by Sarra Cannon
Colton arrives shortly after I do, and as much as I said I didn’t need him to come, I’m so thankful when he walks through that door. He sits down beside me, takes one look at my trembling hands, and pulls the clipboard and insurance card onto his lap.
I rest my head on his shoulder and clasp my hands together nervously as he asks questions and finishes filling out the form for me.
I hate acting weak in front of someone else like this, but it feels so good to have him to lean on right now that I don’t much care. “Thank you for coming,” I say.
“Did they tell you anything?”
“He has a concussion,” I say. “They’re trying to wake him up and get him talking. They said they’ll come out and get me as soon as they can.”
He finishes the form and hands it back to the lady at reception.
“Do you want something out of the soda machine?” he asks.
“If they have water, that would be great.”
He comes back in a minute with two cold waters and hands one to me. He puts his arm around my shoulders and pulls me close.
“It’s going to be okay, Jo,” he says.
“I hope you’re right.”
I don’t know how long we sit there together. It feels like years before the receptionist calls my name and tells me I can go back to see my dad.
“Next of kin only,” she says.
“I’ll be here,” Colton says.
I follow her back to my dad’s room and nearly cry out when I see him sitting up, his eyes open and an IV in his arm.
“There’s my Jojo,” he says. “I kept telling them to go get you, but they took their sweet time about it.”
I throw my arms around him, wet tears leaking onto his hospital gown. “I’m so glad to see you awake,” I say. “How are you feeling?”
“Better,” he says. “Just took a little tumble, that’s all.”
“What happened? When did you fall, do you know?”
He shakes his head. “Sometime early this morning,” he says. “I’m not sure what time. Maybe around four or five? I got up to use the bathroom and my legs just gave out from under me. I don’t know what happened, but next thing I knew I was waking up here with half a dozen people standing over me. Just about gave me the fright of my life.”
“I rode here in the ambulance with you, but they made me wait outside,” I say. “I tried to get in, but you know hospitals.”
“Yes, I do, and I’ll be happy to get out of this one as fast as possible,” he says with a laugh.
And I think that laugh is just about the best sound I’ve ever heard in my life. I squeeze his hand and sit down on the edge of the bed.
“Did they say you’d be going home today? Or are they going to keep you here for a while?”
“They want to keep me overnight just to make sure I stay awake and alert, but the doctor said I can go home tomorrow morning,” he says. “He doesn’t think there will be any lasting or permanent damage, so that’s good news.”
I smile from ear to ear, so relieved I almost start to cry again. “Did he say anything about why your legs gave out on you?”
Dad’s smile fades and he clears his throat. “Well, that’s the real mystery, I guess,” he says. “He wants me to follow up later this week with Dr. Taylor. Maybe run some tests.”
“What kind of tests?”
He shrugs. “I have no idea. Just to make sure nothing seems out of the ordinary.”
I think about the trouble he’s been having lately with his hands. Whatever it is, it’s something we’ll be able to deal with. I’m just so glad he’s okay now, and that it’s nothing too serious.
“I’ll call first thing this morning after they open and get you in for an appointment,” I say. “But seeing how we’re going to be stuck here for a while, what do you want to do? Want me to turn on the TV? I could see if Colton could bring us a deck of cards or something, if you want. We could play a round of Gin Rummy, just like old times?”
“Colton?” he asks, raising an eyebrow and studying me, the corner of his mouth tweaked upwards. “I take it you two were out all night?”
I blush and look away. Damn. He totally knows what happened between us. “He’s in the waiting room,” I say.
“And where exactly were you two all night?” I know he already knows the answer, but he just wants to hear me say it.
And what choice do I have but to humor him? He is sitting here in a hospital gown all hooked up to machines and IV’s.
“Not that it’s any of your business, but we got caught in the storm and had to hold out in a cabin that used to belong to his grandfather. Didn’t Knox tell you I called?” I say. “We sat there for a while until the storm passed and then headed home as soon as the sun started coming up.”
“Mmm-hmm, I see,” he says, a glimmer in his eyes.
I pull my hand from his and roll my eyes. “Don’t go getting any of your crazy ideas,” I say. “We were just hanging out.”
Which is such a lie, but like I said, it’s none of his business.
“Hanging out with a boy while your poor old dad was passed out on the floor of the bathroom.”
“Dad!” I would have swiped his arm if there wasn’t an IV sticking out of it. Tears spring to my eyes. “You have no idea how guilty I feel right now. Don’t even start to tease me about something like that.”
He laughs hard, but then winces and raises a hand to his forehead. “I’m sorry, Jojo. You know I’m just giving you a hard time,” he says. “I’ve been dying for you to finally give in to that boy and spend some real time with him. The way he looks at you?”
He shakes his head and whistles.
“What?” The warmth of a blush is creeping back into my cheeks.
“If you can’t see it, there’s no use trying to explain it to you,” he says. “But I see it. And all I have to say is it’s about damn time. I just hate that I ruined your fun night with all this nonsense.”
