her, trying to listen.
“She hit her head.”
“What? Is she okay?”
“She’s in the hospital, Lacey.”
Blood rushed, limbs weakened, and her chest exploded in an agonizing burst of disbelief. Not Ashley. Please, God, not Ashley. Anyone but Ashley. Please. “Please tell me she’s okay.” Please.
“She’s unconscious, but alive.”
Alive? There was a chance she wouldn’t be? “Oh my God, David.”
Tessa grabbed the phone. “Where are you, David? Tell me exactly how to get there.”
Words wouldn’t form. Nothing could come out of Lacey’s mouth except shuddering breaths while Zoe calmed her and Tessa got them all into the Jeep to drive wherever David had told Tessa to go.
Zoe swore softly, putting Lacey’s seat belt on. “Wait. Your insurance forms. ID. You’re going to need that stuff at the hospital.”
“My handbag’s on the kitchen table and the insurance card is in my wallet.”
“Got it. Be right back.”
She had started climbing out when Lacey grabbed her arm. “Wait, Zoe. In Ashley’s room. Get her unicorn.”
“Good thinking, Mom.”
“What else did he say?” she asked Tessa when Zoe jogged away.
“Just that she’s unconscious. She hit her head on a low ceiling in the cave, and she’s breathing on her own, but unconscious.”
Everything shook uncontrollably. Her body, her guts, her knees literally knocking as Zoe climbed back in and wrapped her arms around Lacey, cooing soft words to calm her.
“I’ve got the hospital programmed into the GPS,” Tessa said. “Hang on, girls. We’ll be there in a couple hours.”
“A couple of hours!” Lacey wailed. “What if she—”
“Shhh.” Zoe squeezed her. “Just hold on and let’s get there.”
She couldn’t do anything but pray and cry and curse herself for backing down on the cave diving issue. They drove in silence up the interstate.
Tessa had barely reached the ER entrance when Lacey threw herself out of the Jeep and started running toward the doors. Zoe was next to her in a second, taking control, asking the questions Lacey couldn’t, calmly following the orders to get them to Ashley.
She saw David first. He sat in a waiting room with his head in his hands, still wearing a bathing suit and a T-shirt and a look of red-eyed anguish, so miserable looking that the worst imaginable thought slammed into her head and she gave voice to it.
“Ashley’s dead.”
Before he answered a nurse whisked into the room. “Are you Ashley’s mother?”
Blood thrummed and a low, guttural grunt of acknowledgment came from her chest.
“Come with me,” the nurse said. “Are you related?” she asked Zoe, who shook her head. “Stay here with him, then.”
“I’m her father,” David said, coming with them.
“Actually”—Lacey held up a hand to stop him—“I want to see her alone.”
The nurse pushed her through double doors.
“Please, tell me, is she—”
“Oh, yes, she’s awake. Has been for a while. She hasn’t sustained brain damage, and that’s what we’ve been watching for. Definitely a concussion, though. She’s woozy and on some pain meds. It was quite a serious blow, but we think a monstrous headache will be the worst of it. Here she is.”
Lacey took a deep breath as she entered the room, letting it out as a soft cry at the sight of Ashley, pale and thin and tiny in a hospital bed with tubes in her arms, a bandage on her head, her eyes closed.
“Go easy, Mom,” the nurse warned.
Lacey nodded, forcing herself to slow her steps as she approached the bed. She touched Ashley’s shoulder and her eyes opened.
Thank you, God. Thank you.
“Hey, Princess Pot-Pie.” Lacey managed not to sob, but the words were barely a whisper.
“Mommy.”
Lacy sucked back tears, willing herself to be strong.
“Please don’t be mad.”
“I’m not mad, honey. I’m just so grateful you’re alive. I won’t even say I told you so. How do you feel?” she asked as she tucked the uni into bed beside her beautiful daughter. Ashley smiled and pulled the uni closer.
“I’m okay. My head hurts, but they told me I knew my name and my birthday and my favorite color.”
“What is it?”
“Lime green. Mommy, I’m sorry.” She started to cry.
“Shhh.” Lacey stroked her cheek, her chin, her quivering lips. “You don’t have to be sorry.”
“I shouldn’t have done it.”
“I gave you permission to go, angel. It’s not like you sneaked away.”
“But it’s my fault. God’s punishing me.”
Lacey put her hand on Ashley’s head. She wasn’t making sense. Could there be damage they hadn’t diagnosed? “No, not now, baby. Save your strength. We have to get you home and get you all better.”
Ashley closed her eyes. “I made Clay leave you.”
Lacey leaned in, not