Saved (Surrender Series Book 3)

by J. G. Sumner

  Next to AJ, little Abby stirs and she lets out the unmistakable cry of a newborn. I glance at the nurse and then down to her nametag and learn for the first time her name is Hope. Hope is exactly what she has given me and I couldn’t be more thankful.

  “Mom, I think your daughter is hungry. Are you up for feeding her?” Hope’s green eyes focus on Kate whose face lights up with the mere mention of being able to hold one of her kids.

  “Absolutely.” Kate lets go of AJ’s hand and makes her way to Abby’s bassinet.

  This is the first time that I’ve seen Kate happy about caring for our children instead of it seeming like a chore. Things have changed for the better.

  Kate picks up Abby, carries her to the rocking chair situated in the corner of the room, and sits down. In my heart, I always thought that Kate would be the most amazing mother. She’s patient, kind, and loving. When she developed the postpartum depression, I was surprised and very unnerved by her lack of desire to be around the kids. Seeing her now confirms everything I suspected. Kate was made to be a mom. She’s radiant as she stares down at little Abby suckling on her breast. There is no greater bond than that of a mom and her child.

  I saunter over to join my family and plant a kiss on Kate’s forehead. Part of me wants to sit here as a family together for the first time. The other part wants to give Kate some time alone to do some much-needed bonding with Abby.

  “I’m going to head downstairs to check on Emilia and make sure everything is okay. Perhaps I’ll be able to answer some questions for the doctor.”

  Within seconds, Kate’s eyes turn from sapphires to ice. “I don’t want you going alone. I want to go with you. We need to be a united front to reinforce the fact that we are a family and she can’t divide us. Can you please wait until I am done here?”

  For about the millionth time today I’m surprised by Kate. She definitely keeps me on my toes and I’m so glad to have the woman I fell in love with back.

  “Absolutely.” I pull up another chair and sit with Kate and Abby until they’re done with the feeding. Kate hands Abby over to me so that I can burp her. I’m intrigued by how the simple task of helping an infant expel air can be so rewarding. I am blessed in every sense of the word.

  Chapter

  Twenty-Three

  Tony

  “Stop touching me!” Emilia screams from a small room in the emergency department that has a thin piece of fabric as its only barrier from the rest of the world. A red-headed nurse steps out from behind the curtain and pulls on the sliding glass door to shut it.

  “You can’t have my baby! Get your hands off of me!” Emilia is able to bark out before the door is completely shut.

  I contemplate whether or not I should try to go in, my gut tells me to stay away, but something wants to help the woman I was once very intimate with. The last thing I want to do is make the situation worse. So, I make my way to the nurses’ station instead and inquire into Emilia’s status. Kate fell asleep while I was burping Abby, and I didn’t want to wake her, so I came down here by myself.

  “Excuse me, ma’am, can you please tell me how Emilia Catarelli is doing?”

  The nurse has long blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail. Her name badge reads Lauren. “How are you related?”

  “I’m her ex-boyfriend, but I’m also the only person she knows in this country. I’ve called her mother, but she won’t arrive until tomorrow.” This was probably more information than Lauren wanted to know, but with all of the privacy laws, I thought it might be best to be as transparent as possible.

  Lauren’s eyes grow wide as she glances in Emilia’s direction. I can only guess she’s shocked that I dated the screaming banshee that’s now howling behind the glass doors.

  “She’s stable. Unfortunately, the doctor decided to put her on a 5150 hold. Ms. Catarelli is going to have to stay in our psych unit for seventy-two hours.” Lauren makes eye contact with me and her face is serious.

  I’m happy Emilia is going to get some help, and ecstatic Kate and I won’t have to worry about her being on the loose and trying to get to the kids. “Can you tell me why she was put on the hold?”

  “I’m sorry, but when was the last time you saw her?”

  “Upstairs, a couple of hours ago. My fiancée was the one who called security.” I refrain from going into any further details.

  “So, are they your kids upstairs that she thinks are hers?”

