Moni
When my eyes opened for a second time, Troy was by my side. He smiled.
I expressed the first thought that sprung into my head, “Ruby?”
He touched his lips to my forehead. “She’s fine. She’s healing.”
Then my second thought, “I’m going to kill Lauren.”
“Get in line.” He smirked.
“Is Ruby really okay?”
He nodded. “Yeah. She woke up just before you did.” He reached for my hand. “Her doctor says it’s gonna take some time for her to be one-hundred-per-cent, with all those lacerations.”
My head was throbbing as if that baseball bat was still knocking me around. “I’m glad she’s okay. And you?”
He grinned. “We’ll all be just fine. Nothing we DeGaris’ can’t handle.” He winked and pulled out his phone.
“I want to see her.”
“She’s asleep, but I’ll see what I can do.”
Ten minutes later, Troy was wheeling me down the corridor, into the children’s ward. Patrick was by Ruby’s bed. He grinned when we approached and vacated his seat. Troy helped me up — my legs too wobbly to stand on my own — and Pat stroked my shoulder.
“How’re ya doin’?” he said.
I took in my step-daughter’s restful form. “Fine,” I said and sat in his place. We were going to be just fine, from now on.