by J. G. Sumner
“Mrs. Pearson, while I do agree she is doing better, it’s the recommendation of the nephrologist for her to be on it for at least another day. Taking her off of it at this point could cause permanent kidney damage, which could result in her needing hemodialysis several days a week until she could get a kidney transplant. That’s if she could get one. There’s always the possibility she would die before the transplant. I’m sure that’s not the future you want for your daughter.”
“No, sir. You’re right.” Herb looked down at his lap.
Eileen slammed her hand on the table. “Dr. Russell, are you opposed to transferring our daughter? Did Dr. Stone convince you it wasn’t a good idea?” Eileen thought it was best she come right out and ask.
Dr. Russell crossed his arms and looked Eileen square in the eyes. “Dr. Stone did mention you were interested in moving Miss Pearson. But, he didn’t try to sway me in one direction or another. I’m not opposed to transferring your daughter. It needs to be when it’s safe for her. Not on your schedule.” Dr. Russell leaned back in his chair and shifted his gaze to include Herb. “Providing you want me on your daughter’s case, I could start making arrangements to move her. I have to be honest. I don’t like the way this conversation has been going. I have to say, I’m concerned with your motives. With all due respect, it seems this is for your wellbeing and not hers.”
Eileen took a deep breath and held her hands to her chest. “I’m a little offended by what you’re suggesting, Doctor.”
Herb rested his hand on her leg. “I’m sorry, for the way we must’ve come across. Of course we’d never intentionally insult your integrity or your practice. My wife and I just want what’s best for our daughter. Sometimes, my wife gets carried away, but she has the best of intentions. I’m sure I can speak for her when I say we’d like to have you caring for our daughter.” Eileen nodded in agreement. “What do we have to do to make you her provider?”
Dr. Russell‘s posture relaxed a little as Herb talked. “Unfortunately, I don’t have privileges to treat patients at this hospital. Dr. Stone felt pretty strongly you would want him off her case. However, the only way I can treat your daughter until my privileges go through is to round with Dr. Stone and tell him what treatments I’d like your daughter to have. I’d be acting like a mentor to him in a way. He’d still be writing all the orders but per my discretion. He’s agreed to go along with any plan I have until my credentialing goes through, and then he would remove himself from the case altogether.”
“I don’t know if I like that plan,” Eileen confessed.
“Unfortunately, if you want me, this is the only way it can happen. Otherwise you’ll have to wait a few days for the administration to give me privileges. I think Dr. Stone was being very thoughtful in doing this for Miss Pearson and you.”
Herb and Eileen exchanged glances again. This time Herb took charge. “Doctor, we’d be very pleased if you’d take over. If you could start the transfer process today, we’d very much like that. We’d be happy to help in any way we can. I’m more than willing to use some of my connections to find a doctor in the St. Louis area to care for her.”
“I appreciate your offer. However, I have a few colleagues who work at St. John’s Mercy Medical Center. That hospital is well known and specializes in heart surgeries. Your daughter would benefit greatly from being there. I’ll give them a call and see if I can pull any strings.”
Eileen was hardly able to remain in her seat. She put her hands over her mouth. Her eyes sparkled with happiness. “Thank you so much! I don’t know how we’ll ever repay you.”
Dr. Russell remained grounded and emotionless. “There’s no need to repay me. This is the reason I became a physician, so I could help people.”
“Well, you’re truly a blessing.”
“Thank you for your kind words. Now unfortunately, I need to get going. I have other patients I need to round on at the university hospital.”
“Of course. My husband and I appreciate you coming out of your way to help our daughter. Please keep us informed of the transfer progress. We’d really like Dr. Stone to know the least amount about the transfer as possible. We don’t want him to try and delay anything.”
“Unfortunately, I don’t think it will be that easy. Dr. Stone will have to speak with the accepting physician in St. Louis and give them Miss Pearson’s history. I can assure you, Dr. Stone will be supportive of any decisions I make.”
