Total pages in book: 75
Estimated words: 77857 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77857 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
“I think security might have something to say about that,” Lamone says.
“Go sit down and cool off,” I tell Donny.
“Fuck you,” he says.
“For God’s sake.” I grab Pat’s arm and lead him toward the door of the ER. “Now. Tell me. Why are you here?”
“I told you before. It’s none of your business.”
“How did you know?” I demand.
“How did I know what?”
“That we’d be here?”
“It may interest you to know, Steel, that my entire life doesn’t revolve around the two of you. I’m here to visit someone.”
“In the ER?”
“No. In the hospital. I usually come through the ER because the parking’s better.”
“So you’re not—”
I stop. I won’t volunteer any information. Perhaps this is truly a coincidence.
“Not what?”
“Never mind.” Out of the corner of my eye, I notice Rory and Callie heading back toward Donny. Shit.
“Go, then,” I say to Lamone. “Get the hell out of here.”
“Not that I need your permission, but I’ve got someone waiting for me.” He walks away through the hallway and out of the ER. He doesn’t seem to notice Callie and Rory.
Thank God.
I walk briskly back to the corner where Donny, Callie, and Rory are.
Rory falls into my arms.
“Hey, it’s okay,” I tell her.
She pulls back. “It’s not okay.”
I swallow. “God, please don’t tell me—”
“No, no,” she says. “He’s not dead. But he’s got some blockage. We’re waiting for them to take him to the OR for a triple bypass.”
Callie is crying into Donny’s shoulder.
“Where are Maddie and Jesse?”
“They’re still in the back with Mom. Cal and I wanted to come back out and let you and Donny know.”
“What can I do for you?” I ask. “Anything.”
“I don’t know. It’s all so surreal. I want to feel something, but I’m numb. This is my dad. My rock. The one who takes care of all of us.”
“Did the doctor tell you about his prognosis?”
She nods. “It’s pretty good. It’s not an uncommon procedure. But it’s open-heart surgery, Brock.”
I kiss her forehead. “I know. I’m sorry, sweetheart.”
“We’ll be here for a while. You don’t have to stay.”
“Of course I’ll stay. I wouldn’t be anywhere else.”
She leans into me. “It’s okay. You’ve already seen me at my worst today. I don’t want to put you through any more.”
I pull back slightly and meet her gaze. “Hey. This is where I want to be. Exactly where I want to be.”
“Are you sure? Really sure?”
“Come with me.” I take her hand and lead her away from Callie and Donny so we have a bit of privacy. “What do you think it means when I say I love you? It means I’m here for you. For whatever you need, Rory. I want to be here.”
She leans her head on my shoulder. “There’s nothing you can do here.”
“I can be with you.”
“I know. I love you for it. But—”
“Tell you what. I’ll get you a room at the Carlton. Not just for you but for Callie, your mom, everyone. You can stay here in the city, close to the hospital. I’ll go to your house and pack you a bag if you want. I’ll take care of your dog. I’ll do whatever you need.”
She cries then. Softly into my shoulder. “I didn’t think I had any tears left today.”
I kiss the top of her head. “It’s okay.”
“It’s not okay, Brock. I cried buckets today over a baby that never existed. And now… Now, my father. This is real. This exists. And I wish it didn’t.”
“He’s a strong man. There’s no reason to believe he won’t come out of this.”
“That’s just it. He’s strong. In great physical shape. He eats right, and he gets lots of exercise. He hardly ever drinks. How did this even happen?”
“I don’t know, sweetheart. Life just doesn’t make sense sometimes.”
“Oh, Brock… I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
“For… I don’t know. You’re going through so much right now.”
“Hey. My father is healthy. He’s not in the hospital. It’s okay to think about your own problems, Rory. It’s okay.”
“I don’t want to be selfish. I feel like I’ve already been so selfish.”
“You’re not being selfish. Cry if you need to. Yell if you need to. I’ll take you outside, and you can yell at the universe if you want to. Whatever you need, Rory. I mean it.”
She sighs, choking back a sob. “I just need you, Brock. I just need you.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
RORY
My tears dry out quickly, and I feel terrible. Terrible that I cried over a nonexistent child and now I don’t have any tears left for my father.
My father, who gets me in a way my mother doesn’t. My father, who truly doesn’t care whether my life mate is a man or a woman.
My father, who taught me how to be strong.
My father, who taught me it’s okay to change directions when things aren’t going as planned.
My father… My rock…
He’ll be okay. He has to be.