Ever After Read online

  “Can you tell us your full name?” the doctor asked.

  “Katrina Lansing Martensson,” she rasped.

  “How old are you, Kate?”

  “Thirty-two.”

  “Who’s the man holding your hand?”

  “My husband, Karl.” She met his gaze in confusion. “Why are you asking me these questions?”

  “You hit your head in the accident,” the doctor smiled. “I want to make sure there’s no memory loss. Do you know what year it is?”

  She answered all the basic questions about her life without hesitation.

  “What’s the last thing you remember?”

  She frowned, thinking back. She was at the pool and she’d wanted ice cream. She’d gotten in the car to go to the grocery store, but she didn’t remember getting there.

  “I was going to get ice cream,” she said after a moment. “But I don’t remember getting there.”

  “You were hit by a drunk driver,” Karl said softly.

  Her eyes widened. Then she looked down and her hand traveled to her stomach. “My babies!” she cried, though it was more like a squeak.

  “Your babies are fine,” the doctor soothed, touching her shoulder. “They were born via C-section when the paramedics brought you in. Then we did surgery to relieve the swelling on your brain.”

  “My brain?” She lifted her hand and felt the bandage for the first time.

  “You’re healing very well,” the doctor said encouragingly. “We’re pleased you woke up tonight.”

  “You were yelling,” she said, looking at Karl. “And you never yell.”

  He smiled faintly. “I was watching the game.”

  “What game?” Her eyes moved to the TV and she frowned when she recognized the Sidewinders. “Wait, why aren’t you playing?”

  He arched his eyebrows. “Babe. You think I would play with you in a coma?”

  “I was in a coma?” She looked startled again, and Karl just squeezed her hand.

  “We’re going to do a few tests,” the doctor said. “I’d like to make sure you’re okay. Will that be all right?”

  “I need to understand what happened,” she said, looking from the doctor to Karl and back again. She was beginning to see how terrible Karl looked, his eyes red and his hair matted and greasy; she’d actually never seen him look this bad.

  The doctor patiently explained everything while Karl pulled out his phone and sent out a mass text to their friends and family. He knew Erin would probably come up right away since she usually spent the early part of the evenings in the nursery with the twins. Tonight she and his mother were with them, and Ken was going to take over when Erin left.

  “Karl, where are the twins?” she was asking him and he swallowed uncomfortably.

  “They’re in the nursery,’ he said quietly. “My mother and Erin are with them now. Let the doctor check you and then we’ll get them, okay?” The nurses knew he’d asked them not to bring the twins into the room, but he wanted to explain why to Kate when they were alone.

  “Give us a few minutes, Karl,” the doctor said, meeting his gaze meaningfully. “And then I’ll give you two a few minutes alone.”

  “I’ll be right outside, baby,” Karl said to her. “I’m going to have to physically restrain Erin from barging in.”

  Kate smiled faintly, well-aware her best friend was a force to be reckoned with. A former intelligence officer with the Marines, Erin was still in the Reserves, though her second pregnancy had put that on hold for now.

  5

  As he expected, Erin and his mother were running down the hall and he caught them both in his arms for a big hug.

  “She’s okay?” Erin whispered, tears pouring down her face.

  Karl nodded, feeling his own tears sliding down his face. “The doctor is checking her now.”

  “Thank God,” Anya breathed, holding her son tightly.

  Ken came around the corner then and joined their group hug. “She’s really okay?” he asked.

  Karl swiped at his face. “Yeah, the doctor is doing a few tests and then we can go back in.”

  “I’m texting Coach Barnett,” Erin said. “If he can give the guys the news when the period is over—maybe that’ll light a fire under their asses.”

  “They were sucking big-time,” Karl grunted.

  “I’m texting some friends in Nashville,” Ken said, pulling out the phone. “They’ll get the message to the team right away.”