  I purse my lips and attempt to fight back the anger that is threatening to erupt like a volcano. I’ve about had it with Emilia and her obsession with my family and won’t tolerate another minute of it. “Yes, she’s already kidnapped my son once,” I say as calmly as possible.

  “Well, she’s been talking nonstop about them. We checked the records of the babies in the NICU and confirmed she is not related to any of them. Also, the security guard told us a little bit of what happened upstairs. She continues to scream that we’re hurting her baby, but she’s not pregnant. She…”

  “Wait! What did you just say?”

  Lauren is guarded and for a moment looks at me like I’m the crazy one. “Uhh…which part?”

  My heart has sped up and I’m a bit antsy all of a sudden. A glimmer of hope lights up the darkness that has loomed in my heart. “Did you say she’s not pregnant?”

  “Uh, yeah. Emilia is convinced she’s pregnant. That’s part of the reason for the hold. She’s delusional and not making sense.”

  I want to jump for joy right now and scream from the top of my lungs with excitement. “How can you be sure?”

  Lauren punches the keypad on the computer in front of her. “We ran a pregnancy test on her blood and urine. She came back negative. Since she was so insistent, the doctor performed an ultrasound and there was nothing in her uterus. Everything she’s saying is false.”

  I hold onto the counter with both my hands, lean over and take a sigh of relief. For the first time in almost a year, things are turning around and going my way. The life Kate and I dreamed of might just happen after all. A smile forms on my face. “Are you sure about this?”

  The expression on Lauren’s face is telling me that I’m an idiot for even asking.

  “One-hundred percent. There’s absolutely no way she’s carrying a child.”

  I grab the free hand she has on the counter and squeeze it. “Thank you so much for your help. You can’t even imagine what this means!”

  “Ahh…You’re welcome?”

  This is my chance to sever all ties with the crazy woman in the other room and get back to my own life. “Let me give you Emilia’s mother’s number in case you need to get a hold of her.” I pull out my cell phone and scroll through the contacts before writing it down on a piece of paper. My hands are shaking so bad that I can barely make the scribble legible. Excitement builds and I can’t wait to tell Kate the news.

  As I turn to race up to NICU, I’m confronted with the person I least expected to run into. “Elizabeth, what are you doing here?”

  Her face is ridden with worry and she’s just as surprised to see me. She glances down at the gurney the medics are pushing and I no longer need to wait for the answer as it’s already before my eyes. Kate’s dad is unconscious and he’s being artificially resuscitated.

  Crap! Just when things appear to be getting better, we take two steps back. Whoever said life was like a rollercoaster wasn’t fucking kidding.

  “He collapsed at home. I don’t know what’s wrong with him!” Elizabeth sobs as we follow the medics to an empty room.

  We’re instructed by the staff to wait outside while they get him settled. I pull Elizabeth into a hug and inhale the sweetness of perfume in her hair. It’s the combination of honeysuckle and plumeria. “Does Kate or David know he’s here?”

  Elizabeth shakes her head.

  Shit, how am I going to break this to Kate? She will be devastated.

  “Tell me what happened.”

  Elizabeth swallows hard before answering. “He came home from work and
was stressed about something—he wouldn’t say what. Charles poured a drink and disappeared into the office. I figured it was just another bad day at the office, and I went upstairs to go to bed. I woke up to a loud crash. I ran downstairs to see what it was, and I found Charles unconscious in the office. I couldn’t wake him up despite shaking and screaming his name.” Elizabeth’s body shakes as the sobbing sets in again.

  “Everything is going to be okay.” I say the soothing words even though I’m the only one who knows the truth. Charles may not make it out of the hospital alive.

  She nods into my shoulder, but doesn’t say anything else.

  “How about I wait with you until Charles gets settled and then I’ll grab Kate and let her know what’s going on.” I scan my brain searching for the words to use to inform Kate that her father is dying. Nothing comes to mind other than it always seems like I’m the bearer of bad news. I swear to God I have a fucking black cloud over my head.

