The dam broke. It was easier now, to verbalize those feelings instead of leaving them hanging in the air. They didn’t have to say everything in one night. They had time. But it still took a while for Caroline to convince Jack that conversation wasn’t the best use of her recovery time.
She spent most of the early morning hours adjusting her bed to a workable position, succeeding right before the sun came up. Her arm still hurt but it felt much better than it had a few hours ago. She hadn’t slept well. She never did when she was in an unfamiliar bed, especially when said bed was in one of her least favorite places. She made Jack move over to the couch instead of trying to nod off on her stomach again. He wanted to stay close to her and she didn’t have the heart to tell him that the weight of his head on her lower abdomen was a little painful and a lot distracting. She knew he’d sleep better if he were laying down. The sunlight began to peek through the blinds on the window when Caroline heard a soft knock on the door. She glanced over at the couch. Jack didn’t stir.
“Come in,” she said, careful to keep her voice low enough so he could sleep a little longer.
Christine poked her head in. She looked as if she hadn’t slept a wink. “Hi.” She opened the door all the way and walked inside with a large bouquet of wildflowers in her hands. “The girls and Tom are in the hallway. I wanted to make sure you were awake.”
Caroline smiled. “Obviously.”
Christine stopped a few steps short of where Caroline was sitting. The hand holding the flowers was trembling slightly. Oh, boy. This could go either way. “Chrissy-”
“Do you want me to go get the girls? I’ll go get them.” Christine set the bouquet down on the rolling table next to the bed and started to scurry back toward the door.
At least she hadn’t thrown the flowers. Yet. “Chrissy, wait. Are they okay?”
Christine turned around. “They want to see you.”
“I want to see them. But I want to talk to you too.”
Christine looked at the sling on Caroline’s arm, failing to hide her distress. “You need to see your children first.”
“I know that.”
“Tom will bring them in, and then we’ll give you all some privacy, okay?”
Caroline wasn’t entirely surprised that Christine was acting this way but it was still annoying. “Okay.”
Christine practically ran out of the room and shortly thereafter, Marguerite and Tom came in. Tom held Sophie in his arms, her head resting against his shoulder. Marguerite carried a small bag. Both girls appeared petrified but their faces brightened as soon as they saw the look on their mother’s face.
Caroline smiled as tears sprang to her eyes. “Hi, guys.”
Marguerite ran over to the bed then skidded short, her eyes wide and uncertain.
Caroline reached toward her. “Just be a little careful of the sling, Mo. But I could really use a hug.”
Marguerite let out a little cry as she put her arms around her mother’s neck. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.”
“I missed you.”
“I missed you too.” Caroline hugged her as closely as she could. “I’m sorry the rest of camp got ruined.”
Marguerite pulled back. “It’s not a big deal,” she said unsteadily, eyeing her mother’s sling and IV.
Caroline kissed the back of Marguerite’s hand. “I mean it. I’m going to be fine, Mo Mo.”
“Are you in any pain?”
She shook her head no. “I’m very happy to see you. You know how emotional my people are.”
Marguerite looked over at the couch. “Jack’s still here.”
He was dead to the world, his tie draped over his face. Caroline would have given her good arm for a camera. “I finally convinced him to get some sleep, so we probably should be a little quiet.” She grinned at Sophie, who beamed back at her. “Where’s my munchkin?”
Tom set Sophie down on the floor next to Marguerite and leaned over to kiss Caroline. Sophie reached over to grab her mother’s fingers.
“Hi, Punky,” Tom said. “How are you feeling?”
“Very good, now that all of you are here.”
Tom gave her good arm a light pat. “I’m glad you’re okay.”
He looked like he was about to start crying too. She had to nip that in the bud. “Don’t get weepy now, or all of Christine’s influence will go to waste.”
He shook his head but she could see the laughter in his eyes. “You’re terrible,” he said.