  The Sidewinders came into the locker room down 3-1. There was no doubt they were all feeling the strain of Kate’s coma and not having their starting goalie in net. Rob was disgusted with himself, even though it wasn’t his fault. He was all alone out there, with barely any help from the defense. He wouldn’t say that out loud, though; he knew how devastated most of the team was that Kate was in a coma. There was nothing he could say or do about that. This team seemed to have a bond he hadn’t experienced anywhere else, yet they’d made him feel welcome this season, so he would do everything he could to help them.

  Coach Barnett came in looking as dejected as his team, and he looked around as he thought about what to say. “I don’t have any words of wisdom tonight,” he said after a moment. “Obviously Kate and Karl are on all of our minds.” He paused. “I’m not going to tell you to get your heads in the game—either it’s going to happen or it’s not. This is game number one, so you have to decide what you want to do. Do we want another Cup or are we going home early to keep Karl company?”

  No one spoke, most of the players sitting quietly.

  Drake stood up and looked around. “Kate is my wife’s best friend and she and Karl lived with us for two years, so I probably know her better than most of you. I think she would want us to win—she wouldn’t like the way we’re playing. But I don’t know how to make that happen because I can’t get the picture of her lying in that hospital bed out of my head any more than the rest of you. Every time I get on the ice, I wonder what Karl is doing and if he’s okay. Whether or not she’s going to wake up…So if any of you have any ideas on how to focus better, I’d love to hear them.”

  There was a knock on the door and one of the trainers peeked out. He handed a folded piece of paper to Coach Barnett, who scowled and put it in his pocket.

  “They said you have to read it now—it’s urgent.”

  Coach Barnett was still scowling but obediently unfolded it. Then he blinked. A slow smile spread across his face as he looked up. “Kate’s awake. Karl said to tell you guys that Rosseau needs a little help out there and Dom needs to get his head out of his ass.”

  A loud cheer went around the room mixed with laughter. Drake took a minute to close his eyes, thinking of his wife and best friend, and how relieved they must be. His fingers itched to grab his phone, but there was a strict no cell phone policy during games and though he knew he could probably get away with it this one time, he didn’t want to set that kind of precedent.

  “Let’s go get them this period, boys,” Cody said, looking around. “Let’s win this one for Kate.”

  Another cheer went through the room.

  It felt like hours before the doctor finally left and Erin could spend a few minutes with Kate. She didn’t even try to stop the tears from spilling down her cheeks as she approached the bed and practically threw herself on top of her. Kate was smiling, stroking her hair and shaking her head.

  “You’re going to hurt yourself,” she whispered, putting a gentle hand on Erin’s stomach.

  “I can’t help it!” Erin wiped tears from her face. “I was so worried about you.”

  “Everyone is acting so weird,” Kate whispered to her, glancing at the door to make sure Karl and the others weren’t coming back in yet. “You have to tell me everything that happened so I know how to handle Karl—I’ve never seen him like this.”

  “You almost died, honey.” Erin spoke gently, meeting her friend’s eyes. “He hasn’t showered in days. I don’t think he’s eaten much either. He’s just been sitting her
e with you, blaming himself.”

  “What about the twins? Are they okay? Karl looked really strange when I asked about them.” Kate searched her friend’s face. “What aren’t you telling me?”

  Erin sighed. “They’re fine, but… he, um, he hasn’t seen them.”

  “What?” Kate blinked.

  “He refused to see them. He blames himself, and indirectly them, for you being in the accident. He said you never wanted to get pregnant but that you did it for him, so this was his fault.”

  “Oh, my poor sweet man,” Kate said softly, instinctively understanding Karl would have thought that before anything else. She looked up. “So my babies have been alone in the nursery all these days?!”

  Erin smiled. “Not a chance in hell. Me, Tessa, Emilie, Tiff, Anya and Ken have all been—”

  “Anya and Ken?” Kate’s eyes widened. “They’re both here? Is Wills here?”

  “No.” Erin shook her head and quickly caught her up on the latest developments.

