Chapter 3

Tom Steffen’s family arrived at the hospital five hours after leaving the Long Island apartment he shared with his wife and daughter. Tara asked her family to take Lilly to the hotel they booked during the ride, but Margie refused. She insisted on accompanying Tara and Charlotte to the hospital.
“We’ll have lunch in the café while you speak to the doctor. Once you have a prognosis, Lilly and I will drive to the hotel.”
“How do we explain a hospital visit to Lilly?” Tara whispered. “I told her we were taking a girl’s trip.”
“How will you explain your absence this week?” Margie stared at her daughter. “Tell her Charlotte wants to visit a sick friend in the hospital. Lilly will believe anything we tell her.”
Tara rolled her eyes at Margie. She loved her mother, but worried she might make the situation more difficult than necessary.
Jenn accompanied Tara and Charlotte to speak to the doctor, so that Tara wouldn’t have to leave the floor to relay the information to their mother.
Doctor Najami escorted the women into Tom’s room. “Don’t be frightened by the machines he’s hooked up to.” The doctor warned. “Each machine monitors his vitals.”
The doctor stopped in front of the nurses’ station and directed them, with his hand, into a room surrounded by glass walls. Charlotte grabbed Tara’s hand and together they walked toward the bed. Tears streamed down Tara’s face the moment she saw Tom. Spurts of black hair escaped from the white gauze wrapped around his head. The half-sleeve of tattoos on his right arm confirmed the injured man was her husband.
She could handle the tubes connecting her husband to the various machines, the doctor informed her of their importance. The tube taped to his mouth distressed her. She didn’t like the...

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...harlotte cried. “He has his whole life in front of him.”
“He’ll get through this,” Jenn assured her. “Tom is too strong to let an injury beat him.”
“He doesn’t look strong.” Charlotte pointed out his pallid skin color. “He looks closer to sixty years old.
“I think in the short time since we’ve learned about this accident, we have all aged.” Jenn commented. “Doctors warn that injuries worsen before they improve.”
“I hope so,” Charlotte said.
“Do you know how many of my clients feared an injury would sideline them forever? Then one day their condition improves and they are back to the gym. The same will happen for Tom.”
“I’ve told him a hundred times to wear his seatbelt.” Charlotte added.
Tara listened to the conversation around her but did not participate. She used the time to mentally force Tom to open the green eyes that attracted her when they first met.