“Well, thank God for that!” Eileen grasped the table and looked up to the sky as if in search for the higher power.
Dr. Russell shook Herb and Eileen’s hands. “It’s been a pleasure meeting you. Hopefully, we can get your daughter home safely sooner rather later.”
“Thank you again, Doctor. My wife and I appreciate all your help.”
“You’re welcome. Now, if you’ll excuse me.”
Herb wore an enormous smile as Dr. Russell left the room. “See, my love, I told you this would all work out. We didn’t even have to give him the money to make it happen.” Herb put his arm around his wife and squeezed her lovingly.
“Herb, as I’ve always said, it’s better to be prepared than not.”
“I just pray she doesn’t wake up hating us for this.”
“I’m very confident she’ll be thanking us. Now, we need to hire some movers to pack up her stuff and ship it back home.”
“Maybe we should just rent a storage unit in case she wants to come back.”
“Oh, that’s a horrible idea. It’s going to be so long before she can even think about coming back here. Also, I’m sure when we get her settled there, she won’t want to come back.”
“I hope you’re right.”
“I am. Don’t you worry.” Eileen wore a permanent smile. She was finally getting her way. There was no one to stop her. Life couldn’t be better.
“Let’s go see Laney, and then I’ll make some calls to movers.”
Chapter 21
Eileen
Peyton almost fell out of her chair when Laney’s parents entered the room. She placed her hand over her chest. “Oh, Mr. and Mrs. Pearson, you startled me. How did your conference go?”
“It went fabulously. We’re bringing our daughter home with us.” Eileen winked at Peyton and continued with her shit-eating grin. “Well, dear. Don’t just stand there with your mouth hanging open. A fly could make a crash landing in the wide mouth of yours. You should be happy for your friend. Don’t worry, we’ll make sure she calls you when she’s well enough.”
“I’m sorry. I guess I just don’t understand. How are they going to transfer her with dialysis going?”
“Dr. Russell assures me the dialysis will be done in a couple of days.”
Peyton frowned. “Are you sure this is the right thing to do?”
“Oh yes, dear. I’ve never been more certain about anything in my life.”
“I don’t think she’ll be as eager to leave as you think.”
“I guess we’ll cross that bridge if and when we come to it. I suspect, she’ll forget about the dashing trauma surgeon before you know it. Now tell me, how’s my daughter doing?”
Peyton couldn’t stop the sneer that developed. “She’s doing the same as before your meeting with Dr. Russell. She’s stable, and the dialysis is working well.”
Eileen clapped her hands. “That’s excellent news.” She bent over and kissed Laney’s forehead. “You hear that, my little girl? You’re almost well enough to come home with us. Only a little bit longer now. You keep on fighting for Mommy.”
“Eileen, she’s so beautiful—just like her mom.” Herb rubbed his daughter’s hand.
Eileen walked to the counter and put her purse down. She found a stack of cards piling up. “Peyton, what are these?”
“People have been sending her get well soon cards. I’ve left them for when she wakes up.”
“Well, maybe I’ll open them and read them to her. It’s going to be a while before she’ll be able to.”
Peyton shrugged
. “Suit yourself.”
Eileen grabbed the cards and sat next to Laney’s bed. Herb moved away from his daughter and walked to his wife. “Honey, while you’re reading, I’m going to work on arranging the movers.”
“MOVERS?” Peyton barked.
“Why yes, dear. Herb and I have decided it would be best to bring Laney’s belongings home with us.”
Peyton gripped her table so hard her knuckles became white. “I see,” she gritted through her teeth.
“I’ll be back shortly. If you need anything, call the cell phone.”
“Okay, Herb. We’ll be right here.” Eileen tore open the first of many envelopes. One by one, she read the good wishes sent to Laney and proceeded to give her two cents after each one. It wasn’t until she got to the bottom of the stack when she found one that didn’t look like the rest. It was in a flimsy standard white envelope. “Hmm, I wonder what’s in here.” She proceeded to open it with the same exuberance she had with the others. As she unfolded the letter, she let out a little scream and threw her hand over her mouth.
