The Davenport Christmas Chronicles - Piper Davenport Page 0,65

rolled my eyes just as Sawyer walked in with pudding. “I brought you two, but if you can’t eat both, don’t feel like you have to.”

“Okay, thanks,” I said, tearing into the packaging.

“If you tolerate that, we can talk about getting some protein into you,” Sawyer offered.

“Like in the form of a burger?”

“Not quite so heavy.”

I wrinkled my nose as I shoved a spoonful of pudding into my mouth and Sawyer chuckled. “Press your call button if you need me. I’ll swing by and check on you soon.”

“Thanks, Sawyer.”

She smiled and left us, and my family filed back in, including my brothers.

“Jesus, Jack, why the hell do you always have to one-up everyone?” Colm accused and I grinned.

My brothers always called me ‘Jack’ after the late president, and they would often joke that whenever they had an injury, I’d get one a little bit worse to one-up them. They weren’t wrong. I had always been a tomboy as a kid and always getting myself in some kind of a scrape.

“You set the bar pretty high when you dropped your dirt bike,” I retorted. “I had to go big.”

Tadhg came over and hugged me gently. He was my sensitive brother and wasn’t a big talker, especially when he was stressed.

“I’m okay, Tiger,” I whispered. His name was pronounced ‘Tige,’ but as a little girl, I’d always called him ‘Tiger,’ which seemed to stick with the rest of the family as well.

He nodded and stepped away, and Mouse resumed his spot at my side.

“Thanks for monitoring my pain pump,” I said to him.

He grinned. “You’re welcome.”

Sawyer walked in a few minutes later, but her focus was suddenly on my mother. “Mrs. O’Brien? Are you okay?”

“Mom?” I tried to sit up, but Mouse gently pushed me back on the mattress.

“I’m okay,” she said, pressing her palm to her chest. “It’s just hard to breathe.”

“I’m going to get you some oxygen,” Sawyer said, and rushed out the door.

“What’s going on?” I demanded.

Sawyer returned with a portable oxygen tank, and helped my mom secure the mask to her face. “Take slow, deep breaths.”

“Please, someone tell me what’s going on,” I begged.

“I think your mom’s reacting to the altitude,” Sawyer explained.

“Mom, you need to get down to sea level.” I gripped Mouse’s hand. “Mouse, make her leave.”

“I’m not leaving you,” Mom argued through her mask.

“For what it’s worth,” Sawyer said. “The oxygen will help, but unless you’re planning on making Colorado home, you won’t feel better for quite a while. The only true way to resolve this is to get out of this altitude.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” Mom avowed, and I forced myself not to swear.

Mouse leaned down, close to my ear, and whispered, “We’ll figure it out, baby. I’ll talk to your dad.”

I closed my eyes and nodded. “Thanks.”

He squeezed my hand and I found it hard to stay awake, so I didn’t fight it.

Kennedy

One week later...

I was being released today. Mouse had finally found a way to spring me from my medical prison, and the fact I no longer had the halo around my shin made that easier. It had been replaced with a very sturdy cast which Mouse had insisted he be the first to sign.

“Are you ready?” Sawyer asked as she pushed a wheelchair into the room. Mouse stood with a grin and I clapped my hands.

“So ready,” I breathed out.

“Dr. Warren gave you your instructions, right?”

I nodded. “Yep. I have my schedule to try adding pressure, but I have a scooter in the meantime.”

“There’s a doctor onsite at the place we’re stayin’, so she’s covered,” Mouse said.

“Perfect. I’ve got an orderly—”

“I’ve got her,” Mouse interrupted. “Ready?” he asked me.

“Ah, sure?”

He chuckled, sliding one arm gently under my knees, the other wound around my waist. “Loop your arm around my neck, Lace.”

I did and he lifted me easily, setting me gently in the chair.

“I’ll pull the car up,” Mouse offered, and kissed me gently before leaving me with Sawyer.

“Normally, we have a volunteer wheel our patients out, but I asked if I could do it.”

“You did?” I asked, as she handed me an iPad to sign myself out.

“Yeah. I need to know if your man has a brother.”

“Oh, he has about twenty of them.”

I filled her in on Mouse’s club as she wheeled me down to the car and she chuckled. “Okay, you’re gonna need to figure out a way to get me to a party or something.”

“We’re staying with a friendly club and they always do things for foster kids in

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