  Elizabeth pulls away and penetrates me with her eyes. “No! She doesn’t need this right now. She’s already been through so much. This will only make her depression worse.”

  Normally, I might agree with her, but this might be the last chance Kate has to talk with her father. I wouldn’t want to stand in the way of that. I’ve already done more harm than good. The least I can do is give the gift of a few more minutes with Charles. “I think Kate will do okay with this news. She’s had a great day, and the kids are doing better. I know she’d want to be here.”

  “Why don’t we just wait to find out what’s wrong with him. Maybe it’s nothing.” Elizabeth stares off in the direction of Charles’ room. Unfortunately, the curtain is closed and we’re unable to see what’s going on.

  My stomach forms a deep, dark pit as I’m faced with the conundrum of a lifetime. If I tell Elizabeth what’s wrong with Charles, the cat will be out of the bag and everyone will know about the little secret I’ve been hiding at the request of my father-in-law. Kate will take it as yet another betrayal. However, if I don’t spill the beans, then Kate might not be here to see her father take his last breath.

  I take a deep breath and steady myself to make the confession of a lifetime. “There’s something I need…” I’m interrupted by the doctor garnering our attention.

  “Excuse me, Mrs. Anderson?”

  Elizabeth holds her breath as she turns to face the man who doesn’t look to be much older than I. “Yes, that’s me. I’m Charles’s wife.” Her words are urgent and for a minute I think her voice may give out; it’s so frail.

  “You can come in and see your husband, but I have a few questions to ask about his medical history.” He guides Elizabeth into the room, giving me a perfect excuse to leave and find Kate.

  I dash out of the emergency department and over to the elevators. I press the button a gazillion times and deciding not to wait, I take the stairs two at time until I get the floor housing the NICU. My mind is racing trying to figure out how to break the news to Kate. A combination of urgency and fear of the unknown propel me to a speed that’s too fast for me to breathe normally. By the time I get to the door of the NICU, I’m gasping for air and my heart is pounding.

  I take a second to lean against the cold, white wall and catch the breath that has long escaped the safe harbor in my lungs. When I can finally slow my breathing enough to form a complete sentence I pull my fatigued body off the wall and enter through the double doors into the NICU.

  I stop at the precious sight before me. Any strength or determination I had to make sure Kate spent the final moments with her dad has disappeared while watching her smiling down at Abby and playing with the little hand wrapped around her fingers. I’m not typically a sentimental guy, but this melts my heart.

  Kate is finally happy enough that she lights up with a smile that’s consumed her face from ear to ear. I hate to be the guy that takes that away. I’ve caused enough grief and unhappiness. Can’t I just once provide her with something positive? I stand there staring for several minutes before I realize I’m balling my fists over and over. Sweat is dripping from my brow. I’m unsure if it’s from hauling ass up the stairs, or from the nerves that are slamming through the synaptic gaps trying to send my brain mixed messages containing a combination of words of advice, and the need to run away from danger. I ball my hands into fists again. I ran once, I refuse to do it again. Time to man up and be the person Kate both needs and expects me to be.

  “Uh, Kate…”

  She looks up at me and her smile is bigger, if that’s even possible. “Isn’t she the sweetest baby ever?” Kate glances back down at Abby. She’s smitten with her baby, and I couldn’t be happier the cloud of depression seems to be lifting. Hopefully the fog doesn’t close in with the news of her father.

  “Kate, there’s something I have to tell you.” Open…close…open…close. My palms are becoming sweatier by the minute.

  Happiness washes from the beautiful porcelain skin that I want to spend the rest of my days waking up next to, and is replaced with concern. “What is it?”

  “I—um. I don’t know how to tell you this.” I pause searching for the right words, but realize there aren’t any. It’s better to just get it out. “Your dad is in the emergency department. He’s not doing well.”

  So I took the coward’s way out. Maybe it’s better to start off small and work up to the really bad news.

  Sheer terror consumes Kate and for a moment I’m worried she’s going to drop Abby. I approach her and take the baby from her arms allowing Kate to stand.

  “What happened? What’s wrong with him?”

