Daddy By Default

by Nikki Benjamin

  Gabriel was such a gentleman, she doubted anything untoward would occur. Still, they would have more time together, and just being with him platonically gave her great pleasure. Since they would soon be going their separate ways, she wanted to make the most of whatever opportunities she had left.

  She hadn’t changed her mind about moving into her own apartment, and she didn’t think she would. Unless—

  From where she stood, Madelyn saw one of the French doors shoot open. Gabriel, struggling into his denim jacket, strode out, then halted abruptly to close the door. His mouth set in a grim line, he continued across the courtyard, heading straight for the cottage.

  Her heart fluttering in her chest, Madelyn hurried to the door. Something about the look on his face sent a shiver of fear racing up her spine. What had happened to send him flying out of the house as if he had the hounds of hell at his heels?

  Before she reached the door, his knock rang out, loud and demanding.

  “Maddy, are you there?” he called out in a voice filled with anxiety.

  Hushing the dog, who had leapt off the sofa, barking wildly, she fumbled with the lock and swung the door wide.

  “Gabriel, what is it? What’s wrong?” Reaching out, she drew him into the cottage, her trepidation growing.

  He halted just across the threshold and took her by the shoulders, as if he desperately needed to ground himself by touching her. His face was unnaturally pale and his hands trembled ever so slightly.

  “It’s Brian. He’s been hurt,” he explained, his voice breaking.

  “Oh, Gabriel, no,” she murmured, clutching his arms. “How badly—?”

  “I don’t know for sure. His Scout leader called to tell me he’d taken a fall. He was on a cellular telephone and the line kept breaking up. All he was able to add was that a helicopter had been called to ferry him to the hospital here in Santa Fe. He should be there within the next ten or fifteen minutes.” He paused, made a valiant effort to steady himself, then added, “Come with me, Maddy. Please. I need you....”

  “Let me get my coat while you start the truck,” she responded, forcing into her voice a dispassion she wasn’t anywhere near feeling.

  She had always considered Gabriel to be unflappable, but at that moment, unaware of how seriously injured his son might be, he was dreadfully close to falling apart. Yet he had come to her, seeking her help. She couldn’t let him down. She had to be strong for both of them, no matter how frightened she was.

  He had said he needed her with him, and she would be there for him, every step of the way.

  Somehow managing to stay within the speed limit, Gabriel made the drive to the hospital south of the city in record time. While waiting at a stoplight, he reached over and took her by the hand. He didn’t let her go until they arrived at the hospital.

  The helicopter was already on the ground, but there didn’t seem to be anyone in the immediate area. Gabriel headed for the emergency room at a run, and Madelyn followed as quickly as she could.

  In the waiting area, they were directed to a room down a short hallway where a doctor and two nurses hovered over a stretcher. Her heart in her throat, Madelyn halted beside Gabriel in the doorway.

  One of the nurses turned to look at them, and as she did, they caught a glimpse of Brian, propped up in a halfsitting position. His left arm, cocked at an odd angle, was elevated on a pile of pillows, but although his face was deathly pale, his bright blue eyes were wide open and alert.

  “Hi, Dad. Hi, Madelyn,” he said, his young voice a shade higher in pitch than normal. “I slipped and fell and broke my arm.”

  His relief palpable, Gabriel put his arm around Madelyn’s shoulders, then sagged against the door frame. She clung to him, her worry equally assuaged by the boy’s stoutheartedness. He had to be in pain, but he was gamely attempting to maintain his composure.

  “Are you his father?” the doctor asked, glancing at Gabriel.

  “Yes.” His arm still around her, Gabriel finally moved toward the stretcher. “How is he?”

  “Except for his left arm, he’s just fine. And we’ll have the arm fixed up good as new in no time.”

  Giving Brian an encouraging smile as she took his right hand in hers, Madelyn listened as the doctor explained how he intended to set the fractures displayed on the X rays that had already been taken.

  Because both bones just above the boy’s wrist had not only been broken, but had also crossed over each other, general anesthesia would be necessary so the best possible realignment could be attained.

