He took a deep breath and tried to shake off the anger and anxiety. “The rain stopped. It’s a beautiful day out. I’d like to take you for a walk in the park.” He sounded like an idiot. “Maybe I could bring a book and read to you.”

Pressure. Bleeding in the brain. So maybe they had given her blood thinners. Wouldn’t that work? What was he thinking? How would he know what treatment was right? Just talk. Tell her something positive.

“I’m waiting to talk to the doctor, but the nurse was very encouraging. She said you’re going to be fine.” It wasn’t a lie; he’d simply left out the qualifier, “should.” “And you look good. Except for that bruise, you look healthy. Strong. And beautiful.”

A gurney passed by the doorway, propelled by a stout Latino in green scrubs. A tall, pencil-thin woman in white coat followed. The doctor? Would he be able to get some of his questions answered? The wheeled patient and entourage continued down the corridor and out of sight.

“I know if I tried apologizing, you’d sit up and tell me off. You make your own decisions. Take your own chances. But if you do sit up, I won’t care if you’re putting me in my place. I feel bad for dragging you into this. I’m sorry.”

She did not sit up. She exhaled and the machine made a chuckling sound, which he took as encouragement.

“So, you know. I liked kissing you.”

He was terrified and doubly terrified of allowing it to show.

“I don’t think I’ve ever known anyone quite like you. No, let me rephrase. I’ve never met anyone like you before. You are unique. Powerful, funny, smart.”

She looked so at peace.

“Sorry. I sound like a commercial for McKenzie Zielinski.”

She exhaled.

“Great. Now you’re laughing at me. You should be. I’m pathetic. Maybe I’ll sing something. Do you like the Pogues?”

Inhaled.

“They’re an acquired taste, I guess.”

If he stopped talking, he was going to start crying, and that was simply not going to happen.

“It’s just as well. I’m not much of a singer.”

Words weren’t coming easily. Emotions were.

“Do you have any clue how hard this is? You should try it sometime. Ah, hell. You’d probably be brilliant.”

But the longer he kept up this admitted nonsense, the better he felt. She could hear him. She was going to survive. Kenzie would come out of this and smile at him again.

“Look, since I’m doing such a shit job of talking about nothing, why don’t I talk about something real? And if it upsets you, then you say so and I’ll stop. Deal?”