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knew the
bandages wrapped around her made her uncomfortable. There would be
time to deal with that, he thought. She’d be upset the first time
they let her see what they’d done to her.
    “ You look
better.”
    “ I feel better. I hate you
for bringing the kids, but thanks. That really helped me
out.”
    He leaned in and kissed her cheek. “I
know you pretty well.”
    “ Did my parents ever get on
the plane?”
    He laughed as he pulled the chair to
her bedside. “Yes, they finally got a flight. They’ll be here soon.
He took her hand and absentmindedly kissed her fingers.
    Madeline nodded. “I owe you. This was
bigger than me. I was afraid I was going to die. I couldn’t handle
it.”
    “ You’re going to be fine and
I’ll be here for you.”
    “ No, you won’t.”
    His head snapped up.
    Madeline lowered her hand slowly to
the bed. “You’ve started a new life. You really need to focus on
Kathy and building a life together. I’m just in your
way.”
    “ I don’t think it matters
right now. Right now I’m focused on seeing you through
this.”
    “ Well, I don’t want you to.
Mom and Dad will take care of me.”
    “ So you’re just dismissing
me?”
    Her eyes shifted away from him.
“Yes.”
    “ It’s not important to you
to have me here?”
    “ I appreciate it. I’ve
thanked you. Now I think you should go. They’re sending me home
soon. Trust me. You’ll just be in the way when my mom gets
here.”
    He stood and raked his fingers through
his hair. “I can’t believe you. I can’t believe you’d just push me
to the side. I want to take care of you.”
    “ Carlos, I’m not yours to
take care of.”
    He could feel his heart being squeezed
by her words, and his body temperature began to rise as his anger
surfaced. “And whose fault is that?”
    “ Excuse me?”
    “ Nothing,” he said throwing
his hands in the air. “Nothing.”
    “ Listen, we ended this five
years ago. Move on.”
    “ That’s what you
want?”
    “ Yes.”
    “ Fine. Tell your parents
I’ll bring the kids anytime. I’m gone.” He turned and walked out of
the room with his hands balled into fists by his sides. If he were
anywhere but the damn hospital, he’d put his fist through the wall.
How dare she dismiss him like that? When you loved someone you
wanted to take care of her.
    He stopped in the middle of the hall
and let the thought wash over him.
    Of course he loved her. They shared a
family. But she was right. She wasn’t his to worry about anymore.
The thought made him sick, but he walked out of the hospital
knowing this was what she wanted, no matter how wrong he thought
she was.
     
    As soon as the door closed, Madeline
let lose the flood of tears that she’d been holding back. That had
been the hardest thing she’d done since the day they both decided
separating was best for them. She sank down in her bed and
sobbed.
    Her heart was breaking, and that hurt
worse than the throbbing in her chest from her stitches and
bandages. She loved him. She loved him so much. How could she hurt
him by tearing him from the woman he now loved? He’d hate her for
it if Kathy ever left. She’d done the right thing. No matter how
much it hurt her, she had to make sure he moved on.
    “ Madeline?”
    She turned as the door opened and Matt
walked through. The pain that rolled in her stomach from telling
Carlos to leave had balled into a solid mass of anger when she saw
Matt’s face. She didn’t want him there, and someone had told him
what had happened.
     
    Carlos drove around the block four
times, trying to control his anger before he pulled into the
driveway.
    Damn her! He’d always wanted the best
for her, and damnit, now he wanted to help her. Well, fine! He’d
done what he could and that was all he could do.
    He threw the car into park. Damnit! He
hit the steering wheel and threw his head back against the seat.
Why did it have to continue to be so hard?
    Turning his head toward the house, he
saw Kathy standing on