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“Deer in the middle of the road. Tried to swerve, ended up going down the embankment into a ditch.”
“Mmmhmm. Sounds about right. How’s your memory? You know where you are?”
“Idaho.”
She asks me a couple of basic questions about my name and the date before she pulls a penlight out of her pocket. Clicking it on, she shines it into my eyes and makes me follow her finger back and forth. The bright light pricks at my brain like an ice pick.
Audra’s legs are kicking in my lap. Working around the doctor, I stand her up, holding her hands so she can bounce in my lap. Focusing on her babbling is preferable to being poked and prodded.
“She’s a cutie. Pediatrics checked her over when she came in. Other than the slight bruising on her shoulders, she should be fine. If you notice anything out of normal for her, lack of appetite, vomiting, not sleeping, or sleeping more than normal, bring her back in and we’ll look her over again.”
I nod. Thankful for the information. She’s acting like herself right now, and I thank every deity that there is that she’s okay.
“Do you have anyone we can call for you?”
I shake my head. “When can I get out of here?”
I need to figure out the extent of damage to my camper and figure out my next moves.
“We’ll probably keep you here until tonight so we can observe you for a full twenty-four hours. You have a mild concussion, some bruising yourself, and I’d bet some whiplash setting in right about now.”
Audra starts to fuss in my lap, and after a quick glance at the clock, I note that it’s nearly seven in the morning. Time for breakfast for my girlie.
Except I don’t have her food. I don’t even know where the diaper she’s wearing came from.
“Did she eat last night?” I ask the doctor hoping that they know.
She checks a second chart at the end of my bed. “Looks like they tried to give her a bottle at four, but she didn’t want it, so they let her be.”
Yeah. My girlie is hungry.
I glance at the hospital gown, not wanting to hike it up enough to free a boob, but the aches in my shoulder stop me from reaching over to untie the garment.
“Can you — uh — can you untie the back so I can feed her?” I ask the doctor.
“Of course.” She comes to stand behind me and the material of the gown pulls for a second before loosening enough for me to drag it down my shoulder while I position Audra.
“She exclusively breastfed?” Doctor Aldric asks.
I nod. “Yeah.”
“Probably why she didn’t want the formula the Calhouns kept trying to push on her.”
“The Calhouns?” I ask. I know they introduced themselves to me when I woke up, but in my panic, I’d already forgotten their last name.
“Yeah. Sheriff Harlan and his brothers. Thick as thieves. He called Jedd — he owns the local mechanic shop —to drag your camper out of the ditch and they all showed up here about six a.m. Speaking of Jedd — he brought your purse and your daughter’s diaper bag.” She points to the corner of the room where our meager belongings are.
“Oh. Okay.”
My hesitant response urges her to continue. “They’re good boys. A little rambunctious sometimes, lord knows they ran roughshod through this town as teenagers, but good boys nonetheless.”
I nod, because what the hell am I supposed to say to that?
“Harlan had to run to the station, but he’s probably going to have some questions for you to file his report. You try to get some rest, and I’ll be back in to check on you in a little bit. Dial zero-zero-one on the phone for the cafeteria to order breakfast. Call if you need help or want one of the nurses to watch your girl there while you rest.”
I lean back in the bed after she leaves and switch Audra to my other breast. By the time she’s done eating, she’s almost asleep and while that’s not normal for her, I don’t know how much sleep she got last night. She’ll probably nap for a bit — which doesn’t sound like a bad idea.
After tucking her into my side, my own eyes start to get heavy. I yank one of the pillows from behind my head and tuck it between the bedrail and my daughter’s back so she doesn’t roll over and hug her to my chest.
