The light became dim again.
No! Don’t send me back into that nothingness.
Carolyn fought to remember what happened next as she waged a silent battle with the encroaching darkness…and lost.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Hospital, Day 4—morning
“Ma’am? I’ll have to see what’s in the box.”
A soft voice answered, but he couldn’t make out the words—or who the voice belonged to.
Carson scooted forward and saw a tall, lithe blonde woman standing at the nurse’s desk while they inspected whatever she’d brought him. While he appreciated their vigilance, he was pretty sure he knew what was in that box and his stomach rumbled.
Domini turned and faltered a step when she saw him staring at her. “Carson. I didn’t expect you to be right there.”
“Not a lot of other places to go.” He eyed the package and felt a tug on his heart. The outside of the white box had been decorated in marker and crayon with hearts and flowers.
“I see that gleam in your eyes and yes, these are for you. Liesl baked them all by herself. Oxsana and Sasha decorated the box.”
Across the top they’d written, Love you, Grandpa!! Get Well Soon, Gran-gran!! Miss you!!
“I’m a lucky man to have the best granddaughters in the world,” he said huskily. “Tell my girls thanks and that me’n Gran-gran will treat them to ice cream when she’s feelin’ up to it.” He opened the box. “Oatmeal raisin. My favorite.” He snatched one off the top and bit into it. “Damn that girl can bake. Takes after her Gran-gran.” He finished the cookie in two bites.
“I’ll tell her you said so.”
After he realized his rudeness—shoving a cookie in his pie hole without saying hello to his daughter-in-law, he brushed the crumbs off his shirt. As he took a swig of soda, he gave her a quick head to toe inspection. No wonder Cam called her princess. Domini had a foreign look about her—delicate features, icy blue eyes and white blonde hair that spoke of her Ukrainian heritage. In addition to running Dewey’s Delish Dish, she was a cop’s wife, and dealt with Cam’s lingering effects from his stint in the army and his career—and nearly life-ending injury. Now she and Cam had six busy, rowdy kids. Not necessarily shy, but soft-spoken, Domini was the picture of calmness. It seemed nothing rattled her even in the sea of chaos that was their life raising a big family.
“Domini, you’re lookin’ as pretty and happy as ever. I trust my son is takin’ good care of you?”
She blushed. “Always. And I’ll say again, it’s obvious where your son got his charm.”
He smiled and swigged his Dr. Pepper.
“Any change with Carolyn?”
“Nope. They’re still plannin’ on slowly bringing her out of the coma whenever the hell they deem it so.” That didn’t sound bitter at all.
Domini gazed at the small space and his corner of the room where he’d literally set up camp. Those calm eyes bored into him. “What are you eating?”
“Some stuff from the cafeteria.” When he remembered to eat. “I’m getting by.”
“Have any of your children been by to make sure you’re all right? Or are they boycotting this place like Cam is?”
“Haven’t seen any of them.” He reached for another cookie. “Is it an organized boycott?” Carson had a funny mental image of his grown children holding protest signs, marching in front of the hospital, shouting at passersby that they wanted their mommy.
Getting punchy, McKay.
“I have no idea. And no offense, but I’m just as mad at your other kids as I am at your son. So you can quit wondering if I’m here to plead for visitation rights on his behalf.”
Carson bit into the cookie. Chewed. Swallowed. “Domini, darlin’, I don’t want to put you at odds with Cam.”
“I’m at odds with him because he’s a freakin’ hypocrite.” She rattled off a Ukrainian phrase he doubted flattered his son. “Anton and Liesl are steering clear of him after he went on a tear about his rights and they asked if he’d apply that same argument if I was in the hospital.”
“What’d Cam say?”
“Nothing. He just snapped at them. But Oxsana informed her father that if Grandpa wanted to ban everyone from Gran-gran’s room, that he shouldn’t argue because he’s supposed to honor his mother and father no matter what, no matter how old he is.”
Touched, he said, “My little I-haven’t-found-a-rule-that-can’t-be-broken Oxsana said that?”
“Yes. Evidently she’s been paying attention in Sunday school,” Domini said dryly. “And Dimitri told Cam he should listen to you because you know everything. And he emphasized everything twice.”
Carson grinned. “Bet that put a knot in Cam’s shorts.”
Domini laughed. “Yes, it did. I thought you ought to know your grandkids have your back.” Her smile slipped away. “That’s not to say that the kids aren’t worried about Carolyn. We told them what happened. And trust me, they’re all super healthy right now—” she knocked on the wooden chair leg, “—or even I wouldn’t have risked coming here.”
“I’m glad you did. And not just because you brought me cookies.” He paused. “Why’d you call Cam a hypocrite?”
“He made decisions after his war injuries about keeping his family away due to health issues that served his needs. Not just for a few days, but for years. He can’t fault you for making a decision that serves your needs first.”