“Which is why we’re very careful to never speak negatively in front of the patient and never assume they cannot hear us,” Dr. Vincent added.

“So she ain’t outta the woods yet.”

“Yes. And no. Yes, meaning we’ve successfully eliminated the swelling in her brain as intended. No, because your wife will have several days of recovery here at the hospital before she starts other forms of therapy. After a week of zero physical activity she will experience muscle weakness. Most likely she’ll be hungry but eating might make her nauseous at first. We’ll monitor her lung function very closely for signs of infection. She may be afraid to go to sleep. She may exhibit manic behavior. Happy one minute; crying or yelling the next. The most important thing you need to remember, Mr. McKay, is patience. But do not ignore or discount anything she tells you, even if it sounds bizarre. This has been a traumatic experience for you, but it’s even more so for her.”

Carson rubbed the back of his neck. “She’ll need physical therapy?”

“It’ll depend, but it’s usually recommended. She might also need speech therapy. We can’t be sure if she sustained any permanent damage in those cognitive areas due to the swelling until she’s awake.”

“How long will it take to wake her up?”

“Again, it depends. After we remove the ventilator and put her on oxygen, I’ve seen a person come out of it in as little as six hours.”

Carson noticed he didn’t give an estimate on a longer amount of time. “Can I be in the room with her?”

“Yes, as long as you understand that when she regains consciousness the medical team will have necessary assessment procedures to complete and you cannot interfere in any way.”

“I ain’t gonna get in anyone’s way. I just…need to be there with her when she wakes up.”

“Understood. We’ll get this underway and the ICU nurse will keep you abreast of every step.”

“I appreciate it.”

Carson watched the doctors leave, conferring in low tones. He probably should let his kids know where they were in this process, but he couldn’t deal with the questions he didn’t have answers to until Carolyn actually woke up. And if she woke up confused and irritated… He didn’t think their first interaction with their mother should be when she didn’t have any idea what was going on.

The better plan was to wait to tell them.

He was f**king sick and tired of waiting. He wanted his wife—and his life back.

The staff had brought a chair into Carolyn’s room. Like before, every hour he spoke to her, urging her to come back to him.

The first time she moved her hand, his heart leapt.

The first time her eyelids twitched, his entire body thrummed with anticipation.

Not long now.

Although the six hours he’d been sitting in the chair seemed like another six days.

At hour eight there was a flurry of activity, nurses coming into the room. They blocked the bed so he couldn’t see. It took every ounce of control not to jump up and demand to know what the hell they were doing.

Then he heard it.

Carolyn’s voice.

And nothing could’ve stopped him from going to her side.

Nothing.

He saw her eyes were open.

The nurse asked questions but Carolyn was too confused to answer. Agitated, she shook her head and winced.

When she noticed him, she blinked. The confusion remained in her eyes.

“Hey, sugar.” He reached for her hand and kissed the tips of her fingers. “I’ve missed you like crazy.”

Her hoarsely whispered, “Carson?” was the single most potent word he’d ever heard.

He let his tears fall, unable to make his vocal cords function, but also unable to stop smiling.

The nurses gently shunted him aside while still allowing him to hold her hand.

She asked for water. She asked to sit up.

He caught her wild-eyed gaze zipping around the room as she sipped from a straw. She lifted her other arm and tried to make a fist. When she could barely do it, she dropped her hand back in her lap. “How long have I been here?” she asked the nurse.

“Seven days.”

“I’ve been lying in bed like a vegetable for a week?”

“You’ve been in a medically induced state of suspension while your body healed from your injury, ma’am.”

That was PC.

“I need…” Carolyn became very frustrated when she couldn’t verbalize her needs. She said, “I hate this,” to no one in particular.

“It’ll get better,” the nurse assured her.

“I feel disgusting. I want a shower.”

“The best I can offer you until you’re more stable is a sponge bath.”

Carolyn squeezed her eyes shut.

Carson saw her humiliation. As much as he didn’t want to leave her side, he had to. She needed to feel like herself and have some control. “Sugar, if these ladies are bathing you, I’ll step out for bit.”

Her eyes flew open. “Don’t go. Please.”

He kissed her fingertips again. “I ain’t goin’ far. I brought a bag of your beauty stuff from home. I’ll send it in with the nurses. It’ll make you feel a little more you, okay?”

She didn’t look convinced.

“I promise I’ll be right outside.” He spoke to the nurse. “It won’t take you long to get her beautified, ’cause she’s always beautiful, but how long do you expect you’ll need?”