Page 61 of Hutch (Minnesota Raptors #2)

Hutch

It’s been a week of sitting in this chair, watching as medical staff come and go, assessing, assuring, worried.

Barry’s been by several times, but he hasn’t said a single word about me missing practice or the three games the team has played since Daisy’s attack.

I think he understands I’ll quit before I leave her side.

There’s been a revolving door of visitors.

Collin made me take a shower a few days ago.

The clothes I have on are starting to stink.

I need a new change of clothes and another shower, but the thought of moving my ass out of this chair and her possibly dying while I’m off showering or getting food is debilitating. I can’t do it.

Collin has been going to practice and all the games except the first one we both missed.

I made him get his ass there. One of us needs a job after this to pay for shit.

And he needs to get his family back to the states.

Can’t do that without money. If he’s not at practice or at a game, he’s here. Which I appreciate.

“Who are you?”

My head turns to see a man wearing jeans and a t-shirt standing there. His hair is dark, but his green eyes are on the lighter side with a hint of gold in them.

“I’m Hutch. Who the fuck are you and how did you get in this room?”

“I’m Senior Airman Robert Canton and I think the question remains, who the fuck are you?”

“Daisy’s brother.” I let out a long breath, letting my muscles relax. I’d been prepared to beat his ass if he was in any way related to asswipe. “Sorry about that.”

He studies me but says nothing, waiting on an answer to his question.

“I’m Jonathan Hutchinson, her boyfriend who the hospital thinks is her fiancé so I could be in here and not leave her alone.”

“She told me about you.” He comes into the room and stops next to the chair I’m sitting in. “What the hell happened? They told me she was in the hospital and in critical condition, but no one said she was like this. I assumed she was in a car accident or something.”

“You remember Joseph Ayers?”

The calm and confusion washes away at the sound of the name and Robbie’s eyes go hard and his expression downright lethal.

“Are you telling me he did this?” His tone is so soft, I almost don’t hear him.

“Yes. She filed a restraining order under seal, but we think someone at the courthouse leaked it to the NFL and they asked him to withdraw from the draft. This was his response.”

“I’m going to kill him.”

“Get in line,” I mutter. “They charged him with first degree attempted murder, kidnapping, and a whole bunch of other charges related to Daisy, Will, and Lucy. Given who he is, they did give him bail, but it was three million dollars. As far as I know his ass is still sitting in jail because his parents don’t have the three hundred thousand necessary to bail him out. ”

“Lucy?” Robbie frowns. “Lucy’s in California.”

“She was here for a charity basketball game. He surprised them all in the parking garage across from Lucy’s hotel while I was still in a game at the arena. He almost killed them all.”

“Lucy still in the hospital?”

I shake my head. “She went home with her parents a few days ago.”

“The cops here decent?”

“So far. No one’s let him just walk out, which is more than the fuckers in West Virginia did.”

“Tell me what’s wrong with her.”

I give him the rundown of all her injuries, including the surgery she underwent yesterday to repair her hand.

“There’s fifteen pins from her fingers through her wrist to hold the bones together in places.

They won’t know about nerve damage until the hand is out of the cast, and she tries to use it.

Right now, the biggest worry is neuro. We don’t know how long she was without oxygen and blood to her brain.

It’s up in the air until they bring her out of the medically induced coma. ”

He scrubs a hand across his face. “Fuck me. Is she any better at all?”

“She’s still breathing man. That’s all I can ask for right now, but her vitals are steady and they’re talking about taking her off the vent today to see how her lung functions.”

He goes and drops into the other chair. “How did she even fucking survive all that?”

“My girl’s a fighter.”

“Your girl?”

I nod. “I’m marrying her as soon as she’s ready.”

“Don’t you think it’s a little too soon? You’ve known her a few months at best.”

“Nope. I knew she was important the moment I met her and I’m not running from that. She likes to run, but she also knows I’ll follow her anywhere.”

He stares at me, and I stare right back, keeping my gaze steady. I know he’s assessing me, but I don’t give two fucks if he finds me lacking or not. She’s my girl and I will marry her.

He can like me or not. It’ll be easier if he likes me, but it’s not necessary in the long run.

“You stink,” he says after a while.

“I haven’t left her side since I climbed into the ambulance with her apart from when she was in surgery or they take her to radiology. Me, Dylan, and Collin gave her CPR until the paramedics took over. I told her I wasn’t leaving her, and I meant that.”

“I’m sure there’s a shower around here somewhere.”

“There is. I took a shower a few days ago while Collin sat with her.”

“You can go shower and I’ll sit with her.”

“No.” The word is sharper than I meant it to be. “Sorry. I’m just…I can’t leave her.”

“Why?” he asks.

“I have this fear if I leave, she’ll stop breathing or her heart will stop.

I sat for fifteen minutes breathing for her while Dylan and Collin made sure her heart stayed beating.

I can’t get it out of my head. When I got there, she was lying broken on the ground, and she wasn’t breathing.

I can’t leave her, not until she wakes up and looks at me.

I know you’re her brother, I do, but I don’t know you.

The only person I trust to sit with her while I’m not here is Collin. ”

Again, he gives me that measured look and I stare right back at him. “You’ll do,” he says after a long while of the staring contest.

“I brought you clothes…” Collin trails off when he sees Robbie sitting in the chair across from me. “Who the fuck is this?”

“Meet Red’s brother, Robbie. This is Collin, your adopted brother.”

His eyebrows shoot up. “Adopted brother?”

“How else you expect me to get in here? These people are strict.”

He nods slowly. “Okay.”

