by Tara Randel
“What are you up to?”
His brother hadn’t gotten back to him with any updates, but now seemed the perfect time to fill Hannah in on his request. “I’ve looked into finding him.”
She gasped. “Derrick, why?”
“For many reasons, one being we need answers and your father must have them.”
“And you didn’t think to inform me? I don’t want the government involved.”
“Not the government, a friend. And I didn’t say anything because I don’t want you to be disappointed if we’re unsuccessful.”
The anger that had tightened her features eased. “You said you’d keep me in the loop.”
“I did. And I’m sorry for going forward. I’m still learning not to do things solo. Poor excuse, but I’m working on it.”
“Honestly, I would like to know about Dad. Especially with Mom being sick.”
“I haven’t heard anything yet, but you’ll be the first to know.”
She pressed her lips together for a beat, then she sighed. “Dad learned how to hide from the best. The Marshals started us on the journey, but running from imagined crooks did the rest.”
He wrapped an arm around her shoulder. “My guy is pretty good.”
Her expression lightened. “Like you’d expect anything less.”
He gave her a squeeze meant to reassure, and also just plain out of pleasure, then backed away. To his surprise, she reached out for his hand.
“Thank you.”
“For?”
“Looking out for us. Helping figure out this whole gemstone thing.”
“Hannah, you’ve done a great job on your own.”
“But it’s nice to share all this with someone.”
“Jonathan?”
She bit her lower lip.
He held up his hand. “I said I wouldn’t press.”
“Then don’t.” She laughed and pointed at the album. “So, is this the gift?”
Derrick plucked it from the table. “It is.”
“Good. Now let’s go get another coffee for the drive home.”
He carried the item to the counter and made his purchase. Before long he and Hannah were back outside. The wind had picked up and dark clouds rolled across the gray sky. They’d walked a block when her steps slowed.
“What’s wrong?”
She nodded down the street, in the direction of the Prescott Gallery located a few blocks away. He held his breath, waiting to hear her tell him she liked it here in Nevada with Prescott, but she crossed her arms over her chest and frowned.
“I told you I was going to the exhibit last night.”
“Yes.”
“Something odd happened.”
He led her to a secluded spot under a store awning.
“Odd in what way?”
“There was a man there.” Her shoulders rose as she took a breath. “He said he was new to the area and had just found the gallery.”
“But?”
She turned her face to him. “I thought about how you said that the warnings inside me are telling me something is off. Well, something was way off.”
“Like he didn’t belong?”
“Yes. Everyone I spoke to last night was excited and happy to be there. He was, I don’t know, scowling? Impatient? I chalked it up to overreacting about the gems but now that I see the gallery in the light of day that weird feeling is still there. I should have told you sooner.”
“It’s okay. You told me now.”
“There’s more.” She took her phone from her pocket and pulled up a picture.
“Is that the guy?”
“Yes. I had this sudden impulse to snap a picture.”
“Great job. Send it to me.”
She hit buttons on her phone. “What will you do?”
“It may be something or it may not, but I’ll check into it.” He glanced down the street. “Is the gallery open?”
She looked at her watch. “Not yet. On the weekends Jonathan opens around noon and keeps later hours at night.”
“I’ll talk to him then. See what kind of security protocols are in the gallery.”
She stuffed her phone in her jacket pocket. “Am I overreacting? Because of the gems?”
“I’d be surprised if you weren’t suspicious. We haven’t found the other two stones and with the way they’ve been randomly showing up, it’s good to keep your guard up.”
She blew out a shaky breath. “Okay. Good. Now that we have that decided, coffee?”
“One last thing before we go.”
She looked at him and their gazes met. He saw her soften and his insides trembled. Her red nose made him smile and as always, he was lost to her. Taking a chance, he leaned over the short distance and captured her lips with his. She rested her hands against his chest, returning the fiery kiss with a heat of her own. He poured all his dreams and desires into the gesture, hoping she could feel his love for her deep down in her heart.
“What was that for?” she asked, her voice husky, when he pulled away.
“I’m proud of you,” he said. “Any man would be honored to have you as his partner.”
Her cheeks flushed, from the compliment, the cold wind or both, he wasn’t sure. But he’d spoken from the heart and that’s what mattered.
“You’re a pretty good catch yourself,” she said, this time initiating another quick kiss. “I only expected this to be a shopping trip,” she said.
“Spending time with you is always an adventure.”
Her eyes twinkled. “Like hiking in the mountains?”
“Or canoeing on the lake.”
She tapped a finger against her chin. “Sounds like we need to pull out a calendar and plan some dates.”
He went still. Had she decided on a future with him? “Does that mean what I think it does?”
“That I’ve figured things out?” Her cell phone rang. She fished in her pocket. “Hold that thought.”
Hold that thought? Why would the universe choose that moment for a phone call?
“Mom?” She glanced up at him, her eyes going wide. “Carol, slow down. What’s wrong?”
At her expression, his muscles went taut.
