Letters From Al by Pieper, Kathleen (ebook audio reader TXT) 📕

directly above her. It took a moment to get it all in focus. Everything was white. White walls, sheets, the nurses and the doctor in front of her. There were tubes in her arm and someone said, "She's coming out of it."

"What's the other guy look like?" she quipped painfully.

"Well, I heard you broke an umbrella over his head, so probably worse. But he gave you a couple of good whacks with something hard before you went down, Miss Morris. Anything else hurt?"

The doctor looked at her intently, he was young and nice looking and very professional. Maddy shifted around, not sure what hurt and what didn't until a pain in her shoulder made her gasp.

"Ouch! Shoulder, hurts. Shoulder definitely hurts." It was hard for Maddy to talk.

"Yes, it was nearly dislocated, but with rest it will be fine. Now that you're awake and seem to be focusing, I'd say you’re going to be fine in no time. Slight concussion, sprained shoulder and lots of bumps and bruises, but we'll keep you overnight for observation. By the way, I'm Dr. Richards. If you need anything push the buzzer."

Maddy's lips were dry and she felt like she was in a fog.

"You others can stay a few minutes, but let her rest. She can probably go home in a day or two." Maddy heard Alec and the doctor talking quietly in the shadows and then the door close.

"Hey, how's my girl?" Alec leaned over and kissed her sweetly on the cheek, concern welling in his eyes.

"Alec, how did he get in? Ben and I both checked everything."

Tears of anger and pain filled her eyes, and she tried to rise up on her elbow as the memory flooded back.

"He broke in after you got home, Honey, we found a screen and broken window in the basement. It wasn't your fault, if anyone's it was mine. I should have known they'd try again." Alec dropped his hat and tried to calm her. An efficient looking nurse came in when she heard the commotion and frowned.

"Miss Morris, this will never do. You're not to upset yourself or I'll have to give you a sedative." She looked sternly at both of them, and they nodded.

Clutching Alec's hand, Maddy slid back down on the pillows and closed her eyes, her head throbbing.

"Alec, it was the same man who stopped me on the road, the dirty cowboy. He was waiting. He grabbed me. I tried to fight."

"Maddy, you did just fine. Try not to think about it anymore. It'll be okay. We'll talk tomorrow, just get some rest now. I'll be right here." Tucking the sheet around her, he settled in a chair beside the bed. Worriedly he kissed her hand that clutched his. "I'll be right here," he repeated softly and with a sigh she fell asleep.

* * *

"Alec, I'm perfectly capable of walking on my own two feet." Maddy protested as she leaned over and opened the front door of her house after being released from the hospital. "Honestly. I got a bump on my head, not my feet. Won't you put me down?" Alec's grip only tightened.

"No. Your doctor kept you an extra day because of the headaches. He said rest and no strain whatsoever."

"And between the two of us," Aunt Polly continued, sweeping down the hall from the kitchen, a dish rag in her hand, "We're going to make sure you follow orders. When Alec isn't here, I will be." She hefted her Louisville Slugger baseball bat to her shoulder, "This time I'm going to be prepared."

Maddy looked from one to the other, her heart full of love for them and their concern. "Well, it looks like there's no room for discussion then. Carry on."

Aunt Polly led the way into the bedroom where Alec carefully laid Maddy on the freshly made bed. The pillows were plumped up, the sun streamed in the windows and the room looked so inviting. She was home.

Gently Alec sat on the edge of her bed and gave her a little kiss. A large bandage covered the bump on her head and she winced at the slight jostling.

"I'm sorry, did I hurt you?"

Maddy shook her head which was a mistake and meekly answered, “No, I did.”

"I'm going to make sure no one ever hurts you again, Maddy. You've got my word." Alec promised. "You know, when I saw you lying on the floor, I thought you were dead. My heart almost stopped beating. I'm going to find this guy, Maddy and when I do..."

"...You'll arrest him and be the professional that you are, deputy. Whether it's for me or for someone else. I'll be proud that you did it that way, Alec. Your love has given me something to hold on to. Something I’ve never had before. I don’t want to lose it."

"I couldn't agree more. So you did a lot of thinking while you were recuperating?" His thumb stroked the hand he held in a simple gesture and with a slow, secret smile she nodded.

Chapter 14

Maddy didn't get to go to Buffy and Skip's wedding because she hadn't fully recovered from the results of her attack. So, she and Alec sent a wonderfully lavish present, crystal stemware they ordered online and had it delivered to try to make up for it.

Visits from friends helped while away the hours. Tommy stopped by regularly, and every visit he brought her something, a book of poetry, flowers and card games. Bubba and the others stopped by too, and with Alec they'd watch video's or played cards.

One afternoon Alec saw a strange car in the driveway and hurried inside. Maddy and Dr. Richards were enjoying a good laugh and when he walked in they seemed to sober up quickly. The doctor didn't leave for over an hour, and afterwards Alec actually acted a little jealous of the doctor's close attention to his patient.

"What did he want?" Alec finally asked, "I mean the hospital released you.