  I place Abby in the bassinet knowing that if Kate decides to take off running to her father, I’m going to have to be right behind her to ensure she doesn’t fall when the entire truth comes out.

  “He collapsed at home.” I tell her the rest of the story Elizabeth described.

  Kate’s face turns ghostly white and I’m worried she’s going to faint. I take her arm just to provide some extra support.

  “I have to see him. Where is he?” Kate turns from side to side searching for something unknown to me.

  I take both arms and lock eyes with her. “Try to relax. Everything is going to be okay. I’m here for you.”

  Kate nods and I doubt she heard anything I just said.

  I close my eyes and sigh, bracing for the hurricane that’s about to wipe out the entire emergency department. “Let’s go see him. I’m sure your mother could use the support.”

  I take Kate’s hand in mine. Her body is trembling as I wrap my arms around her shoulders in response before leading her out of the NICU. I look back over my shoulder at the nurse who is now settling Abby into her bassinet. She waves for us to go on.

  While there’s still the urgency to get back down to the emergency department, our pace isn’t nearly what is was on my trip upstairs, and this time, we wait for the elevator. I don’t know that Kate could walk down the stairs right now. Her legs are pretty weak and could buckle at any minute.

  We enter the department where our son was admitted, God knows how long ago. I glance down at my watch and note it’s six in the morning. We’ve been here all night yet it still doesn’t seem that late. I’m not even the least bit tired. Perhaps it’s the adrenaline. Whatever the case, I’m more alert than if I had twelve hours of continuous sleep.

  Kate stops and looks up at me. “What if he’s not okay? What if I get there and it’s—it’s too late?” Tears flow down her face like Niagara Falls. I take her warm, trembling body into my arms and give the bear hug of support she needs.

  “Then you go in there and tell your father exactly how much you love him and what he’s meant to you.” I’ve never had to console anyone over the loss of a parent. I can only draw on my experience and what I wish I would’ve been able to do with my own family.

  “But, what…What if he’s not alive?” Her voice cracks as she says the last word.

  I kiss her forehead. “You say them anyway. My guess is your father will b
e able to hear what you have to say even if he’s on his way to another world.”

  Kate nods and then turns around. “Which room is his?”

  I take her hand and guide her to where I can only hope Charles Anderson is hanging onto life long enough for Kate to say goodbye.

  Once we enter, we’re greeted by a very surprised Elizabeth. “Kate, what are you doing here?”

  Kate runs up to her mom and gives her a hug. “Tony came and got me. He said Daddy is sick. What’s wrong with him?”

  Elizabeth shoots me a stink eye before embracing Kate. “I don’t know. They’re running some tests, we should know more shortly.”

  “How did this happen? What was Daddy doing?” Kate pulls away and searches her mom’s face for answers.

  Elizabeth shakes her head. “I don’t know exactly.” Worry lines form on her face as she recaps the story she briefed me on a little while ago.

  “Well, has he been sick?”

  “No, but he hasn’t been home a lot. Your dad has been putting in long hours at the office. I’ve also noted he’s been drinking a lot more. Perhaps he’s just fatigued from trying to get some restaurants opened up in Europe and training your brother to take over.” Elizabeth looks up at the ceiling.

  “Okay, I’ve spoken with Mr. Anderson’s primary doctor and…” Dr. Jones looks up from his papers and stops when he eyes me and Kate. “I’m sorry. I didn’t make the connection before. Mr. Anderson must be your father.” Dr. Jones glances at Kate.

  “Yes, he is. How’s he doing?” Kate wipes the tears from her face and is eager to learn any bit of information.

  Dr. Jones glances down at his papers, clears his throat, and resumes with what he was going to say.

  I make my way over to Kate, knowing full well that when this bomb explodes, she’s going to need someone to lean on. I want to be that someone.

  “The primary doctor informed me about the cancer, so I decided to add some extra tests onto his lab…”

  “Excuse me, what? Charles doesn’t have cancer. What are you talking about?” Elizabeth’s expression has changed from concern to annoyed or even anger.