Jax fell into one of three chairs in the room, unable to form words. She nodded to Dr. Melendez, who left her alone. The sounds of chatter from the hallway faded, a singular feeling of fear engulfing Jax. She stared straight ahead at the empty hospital bed. The sheets were a crisp, pristine white. She needed to call Amanda, but she couldn’t move.

She barely blinked as a series of memories shuffled through her mind, the final one being the day she left with two suitcases and a duffel bag. Gretchen’s eyes were red from crying, and Caleb sat in the living room playing on his mother’s phone. Seventeen years together weren’t supposed to end like that.

She pulled her phone from her pocket and dialed Amanda’s number, listening to it ring. Amanda picked up and asked what the doctors said.

Jax couldn’t look away from the bed. She was scared of seeing Gretchen, battered and bruised and unconscious.

“Jax?”

Jax’s chin started to quiver. She bit her lip and clenched her jaw against the swell of hysterics and tears. She cleared her throat and tried her best to regain her composure. “You’re going to want to come here. As soon as possible. And bring Caleb.”

She ended the phone call before Amanda could ask any questions. A sob escaped her, and the steady walls of strength she had put in place over the years fell away one by one. Jax dropped her phone to the ground and cried into her hands.

Seventeen years together weren’t supposed to end like this.

Chapter Two

13 hours, 23 minutes, 42 seconds

“After relieving the pressure in her skull, her vitals stabilized. We’re keeping her in a medically induced coma for now,” a resident said. Jax didn’t get his name during introductions because she was busy keeping an eye on her antsy son. “This will give her brain time to heal without the worry of added injury.”

Amanda crossed her arms. “I thought the idea was to get her to wake up.”

Jax held Caleb by his shoulders to keep him from going to play in the bathroom. Again. “I’m with Amanda. How will we know if Gretchen will wake up if we don’t let her?”

The young doctor looked nervous. “This is the best chance we have of getting the swelling down. This actually increases her chances of waking up.”

Jax was skeptical to say the least. “I guess we just have to trust you.”

“Trust Dr. Melendez. She’s the best.”

“Then why haven’t we seen her all day?” Amanda said firmly.

“Thank you, Doctor,” Jax said. She wanted to laugh as he practically ran from the room, but she couldn’t find much humor with the hiss of Gretchen’s ventilator in the background.

Caleb slapped Jax’s hand. “Is Mommy better?”

Jax looked at Amanda before she dared to meet Caleb’s large, curious eyes. He resembled Gretchen so much it was scary. “Not yet, Cricket.”

“What did your boss say when you called him this morning?” Amanda said.