Peyton looked up. “What is it?”
“It’s another letter!”
“What kind of letter?”
Eileen pulled her hand away from her mouth but was shaking nervously. “You know, one of the bad ones she’s been receiving.”
“What’s it say?”
“’Roses are red, Violets are blue, go home with your mommy, and she’ll take care of you.’ Who would do this?” Eileen clutched her chest.
“I don’t know. They are getting more personal now. My question is, why does this person want her out of here? What does Laney have that they want? And how do they know what’s happening?”
“You’d know better than anyone. You’re her best friend.”
“Laney has no enemies. She’s nice to everyone. She’s like the girl next door who everyone loves and wants to know.”
“Well, Peyton. What do you think?”
“I don’t know, Mrs. Pearson. I can’t think of anyone who would want to do this to Laney.”
“I think I need to call the police. I had better call Herb first.” Eileen reached in her purse to grab her cell phone. She attempted to dial the number with her shaky fingers but fumbled several times. Finally, she was able to get through.
“Hello? Herb? Honey, I need you to come back to the hospital right away. Laney received another of those disturbing letters. I think we should call the police…” Eileen read the card to Herb. “No, I don’t know how it got here. Can you just come back? Fine, I’ll wait to call them until you get here. You need to hurry…okay, I love you too.”
Eileen hung up the phone. “He’s on his way. This is all because of that damned Dr. Stone. Laney should never have become involved with him. Thank God we’re going to be rid of him.” Eileen placed the phone back into her purse and grabbed some tissues. She dabbed each eye to absorb the water that had formed.
Peyton excused herself before stepping out of the room.
Chapter 22
Josh
Josh entered Laney’s room expecting to run into Herb and Eileen. He was sure they would gloat. Instead, he found Peyton alone and running the dialysis machine. “How’s she doing?”
“I’ve been able to pull off over a liter of fluids during my shift. We’re still a little positive, but if she continues to tolerate the dialysis this well, we can probably get her about even sometime tomorrow. Also, I’ve been able to go down on her Levophed drip. Her blood pressure is holding steady.”
“That’s excellent news. It looks like her swelling has gone down significantly as well. Her kidney function labs are looking better. She’s trending in the right direction. With any luck, we’ll also be able to wake her up tomorrow.”
“Really? That soon? Do you think she’ll be ready?” Peyton’s enthusiasm exuded from her pores.
“Yeah, hopefully.”
“That would be amazing! I’m tired of the crap her mom is pulling. Laney’s the only one who can stop it. What about this new doctor? Is he willing to wake her up?”
Josh flashed a grin from ear to ear. “Yeah, he knows my plan, and he’s completely on board. He knows as soon as she’s ready to come off of dialysis, we wake her up.”
“The Pearsons said he’s transferring her to St. Louis.”
“I know. That’s all part of the plan.”
“What plan? What are you talking about?” Concern flashed across Peyton’s face. She was no longer smiling.
“Dr. Russell is a good friend. He was a mentor to me when I was doing my fellowship. When you told me Laney’s parents were looking for a new doctor, he’s the first person I thought of. He’s the best in the area, and I knew Laney’s parents would not settle for less.”
“If he’s on your side, why is he agreeing to move her to St. Louis?”
“If you remember, I told them I would start working on a transfer to St. Louis. That’s also what Dr. Russell intends to do. However, he’s also going to make sure she’s awake before she is transferred. If Laney wants to go back with them, I’d be heartbroken, but at least it would be her choice.”
“Wow! That’s a brilliant plan! I didn’t see that one coming. I’m glad someone is two steps ahead of Laney’s parents. Eileen is driving me nuts. They’re even hiring movers as we speak to pack up Laney’s stuff. Her mother is relentless.”
“No, seriously?”
“Unbelievable, huh?”
