"You're right, this isn't the best time, but yes Leland I will go out with you." I smile at him and his already gorgeous smile gets bigger and even more gorgeous. At that moment the doctor walks into my room with a trail of whom I believe to be Chapmans.
"Hello Gracie! I'm Dr. Bornes, how are you feeling?" My doctor is a pretty middle aged woman with a good sense of style and a great energy around her.
"Hi Doctor. I think I'm okay. I am thirsty though." I say as Dr. Bornes pokes around on me for a few seconds.
"Well we can get that taken care of very soon, but first I would like to speak with you about all the injuries you suffered from if that's okay?" She says very sweetly as she examines my head closely.
"Yeah that's great actually, I was beginning to wonder about that." I smile at the rest of the Chapmans that I hadn't met yet.
"Well dear you are very lucky. This young man got to you just in time" she makes a point to smile at Leland when she says that. "Now the worst of you injuries include some swelling you had in your brain from being knocked around so much. You suffered from a punctured lung; your attacked stabbed you at some point. And you have some stiches just above your left eye brow. Those are the worst, but you have some bumps and bruises, cut and scratches but nothing that can't be handled. "She finally looked at me and smiled, I found her smile to be very comforting, but definitely not even in comparison to Leland's!
"Oh okay. But everything's fine now?" I questioned, I know I've only been awake for a few minutes but I can't wait to go home.
"Yes you are perfectly fine as far as the major injuries go. We have to get you up and walking around, and have you eat to make sure you can hold it down, and then we need you to use the bathroom before you can go home. But if you're feeling ambitious, I can have food sent up for you, then we can walk around a bit, then hopefully have to use the rest room? We could have you out of here by one o'clock!" she smiles brightly at me.
"Yes! That sounds great! I'm starving!" My stomach growls as if to help prove my statement true.
"Alright, it will be right up with some water for you!" She says as she winks at me and walks out of the room.
"Well look at you Gracie Girl!" Leland says as he wanders his way by my side again.
"Yeah I know, I'm just awesome right!?" I say as I reach out letting him know I want his hand.
"Yes you are Gracie Girl. This is my older brother Duane Lee, my little sister Baby Lyssa, my cousin Justin, and my Uncle Tim, we call him Young Blood." He says as he turns to face them but can still look at me. They all mumble their hellos and I have to wonder….
"Were you all there trying to catch Andy too?" I am absolutely terrified. It's bad enough Leland had to see me like that, but his whole family too?! I don't want that for them, I don't want their first impression of me to be a horrible scene they witnessed while trying to capture a rouge bodyguard.
"Yeah we're, so was my brother Duane and his wife Beth. The ones who have Gabby." Tim says with a sympathetic face.
"Oh my. Okay, well I'm sorry you all had to see that but please don't let that horrible thing play a role in your judgment of me. That was not me just a terrible thing that happened to me, this is me. So please feel free to judge now." I laugh at the last part.
"Of course not Hun, you seem like a lovely girl!" Tim says again, with a smile similar to Leland's, I'm beginning to wonder if it runs through the family when I see it on Duane Lee and Justin's faces too.
"Hi guys, is she awake yet?" I hear a woman's voice from behind the curtain in my room.
"Yeah she is, she really wants to see Gabby!' Leland answers just as the woman and a man holding my sister step around the curtain.
"Oh thank the Lord! It's about time Missy!" The tall man says.
"Her name is Gracie." Baby Lyssa says smiling at the man and woman.
"Oh well it's great to meet you, I'm Beth!" The woman says as she walks over and hugs me.
"It's nice to meet you too. Thank you so much for taking care of Gabby, I don't know what I would have done if something happened to her. "I say as she steps away allowing room for her husband and my sister to come close to me.
"I'm Duane or Dog which ever you prefer, and it's no big deal. We absolutely adore Gabby!" Dog says as he bends and plants a soft kiss on the top of my head.
Gabby reaches out to me as soon as Dog is vertical once more. I take her in my arms and pull her close to my heart. She pulls away and looks up at me with tears in her big beautiful blue eyes.
"I saw what the big man was doing to you Momma. I was so scared I didn't know what to do so I hid just like I do when we play hide and seek. But then Leland came and he found me. I was scared of him too, but then he told me that everything was going to be okay and he called me Sweetie just like you do, so I went to him and he held me while I cried, he even rubbed my hair, just like you do Momma! And then Leland saved you! And because he did that I love him Momma and I think you should too!" She gave me her million watt smile and I couldn't help the tear that rolled down my cheek as I giggled and pulled her to me again. I glanced up at Leland who had a shy smile on his face that I fell in love with, and at that point I knew what Gabby said was true. She loved him and I should too.