That thought died as an image of my father, Steven, popped into my head. He was supposed to be the one to protect me and love me, but he’d hurt me the most.

No, she’s not him. Stop thinking that way!

I took in a slow, even, measured breath, opened my eyes, and tried to silence my mind, focusing on what else she might want to say to me. She took the time to visit me; the least I could do was listen to her.

She steered the conversation away from Nathan and me and into a more neutral territory by asking about me. I was grateful for that.

We’d been talking for a little while when I heard my name being called by a familiar voice. I turned as Teresa ran through the door.

She was frantic, her words reverting to Spanish. “Ay dios mio!” I only caught about every third or fourth word, but the overall gist of it was understood. “Mi niña!”

“Teresa, it’s okay. I’m okay, calm down,” I said, trying to soothe her.

Tears ran down her cheeks. “Oh, Lila, when Andrew finally got hold of me this morning and told me what happened…my sweet girl.” Her hands caressed my face and hair. “You look a mess!”

I grimaced. “I figured as much.”

“Andrew says you were hit by a reckless driver.”

“That’s what I hear.”

“You don’t remember?” she asked. I shook my head in response. “Well, I’m here now, so if you need anything, okay?”

“What about your newbie?”

“He’ll be fine. He’s in school today, and he has a cell phone. Kids in this day and age. Though, I would have felt a lot more secure knowing you had one. I always dreaded that he would come after you…” she trailed off, her gaze lifted from me, and she blinked. “Oh, hello.”

Sarah smiled back at her before leaning forward and presenting her hand. “Sarah Thorne.”

Teresa smiled back and took the offered hand. “Teresa Desanto. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

“Oh, no, no. I’m just here to keep Lila company and her mind off of her injuries as best I can.”

“How sweet of you,” Teresa said, a smile brightening her face. “I’m so happy to hear Lila has met such nice people.”

Teresa moved back and pulled over the other chair in the room to sit next to Sarah. There was some small talk, and more about my injuries revealed to Teresa, along with tales from Spain. Teresa let me know Armando sent his love, and he was coming home in the next week.

Most of the visit I spent listening. I was too tired to concentrate on conversing, and didn’t have anything of importance to add. I was pretty sure I drifted off once or twice. It made me happy Sarah and Teresa were getting along so well; I could hear in their tone their genuine interest in one another, and it set me at ease.

My head lolled to the side, and I looked out the doorway, watching the people walking back and forth. I stared in wonderment when Nathan entered through the door behind a nurse. I was shocked he’d come back. He was dressed in jeans and an old gray Harvard Law tee that clung to his body just right. I tried not to lick my lips at the sight, but it was no use. It was lucky I was able to pull it off that my lips were dry, and nothing more. My audience remained oblivious to my ogling him. Why did he have to look so good? Butterflies swirled in my stomach as I remembered the loving words he’d spoken to me, while my chest tightened over the memory of the pain he’d inflicted not long before that.

I once said he was a contradiction, and I was beginning to see I was becoming one myself, at least where he was concerned.

“Nathan!” Sarah said, smiling up at her son.

“Hi, Mom,” he greeted, bending down to kiss her cheek.

He straightened up and our eyes met. His façade was back on, but I watched it fall away as soon as he looked at me. Walking forward, he smiled; I was confused as to why he did that. Upon reaching me, he leaned down and pressed his lips to the top of my head, his hand cupping the side of my face.

“Good morning, beautiful.”

I quirked my good brow at him. I scoffed, “Yeah right.”

“Lila,” he said in a warning tone.

“Look, this isn’t one of my ‘down on Lila’ moments. I was hit by a f**king van. My eye is almost swollen shut. The left side of my face feels as big as a beach ball and hurts like hell. So that tells me I look like someone used half my face as a punching bag. Don’t think I’m very beautiful at the moment.” I knew I was pretty bad off; I didn’t need a mirror to tell me that.

He let out a frustrated sigh. “You are always beautiful, even when a van uses you as a punching bag.”

I stared up at him for a moment before looking down at the tube in my hand. Why did he have to be sweet right now? I needed to be mad at him, but he kept saying and doing things that were chipping away at my resolve.

“Oh!” My head popped up as I remembered we weren’t alone. “Teresa, this is Nathan. We…um…work together. Nathan, this is Teresa.”

I knew no more introduction was needed; he knew who she was. He had an excellent memory, and his eyes lit up with recognition.

“Teresa, it’s wonderful to meet you.” His hand reached out to grasp hers.

She stared up at him, looking mesmerized. Not that I blamed her; he had that effect on me quite often.

“It’s nice to meet you, as well,” she said in automatic response, still confused as to who he was. I hadn’t even had any time to mention him yet.

Nathan leaned against the bed near my head as the chairs were occupied by his mother and Teresa. His fingers, every once in a while, would run through my hair or touch my arm.

Teresa looked from me to Nathan and back. “So, Nathan, what brings you here today?”

The room went eerily quiet, and I found myself very interested in the dots on the ceiling tiles.

“I mean, that isn’t the greeting you give someone you work with,” she added. “And it isn’t customary the mother of someone you work with comes to keep you company while you’re cooped up in a hospital.”

Nathan let out a small, nervous laugh under her gaze. His hand rubbed at the back of his neck.

My stomach rumbled, and Sarah snapped up to her feet. “Lila’s hungry!” We all turned to look at her, but she didn’t seem to care that she sounded a bit psychotic in her outburst. “Come, Nathan, let’s go get her some good cuisine, not the yucky hospital food. You remember how bad that was. Let’s allow the two of them to get caught up without any interference from us.”