Becoming Forever (Waking Forever Series) (16 page)

“Christ, do I look that bad?” Ash managed a joke as much to put her family at ease as to reassure herself she was okay.

The room burst into laughter. “She’s still a smartass, so it can’t be that serious.” Jason teased.

It was Michael’s turn to give Ash grief. “And to answer your question, you kinda do look like shit
, sister.”

Ash smiled, and quickly thought better of it as a sharp pain shot along her right jaw. Putting her hand to her face, Ash could feel the swelling. “This can’t be good.” She maintained a light tone even though she felt tears welling in her eyes.

“You’ve suffered a grade three concussion with abrasions to the skin directly over the mandible.” Emma’s melodic voice came from somewhere near the door of the room. “You’ll have bruising and swelling that should diminish within a week to ten days.”

Ash looked over James’ shoulder as the top of Emma’s blonde head came into focus. A moment later, as the doctor moved closer to the bed, the woman’s intense blue eyes broke through the haziness of Ash’s vision.

“Emma. I didn’t know you were there. Please come in.” Ash took her hand from James’ and reached toward her friend.

Emma hesitated, and then put her hand in Ash’s. “I don’t want to intrude. I just wanted to make certain you were okay.”

Ash nodded slowly, not wanting to start another chain reaction of pain in her head. “I think so. Thanks to you.”

“What do you mean?” Amy asked.

Ash looked at her sister-in-law. “Emma found me and called an ambulance.”

Jason turned to Emma and smiled. “We can’t thank you enough.”

Ash’s confusion from earlier came back to her, and she cleared her throat before speaking. “Hey, why were you at my apartment?”

Emma frowned. “We had a dinner date, and when you didn’t show, and I couldn’t get you on the phone, I drove over to your apartment.”

Ash furrowed her brow. “How did you know where I live?”

Emma
hesitated as she looked from Ash to the five people standing around her. “I remembered your address from when I helped with your mother.”

James cocked his head to the side and looked at Ash. “Helped with your mother?”

Ash shifted in the bed. Her back was tightening up from lying flat. “Emma is the Deputy M.E. that worked on Mom.”

James nodded and turned to Emma. “Then this family owes you a couple thanks. I remember Ash telling us you had been very considerate with her when she talked to you about Elizabeth.”

James wiped at his eyes as they filled with tears. “And now you’ve saved my daught -” James took a deep breath and looked lovingly at Ash.

Katy walked around the bed, and put her arm on James’ shoulder. “It’s o
kay. She’s fine, Dad.” She pulled the man toward a chair in the corner of the room. “Let’s sit.”

Emma nodded to the family members and at Ash. “I’m glad you’re okay. We’ll have
to reschedule that beer tast-”

Emma stopped, a
peculiar look coming over her face followed by a flash of blue in her eyes as her nostrils flared slightly.

“Ash?” Lara came through the door
, and paused as she looked around the room, her eyes coming to rest on Ash. “I talked to your father and he said someone had broken into your apartment, and attacked you.” The dark haired woman walked quickly past Emma, and stood at Ash’s bed side.

Her thinking
was still a little clouded, and it took her a second to realize what was happening. “Lara, how did you -”

James spoke from the corner, where he and Katy now sat. “The ambulance driver gave me your personal effects, and your phone rang. I worried it was your work; so I answered.”

James smiled at Lara. “It was Lara on the other end, and once we got past the initial confusion of who was who, I told her what happened.”

Lara took Ash’s hand, and the warmth of her touch spread up Ash’s arm. “Are you okay?”

Ash was touched Lara had come to the hospital. They had gone out a couple times, and it seemed like they might take it to the next level, but this wasn’t anything Ash had expected. “I am.”

Ash loo
ked around Lara, to a now silent and oddly tense Emma. “Thanks to Emma.”

Lara slowly turned and faced Emma. She released Ash’s hand as she took a step toward the doctor. “
Emma. Lara Ramirez. I’ve heard so much about you.”

