Forever Santa (13 page)

“I’m too tough to die,” she whispered.

She didn’t look tough at the moment. She was small and pale, so fragile that he was scared she’d never be well again.

“Can I have some water?”

Trent reached for the cup beside her bed and held her head while she took a small sip. “Mom thought you might want this.” He took the lid off the lip balm his mom had left for her.

She reached up and spread it on her mouth, sighing in relief. “That feels better. How are you feeling?”

He held Gracie’s hand and almost wept when her fingers curled around his. He remembered sitting in the truck, her unconscious body slumped in her seat.

“Trent?”

He took a deep breath and smiled. “I’m fine. Nothing a few days won’t fix.”

“Did anyone call my dad and Kristina?”

“I called them when you got out of surgery. The airline was able to change your dad’s flight. He’s arriving this evening.”

Gracie looked confused. “What’s the time now?”

He glanced down at his watch. “Four o’clock in the morning. It’s Christmas eve.”

Gracie wiped more tears off her face. “We could have died.”

“But we didn’t. We’re here for a reason, Gracie. It wasn’t our time.”

She tried taking a deep breath, but groaned softly instead.

“Do you need more pain relief?”

“No, I’ll be okay. I just can’t breathe too deeply. I don’t remember anything about the accident. What happened?”

“Dan came and saw me while you were in surgery. The other truck went through a red light. It hit the back of our truck on your side and the impact spun us around. The driver of the other truck had a few cuts and bruises. They’ve gone home.”

“Why did they go through the red light?”

“The driver was talking on her cell phone. She didn’t see the lights change. Before she went home she came and saw me, apologized for what happened.”

“She must feel terrible.”

Trent held back saying what he thought of the woman. She’d not only been on her phone, she’d been speeding. With the roads covered in ice and more snow falling, she shouldn’t have been driving anywhere near the speed she’d been going. He’d never felt so angry in his life.

Gracie moved a little in bed. “I guess this means you won’t be getting your favorite person wrapped in a red bow for Christmas.”

“My favorite person is still alive. That’s the best Christmas present I could ever get.”

“You say the sweetest things, Trent McKenzie.” Gracie closed her eyes and sighed.

He leaned across the bed and kissed her forehead. “I love you, short stuff.” And before he’d finished pulling a chair across to her bed, Gracie had fallen asleep.

CHAPTER TWELVE

Gracie looked up from the book she was reading and listened to the commotion in the hallway. It was five o’clock in the evening. Almost twenty-four hours since they’d had their accident.

The day had passed in a blur. Between the constant checks the nurses did on her catheter and pump, a blood test, and another ultrasound of their baby, the room had been more like Grand Central Station than a hospital room. Trent had been discharged earlier in the afternoon and he’d gone back to his mom’s house for a shower.

The noise coming from the hallway was getting closer and Gracie tried to figure out what was going on.

Jordan stuck his head around the doorway and grinned at her. “Close your eyes, Gracie.”

“What are you…”

“Just close your eyes.”

She didn’t trust the smile on his face, but closed her eyes anyway. There couldn’t be that much mischief he could get up to in the hospital.

She heard Trent giving directions. Heard someone bump into something. There was a soft swishing sound, then a thud. She didn’t have a clue what was happening, but she could almost guarantee the nurses knew nothing about it.

“Keep your eyes closed. We’ve got some tidying up to do.”

Someone shushed Jordan and he laughed.

After a few minutes she said, “Can I open my eyes now?”

A chorus of, “No,” filled the room.

“Turn the lights off,” someone whispered.

Gracie frowned. “Is that you, Karen?”

“It is. We won’t be long.”

Finally, she heard Trent say, “Open your eyes, Gracie.”

She opened her eyes and blinked a few times. Sitting in the corner of their room was a Christmas tree complete with sparkly lights and decorations. And they weren’t just any decorations. They’d chosen the stars her mom had bought each Christmas in New Zealand.

“Merry Christmas,” Trent said. Jordan, Karen, and Tess smiled at her.

“It’s beautiful. You chose mom’s stars.”

Jordan turned the lights on above Gracie’s bed. “You’ll be in the hospital for at least another week, so we thought we’d bring Christmas to you.”

“Am I allowed a tree in the room?”

Karen patted her hand. “The nurses said it was okay as long as it wasn’t a real pine tree. Macy’s had a sale, so Trent and I went Christmas tree hunting. We want Christmas to be special for you.”

“I’m baking Christmas cookies when I get back to the cafe,” Tess said. “I’ll bring them with me tomorrow.”

“And mom spoke with the nurses,” Jordan added. “They said we could eat our Christmas lunch in the hospital with you. We just need to be reasonably quiet and bring them dessert.”

“Sounds like the kind of deal you’d make, Jordan.”

He smiled. “I thought the same thing myself.”

Trent sat in the chair beside Gracie’s bed and held her hand.

“How are you feeling?” Tess asked.

“A bit sore, but the catheters should be coming out tomorrow.”

“You’ll feel better when everything’s gone and you can breath easier,” Karen said. “I’m going to get a coffee from the cafeteria. Does anyone want to join me?” she looked pointedly at Jordan.

“Do I have too?”

“You might meet a nice single nurse or doctor upstairs,” Tess added. “Just imagine the opportunities that might be waiting for you.”

“I’m not looking for opportunities,” Jordan grumbled. “Unless they can help with my website, I haven’t got time for anyone.”

“Come and spend time with your mom, Jordan. You can save me from a tall, dark, distinguished doctor who might be looking for opportunities.”

“Jeez, mom. Keep it clean.” Jordan moved to the foot of the bed. “But if I have to go, so does Tess. She could do with meeting someone.”

