by Leger, Lori
Carrie shook her head sadly. “He was listening. I caught him watching you before you noticed him. The look on his face was so intense. I could almost hear him thinking how badly he wanted that, and suddenly I knew he wanted it with you. I started to pay closer attention after that, and all the signs were there. He was in love with you. There he was, trapped in that mess with Chloe, and he knew how happy you and Toby were. Then Toby and he became such good friends. He probably figured he could keep his feelings hidden as long as you weren’t speaking to him.” She released a long sigh. “Looking back on it, I wonder how he managed to put one foot in front of the other some days.”
“When you’ve never had it, you don’t miss it,” Bill said. “They had a decent year of courtship together, but it blew up a couple of nights before the wedding. He had to choose her over his best friend. It didn’t take him long to realize he chose wrong. Chloe knew it too, and never let him forget it. That was one sadistic little tramp.”
Carrie shook her head. “He never lost Red as a friend, Bill. They got together every chance they could. Red always understood.”
“It ate at Jackson. I don’t know how he put up with her.”
They turned, as a tall, blonde man in green scrubs walked into the waiting room through the surgery doors. “Excuse me. Is someone here for Jackson Broussard?”
Giselle jumped up to meet him. “We are.”
Bill stuck his hand out. “I’m his Uncle, Bill Broussard.”
“Of course, you look just like him,” the doctor said. “Mr. Broussard, I’m Dr. Collins. I used to play ball with Jackson at LSU. An old teammate of ours called to ask if I could get some info to you. Scott McAllister?”
“Oh, Red—God bless him!” Carrie said. “What can you tell us? Are you his surgeon?”
“No, but I’ll be watching to see what’s going on and I’ll come in here periodically to keep all of you informed.”
Giselle stepped forward. “What can you tell us now?”
“He’s got a compound fracture of the right tibia—that’s the shin bone, a fracture of his left arm, and they’re seeing some internal bleeding that needs to be taken care of. The most serious injury is his head. There’s swelling in the temporal lobe of his brain. We don’t know what’s causing it yet, but they’re going to remove a piece of the skull to relieve the pressure. Once they open him up, they’ll be able to trace the bleeder and take care of it. After that’s under control, they’ll tend to the other injuries. This should take several hours, so don’t get discouraged if the surgery goes on longer than expected. The good news is Jackson’s in excellent shape and his heart is strong.”
Giselle nodded. “Thank you so much.”
Dr. Collins nodded and left the room.
Carrie touched her shoulder. “You see? It’s because of you that he’s in such good shape. If you hadn’t made him so crazy, he wouldn’t have gone to that gym every day. It was fate.”
Giselle gave her a tight smile. “Maybe so, but it’s also because of me that he’s in here today.”
Sam and Gwen arrived, swelling their numbers to five. After another thirty minutes, Giselle stood “I’m going to find the chapel.” She raised her phone. “Call if there’s any word.”
She exited the elevator on the first floor, saw Red standing at the information desk. She called to him and he met her with an open armed hug. “Oh God, I’m so glad you’re here.”
“How is he, Giselle? Have you heard anything yet?”
“Dr. Collins came in and told us to expect a long wait.” She explained the injuries and procedures as best she could. “He’s a mess, Red. I don’t know how long he’d been in that pasture, but he must have suffered horrendously.”
“Is there a cafeteria or someplace we can talk?”
“I was about to go to the chapel—it’s through this door.” They entered the vacant chapel and knelt in front of the cross hanging on the wall. They made the sign of the cross and bowed their heads. After a few moments, the silence and solitude overwhelmed Giselle. She covered her face and began to cry openly, her shoulders shaking with uncontrollable sobs.
Red leaned over and hugged her tightly. “Just cry and get it out of your system. He’ll need you to be strong.”
“It’s him that’s going to need strength. If you’d seen him you’d know what I’m talking about. He must have been in unbelievable pain, and he was so alone. Before they loaded him into the helicopter, I told him he had to be strong and that he had to fight for us because I love him so much. He squeezed my hand.” She looked up hopefully. “Do you think he heard me?”
