Page 106 of Solo

“Katie?”

I don’t recognize the voice.

“Katie, come on, honey, time to wake up,” the voice coaxes me.

I mumble something unintelligible, even to me.

“Katie…”

“Stop calling me that…” I whisper hoarsely.

“There you are! Open your eyes, hon. Come on.”

I want her to shut up so I can get back to my dream, but somehow, I know she won’t let me until I give her what she wants. Slowly, painfully, I open my eyes against the light of the hospital room.

“Hello, darlin’!” the tall black woman says as she leans over me. Her smile is bright and her eyes are soft.

“I don’t know you,” I murmur.

“No, you don’t. But I know you! My name is Beverly. You can call me Bev. I know you’re Katherine but it don’t seem like you like to be called Katie.”

I shake my head no and let my lids droop closed again.

“Uh-uh! Wake up, Katherine!”

I open to her again and am rewarded with that brilliant smile.

“Please let me sleep. I was dreaming about my daddy.”

“Oh, darlin’, he just stepped out to get a cup of coffee. I promised him I’d try and get you to eat something.”

Wait. What?

I force myself to focus.

“My father is here?”

“Yes’m. He’s been here for a couple days now, but you’ve been too out of it to realize it.”

“Why is he here?”

Something about this question strikes Beverly as funny.

“Oh, you’re just a silly one, aren’t you? He’s here cause he’s your daddy.”

I shake my head.

“No, you don’t understand,” I explain. “He doesn’t care that I’m in the hospital—”

“Of course I do.”

I’m wondering how it is that my father’s voice is coming out of this woman’s mouth. But it’s not, is it? Because her mouth never moved. God, I’m so confused.

Beverly steps away and is replaced by the tall, lean, handsome figure of Senator Tucker Brenner.

“Of course I care,” he repeats, taking the seat next to my bed.

I feel my eyes grow wide and my breathing gets even shallower.