“Okay, we’ll meet you there.” She hung up. “Mom couldn’t breathe so Carol called an ambulance.”
“Let’s go.”
She grabbed his arm. “What if—”
“No thinking the worst. She’ll be fine.” He hoped his words were true. Hannah and her mother had been through enough turmoil. They didn’t need more piled on them.
As they hurried to their cars, Hannah took his hand. He’d stay close, no matter how long.
“I’ll meet you there.”
“Sure you can drive?”
“Yes, but you’ll be right behind me?”
“The entire way.”
For once, he thought as he raced to the hospital, Hannah wouldn’t be in this alone. She’d have his arms to hold her, his shoulders to lean on and his heart to love her through whatever came next.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
HANNAH CHARGED INTO the hospital, her heart pounding in her ears. She barely remembered the drive over, her mind a whirlwind. How could she have let her mother’s condition get so serious?
She rushed to the information desk, her voice barely able to squeeze around the lump in her throat. After asking for her mother’s status, she was pointed to the emergency room. She took off briskly down the hallway, trying to keep from a flat-out run. The memory of weeks spent here after the surgery bombarded her. She passed hospital personnel, dressed in scrubs or official white lab coats and her stomach sank.
She followed the signs and once she reached the emergency waiting room, Lynny and Carol rushed to her side.
“What happened?”
Carol’s
eyes were red rimmed. “When I stopped over for breakfast this morning, your mother suddenly got the chills. I sat her on the couch and the coughing started, coming so hard she couldn’t catch her breath. Then suddenly she just stopped, as if she couldn’t breathe at all. That’s when I called 911.” She sniffled. “I’m so sorry, Anna.”
“No, you did the right thing.”
“I should have known better than to wait. She was hot to the touch and with her lung issues...”
Her mother had worked so hard to overcome the cancer; what would this new condition do to her?
Hannah felt a hand on her shoulder and twirled around. Derrick. She fell into his arms and breathed deeply, regaining her composure. How easy it was to accept his comfort, like he’d always been there for her and this time was no different. After a brief minute of indulging in his strength, Hannah pushed away from his warmth, tucked her hair behind her ears and faced her friends. “Where is she?”
“Room three.”
Squaring her shoulders, Hannah let the woman manning the ER desk know who she was and asked if they would let her back to see her mother. The older woman smiled gently and took her to the room. Pressing a hand on her stomach, she slowed her rapidly beating heart and stepped behind the drawn curtain.
At the sight of her mother, she let out a gasp. Sophia’s face was deathly pale. She was hooked up to an intravenous feed and an oxygen mask covered her nose and mouth. Her eyes were closed, but Hannah could see the slight rise and fall of her chest. She ventured closer, taking her mother’s hand in hers. Sophia’s eyelids fluttered and slowly opened.
“Han—” she labored to say.
“Don’t talk, Mom. You’re going to be fine.”
Her forehead wrinkled. “I...was...fine.”
Stubborn to the end. “I don’t think so. You scared Carol enough that she called for an ambulance.”
“Someone...needs to...keep us...on our...toes.”
Hannah let out a half laugh, half sob. “What am I going to do with you?”
Her mother started to cough. Hannah stood helpless, watching her mother until she stilled again.
“Mom?”
Her mother waved a hand. Telling Hannah she was okay?
The scratch of curtain hooks against a metal rod sounded and a nurse, dressed in pink scrubs, briskly strode into the room carrying another fluid bag to hang on the IV stand.
“Are you Anna?”
“Yes.”
“I’m Diane. She’s been asking about you since she arrived.”
“Is she going to be okay?”
Diane hung the additional bag on the stand. “The doctor started her on intravenous antibiotics and we gave her something to soothe the cough.”
“I don’t think it’s working.”
“Just give it time. We only administered it a half hour ago.”
Hannah nodded. Right. As the nurse rolled the workstation on wheels beside the bed to document her mother’s chart, Hannah stood back, trying to keep the tears from escaping. For all her insisting to Derrick that she could take care of anything thrown her way, she needed to be strong once again for the woman lying in the hospital bed.
The nurse finished up and rolled the station against the wall. “I’ll let the doctor know you’re here. I’m sure you have questions.”
She did, but her brain wasn’t up to maximum speed this very minute.
The nurse brought a chair closer to the bed and sat Hannah down, patting her shoulder before leaving.
Quiet settled over the room as Hannah stared at her mother’s dear face. “I can’t lose you,” she whispered. With trembling hands she tidied the blanket and made sure to tuck in the edges, the fear digging deeper when she noticed her mom’s bluish fingernails. For a long moment she closed her eyes. Whispered comforting words to the only person in her family she had left.
Moments later a doctor came in. Hannah wiped her eyes and sent him the best smile she could muster. “What’s wrong with my mother?”
“Pneumonia,” he said succinctly. His grayish hair was cut short and he wore gray scrubs, Dr. Blackstone stitched onto the front of his white lab coat.