Red nodded. “I know he did. That man has the constitution of a bull. I’m telling you, I’ve never seen him want anything as badly as he wants a life with you. He loves you, and I promise he’ll do whatever it takes to get back to you.”
Giselle jumped when her cell phone rang. She pushed the button. “Red and I are on our way, Carrie.”
They entered the surgical waiting room at a run. “What’s going on, Dr. Collins?”
“They’ve removed part of the skull and found a subdural hematoma inside the temporal lobe,” the doctor said, before explaining the procedure for correcting the situation to the group. “It’ll take a few days to know whether or not there’s been enough significant damage to cause loss of function.”
Giselle, more sure than she had been of anything in her life before, knew he’d be fine. “There won’t be.”
The doctor looked at Red and held out his hand. “Scott.”
Red stared stonily at him for a few moments before extending his. “Tanner.”
Their cold reception surprised Giselle. She had expected the usual round of backslapping between old friends; it seemed as if these two men barely tolerated each other’s presence.
Dr. Collins assured them he’d speak to them again as soon as he knew more, and exited the room.
Red turned to Carrie and hugged her. “Hello, sweetheart.”
She hugged him back tightly. “I’m glad you could make it here to suffer along with the rest of us.”
“He’s like a brother, I had to come.”
Carrie stepped up. “What’s the deal with you and Dr. Collins?”
“Wait!” Giselle’s memory jolted with recollection. “Did you call him Tanner? Is that the Tanner Collins?” The best man Chloe had sex with during their wedding reception? One look told her it was.
Bill grunted. “I thought he looked familiar. He stepped in as best man when Chloe said you came on to her.”
Red shivered, clearly revolted by the thought. “I didn’t, you know.”
“I know that, and so did Jackson. But why the hell would you call him?”
Red scowled. “I knew he worked here. I told him if he didn’t do this I’d give him the ass whipping he deserved fifteen years ago.”
Carrie pinched his cheeks affectionately. “You always were my favorite.”
Giselle hugged him tightly. “Thanks, Red. But I don’t want him doing any procedures on Jackson.”
“Totally understandable.” Red wrapped his arms around the shoulders of each woman and pulled them close. “Man, I love it here.”
“As long as you’re opening a club here, there’s no reason not to move closer. Besides, our babies will need their Godfather around,” Giselle said.
One of Red’s brows arched curiously. “What babies?”
“The ones I plan to give him once we’re married.”
“Well, then. I guess I need to start looking for some property. I can’t disappoint my Godchild; I’m looking forward to many years of watching him play baseball.”
“God children, and the girl will play also,” she corrected.
Red chuckled. “After seeing that video the other day, he’s definitely going to need a baby girl in his life.”
“I think you’re right, Red. We’ll have to keep trying until he has one of each.”
Red tensed as Tanner pushed through the doors and sauntered over to their group. He liste
ned as his old school ‘buddy’ reported that the surgeon had stopped the bleeding subdural hematoma, and was working on stopping the internal bleeding. He bristled as Tanner leaned in close to Giselle.
“I’ll let you know when I hear more—Giselle, is it?” Tanner placed his hand intimately on her shoulder and squeezed, letting it trail down her arm.
Red cleared his throat as Giselle jerked away from the doctor. Stepping between the two, Red sent a warning glare in Tanner’s direction. Tanner took a moment to send him a superior glare before making his exit through the same door.
Red turned toward Giselle, barely able to hold back his sneer. “That slimy S.O.B. will never change.”
Giselle shuddered. “He’s repulsive, especially knowing what I know about him.”
“It takes a special kind of bastard to hit on a guy’s girl while he’s in surgery fighting for his life,” Sam growled.
Bill shook his head. “Jackson was none-too-pleased when he stepped in as his best man. From what I gather, he continued to step in, in more ways than one.”
“I’d just as soon not have to see him again,” Giselle said.
Red seated himself. “You probably won’t have to. I doubt he’ll come back now that I’m here. He’ll know I’ve blown his cover.”
