?” Sean asked.

“It sounds like she’ll recover, but there might be some lasting damage.”

He nodded. “At least they’ve got her back. She’s a tough woman. She’ll be all right.”

“Hopefully.” I glanced around, relieved to see the corridor was empty. It made me feel safer. In a crowd, it would be much easier for someone to get to me. “I’m bringing them hot drinks. Would you mind helping?”

“Sure.”

Together, we found the cafeteria, and between us, we managed to carry the drinks back to the ward. I handed them out while Sean took one of the chairs to the doorway to keep watch. I sat near the wall. Nearby, Kade, Tina, and Cathy talked in low voices. Eventually, Kade wandered over and, with a sigh, dropped onto the chair beside me.

“Is there anything I can do?” I asked, eager to wipe the weary expression from his face.

“No, you’ve done plenty.” He tried to smile, but it was weak. “I’m just battling my conscience.”

I reached for his hand. “You’re not to blame for her getting hurt. Audrey is her own person. Maybe you gave her the idea of joining the army, but she made her own decision and you can’t take responsibility for that.”

His lips twisted. “Yeah, but I believe that about as much as you believe that you aren’t responsible for the deaths of Jessica and Craig.”

I flinched, stung by the rebuke. Touché.

“How about we both agree to work on it?” I suggested.

“Yeah,” he agreed. “I guess we can do that.”

23

KADE

I blinked, my eyes gritty, as Mom and Cathy entered the ward, greeting Sean on the way past. I jerked my head toward Sage and raised my finger to my lips, indicating for them to stay quiet. She’d fallen asleep a couple of hours ago, her head resting on my shoulder. We’d stayed with Audrey overnight while Mom and Cathy returned home to sleep. They looked better than they had when they’d left last night, but Mom still had dark circles under her eyes—probably a product of stress and poor sleep. Cathy was faring better, but perhaps the grande-sized coffee clutched in one of her hands had something to do with that.

“How has she been?” Mom whispered as they drew near.

“She hasn’t woken yet.”

Audrey was no longer being sedated and the doctor who’d spoken to us last had said it was simply a matter of waiting for her body to be ready to awaken.

“Should we worry?” Cathy asked.

I gave my head a slight shake.

Cathy sunk onto the chair beside the bed and clasped Audrey’s hand. Mom sat beside me and fished in her pocket for a container of mints. She offered me one and I took it in case I had bad morning breath.

Mom inclined her head toward Sage. “Are you dating her?”

“No, but I’d like to be.”

Her lips tilted up in the closest thing to a smile I’d seen in the past two days. “She seems like a lovely girl. Just right to balance out that brooding intensity you have.”

My lips twitched as I suppressed a laugh. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

Beside me, Sage stirred. I gazed down at her, affection welling in my chest. She brushed her hair off her forehead and looked back at me sleepily. It struck me, all at once, that I wanted to see her sleepy eyes every morning for the rest of my life. It felt right to be here with her. Like puzzle pieces slotting into place.