I lean over and kiss the part of his head that isn’t bandaged. “You didn’t ruin anything, Daddy,” I say. “I’m just glad you’re okay.”
“Well, if he’s here anyway, why don’t you bring Colton back here with us?” he says. “No sense in him sitting in the waiting room all by his lonesome.”
“They told me we could only have next of kin back here in the room with you,” I say.
“Bullshit. Just go tell Kelly you’re bringing your friend back,” he says. “She’ll get him through, no problem.”
“Kelly’s working today?” I haven’t seen her in ages, it seems like. She and my dad dated for a while when I was in high school. She’s really the only woman I’ve ever seen him head-over-heels for, and I still don’t quite understand why it didn’t work out between them. I always liked her.
“She’s here,” he says. “You can imagine how excited I was to have her see me in here looking the way I do.”
He pats his hair, and I laugh. “Handsome as ever,” I say. “I’ll be right back.”
I find Kelly by the nurse’s station and she stands to give me a hug.
“Your daddy gave you quite the scare tonight, huh?”
“You have no idea,” I say.
“I couldn’t believe it when I saw them wheel him back here. Nearly had a heart attack,” she says, touching her hand to her chest. “Thank goodness he’s going to be okay.”
“I’ve never been so relieved in my life.”
“Does he need something?”
“I hate to ask, because I know they told me next of kin only, but I’ve got a friend in the waiting room and Dad said to ask if he could come back with us?”
She smiles. “It wouldn’t happen to be that tall drink of water with the dark blond hair and the eyes to die for, would it?”
I blush again, thinking that this is probably the most I’ve ever blushed in my life. It’s beginning to be a nuisance. I’m sure everyone can see right through me.
“His name is Colton, and before you go getting any ideas, he works for us at
the bar.”
“Whatever you say.” She smiles and bumps my shoulder. “You can bring him back with you. Anything that’ll help keep Rob alert and awake for the next few hours will be a big help.”
“I don’t suppose you guys have a pack of playing cards back here anywhere, do you?” I ask.
“Believe it or not, we actually do,” she says. “Some of the doctors like to play poker on the slower nights, which is sadly not often enough. I’ll go see if Sandy can find them for me.”
“Thank you.”
I duck my head out of the double doors leading to the emergency wing and Colton looks up. I crook my finger at him and he smiles and stands.
“How’s he feeling?”
“Back to his old self, mostly,” I say. “Thank the good Lord. He sent me out here to ask if you want to play a few rounds of cards since they’re wanting to keep him awake the rest of the morning. I understand if you want to go home, though. It’s been a long night.”
“What? And miss the opportunity to play some Blackjack with you and your daddy in the emergency room? I wouldn’t dare.”
He smiles and my stomach flips in the most pleasant way.
The receptionist sitting at the desk gives me the evil eye, so I grab the front of his shirt and pull him through the doors with me. I lead him to the room where they’re keeping my dad, glancing around like a thief in the night, trying not to get caught breaking the rules.
Kelly is already there, double-checking the IV and chatting with my father.
“There they are,” she says. “I’ll leave you guys to it. Take it easy, now. No betting or anything. Rob doesn’t need the disappointment of losing too badly after taking a fall like that.”
“Haha, very funny,” Dad says. “I happen to be very good at cards, thank you very much.”
“I remember,” Kelly says with a smile, and maybe a hint of something like regret in her voice. “Y’all have fun. I’ll be back to check on you in about an hour. Just call if you need anything.”
Dad watches her leave, and I can’t help but wonder again what happened between the two of them. I don’t understand how sometimes perfectly good relationships fall apart when you least expect it.
“Colton, I’m sorry you have to see me like this, but I guess this officially makes you a part of our family at the bar,” Dad says.
“I always used to say it isn’t a real party until someone ends up in the emergency room.”
Dad laughs and Colton pulls a chair closer to the bed. He takes the deck of cards from the table and shuffles.
“I’m not sure I like the sound of that saying,” I tell him as I sit down on the end of the bed. “What kind of parties have you been having, anyway?”
“The kind you’ve been missing out on your whole life, apparently,” he says.
I know he’s just joking, and to hear the sound of my father’s laughter is all I need to hear to be grateful for Colton’s light-hearted humor. How does he always seem to know just what to say?
“Well, let’s keep this party going, then,” I say. “What should we play?”
Dad touches my arm and winks. “I’m thinking hearts.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Thank God for comfy beds and blackout curtains.
Exhausted from spending most of the morning in the ER, I fall into bed, looking forward to at least four hours of uninterrupted bliss before I have to show up at work. I told Jo I’d take her shift tonight so that she could look out for her dad. About fifteen minutes later, though, someone is banging on my door. I grumble and roll over, tempted to just pull my pillow over my head and wait for them to go away.
But what if something else has happened to Rob? He was in good spirits after they moved him to his hospital room this afternoon, but I’m still worried there might be something more serious going on with him.
I get up, pull on my jeans, and rush to the door.