  Kate took a deep breath and closed her eyes. “Wow.”

  “Now you know the basics. I’m going to go home because to be honest, I’m exhausted.” Erin rubbed her growing belly.

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t be sorry.” Erin kissed her forehead. “You’ve done this and more for me!”

  “I need my husband,” Kate said to her meaningfully. Erin squeezed her hand and nodded.

  “I know. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  She left the room and Karl came in seconds later. He still looked like hell, but Kate could see the change in him just in the last 30 minutes. She held out her hand and he took it, holding it tightly between his.

  “Hi, beautiful,” he said, smiling at her.

  “Hi.” She met his eyes and searched his face. She hesitated, still fighting fatigue and the medicine in her system to stay focused; but this couldn’t wait.

  “How are you feeling?” he asked, smoothing her hair away from her face.

  “Tired and groggy, but nothing hurts and I don’t think there’s any permanent brain damage.” She tried to make a joke but his face tightened and she quickly squeezed his hand. “Babe, you know I wanted these babies more than anything, don’t you?” She drew him closer to her so she could put one hand behind his neck. “I got pregnant for you because it makes me happy to make you happy. Once we saw them on that ultrasound screen—the moment they became real? I wanted them more than anything in the world. They’re a part of both of us, and I loved them from the second we found out we were having them.”

  He blinked back tears but nodded his head. “I love them too, but I couldn’t bear to meet them without you—it was supposed to be a special moment and I wasn’t taking that away from you—from us.”

  She touched his face. “What if I had died, Karl? Wouldn’t you have loved them?”

  Tears slid down his face. “I couldn’t even think that far,” he admitted. “Losing you was not in the cards.”

  “Without their mommy, they would have needed daddy even more.”

  “I know.” He hung his head. “I just couldn’t, baby. I couldn’t imagine you not being there when I saw them for the first time.” He wrapped his arms around her neck and gently pulled her up against him. “I’m sorry.”

  “It’s okay, babe.” She held on to him, basking in his warmth. For a while they simply clung to each other, letting emotion and their closeness wash away the pain of the last week. Finally, she lay back against the pillows. “Well, I’m back now, and I really want to see my babies before I fall asleep.”

  He nodded. “Me, too.” He went to the door and spoke to someone. Then he pulled the big arm chair away from the wall so it was right next to Kate’s bed. He sank down and looked in the doorway as his mother and Ken came in, each holding a baby.

  Kate’s eyes filled with tears as the twins were laid in her arms, one on each side. She stared at one and then the other in awe, taking in their little button noses, rosy cheeks and pink lips. She glanced at Karl, who was just staring at them as well, and she motioned with her head.

  “Take her,” she said softly, motioning to their daughter. “I’m not strong enough to hold both right now.”

  Karl swallowed hard, still staring at the tiny bundles, one in a pink blanket, the other in blue. He reached out slowly, suddenly unsure what to do. All the months of practice and playing with their friends’ babies was nothing compared to holding his own.

  “Karl?” Kate spoke softly. “She won’t break. Go ahead.”

  He slid one big hand under the baby’s tiny head and gently lifted her, amazed at how light she was. Bringing her to his chest, he was immediately overwhelmed by her smell and the way her tiny mouth opened when she yawned. Finally holding her in the crook of his arm, he looked at Kate and couldn’t stop more tears from spilling down his cheeks. He hadn’t cried this much his entire adult life, but he refused to be embarrassed about showing emotion at a time like this.

  Kate looked down at their son and was mesmerized by his little fingers and the thick patch of blond hair on his head. While the girl was darker and more petite, their son was fair but definitely sturdier. “How big were they?” she asked.

  Karl started. “I don’t know,” he admitted.

  She rolled her eyes at him. “You better find this stuff out and memorize it, buddy, because there will be a test!”

  He smiled. “I will, I promise.”

  “Are there newborn pictures?”