Tess glared at the smile on Jordan’s face. “Anyone would think the hospital cafeteria is a singles bar. And just for the record, I’m not looking for any opportunities either.”

“Have all of you been drinking eggnog when I wasn’t looking?” Trent asked.

“Nope. We’re high on Christmas spirit.” Jordan linked his arms between his mom and Tess. “Ladies, your escort awaits.”

Tess rolled her eyes and slipped her hand into the crook of his arm. “If you so much as glance at a doctor or nurse I’m going to kick you in the shins.”

“I’ll make sure I’m not sitting opposite you then.” Jordan looked into the corridor and smiled. “You’ll have another visitor in a couple of minutes, Gracie.”

Karen, Jordan, and Tess left the room. Gracie listened to them joking with each other as they walked down the hallway.

“How’s the head?” Gracie asked.

“Still there.” Trent smiled. “We’ll have matching scars.”

“Must be a sign of true love.”

Someone tapped on the door and Gracie looked across the room.
“Dad.”
She held her arms out and gave him a big hug.

“Trent told me about the accident. I got here as soon as I could. How are you?”

“I’m doing okay. The doctor said my lung’s inflating really well. The catheter can come out tomorrow. Did Trent tell you…”

“No, Gracie. I haven’t told him.”

Her dad looked worried and tired. Gracie held his hand and hoped what she had to say would make him a little happier. “We’re having a baby, dad. A little girl. We were leaving the hospital after our scan when the accident happened.”

Tears filled her dad’s eyes. “Oh, Gracie. I’m so happy for you. Is the baby all right?”

“She’s fine, dad.”

“And what about your ribs and your lung. Will you be okay as the baby gets bigger?”

Gracie had asked her doctor the same thing this morning. “I’ll be looked after by a specialist while I’m pregnant. I’ll see them more often than I normally would, especially in the last three months. Being pregnant isn’t the best time to fracture your ribs, but we’ll be okay.”

“Kristina’s going to be so happy. She’ll keep herself busy by knitting bonnets and bootees while she sits with Alex.”

“How is he, dad?”

“Better than a few days ago. He’s never liked hospitals, but he doesn’t have much choice this time.”

Gracie knew the feeling. This was the first time she’d stayed overnight in a hospital and she missed her own bed all ready. “Do they think he’ll be able to ride again?”

“If he wants to ride, he’ll be able to. His doctor thinks it will take about four months for his leg to fully heal. They’ve told him the risks of going back, but he’s not listening.”

“Sounds like some other stubborn bull rider I know.” Gracie smiled at her dad. He’d toured the world, riding in rodeos. Between rodeos he’d given classes on how to ride.

Even now, more than thirty years after he’d given up professional bull riding, he still had sell-out classes at his ranch. But her dad’s most successful business was breeding bulls. Each year his company sired some of the highest ranked bulls in the world, and this year was no different.

Alex took after their dad. He was an adrenalin junkie. Gracie didn’t know what her brother would do if he wasn’t able to ride bulls.

“Don’t worry about Alex,” her dad said. “You’ve got more important things to focus on. And for now, it looks as though sleep should be at the top of your list.”

“You can stay longer,” Gracie said.

Her dad kissed her cheek. “You look tired. Karen’s invited me to stay with her to save me driving all the way out to our ranch. I’ll come and have Christmas lunch with you tomorrow.”

Gracie’s dad gave Trent a hug. “Take care of her son.”

“I will. Mom’s upstairs in the cafeteria with Jordan and Tess if you want to join them for coffee?”

Her dad smiled. “Don’t mind if I do. See you later, Gracie.”

“Bye, dad.”

Gracie closed her eyes and sighed. “It’s been a big day.”

“A good day. You’re getting better.” Trent held her hand and wound his fingers through hers. “I’ll miss my room mate tonight.”

Gracie tried to laugh, but her ribs hurt too much. “You snore.”

“Snoring is a primitive form of communication, cave man style. Every time you hear me snore I’m telling you I love you.”

“You could do it with flowers.”

“But they don’t make any noise.”

“Precisely.” Gracie grinned at her husband. “Thank you for bringing in the Christmas tree. It beats a bouquet of flowers any day.”

“Did you see the invisible,
I love you
, words in it’s branches?”

“I did. I saw mom’s decorations, too.” Gracie’s eyes filled with tears. “We could have lost our baby girl yesterday.”

Trent wrapped her in his arms and held her close. “But we didn’t. Hold that thought close to your heart. Our little girl’s alive, you’re getting better. We’ve got family and friends who love us. You can’t get much better than that.”

Gracie soaked in his warmth and tried to slow down her breathing. “Could you pass me some tissues?”

Trent reached for a box on her bedside cabinet. “That I can do. As many as you want.”

Gracie blew her nose and thought about what Trent had said. They had a lot to be thankful for. But the thing she was most grateful for was her husband.

***

“Ho, ho, ho.” Jordan stood in the doorway of Gracie’s hospital room, grinning beneath the white beard on his face.

Gracie laughed at the big tummy filling his jacket. “You’ve put on at least fifty pounds since I last saw you, Santa.”

“I’ve been overindulging in Christmas cookies.”

Trent pushed his brother into the room. “Keep moving. I want to kiss my wife.”

“You’ll have to stand in line behind me.” Jordan leaned forward and kissed her cheek. “Merry Christmas, Gracie.”

“Merry Christmas, Jordan,” she said softly.

Trent tapped his brother on the shoulder. “Are you done yet?”

“I know you had to spend the night apart,” Jordan said. “But this is ridiculous. Tell him he’s gone loopy, mom.”

“There’s nothing wrong with your brother.” Karen smiled at Gracie as she walked into the room holding a picnic basket. “If you’re getting all hot and bothered in your Santa suit, you can go and get the rest of our lunch out of the truck.”