Ash pursed her lips. She was a little out of it, but she couldn’t remember talking to Lara about Emma.
She assumed it was just a turn of phrase that Lara used to ease introductions. Ash interjected. “Emma found me, and called the ambulance.”

Lara stretched out her hand, and waited for several seconds while Emma, her eyes fixed on Lara, chewed on the inside of her cheek nervously. “Thank god for your timing and resourcefulness
, doctor.” Lara leaned in slightly toward Emma and lowered her voice. “Was there blood? I would have passed out if there had been blood, but then again, you probably don’t mind it.”

Lara grinned.
“You being a doctor and all.”

Emma took Lara’s hand in hers
, and shook it quickly. “It’s what anyone would have done given the circumstances.”

Lara nodded, and
squeezed Emma’s hand, not allowing her to remove it. “Your hand is like ice.” Lara glanced back at Ash and then settled her gaze on Emma again.

Emma slowly
extracted her hand from Lara’s, and forced a smile. “Hazard of the trade.” She looked up to find six sets of eyes transfixed on her and Lara. “I wash my hands a lot and it makes them dry.” Her statement was met with blank stares.

“I lotion to stop the skin from drying out, and in return, the lotion evaporates and causes my hands to seem unusually cold.” Emma
looked over Lara’s shoulder and gave Ash a pleading look.

Ash wasn’t sure what had just transpired between Emma and Lara. Both women had taken on nearly aggressive posturing with one another, and their tones had been edgy. The look on Emma’s face verged on hostile, and then as their eyes met, it was clear to Ash her friend wanted out of this exchange.

Before Ash could speak, Jason chimed in. “Given your line of work doc, it’s a plus in my book that you’re that hygienic.” The room erupted into nervous laughter as Lara turned back to Ash, and took her hand.

Ash tisked. “Classy
, Jason. Everyone, this is Lara Ramirez. Lara and I have been dating the past few weeks.” The family smiled and nodded. Jason caught Ash’s eye and winked, causing Ash to shake her head disapprovingly, until the throbbing from her concussion halted her judgment.

“I’ll be going now. Ash, please give me a call
, and we can reschedule when you’re feeling better.” Emma nodded and then quickly turned and exited the room.

Ash watched as her usually poised friend practically sprinted out of the room.
She would talk with her later about it, but for now, all the back and forth had exhausted her. “Would y’all hate me if I needed to rest?”

Michael spoke first. “So glad you said that, because standing around staring at each other for the rest of the evening was not high on my list of priorities.
  It gets really boring.”

Ash sighed. “Thanks
, Mike, love you too.”

“Ash, I spoke with Cris earlier. The police are at your apartment now, but if they will let me, I’ll see about getting your toiletries and some pajamas.” Amy smiled and patted Ash’s hand. “Otherwise, I’ll swing by Target and pick a few things up.” She glanced at her watch. “I should be back in a couple hours.”

Ash didn’t have any biological sisters, but her brothers had married women that she thought of like her sisters. “Thanks, Amy.”

Lara took a step back as Ash’s family members came over and each gave her a gentle hug, and said their goodbyes. When the room was empty
, Lara took Ash’s hand in hers again. “You’re very lucky to have a family that loves you so much.”

There was a hint of bitterness in her voice that made Ash wonder about her upbringing. Lara had been vague about her family, and all Ash really knew was where they were from and that they had wealth.

Lara brushed a stray strand of hair from Ash’s forehead, and Ash felt a lump form in her throat at the concern in the woman’s eyes. “I know. I would be lost without them.”

Lara nodded, and gently ran her finger down Ash’s non-swollen cheek. “I’m going too, but I want you to know that when your father told me what had happened, I realized -” Lara hesitated, and looked down. “I rea
lized I wanted more for you and I.” Lara looked at Ash for several seconds. “Is that something you might want too?”

The lump in Ash’s throat suddenly felt like a weight that had rolled down onto her chest. She cared for Lara, and her being here today made it clear how much Lara cared for her. Ash opted for the truth, even if it did make her seem a bit like a coward.