As it turned out, they didn’t see Dr. Collins the rest of the day. It was another hour before the surgeon who operated on his lacerated spleen came into the room. He said it had been a simple procedure to remove it without any significant bleeding, and the orthopedic surgeon was preparing for the procedure to repair the compound fracture.
“How’s he holding up?” Giselle asked Dr. Moss.
“Like a champ. That man’s heart is some kind of strong.” He wished them luck and exited the room.
Several minutes later, a young woman in scrubs pushed through the door. She was slim, around five and a half foot tall, with a blonde ponytail. Before Giselle could ask if she was there about Jackson, Red approached the woman.
“Excuse me, nurse. Are you looking for someone with Jackson Broussard?”
The woman whipped around, glared at Red with narrowed, accusing brown eyes. “Why would you assume I’m a nurse?”
“I don’t know. What are you?”
“I’m Dr. LeBlanc. I’m the orthopedic surgeon who’ll be repairing Mr. Broussard’s leg. I need to speak with a member of his family immediately. Are you family?”
“No, but—”
“Then you’re wasting my time.” She turned her back on Red, leaving him wearing a dumbfounded look on his face.
Giselle approached. “Excuse me, I’m his girlfriend and this is his uncle.”
“I’m Bill Broussard, the only family he’s got, at least until he ties the knot with Ms. Granger, here. Whatever you say to me you can say to Giselle.”
“Yes sir, I understand completely.” She gave them both a pleasant smile. “Mr. Broussard’s tibia has been seriously compromised; a compound fracture. An open fracture like his, is very easily susceptible to infection under the best of circumstances. He’d been lying out in a cow pasture for at least two hours, and there was serious contamination to the surrounding soft tissue. His tibia fractured in several places and there has been prolonged depletion of blood supply to the bone.” She explained the best procedure to repair the damage, involving a brace and pins through the bones. They would have to monitor him closely to avoid infection, and dose him heavily with antibiotics. “You see, here, here, and here, I’d have to insert pins to keep the bones together.” She showed them a print out of the ex-ray taken of Jackson’s shin. “The brace keeps the entire thing stationary so it can heal and fuse back together.”
“Man, in my day we only had casts,” Bill commented.
She flashed him an indulgent smile. “We don’t use casts when the bone breaks through the skin. Infections are too risky. We have to be able to check it often, keep it clean, and apply the topical antibiotics, as well as intravenous ones. It’s common in cases like this. I need to tell you, however, in this instance, our best may not be good enough to save his leg. There could be serious complications, such as gangrene, in which case, I would have to amputate above the knee. I am seriously leaning toward amputation now just below the knee.”
“Absolutely not!” Red’s voice boomed from his position behind the surgeon.
She swung around. “Excuse me, I believe we’ve already established that you are neither a family member, nor a fiancé. So just who are you?”
“I’m a friend. His best friend, and I know damned well he’d want to do whatever is possible to keep his leg.”
She turned her back on Red and faced Giselle again. “Even if it means having to amputate above the knee later on? It’s a lot easier to maneuver a prosthetic limb when it’s attached below the joint, rather than above it.”
“Well, if you do the job you’re paid to do,” Red sneered, “that won’t be necessary at all, will it?”
“Red—” Giselle began as he walked around the doctor to face her and Bill.
“Giselle, Bill, I’m begging you both. Do not let her do this. Jackson would want to at least try to save his leg.”
Dr. LeBlanc turned an icy shoulder to Red, but her face softened once she saw how upset Giselle was. “I need to know what you want me to do. The timing is critical.”
Giselle had grown slightly nauseous at the talk of infection, gangrene, and amputation. Knowing she had to make a decision, and now, she pulled Bill over to the window to talk.
Red hung back, stood his ground before the surgeon. “How old are you, anyway?”
She clenched her jaw with an audible ‘snap’, and turned to glare at him. “I’m thirty-six.”
He jerked back, slightly surprised at her answer. “You sure as hell don’t look it.”