“Good Lord, that woman is out of her mind. I’ve never met anyone so controlling and manipulative in my life. She has no idea what makes her daughter happy. Or maybe she does and just doesn’t care.”
“There’s more.” Peyton paused. “Laney got another letter.”
All his happiness and confidence disappeared. Josh furrowed his brows. “How? Where? Her mother didn’t mention anything this morning when Dr. Russell was here.”
“That’s because she just found it. Laney’s mom was going through a stack of cards when she came across it.”
“Well, what did it say?”
“It encouraged Laney to move away.”
Josh thought about the other letters Laney had received. “That’s weird. That’s not like the others.”
“That’s exactly what I was thinking. If I remember correctly, the others seemed to be from an admirer of Laney’s who didn’t want you two together. This one seems like whoever wrote it wants Laney completely out of the picture.”
“That sounds plausible. Maybe the person is just trying to taunt her now.”
“Also, whoever is doing this knows exactly where Laney is and what’s going on. I was thinking, do you have any ex-girlfriends here in the hospital who may be jealous and trying to scare Laney off?”
Josh thought back to the women he had dated. While he didn’t consider himself a serial dater, he did have a few brief flings over the years. None of them were crazy enough to write letters to Laney. “Not any I can think of.”
“Were there any who took it especially hard when you broke up? Any who may want you back?”
Breakups were never an easy thing. Josh tried hard to be sensitive to the other person. No matter how gentle he was, someone always got hurt. “I don’t know. I would hate to point fingers and it not turn out to be true.”
“Josh, are you hearing yourself? What if you did name someone and they turned out to be the one who has been torturing Laney? If you have any thoughts, you need to tell the police. At least let them investigate it.”
“You’re right. I don’t know what I was thinking. Have the Pearsons shown the letter to Detective Neal yet?”
“Yeah, I believe they’re meeting with him right now.”
“All right, I’ll give them time to file the report, and I’ll call him in a little bit.”
“What’ll you do if it’s one of your ex-girlfriends?”
“I don’t know. My gut reaction would be to skin them alive. I’d have to wonder what I had done wrong to make them want to come after Laney.”
�
�Um, it wouldn’t be your fault. Whoever is doing this is just downright crazy.”
Josh’s skin crawled at the thought of someone he dated trying to hurt Laney. How could he not have recognized someone who was mentally unstable? He been dealing first hand with Jillian all these years. It was hard enough living with his sister. His stomach twisted into knots. “I guess that’s one way to look at it. I hope it doesn’t turn out to be the case.”
“Well, whoever this bastard is, I hope they catch him or her soon!”
“I share your sentiment.” Josh wasn’t pleased with the latest news. He was even more unhappy about his upcoming chore. “If you would excuse me, I’ve got a few things to catch up on. I’ll swing by here again later. If anything else pops up, call me.”
“Sure, no problem.” Peyton gave a half-hearted smile as Josh left the room.
Chapter 23
Jillian
Josh had been distracted throughout the movie last night. Jillian’s entire goal was to keep his mind off things and instead, she gave him more to worry about. Once they were home, Josh let Duke outside, and then he went straight to his room.
When Jillian woke that morning, Josh was long gone. She was out of ideas on how to keep him happy and not think about Laney. Biding for his attention would be a struggle when she went back to work. Jillian thought about calling in again, but it would only make Josh angry. That was the last thing she wanted.
Not knowing if he was coming home, she decided to walk and feed Duke. They strolled along the sidewalk by the beach watching the waves crash and seagulls sing. The air was warm. Crowds laughed and screamed as waves pushed them over. While she wasn’t gone long, Jillian found the walk to be rather soothing. The waves always had a calming influence on her.
Jillian fixed herself something to eat. She would make herself a grilled cheese sandwich but thought if Josh came home, he would need something. She made linguini with pesto sauce, sundried tomatoes, and mushrooms. She placed it in a Tupperware container in the refrigerator with a little note for him to eat it.