“I’ve been thinking about that too, but I don’t want to make any decisions when I’m only a couple hours from nearly being pummeled to death in my own home.” Ash smiled, not wanting Lara to think she was upset the subject had been broached.

“Oh god, of course. I’m sorry.” Lara rubbed her forehead. “I wasn’t thinking, and I should have waited.”

Ash reached for Lara’s hand. “There’s no script for these things, so it’s okay. You were honest, and I wanted to be with you too.” Ash lifted Lara’s hand to her lips, and lightly kissed it.

The dark haired woman smiled,
leaned in and kissed Ash softly on the lips. “I’ll come by tomorrow.”

Ash nodded. “Sadly, I think I’ll still be here.”

Lara smiled and left the room, pulling the door closed behind her. Ash lay looking up at the ceiling of the now silent hospital room. The silence was short lived. There was a knock on the door, and a split second later a tall, svelte redheaded man walked into Ash’s room dressed in black scrubs. “Ms. Haines. I’m Gabriel, your nurse. Doctor Stephens will be in shortly, but a quick overview. You have a concussion, and we will be keeping you for several days to observe, and run additional tests until we are comfortable everything in the wiring is okay.”

The man pointed at Ash’s head. “You were unconscious for a while
, and several times by Dr. Atman’s reckoning. That’s not good, hence the multiple days of observations.” The man paused and made eye contact with Ash for the first time. “Any questions?”

Ash shook her head. She doubted she would be able to get a word in if he got going again.
“Thank you.”

“Please don’t hesitate to hit the call button if you need anything, and depen
ding on what the doctor says, I’ll get you some pain meds for that jaw.” Gabriel pulled the laptop cart over, and began quickly typing. “It won’t be the good stuff, though. We don’t want you passing out from the head injury and we just think you’ve taken a happy ride on Demerol.”

In several quick clicks, the nurse slid the mouse back and forth, and then pushed the cart back into the corner. “Dr
. Stephens should be in shortly.” Without waiting for Ash’s response, Gabriel walked out of the room, leaving the door open.

Ash hit the button on her bed to recline it. Realizing the further back she laid, the more her head throbbed, she opted to remain in a pseudo seated position.

Damnit, I didn’t think to ask anyone for something to read.
She knew her head hurt too badly to focus on the television across the room. A faint buzzing sound came from the night stand. Ash smiled, realizing her father had left her phone with her. She smiled when Cris’ name came up on the caller ID. “Yo, partner.” She wanted to keep this light.

“Yo yourself. Are you okay?” Cris’ tone was tense.

“I’m okay. My head hurts like hell, but I’m gonna live.” Ash smiled at her partner’s concern.

“CSI is at your place now. I’m heading over there shortly.” Cris took a deep breath. “Clark and Holmes are on the case. It’s being treated as a burglary that got interrupted.”

Ash bit her lower lip. A lot of what happened was still a blur. She knew in time that could change, but what she was certain of was it wasn’t a burglary. “Are you going to come to the hospital after?” She wanted to talk through this with him in person.

“I had planned on it.” Cris answered. “Can probably get there around nine.”

“Great, can you bring me a few magazines?” Ash asked with a smile on her face.

“Hold up. Would that involve me going into a book store? Because you know I’m functionally illiterate.” Cris teased.

Ash chuckled. “I don’t want you to strain yourself. Can you bring my iPad from the nightstand? The charger is in the drawer.”

“Done and done. See you in a few hours.” Cris ended the call.

Ash put the phone back on the nightstand, and within a few seconds it began buzzing again. She looked at the caller ID and shook her head. “Hey, Al.”

“Sweet Mary
Magdalene and all the saints, what’s happened?” Alan’s voice was at least an octave higher than usual.

“Intruder in my apartment, and I had the misfortune of interrupting them.” She wasn’t going to tell Alan about her suspic
ions until she knew for certain, and maybe not even then depending on how crazy the truth was.