honey,” he said. The compassion on his rugged features moved Noelle to tears as Knox enfolded her in a tight hug. He pulled back. “It shouldn’t have happened.” His voice caught. “I would’ve taken a thousand bullets for Aiden if I could have.”
Emotion clogged Noelle’s throat as she nodded. “I know.” She could tell that Knox meant every word he said. “It wasn’t your fault.”
His lips turned down. “I should’ve been more vigilant. I should’ve realized what Ellis Livingston was capable of.”
The agony in his voice tore at Noelle. “How could anyone know?”
He took in a deep breath. “The authorities arrested Ellis last night. With the testimony of his henchman, odds are good that Ellis will be put away for a long time.”
“I’m glad,” Noelle sighed.
Holden came running out of the room, his voice coated with a breathless excitement. “He’s waking up!”
Noelle rushed in the room and to Aiden’s side. His lashes fluttered as he groaned. She touched his hand. “I’m here,” she assured him, tears springing to her eyes.
Aiden opened his eyes, his gaze darting round in a panic. As he tried to get up, the monitor started buzzing. “Easy,” Noelle cautioned.
Aiden started crying in the low wail of one still groggy as his hand went to the tube. “It hurts!”
“Stay still,” Noelle urged.
Aiden’s eyes focused on her. “Mommy?”
She felt his fear and confusion as if it were her own. “You’re gonna be okay.” Tears spilled over her eyes as she pushed his hair back from his forehead. “My beautiful boy.”
He relaxed against the pillow. A second later, his face crunched. “It hurts.”
“You’re gonna be okay,” Noelle kept repeating in a soothing tone.
A nurse rushed in.
“He’s awake,” Holden announced.
“I’ll get the doctor,” the nurse said as he hurried from the room.
“Where’s my present?” Aiden asked, tears splattering over his cheeks.
“Present? You mean the ones Santa brought? They’re at home, under the tree.” Noelle’s words got strangled as her throat constricted. “They’re waiting for you.”
“No, the present Holden got me.”
“Oh, that present.”
“I have them in the car,” Knox said. “Birdie asked me to bring them.” He smiled tenderly at Aiden. “She thought you might be looking for them.”
Noelle turned, realizing that Holden, Birdie, and Knox were in the room. She wiped away her tears, using her palms, as a shaky laugh rose in her throat. “He looks good.”
“Yes, he does,” Holden said, giving her a smile so resplendent that she thought her heart would melt.
“Hey, buddy,” Holden said as he stepped up to Aiden.
“Hey,” Aiden said. The corners of his lips drooped. “My arm hurts.”
“The doctor will be in soon,” Holden assured him.
“I’ll go get those presents,” Knox said.
“Why does my shoulder hurt?” Aiden asked, looking to Noelle for an explanation.
Noelle wasn’t sure how much Aiden remembered. She had no idea how to navigate the situation. She looked to Birdie for help.
“Do you remember the bad man who came into the den?”
Aiden’s eyes filled with worry as he nodded, biting down on his lower lip.
“Do you think it’s a good idea? To remind him of everything?” Noelle whispered.
“It’s better to get it out in the open, so Aiden can deal with it,” Birdie said in a low, firm tone.
Noelle turned to Holden. He placed an arm around her shoulders. “Birdie’s right.”
Sucking in a breath, Noelle nodded.
“The bad man shot you,” Birdie said.
Tears gathered in Aiden’s dark eyes, his lower lip trembling. “It hurts,” he wailed, tears streaming down his cheeks.
Noelle started crying too. She would’ve thought by now that she wouldn’t have any tears left, but here they were.
“You’re going to get better,” Birdie said, her voice energetic. “You’re in the hospital. You’ll get to eat lots of Jell-O and ice cream.”
Aiden sniffed. “Really?”
“Uh huh,” Birdie nodded. “And you can watch all the TV you want. We can even go and get your Legos.”
His expression took on a new excitement, a partial grin tugging at his lips.
A doctor stepped into the room. They had not met him before. He was middle-aged, his temples going silver. He smiled and nodded his head at the adults in the room before turning his full attention to Aiden. “Hello, Aiden, I’m Doctor Christopher. How are you feeling?”
“My arm hurts,” Aiden complained.
“You mean your shoulder?”
Aiden nodded vigorously.
“Let’s have a look at it, shall we?”
Carefully, the doctor did his examination. After it was over, he looked at Noelle. “Can I talk to you outside?”
Her stomach tightened. “Sure.” During the examination, the doctor hadn’t given any indication as to how Aiden was doing. Last night, the doctor