Only, it isn’t Jo. It’s my dad.
I run a hand over my face, my stomach in knots. What have I done now?
Reluctantly, I open the door. “Hey, Dad. What’s up?”
I assume my most casual stance. It’s a good defense against my father, who always seems to be wound up tighter than a jack in the box. I’m nowhere near calm on the inside, but I don’t want him to know that.
He pushes the door open and blows past me. “Colton, what the hell is wrong with you, son?”
I swallow back the words that come into my brain. I don’t even dare open my mouth for fear that I’ll say something that will only make this worse.
“Imagine my surprise when I get a call from Neal this afternoon saying that you didn’t show up for the very important interview this morning?” Dad says.
I close my eyes and breathe in, exhaustion weighing me down.
“I’m sorry, Dad, I completely forgot.”
Which is just about the worst thing I can say. I realize it after the words have passed my lips. Dad’s entire face tenses, and if he was the hitting type, this would have been the moment he balled his hands into fists and let it rip.
“You forgot?” He adjusts his jeans on his hips and points a finger at me. “Do you have any idea just what I had to do to get you this interview? I went out of my way to get you in when they were already full up, Colton. They had to pass on some other guy who actually cares about this job, and you forgot?”
He shakes his head, disgust written so clearly on his face, it brings a bad taste to my mouth.
“Well, now I never asked you to do that, did I?” I say. Not that my father really cares what I want. He never has. All he thinks about is what he wants for me. What he thinks is best for me.
And in his eyes, I’m already the type of loser who misses interviews and takes everything for granted. So why even bother telling him about Jo’s dad? To him it would just be another excuse, and I’m too tired to drag this out.
“You really plan to spend the rest of your worthless life serving beer at some dive bar?” he asks. “You are so much better than that, Colton, and you know it. But if you want to party your whole life away, never taking any responsibility, then by all means, go ahead. Just don’t bother coming back home when it all falls apart.”
His famous line. My whole life he’s been telling me I’m worthless. Telling me that I am free to make my own choices as long as I don’t expect him to be there to help pick me up when I fall.
“Don’t worry, Dad,” I say, not backing down this time. “I never expect you to be there for me. Especially not when I need you most.”
He draws his eyebrows together and steps back. “Now what the hell is that supposed to mean?” he asks.
As if he didn’t just tell me the same thing in so many words.
“I’ve had a very long couple days,” I say. “And before you lash out at me again, I wasn’t up all night partying. I was at the hospital with a friend who needed me. Not that you care or probably will even believe me. Either way, I haven’t had much rest, and since I have to work my very irresponsible and worthless job tonight, I’d appreciate it if you would leave so that I can get some sleep.”
Dad doesn’t move at first. He stares at me, shaking his head. He’s not used to me talking back to him or standing up for myself, and it’s possible he’s in shock.
I walk to the door and open it wider, leaning against the wood and waiting for him to get the message. Finally, he turns and walks toward me.
“Colton, I didn’t—”
“Dad, just stop,” I say. “Please. I’m sorry I missed the interview and made you upset. Please apologize to your old boss for me.”
He nods. “I’ll see if we can set something up for the end of the month.”
I don’t even bother arguing. “I’ll see you later, Dad.”
“Take care of yourself, son,” he says. “This is a nice place you’ve got here, by the way. Very grown up.”
I want to laugh. “Thanks,” I say.
Dad claps a hand on my arm, starts to say something else, but th
en turns and stomps his way down the stairs and out into the cold.
I slam the door so hard the whole apartment rocks. I’m not worthless, but no one is as good at making me think I am than my own father. Maybe he really does just want the best for me, but what makes him think he knows what I need better than I do?
I lock the door and undress again, collapsing into the bed where I toss and turn all afternoon.
Chapter Twenty-Three
I spend the next few days focused one hundred percent on my father. He had to spend the night in the hospital, but I called to make an appointment with his regular doctor for this morning.
“You almost ready?” I call back to his bedroom.
“Stop hovering over me,” he calls back. “I’ll be ready when I’m ready.”
There’s frustration in his voice, and I understand it, but he needs to come on. I don’t want to be late.
“Finally,” I say when he emerges from his bedroom.
“Can you get these last few buttons for me?” he asks. He shakes his hands. “I swear, I’m falling apart these days.”
He says it with a laugh, but I know this man better than I know myself, and the worry in his tone makes my stomach hurt. I reach up to button the last few buttons of his shirt.
“Everything is going to be fine,” I say. “Which is why we don’t want to be late to this appointment. We need to figure out what’s going on so we can just get it fixed and move on with our lives.”
My hands are sweaty, but I hope I’m managing to keep my fear out of my voice. My father has always been the strong one. He’s always been there for me when I needed him, even when I’ve made the worst mistakes of my life. I want to be here for him now, too.
“Let’s get going, then,” he says. He kisses my forehead and runs a hand down my hair, just like he used to do when I was a little girl.
I smile and wrap an arm around him as we walk out to the car.