“We thought it was a bad cold,” Hannah explained, wishing for the hundredth time that her mother had listened to her advice to slow down her activities and attend to her health.
“Unfortunately, it’s worse than the common cold.”
At the sound of rustling from the bed, Hannah looked over to find her mother alert. She placed a hand on Sophia’s shoulder, hoping to give her the support she needed. Or was it Hannah herself who needed the support?
“So...no painting...the town...red?”
Hannah tried not to panic at her mother’s phlegmy voice. The coughing that immediately followed her question didn’t sound any better.
Once she was breathing regularly again, Dr. Blackstone listened to her chest with his stethoscope. “We have some work to do to get rid of the fluid in your lungs.”
“Spoil...sport.”
The doctor grinned as he pulled over the workstation and typed on the keyboard. “I’m afraid so.” He glanced at Hannah. “Can I take a wild guess that your mother hasn’t slowed down since she became ill?”
“No.” Hannah sent a stern look her mother’s way. “Despite my badgering her.”
“I don’t take...instruction well.”
The doctor glanced at Sophia, his expression serious. “Now you’re here and we’ll make sure you rest.”
“No fun.”
The doctor chuckled, then addressed Hannah. “We’ve started her on antibiotics and look for a complete recovery.” He paused as he read the computer screen. “I see here your mother recently finished cancer treatment for a lung tumor.”
“Yes. Will this newest issue create a problem?”
He tapped a few keys and then focused on Hannah. “I’ve ordered a chest X-ray to see what we’re dealing with. I’ll also put in a call to her oncologist.”
“Thank you.”
“We’re going to move your mother to a room shortly. Why don’t you go get some coffee or something to eat and we’ll let you know when she’s admitted and settled.”
“I’d like to stay.”
“It’s best if you let the staff get her ready to transport to a room. Trust me, we’ll take good care of her.”
“Go...tell Carol.”
“Okay.” Hannah squeezed her mother’s hand. “I’ll see you soon.”
“I’ll...be...here.”
“I love you.”
“Back...at ya.”
Fresh tears flooded her eyes at her mother’s use of their favorite tagline. The comforting words had Hannah blinking the moisture away. No losing her composure in front of her mother. The woman was a survivor and Hannah wouldn’t let Sophia worry over her tears. The nurse returned and she and the doctor spoke in low voices. Hannah went to the waiting room, her muscles so taut with fear she could barely walk.
Derrick jumped up and hurried to her side, wrapping his arm around her waist.
“Everything will be okay,” he whispered in her ear.
She wanted to believe that promise, but until her mother left the hospital, she wasn’t relying on false hope.
She pushed away, more steady now, to explain the diagnosis. When she’d finished relating the news, she reached over to pull Carol into a tight hug. “Thanks for getting Mom here.”
“Of course.”
She hugged Lynny next, who then held her at arm’s length. “You look terrible.”
Hannah sputtered a laugh, appreciating her friend’s attempt at humor to lighten the mood. “Thanks for your unnecessary candor.”
“I called Roger. He’s going to spread the word to the teachers so they can keep your mom in their thoughts.”
The tears stung again. She didn’t have words for these pre
cious friends who had adopted them like family.
Lynny hesitated, flicked her glance to Derrick and back, then said, “And heads up, Jonathan reached out to me since he couldn’t get ahold of you. I had to tell him what’s going on.”
“It’s okay,” Hannah told her friend. Lynny had done the right thing. Hannah would fill Jonathan in later.
“Why don’t we get you some coffee,” Carol suggested with a nod at Lynny.
“Want to come to the cafeteria?” Lynny asked.
“If you don’t mind, I’m going to stay here. They’re going to let me know when they move Mom to a room.”
The two women hugged her again and set off to another area of the hospital.
Derrick led her to a grouping of chairs and a couch, away from other visitors in the room. She sank into the soft couch and let out a ragged breath.
“Bad?” Derrick asked as he lowered himself onto the cushion next to her.
“Serious, but the doctor didn’t act like it was an emergency. They’ve gotten some medicine into her. Will do some tests.”
“How are her spirits?”
“Incredible.” Her laugh sounded shaky to her ears. “Joking around as usual. How can she do that?”
“Probably for you.”
She frowned at him. “Me?”
“To keep you calm.”
She stared across the room, focusing on the entrance to the emergency area. “It’s not working.”
“Hannah, look at me.”
She met his gaze, holding on to her control by a thread. When she and her mother had received the cancer diagnosis, Hannah had kept it together. During treatment, she had been a rock. Why now, with friends here to help shoulder this newest setback, was she falling apart? Could it be that she simply didn’t want her mother to have to go through one test after another or schedule multiple doctor visits like before? Or did she finally recognize that it was okay to let her guard down and be vulnerable because these wonderful people, including Derrick, had her back?
“We’re in this together.”
His gaze was steady, the deep blue eyes she’d never forgotten reassuring. She still loved Derrick, the young man she remembered, the solid, dependable man he’d become. Nothing would change that fact.
“Derrick, I—”