“Yeah? How old are you?” Her tone was tight with cynicism.
“I’m thirty-eight,” Red countered.
“You sure as hell don’t act it.” She turned her back on him again.
Red glared at Ms. High and Mighty’s ponytail then walked over to Giselle and Bill. He leaned close to Giselle’s ear, “Can I say one thing?”
Giselle nodded silently, her eyes large and pleading, looking as though she were desperate for some sign from God on what to do.
“I know Jackson better than anyone in this world. I’m telling you, he wouldn’t want you to give up on him—or his leg.” Red brushed by the surgeon on his way to the elevators.
Giselle and Bill exchanged nods, in total agreement. She approached Dr. LeBlanc. “Do whatever you can to save the leg.”
The surgeon bit her lower lip. “I can’t begin to tell you how great the risk of infection is, but if that’s what you want, I’ll do my absolute best.”
“I know it’s what he’d want,” Giselle explained.
Dr. LeBlanc smiled, and nodded. “I understand. I won’t have the time to come out and give you reports, and I expect it to be a lengthy procedure. All you can do is wait it out. Any complications won’t occur during the surgery, but afterwards.”
“Dr. LeBlanc, please don’t take this the wrong way,” Giselle said. “I know looks can be deceiving, but it’s just that you look so young. Have you done this procedure many times?” Dr. LeBlanc studied her, then looked as though she had decided not to take offense.
She smiled, and touched Giselle’s arm in a reassuring gesture. “Ms. Granger, I’ve done this over a hundred times for many different hospitals in the area; I’m very proficient in this procedure. Like I told the other gentleman, and I use the term loosely, even though I may not look it, I’m thirty-six years old, and I’ve been a surgeon here for eight years. If anyone can save his leg, I can.”
Giselle beamed at her. “I believe you can, Dr. LeBlanc. Thank you so much. Will you be the one to come out and tell us when this is all over with?”
“Yes, I will.” She ran back through the doors leading to the surgical area.
Giselle watched her leave. “I’ve got a good feeling a
bout her, Bill. I’ll go find Red.”
She searched the chapel and the atrium, and finally found him in the cafeteria. He sat alone, with his elbows propped on the table, and his forehead resting on his closed fists. She placed her hand on his shoulder. He looked up, his eyes questioning. “She’s going to save his leg.”
His head dropped back. “Oh, thank God! You and Bill made the right choice, you’ll see. You want coffee?”
“I could use some.”
He got a cup for her and seated himself. “Man, that Dr. LeBlanc’s rough, isn’t she?”
“I like her.”
“She hates me.”
“She doesn’t know you well enough for that.”
“Well, she sure as hell doesn’t like me.”
“She doesn’t like the fact that you assumed she was a nurse instead of the surgeon. Was it because she’s a woman?”
“No! She looked too damn young to be a surgeon. Four or five years of nursing school, compared to twelve years of pre-med and medical school, and however long she’s worked here. It was deductive reasoning on my part. She only looks about twenty-two.” He snorted, “She told me I was wasting her time.”
“She’s thirty-six.”
“I know. I asked her when you and Bill were talking.”
“Oh? How did you ask her?”
He repeated the conversation he’d had with the doctor.
Giselle particularly enjoyed Dr. LeBlanc’s comeback about his age. She popped out a “Ha!” before she could stop herself.
“Gee, thanks, Giselle.”
“Red, she’s been a surgeon at this hospital for eight years. She’s perfected this procedure and is confident she can save his leg.”
“I don’t have a problem with confidence, but I do have a problem with over confidence. She seems full of herself.”
“She seems very capable to me, and when it comes to taking care of Jackson, that’s all that matters.” She stuck her finger in his face. “Don’t you dare upset his surgeon by acting like a male chauvinist, I’m warning you.”
“If I showed one ounce of chauvinistic tendencies, I’d get my ass kicked in seven different ways by my five sisters and both my parents.” He threw his hands up in exasperation. “It was an honest mistake. She didn’t have to be so damned rude!”