They were sitting beside the hospital bed as she fought for her life. Logan had Maggie’s hand cupped in his while Jenny sat opposite him, cupping the other. They stayed in silence, lost for words as one hour passed another. Before they knew it, night had cloaked the outside world in darkness, and Maggie was no closer to coming around.
“Do you think she’ll make it?” Jenny asked.
“Don’t say things like that.” Logan didn’t even look at her.
“But what if she doesn’t?”
He didn’t want to imagine a life like that. Maggie had slowly become a big part of his world. Not so long ago, after unearthing both a physical and emotional attraction to her, Logan had been prepared to date her. Only Helen’s call about his daughter had ground that to a halt. He’d unintentionally played games with her heart, and now he had to forgive himself.
“She’ll be okay,” Jenny then said definitively. “My whole life, I’ve only ever known two strong people. Two really strong people. That’s you and Maggie. Thing is, she’s even stronger than you are. I figure if you can dig your way out of the dark, so can she.”
Logan appreciated her compliment. She was right – Maggie was one of the strongest, most pure-hearted people he’d ever met. Hence the attraction, he supposed. But willpower alone wasn’t enough to heal a gunshot wound. The doctors had done their part, and now all they could do was wait. It was all in Maggie’s hands now.
“Do you know who did this to her?” Jenny asked softly.
“I do,” Logan confessed.
“Why did he do it?”
“He wanted to get at me.”
“But why?”
“I guess I ruined his plan. Came close to finding him a couple of times.”
Jenny listened quietly while he spilled it all. So much had happened in the short time since their last catch-up, and now all those details came out. She deserved to know why her sister was lying in a hospital bed. She deserved to know why she had almost died, too.
They were soon interrupted by the sound of footsteps. They both turned toward the door, where a nurse crept in and offered them both a sympathetic smile. She wrung her hands, looked at Maggie, then turned her focus to the visitors.
“I’m afraid I have to evict you now,” she said. “Sorry. Doctor’s orders.”
“It’s fine.”
Logan thanked her and took the handles of Jenny’s wheelchair, guiding her out of the door and toward the waiting area. Neither of them said a word, but the subtext was clear. They were thinking exactly the same thing, and they both knew it.
This had to end, and soon.