“What took you so long to get here?” Collin questions as he sets a bag down beside my chair. “It’s been a week.”

“I was overseas, bedded down in enemy territory. It took them a while to reach me and then I spent days in transit. I got here as soon as I could.”

“I can’t fault that,” C says and then turns to me. “They come in yet and tell you if they’re going to take her off the vent?”

I shake my head. “I’m still waiting on the doctor and the respiratory therapist. How was practice?”

“Brutal.” He looks around and not seeing another chair, he sits in the floor beside my chair. “We go out of town in a week for two weeks of away games.”

“Fuck.”

“Coach was asking today when he can expect you back.”

“Not until she’s awake.”

“I told him that. He didn’t look to happy, but he didn’t say much else.”

“Barry said my spot is safe. I don’t think that’s an indefinite you got a job here, but for now, I’ll take it. He understands why I need to be here.”

“Barry?” Robbie’s frowning.

“Our boss. He owns the Minnesota Raptors hockey team based here in Minneapolis.”

“I forgot you’re a hockey player. All I’m used to is football players.”

“Fuck a football player,” Collin spits out. “We don’t mention that particular sport in her presence. Outside of Mitch and Will, we don’t trust any of them. One of the assholes on the team here gave asswipe information. He’s been charged right along with asswipe one and asswipe two.”

“Asswipe?” Poor guy looks even more confused.

“It’s what we call Ayers.” I spit his name out, not even wanting it on my tongue.

“Gotcha. It’s a good name for him.”

There’s a knock at the door and Shaw’s wife, Cora, comes in along with Dr. Briney, and the respiratory therapist, Sue Jennings.

He immediately frowns. “Why are there three people in here? You know the limit is two.” He zeros in on me, his eyes accusing.

“This is Senior Airman Robert Canton, Daisy’s brother. He just arrived from overseas. Collin came in barely a minute ago to drop off clothes and shower gel.”

His gaze swings to Robbie. “Is this young man your adopted brother? He keeps insisting on it, but none of the information online verifies it.”

“You don’t believe me, Doc?”

“No.”

“I’m hurt.”

“To answer your question, yes, this is our adopted brother.” The lie rolls so easily off Robbie’s tongue, I blink. Daisy is a terrible liar.

Dr. Briney frowns, clearly not expecting that, but hey, I’m not going to complain. Robbie could have come in and kicked us all out since he’s her actual next of kin. He didn’t do that, though, and I appreciate it.

It’s Sue who breaks the awkward silence. “We’re going to need all of you to vacate the room for a few minutes while we remove the vent. If she can breathe on her own, we’ll move her down to a regular floor and out of ICU.”

“I’m not leaving.” The doctor sighs when he sees the stubborn glint I know I have in my eye. My mother swears it’s over when I get that look. “If she stops breathing, I need to be here.”

“Mr. Hutchinson,” Sue starts, but Dr. Briney holds up a hand. “It’s fine, he can stay.”

It’s my turn to be shocked. I figured it was going to be another fight.

He smiles slightly, seeing my shock. “Everyone else out, please, so we can do this. It’s best to do it while she’s still unconscious as it can be painful to remove.”

Once everyone’s gone, I move out of Sue’s way and turn to the doctor. “Is it safe to remove the tube?”

“We’ve kept a close eye on her and have done several x-rays this morning alone.”

“I know,” I say sourly. “They won’t let me go with her to radiology.”

“Everything looks normal. I spoke with Dr. Sturgis earlier and he agrees her CT looks clear as well. No more swelling. He and I both agree it’s time to bring her out of the coma.”

Fear settles in my gut. As long as she’s asleep, her body is able to heal.

Dr. Briney’s hand comes down on my shoulder.

“This is a good thing, Mr. Hutchinson. I know it’s scary, but we need her awake to assess everything else.

By the time the drugs wear off, Dr. Sturgis should be out of surgery, and we’ll have answers for all of you.

She survived one of the most vicious attacks I’ve ever witnessed to have come through the ER doors.

It’s a miracle she’s alive. Have a little faith. I certainly do.”

Dr. Briney goes over to join Sue and it only takes a few minutes for them to remove the tube. I get closer so I can watch her chest.

One breath.

Two breaths.

Her chest is rising and falling naturally.

There’s no wheezing, no struggle to breathe.

She’s breathing on her own.

Thank you, God . She’s breathing.

“See?” Dr. Briney beams. “She’s strong and a fighter. We’re going to watch her for an hour up here just to be on the safe side and then I’ll have her moved to a regular room.”

“I want her in a private room where the press can’t get to her.”

He grimaces. “We’ve had an issue here before, but I suppose you know all about that being a Raptors player.”

“I do.” I don’t, but he doesn’t need to know that.

“We’ll make sure she’s in a private room. Will the security team you have on her remain as well?”

“As long as she’s here, they’ll be here.”

Even if asswipe is stuck in jail. His family isn’t and can harass her.

“If everything goes according to plan, she’ll be awake in a few hours. I suggest you take a shower and find some clean clothes before then. You don’t want her first breaths to be serious BO do you?”

“No. Collin’s here. I’ll take a shower while he sits with her.”

“Then I will go let them know to come back in, but remember, Mr. Hutchinson. Two people in this room at any given time. Do you understand?”

“I do.”

“Good, I’ll send them in.”

I turn away from him and watch as Cora checks Daisy’s vitals and her dressings, smiling for the first time in a week.

She’s breathing.

And they’re going to wake her up.

But they’re all right about one thing—I stink.

I don’t want her waking up to that.

She’s breathing and she’ll be awake within a few hours.

Thank you, God.