Page 67 of Fools in Love

Even her breathing had leveled out. Her broken ribs didn’t hurt as much, which allowed her to breathe more easily.

She didn’t know how much time had passed, only that when everything finally stopped, she heard her mother’s voice.

“How many?” her mother asked someone.

“Three,” a woman’s voice answered.

“Mom?” she croaked out.

“We’re here honey.” Her mother’s voice grew closer.

“Kate?” It was Tom.

“Tom?” She opened her eyes, and the brightness stung and caused her head to swim.

“Can we turn down these lights?” Tom asked. “There, now try,” he said a moment later.

She opened her eyes. It was dark, but she could still see her mother’s and Tom’s faces hovering over hers. They were fuzzy, but they were there.

“Hey,” she said with a shallow sigh.

“Baby.” Her mother cried and leaned over to kiss her forehead softly. Tears dropped onto Kate’s face and hair from her mother’s eyes.

“I’m sorry,” she said. “I—”

“Shh,” her mother said. “You’re okay. That’s what matters.”

“Three broken ribs?” she asked. “That’s all?” She winced. “Feels more like a hundred.”

Her mother smiled as she stroked her hair. “Baby.” She shook her head.

“Tom?” Kate asked, then suddenly his face reappeared over hers.

“Hey.” he leaned closer as her mother leaned back.

“Who?” she asked, feeling groggy.

Tom’s face grew somber. “Isabella Ramani.”

Kate frowned just as she drifted off into the darkness. The next time she woke, soft light was coming in through the windows.

Tom sat in a chair next to her bed, fast asleep.

She looked around the room and noticed a ton of flowers and balloons, no doubt from all of her friends.

Wanting to see them all, she hit the button on the bed. When the bed started moving, Tom jerked awake and rushed to her side.

“Hey.” His eyes ran over her face.

“Hey,” she said softly, and held in a groan. The bed continued to move until she was sitting up, which took a lot of pressure off her ribs.

“How are you feeling?” he asked her.

“Sore,” she admitted. “Where is everyone?”

“At home. They’re going to stop by again”—he glanced at his watch—“in about an hour.”

“Are we in Edgeview?”