  The doctor, an orthopedic surgeon on call, advised that he had an operating room on standby. Once Gabriel signed the necessary papers and Brian had been prepped, he would begin the surgery. The boy would then have to remain in the hospital overnight, but if no complications arose, he would be discharged Sunday afternoon.

  “I’m really sorry, Dad,” Brian said as Madelyn and Gabriel walked alongside the gurney on the way to preop thirty minutes later. Now dressed in a hospital gown, he looked small and scared, though he seemed determined to keep up a brave front. “I was trying to be careful, but I stepped on a patch of ice.”

  “Hey, don’t worry about it. You had an accident, a relatively minor accident, and you’re going to be just fine once the doc straightens out your arm. And since it’s your left arm, you’ll still be able to do your schoolwork.”

  “Oh, wow, that’s a big relief,” the boy replied ruefully.

  As a nurse sent them off to the waiting room, Gabriel and Madelyn exchanged a smile, reassured that he really was going to be all right.

  In the long narrow room, empty except for the two of them, Gabriel paced the entire forty-five minutes it took for the doctor to set Brian’s arm. Madelyn left him to it, sensing the constant motion helped to keep him calm.

  Every few minutes, he stopped beside her where she stood by one of the windows, watching the snow drift down. He would put an arm around her shoulders and stand beside her silently for a few moments, then move away again. At one point, Brian’s Scout leader stopped by to check on the boy. Reassured by Gabriel’s upbeat attitude, he left almost immediately to rejoin the others while the roads to the campground were still passable.

  Finally, the doctor strode in carrying a new set of X rays that showed the bones now neatly realigned.

  “We’ll have him back in his room in about twenty minutes or so,” he told them. “Why don’t you go up and wait for him there?”

  With the worst over, Madelyn wasn’t sure her presence was still necessary, but when Gabriel took her hand and led her to the elevator, she went along with him willingly.

  “I know I promised you we’d do something special tonight, but this wasn’t exactly what I had in mind,” he said, his tone apologetic as the elevator took them up to the second floor.

  “I have to admit I wasn’t quite prepared for this much excitement,” she replied, smiling up at him. “I’m just glad he’s going to be okay. I was so scared....”

  “Yeah, me, too.” He lifted a hand and gently touched her cheek. “Thanks for being here with me. I’m not sure I could have handled all this on my own. Just walking into the emergency room nearly knocked me to my knees. I kept remembering the last time I was here. It was ten years ago, when my parents were killed. I was so afraid that Brian—”

  He leaned back against the wall, eyes closed, a shudder running through his body. Then, as the elevator doors opened, he straightened again.

  “I know I’m asking a lot, but will you stay with us tonight?”

  “Of course I will,” she assured him as they started toward Brian’s room.

  Although she wished the circumstances could be different, Madelyn was more than happy to share his vigil. In a moment of crisis, he had turned to her, and she wasn’t about to abandon him now. He and Brian meant so much to her. Maybe too much. But she intended to stay close by as long as she was welcome.

  By eight o’clock that night, Brian—his left arm in a cast almost to his shoulder—had
recovered enough to express a wild craving for a burger, fries and chocolate shake. Gabriel checked with the nurse on duty, who assured him that was a good sign. Then he took off on a fast-food run that also included a quick stop at the cottage to check on Buddy.

  At nine-thirty, his tummy full, the boy dropped off to sleep. Both Gabriel and Madelyn were fading fast, as well. At Gabriel’s insistence, she stretched out to rest on the chair that converted into a bed of sorts while he took the wooden rocker in the opposite corner.

  Madelyn awoke once, sometime after midnight, to find that Gabriel had joined his son on the bed. Curled protectively around the boy, he dozed peacefully.

  In the pale glow of the night-light, Madelyn studied his strong, handsome face, glad that the strain of the afternoon and evening hadn’t taken too great a toll on him. Glad, too, that she could be here with him now.

  Because she loved him so much—him and his son—so very, very much.

  She would never be able to tell them that, of course. But she could show them in little ways like this in the few weeks remaining when she could still be a part of their lives.

