Mom lets out a chuckle. “Go have something to eat, please.”
“I’ll just hang out in the cafeteria while I wait.”
“That’s a good idea. I’ll message you when we’re ready to move, Carla.”
I press a kiss to Mom’s cheek.
When I start to walk down the hallway, Mom says, “Don’t have the meatloaf.”
I let out a chuckle. “Okay.”
I’ve just taken a seat at a table with a chicken sandwich when Mr. Reyes comes in. He gets himself a coffee before he comes to join me.
We sit in silence for a while, then I mention, “My mom said Dr. Wells will do a scan later. We might be able to determine the sex of the baby. You and Mrs. Reyes should be there.”
The corner of Mr. Reyes’ mouth tips up. “We’d love that.” He takes a sip of his coffee, then his face turns grim as he says, “The man who shot Carla has been admitted to an asylum. They say he suffered a mental breakdown brought on by the loss of his son.”
Shaking my head, I mutter, “It’s still… I can’t believe it happened.” My gaze locks with his. “I’m guessing my mother doesn’t know yet?”
“No, I thought it would be best if we only tell her after Carla is out of the ICU.” He lets out a hollow-sounding chuckle. “Selfish of me, I know. But I wanted her to focus on Carla.”
“You did the right thing,” I assure him. “I’d like to tell my mom, or she’ll blame herself.”
“Okay,” Mr. Reyes agrees. “Let me know if you want me there.”
My mouth curves up. “Thanks, Mr. Reyes.”
His gaze meets mine, the corner of his mouth lifting. “You might as well call me Julian, seeing as our lives are intertwined now.” Surprised, I stare at him, and it makes him frown as he continues, “Uncle Julian just doesn’t sound right.”
I let out a chuckle because I can’t see myself calling him uncle. “Julian, it is. It might take me a while to get used to calling you by your first name, though.”
His smile grows before the serious look returns to his features. “I’ve watched the security footage on campus.” His eyes lock on mine again. “You reacted fast. Thank you.”
Unable to accept the thanks, I can only nod because it’s my duty to protect Carla. She shouldn’t have been shot in the first place.
We both take a deep breath, and after Julian finishes with his beverage, he asks, “Where are you thinking of purchasing a house?”
“We haven’t decided on a specific area, and the places we’ve seen so far weren’t to our liking. I got Kao and Fallon’s agent's details. I’ll give her a call and see what’s on the market once Carla has been discharged from the hospital.”
“Let me know if you need help,” he offers.
My mouth twitches as I suppress the smile.
Carla will be glad to hear things are better between her father and me.
CARLA
For the past two hours, my mind’s been racing, trying to catch up with everything that happened. I’m struggling to come to terms with the fact I was shot.
As I’m moved onto the bed in the private room, my parents and Noah stand to the side, so they’re out of the way.
Tired, my body relaxes against the pillows.
Miss Sebastian makes sure my IV is flowing right, then she checks my oxygen mask. “There you go. Dr. Wells will come to check on you soon.” She points to a remote. “Just press this button if you need assistance.”
I nod and say, “Thank you.” The words are muted by the mask.
“We’ll start decreasing the pain medication, as well,” she informs me.
I’ve only felt discomfort so far, but I’m sure the medication can’t be good for Raspberry. “The sooner, the better,” I agree, not wanting to risk Raspberry’s health.
Miss Sebastian pats my hand before she leaves to attend to her other duties.
Mom’s the first to approach the bed. “Is there anything I can bring you?”
I shake my head. “Noah can bring my clothes…” feeling breathless, I take a moment to get air into my lungs, then I continue, “…from the suite.”
Dad comes to press a kiss to my forehead, then he says, “I need to get back to work, but I’ll see you later. Okay?”
I nod. “Thanks for being here, Daddy.”
He gives me a loving smile before he walks back to where Noah is standing.
Noah’s eyes meet mine, then he says, “I’m going to pack your bag, then I’ll be back.”
When the men leave, it’s just Mom and me. She takes a seat next to the bed, and her eyes scan over me.
“I’m much better,” I say to ease any worry she might have.
Mom nods. “I know.” Leaning forward, she takes hold of my hand. “How do you feel emotionally?”
I stare at Mom as I try to gather my thoughts. “I’m confused.” I take a couple of breaths. “I don’t understand why it happened.”
Mom glances at the door before she says, “Noah and your father will talk to Leigh.” I frown, the sudden change in topic throwing me for a loop. Then Mom explains, “The shooter’s son died during surgery. Leigh was the surgeon. The man blamed her, and he wanted to take revenge by killing Noah.”
My eyes widen as I gasp for a breath of air. “What?”
Mom rubs her hand over mine. “He’s unstable due to the loss he suffered. Your father watched the footage. When the guards tackled the man, the gun went off, and you got shot. Your Uncle Lake is handling the matter, and he said the man will be in a mental asylum for a very long time. I’m guessing once he’s learned to deal with his grief, he’ll have to face his guilt as well.”
“That’s….” I almost say crazy but swallow the word back.
“It’s a traumatic event that never should’ve happened to begin with.”
“Yeah,” I murmur, thinking I almost lost Raspberry because a man couldn’t deal with his grief. “I don’t think I’ll ever understand it.”
Mom presses a kiss to the back of my hand. “You and Raspberry are safe and getting stronger by the second. It’s all that matters to me.”
“Did Noah tell you…” Damn, I hate that I can’t complete a sentence without having to catch my breath, “…that’s what I’ve been calling the baby?”
“I overheard him telling you Raspberry is doing well,” Mom explains.
My thoughts turn to Noah. I hope he doesn’t blame himself for what happened.
“Try to sleep a bit,” Mom murmurs.
Yeah, I don’t think that’s going to be a possibility until I see Noah.
As if Mom can sense that I’m thinking about him, she says, “Noah really loves you.”
Her words make me smile. “I know.”
She lets out a chuckle. “He was even talking to the baby while you were in the ICU.”
“Yeah? What did he say?”
A soft smile forms around Mom’s mouth. “He can’t wait to meet Raspberry.”
I begin to chuckle, but it turns into a cough.