Chapter 16 After the Fall
Mayzie opened her eyes to the sight of a thin curtain drawn around her bed, the pale fabric swaying slightly with the movement of air. The steady hum of a hospital filled the room — machines beeping, distant footsteps echoing down the halls — leaving little doubt about where she was, even if she couldn't remember why. The last thing she recalled was being shoved. Her eyes narrowed as the memory tried to surface more clearly. Had that jerk, Dalton, actually pushed her?
She realized a moment later that someone was holding an ice pack against the left side of her face, the cold pressing gently into her skin. She turned her head and saw Dalton sitting in a chair right next to her, watching her carefully.
"How are you feeling?" he asked, his tone was quieter than usual.
Mayzie didn’t answer. Instead, she tried to sit up, her body feeling heavier than she expected.
"Stay down for a bit," Dalton said, gently pressing a hand on her shoulder to keep her in place. Mayzie didn’t fight him, though she frowned slightly. "They’re bringing your test results back soon."
"Why did you push me?" she mumbled, the words slipping out before she could think them through, her voice still groggy.
"I didn't push you!" Dalton snapped, though the anger left his face just as quickly as it appeared, replaced by something closer to concern. "Sorry, I didn't touch you. My dog knocked you over and you hit your head. The doctor thinks you’ll be fine, but they ran some tests just to be sure."
He turned around and patted the edge of the mattress. "Siohban, come."
A massive dog had been sitting quietly on the floor, so still that Mayzie hadn’t even noticed him at first. Mayzie didn’t even want to guess how Dalton had talked the staff into letting a dog into the hospital. The huge Mastiff stood up and rested its heavy paws on the bed near her knees, its size overwhelming up close.
"He’s sorry," Dalton said, covering his nose with his arm.
The dog copied him perfectly, resting its head on the bed and tucking its paws over its snout in an almost exaggerated gesture. Despite herself, Mayzie giggled, the sound surprising even her.
"So very sorry. So ashamed," Dalton teased, and the dog adjusted its paws with every sentence, as if understanding each word. "Pretty girls are his weakness. He just can't help himself." He reached over and patted the dog’s head affectionately.
"Just like his owner," a voice added from across the room.
Ariel was sitting on the windowsill. Mayzie hadn't even noticed him until he spoke. He stood up, leaned casually against the wall, and mimicked the gesture by putting his arm over his nose. "He’s sorry, though. Truly ashamed." He looked at Dalton and grinned, clearly enjoying himself.
"Shut up. I don't need your help to apologize," Dalton barked, then looked back at Mayzie, his expression softening again. "I really am sorry."
She gave a small nod and threw the covers off her legs, the fabric rustling softly. "I need to get home. I’ve already missed too much study time."
Immediately, both Dalton and Ariel moved toward her at the same time, pushing her gently but firmly back down.
"Wait for the doctor!" Dalton insisted. "You could have a concussion or a brain bleed, you dummy!"
The worry in his voice made Mayzie feel uneasy, more than his words themselves.
"I'll drive you home once the results are in," Ariel said, sitting on the edge of the bed with a calmer demeanor. "We brought your bag. Do you want to study while we wait?" He reached for the backpack resting on the floor nearby.
Mayzie reached out to take it, but he pulled it away just out of her reach.
"Which book do you need? I'll get it for you."
"I can get my own books," she grumbled, irritation flickering across her face.
Ariel gave her a wide, playful smile. "Maybe you shouldn't be lifting heavy things right now. Now, which one?"
"The small blue psychology book." She watched him unzip the bag and pull the book out with ease. He also grabbed one of her notebooks. "I don't need that one."
"I want to draw," he said with a mock frown, opening the notebook to the front cover as if he owned it. "Consider it a gift for taking you to Dalton's house just to be attacked by his dogs."
"Hey!" Dalton protested from beside the bed.
Mayzie laughed softly, the tension easing slightly, as Ariel took one of her pencils and headed back to his spot by the window, settling in comfortably.
"The doctors tried to call your family," Dalton said as she opened her textbook, her eyes scanning the familiar words. "But they couldn't find anyone named Kollins who knew you."
"I’m an orphan," she said flatly, clearing her throat to focus on the page and avoid the weight of the conversation. "There is no family."
Both men looked up, clearly caught off guard by how direct she was. "What happened to your parents?" Dalton asked, while Ariel paused his sketching mid-line.
"They're gone," was all she offered, her tone sounding final.
"No siblings? Aunts or uncles?"
Mayzie shifted her gaze from the book to Dalton's face, her expression tightening slightly. "I said I have no family. Drop it."
"Alright," Dalton muttered, resting his hands on the bed, backing off.
"Do you have to stare at me?" Mayzie asked without looking up.
He quickly looked away, focusing awkwardly on her feet instead. She rolled her eyes and went back to her reading, trying to ignore how uncomfortable it felt to be watched so closely in such a quiet room.
The curtain slid back and Arking poked his head in with a bright, almost too-energetic smile. "Hey! You’re awake!"
"Yeah."
"I need to borrow Ariel for a second." Arking looked at his brother expectantly. "Come here."
"I'm busy," Ariel mumbled, not looking up from his drawing, pencil still moving.
"Just come here. You’ll be glad you did."
Ariel jumped down with a sigh and followed his brother out of the room. Being left alone with Dalton made Mayzie nervous again. She stared at her book, hoping he wouldn't notice her fidgeting. Her palms felt a little damp with sweat, so she wiped one hand against the blanket. Before she could move it back, Dalton reached out and took her hand in his.
She looked up. He had laid his head on the bed, facing away from her, his expression hidden. Both of his hands were wrapped around hers, holding gently but firmly. For a split second, she wanted to pull away and tell him to never touch her again.
"I’m just glad you’re okay," Dalton whispered. "You were acting so strange on the way here. You kept trying to stand up in the car and nothing you said made sense. I thought something was seriously wrong."
The tension in Mayzie's chest faded just a little. She felt a flicker of warmth at his words, unexpected and confusing. "I'm not going to sue you, if that's what you're worried about."
"I wasn't thinking about that. I was worried you would be hurt so badly you'd never be the same."
Mayzie didn't know how to respond to that, so she looked back down at her book, letting the silence settle between them. After a moment, she reached the end of the page. She gave her hand a careful tug, and Dalton let go immediately, looking up at her.
"I need to turn the page," she explained quietly.
"Oh. Right." He sat back in his chair, giving her space again.
Once she turned the page, she rested her hand back on her leg, but this time, Dalton didn't reach for it, though his eyes lingered for a second before looking away.