  Chapter 9

  “Mr. Serrano, you’re not supposed to be sleeping on your son’s bed,” the day-shift nurse admonished as she bustled into Brian’s hospital room early Sunday morning, waking him from a sound sleep.

  “Sorry, I must have dozed off,” he muttered sheepishly.

  He rolled to his feet and moved out of her way, blinking bleary eyes and stretching stiff muscles. Then, raking a hand through his hair, he glanced at his son. Brian gave him a wan smile.

  “How are you feeling?” Gabriel asked as the nurse checked the boy’s blood pressure.

  “Still sleepy,” Brian grumbled. “And my arm kinda hurts.”

  “We can fix that,” the nurse said. Smiling at Brian, she gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder. “The doctor left orders for pain medication as needed.”

  As she pressed a button, the bed whirred Brian into a semiupright position. Then she plumped the pillows elevating his broken arm, and left the room. ,

  As the door whooshed shut after her, Gabriel looked across the room to where Madelyn should have been and realized, with a start, that she wasn’t there. The bed of sorts had been converted back to a chair—an empty chair. Even her coat and purse were gone.

  “Where’s Madelyn?” Brian asked, the concern in his young voice echoing that which Gabriel himself was feeling.

  “I don’t know,” he admitted.

  She had said she would stay the night, but the night was over. Had she gone back to the cottage thinking she was no longer welcome? Granted, the worst was over, and she had more than done her part to help him through what had been some truly traumatic moments. But Gabriel still wanted her there with them—still needed her there with them.

  He wasn’t quite sure how he felt about being so reliant on her. After years of depending only upon himself, it seemed strange. Yet, at the same time, having someone he could count on when the going got rough was so... heartening.

  When he had gotten the call from Brian’s Scout leader yesterday afternoon, Gabriel had known instinctively that Madelyn would help him to bear whatever news awaited him at the hospital. And she had. Courageous woman that she was, she’d gone with him, no questions asked. Because of her grace under pressure, he had somehow managed to pull himself together when all he had really wanted to do was collapse in utter despair.

  “Do you think she went home without us?” Brian persisted.

  “Maybe—” Gabriel began, then paused as the door slowly began to open.

  Not the nurse, who had yet to return with Brian’s pain medication. She had a bad habit of barging in rather than creeping quietly. And surely anyone else would have the courtesy to knock first, Anyone except—

  As the door inched open a little more, Madelyn’s bent head came into view.

  Seeing her, Brian demanded, “Madelyn, where have you been?”

  “Yes,” Gabriel seconded with equal parts vexation and relief. “Where have you been?”

  “Well, good morning to you, too,” she said, eyeing them reproachfully for a long moment, then continued in answer to their questions, “I woke up early and decided to get a little fresh air. I was sure you two would still be sleeping when I got back.”

  “Not around here,” Gabriel retorted. Noting that she had her hands full, he moved around the bed to help her with the door, adding, “What’s that?”

  “Juice, coffee, milk for the boy with the broken arm, rolls still warm from the oven and the Sunday papers.” With a grin, she dangled the bags she carried in front of their noses. “I thought I’d better run by the cottage to let Buddy out. I borrowed your truck, by the way. Took your keys out of your jacket pocket. I hope you don’t mind,” she said, glancing at Gabriel. “Anyway, while I was at the cottage, I figured I might as well shower and change clothes. Then I stopped at that little bakery on Grant Avenue on my way back.” When she met his gaze again, her eyes were filled with uncertainty. “Was that okay?”

  Gabriel took the bags from her, set them on the bed tray, and unable to stop himself, gathered her into his arms.

  “That was definitely okay,” he murmured, savoring the warmth of her as he held her close.

  Hesitating only an instant, she leaned against him with a soft sigh. Of course, the nurse chose just that moment to return, and while Gabriel was reluctant to let Madelyn go, when she stepped back self-consciously, he released her.

  “We were worried about you,” Brian announced after he’d swallowed his pill and the nurse left again.

