Free Coast Road by Barbara Delinsky

the eye, Sam? Black, blue, and purple for a week, then green, then yellow, then back to normal. But it took a while." Samantha nodded. Her eyes didn't leave Rachel.
    "The IV poles have medicine and food, " he went on for lack of anything better to say. "The TV screen behind her registers things like heart, pulse, and oxygen. There's a person at the nurses' station who sees all that and knows if there's any change. They can also watch your mom through the glass. That's why she's here, instead of in a regular room." Hope moved closer to his side.
    "See the top readout? " he tried. "The heartbeat, that little green up-and-down line? See how regular it is? " He felt Hope nod against his arm. "Want to go let her know you're here? " The nod became a quick head shake. "Samantha? " Without defenses, Samantha looked as young and frightened as Hope. "Can she hear us? " "The doctor says so. It seems to me that if she can, she'd like to know you guys are here."
    "What do we say? " "Whatever you want."
    "Are you going to talk to her? " He knew a challenge when he heard it.
    Leaving them again, he approached the bed. Taking Rachel's hand, he leaned over and kissed her forehead.
    He stayed close, with an elbow braced on the bed rail. "Hi, angel.
    How're you doing? See, I said I'd be back, and here I am. Got the girls with me. They're over by the door. They're feeling a little intimidated by the machines and all."
    "I am not intimidated' Samantha said and was suddenly beside him. "Hi, Mom." He heard her swallow, saw her fingers close around the bed rail.
    "It's me. Sam. God, look at your face. What did you do? " From the corner of her mouth closest to Jack, she whispered, "This is dumb. She can't hear."
    "Do you know that for sure? " "No."
    "Then don't assume it." He looked around for Hope, who was still at the door.
    When he invited her over with the hitch of his head, she shrank back.
    "What are they doing to wake her up? " Samantha asked.
    "See that drip? " He pointed to one of the bags that may or may not have been the one the doctor meant. "That keeps the swelling in her head down, so that blood and oxygen can flow and heal the injured tissues."
    "Why can't they just give her a shot or something to wake her up? " "It doesn't work that way."
    "Did you ask? " "No."
    "Did you ask for a specialist? " He gave her a stare. "That was the first thing I did. Give me a little credit, huh? " To Rachel, lightly, he said, "Where did this one get her mouth? " "Like you were perfect? " Samantha asked, not lightly at all.
    Jack preferred his daughter when she was too frightened to be a smartmouth. He didn't know whether it was her age, or whether he just brought out the worst in her. In any case, he didn't want things going further downhill, not within earshot of Rachel.
    "Tell you what, " he said. "I'm going to leave you here to talk with your mother. Don't be bashful. Tell her how awful I am. Tell her that she'd better wake up, because you're not moving to the city. Tell her that I don't know anything. Get it all off your chest. I have some calls to make." He turned to find that Katherine had arrived and was standing with an arm around Hope. "Hey. Katherine. I'll be down the hall." As he passed, he told Hope, "Right down the hall. I won't be long." He felt like a deserter leaving the room, but what was the point of staying? Samantha had nothing good to say with him there, Hope wouldn't budge from the door, and Rachel wasn't helping, not one bit.
    "Is Dr. Bauer around? " he asked at the nurses' station.
    "Tuesday mornings, he teaches in the city said the nurse monitoring the screens.
    "Are you Mr. McGill? " asked a woman who was doing paperwork nearby.
    She wore a silk blouse under her lab coat, and pearl earrings. They were large. Power pearls. Jack suspected they were supposed to make her look older than the barely thirty that he guessed she was.
    - "Yes. I'm Jack McGill." She put down her pen, extended a hand, and said, "I'm Kara. Dr. Kara Bates.