  “There are,” he nodded. “I haven’t seen them, but I know the hospital took the requisite formal shots and the family has been taking pictures all over the place. They haven’t posted anything on social media, at my request.”

  “So, what are we going to name them?” she asked gently. “We were still torn before you left last week.”

  “Hockey and Player?” he joked.

  She snorted. “Not hardly.”

  “We have to make a decision—it’s been a week.”

  “I think Kendall is the girl’s name,” she said quietly. “That’s the one I keep going back to.”

  “Okay,” he nodded. “Then I’d like Kyle for our little man.”

  “You’re okay keeping the K theme?”

  “Yes.” He grinned.

  “Kyle and Kendall.” She glanced down at the baby in her arms. “They’re so perfect, Karl.”

  “Thank you,” he whispered, gazing at her. “I know you never wanted to be pregnant.”

  She shook her head. “I was always worried about getting fat and all of that but having your baby—babies—nothing could make me happier.”

  “I love you,” he whispered, looking at her lovingly.

  “I love you, too.”

  6

  Members of the Sidewinders organization were supposed to start arriving at the hospital on Saturday afternoon. Kate was glad she’d allowed the nurses to give her a sponge bath and wash what they could of her hair because there were so many people coming to visit, and she was positive every one of them would have cameras. She’d already seen hundreds of pictures of the twins taken by Erin, Tessa, Emilie, Ken, Anya and Tiff while Kate had been in the coma. She’d asked Karl to bring their camera from home as well—she wanted to make sure she didn’t miss any more of their lives than she already had.

  Karl looked more like himself today, after she’d forced him to go home and sleep for twelve straight hours. His mother and Emilie had cooked him a massive breakfast and when he came in wearing clean clothes, with his hair washed and eyes clear again, she breathed an internal sigh of relief. She’d been almost as worried about him as he said he’d been about her.

  She’d asked the doctor to stop the pain medication, so she was alert and felt more like herself today. She was still tired and weak, but with so much love and attention she felt wonderful. Seeing her husband holding the twins in his arms as he lounged in the chair by the bed, she couldn’t help but smile. God, looking at him as a father was about the sexiest thing she’d ever seen. She couldn’t bel
ieve her good luck in falling in love with him.

  “Good morning.” Anya and Emilie breezed in just before noon, holding a massive balloon and a big bouquet of flowers. “These arrived at the house this morning so we thought we’d bring them to brighten up the room. There are about a dozen others still at home!”

  “Hi.” Kate looked up and smiled. “Thank you.”

  “How are my darlings this morning?” Anya cooed, leaning over Karl and kissing the top of each baby’s head.

  “Which one do you want?” Karl asked knowingly.

  “Today I will fawn over Kyle,” she grinned, dropping into a chair with her grandson.

  Karl rose and handed Kendall to Emilie. “I suppose you want her, then?”

  Emilie grinned. “Either is fine—or both!”

  “When is Dante coming?” Kate asked.

  “Tomorrow,” Emilie smiled. “He’s on the road, but he was so happy when I called him last night with the news you were awake.”

  “I owe all of you so much,” she said quietly. “For taking care of everything.”

  “We’re family,” Anya glanced up. “Isn’t that what families do?”

  “Apparently not mine,” Kate said after a moment. She’d asked Karl about her parents and he told her that her father came by on his way to a conference in California, and her sister called daily, but he’d only spoken with her mother once; she hadn’t said anything about coming to visit, and only asked that he keep her updated.

  “Your family sucks,” Emilie muttered.

  “Em!” Her mother gave her a look.

  “It’s true,” Kate sighed. “My mom and I were never close, although I thought that was changing. I guess not.”

  “She can’t help who she is,” Anya said gently. “You may not understand it, and you certainly don’t have to like it, but if she’s going to be in your life you have to accept who she is and move on.”

  “I thought I was okay with it,” Kate mused. “But this hurts a little. I’m just lucky that I have the best husband and friends in the world.”

  “And in-laws.” Emilie grinned at her.