  “I’m sorry. I should have left a note, but I thought I’d be back before you guys woke up.” She glanced at Gabriel. “I didn’t mean to cause you any concern.”

  “Well, we’ll let it go this time,” Gabriel advised her with mock severity. “As long as you brought my truck back in one piece.”

  “Oh, yes, it’s in one piece. Only...” Madelyn frowned and ducked her head.

  “What happened?” Gabriel asked, suddenly serious again.

  “Gotcha,” she teased, her eyes glinting with amusement as she looked up at him.

  He wanted to put his hands on her, wanted to haul her into his arms and kiss her breathless. Just for starters. But that would have to wait until later. Not too much later, though.

  “Yeah, you did,” he growled for her ears only. “But your turn’s coming. Then I’m gonna get you.”

  As he started to move away, he saw her eyes widen with surprise. Then she smiled slowly, seductively, murmuring, “Promises, promises.”

  “And I always keep them,” he reminded her.

  “Always keep what?” Brian asked.

  “My promises,” Gabriel answered lightly, then focused his attention on the bags of goodies awaiting them on the bed tray. “Now, let’s see what we have here. Juice and a carton of milk for you, Brian. And...” He dug into the second, smaller bag. “A cinnamon roll. How’s that?”

  “That’s great.”

  Managing fairly well one-handedly, Brain started on his breakfast as the two adults helped themselves to juice, coffee and their own buttery cinnamon rolls dripping with icing.

  They had just finished eating when Brian’s doctor stopped in to see him. Satisfied that the boy wasn’t having any unusual problems, he indicated Gabriel was free to take him home at any time. He also instructed Gabriel to see that Brian kept the arm elevated and moved his fingers occasionally to help prevent swelling. And, to Brian’s delight, he recommended the boy stay home from school all week. Then, after writing a prescription for pain medication and advising Gabriel to make an appointment with his office for a checkup the following Friday, he bid them all good day.

  Anxious to get his son home, Gabriel wasted no time taking care of the paperwork necessary to have him officially released from the hospital, while Madelyn stayed in the room with Brian and helped him to dress.

  Looking smug as a little prince, Brian thoroughly enjoyed his ride dow
n to the lobby in a wheelchair. However, once in the truck, his mood deteriorated drastically. He complained that the sling was digging into his neck, that he was too hot, then too cold, and finally, that his arm had begun to ache again.

  By the time they reached the house, having stopped to fill Brian’s prescription along the way, Gabriel fully expected Madelyn to excuse herself and make a beeline for the cottage. Had he not been Brian’s father, he would have opted for a little peace and quiet himself. However, she surprised him by following them into the house.

  “Why don’t you take a shower, shave and change into fresh clothes?” she suggested as she set her purse on the kitchen table and slipped out of her coat. “I guarantee you’ll feel a lot better. And while you’re in the bathroom, I’ll get Brian tucked into bed.”

  “I don’t want to go to bed,” the boy grumbled, scowling as he struggled with his jacket. “I want to sit on the sofa in the living room and watch television. And I’m hungry. I need some lunch. And I want Buddy to keep me company—”

  “Brian—” Gabriel cut in, trying for an even-toned voice.

  Granted, the boy might not be feeling all that good, but his behavior was way out of line.

  “Gabriel, go take a shower,” Madelyn directed in a gentle voice.

  Meeting his gaze pleadingly, she put an arm around his son’s shoulders.

  Glancing at Brian, Gabriel realized that his son was very close to tears, and quickly bit back the angry words he’d been about to say. At that moment, the boy was definitely more in need of a little indulgent mothering than stern fathering.

  “Sure you’ll be all right?” he asked Madelyn, smiling apologetically.

  “Just let me get him settled, see that he takes one of his pills and has something to eat, and I think we’ll all be fine,” she replied serenely.

  As he headed back to his bedroom, Gabriel certainly hoped so. He had rarely been forced to deal with Brian in a cranky mood, and after all that had happened during the past twenty-four hours, he was too nerved up to cope with a full-blown temper tantrum. Thank heavens, Madelyn seemed as self-possessed as ever.