by Myers, K. L.
As I listened, I learned that Doctor Cates wasn’t the one who performed her surgery, but she spoke highly of the seasoned surgeon who had. Maddie had sustained life-threatening injuries in the accident. Along with a collapsed lung, one of her kidneys and her liver were lacerated. She’d broken her left arm and her right leg. Her spleen had ruptured, and the surgeon who performed her operation was hesitant to provide any hope that she would recover at all. Maddie remained unconscious and was currently in recovery.
Unsure of what to expect next, I asked, “So, what are the next steps?”
“Maddison. I hope you don’t mind that I refer to her as Maddison.” Dr. Cates asked.
“That’s fine.” I replied.
“If Maddison recovers, she will need a series of surgeries once she is strong enough to undergo them. If she makes it through the next forty-eight hours, the next two weeks will be critical in determining her recovery. Unfortunately, with her being in recovery, she won’t be allowed any visitors. I can instruct the staff in ICU to reach out to you once she is moved and settled in a bed.”
She may not make it. Forty-eight hours are crucial.
The words replayed over and over in my head as I drove toward the Harper home. I had to choose my words carefully when Brooklyn asked me about her mom. Did I tell her the truth or withhold the facts? I wish Maddie were here to guide me.
Chapter 41
Xander
Two Weeks Later
The first five days after Maddie’s accident, Brooklyn cried herself to sleep at night while lying in my arms. I held her tightly, reassuring her that she wasn’t alone and that I’d never leave her. My feelings had to take a back seat to my little girl’s. I spent hours reassuring her she wasn’t alone, but every night, after she’d fall asleep, she’d wake crying out for her mother. It didn’t help that Maddie woke up two days after the accident but refused to see Brooklyn. Trying to explain that to our daughter was hard.
Each morning, I’d get Brooklyn ready for school and drop her off, then I’d head to the hospital and sit with Maddie. She only recalled portions of the accident and struggled to remember everything that happened. She remained on a ventilator but was improving every day. Doctor Davis no longer worried that Maddie could pass away. That was music to my ears. Her bruises had turned from red to black to purple and now were fading to yellow and green.
“Maddison,” Doctor Davis stood beside her bed, “how are you feeling today?”
Maddie used the whiteboard on her lap to write out her response. Glancing over the doctor's shoulder, I saw the word GOOD written out.
“That’s what I want to hear. We’re going to remove you from the ventilator today. We’ve been weening you over the last week, and your lung has responded nicely. Are you ready to get that tube out of your throat?”
Even though Maddie nodded her head, I saw the fear in her eyes. Reaching out, I brushed my hand over the top of her head before placing it on her shoulder. I willed her to feel my strength, so she knew I was with her every step of the way.
“You just rest up for a moment while I get the nurse, and we’ll get that tube out right away.”
When Doctor Davis left the room, I pulled my chair up next to her bed. Placing her hand in mine, I gave it a light squeeze. “Once that tube is gone, I’m bringing Brooklyn by to see you.”
Maddie shook her head before reaching for the whiteboard again. I watched her scribble the word NO.
“Maddie, I know you think you are protecting her, but you’re not. She needs to see you, to know you are okay, even if it’s only for a few minutes.” She closed her eyes, and a single tear fell. “I promise you it’s going to be okay.”
With a swipe of her hand, Maddie erased the word No and replaced it with the word PROMISE.
“Of course. I wouldn’t do anything to hurt our daughter. She needs this, and frankly, I feel you do, too.”
* * *
I stood by mesmerized as the nurse gently removed the tube from Maddie's throat inch by inch while instructing her to give a hard cough. When the last bit of the plastic tube finally breached her lips, I let go of the breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding. An oxygen mask was quickly placed over her mouth and nose, and for the first time in weeks, I felt as if things were going to be all right.
Just as we had done for weeks now, Maddie and I spent the day together. She would watch television, and I would work on my laptop. Occasionally, I’d have to excuse myself to take a call. This had become my new norm. I’d just finished typing a memo when the alert on my computer popped up, reminding me it was two-thirty. I powered off the laptop and closed the lid.
“It’s almost three, beautiful. I need to pick up Brooklyn from school, then we’ll stop by for a few minutes. She’s going to be so happy to see you.”
As I drove to the school, it hit me for the first time, today was a milestone in Maddie's road to recovery, which meant it was time to start thinking about what the future held for us. When I thought I might have lost her, things became clear to me. Everything happens for a reason. Maddie’s keeping the secret of her pregnancy enabled me to become the person I was now. She was right; if she’d told me she was pregnant, I would have stayed. I wouldn’t have moved her to New York with me. If she’d told me soon after, I’d have committed less time to work and more time to the two of them. I was the person I was now because of her. She had sacrificed having the family we always dreamed of so that I could be who I was.
Uncle Malcolm keeping his secret about buying the company Maddie worked for was just another bit of irony. If I’d known about it, I’d have done everything in my power to stop it. I knew how much Maddie’s job meant to her, and I wouldn’t have wanted anything to potentially change that. Now, with the acquisition of GOMC, my company was able to increase productivity, be more efficient, and save tons of money. Our competitive edge and enhanced communication and analytics data made us untouchable.
As horrific as it was to think about, even Maddie’s accident has impacted who I was. It shaped me into being a better father and companion. I learned patience and humility. All of which would come in handy as I waited in the long line of cars filled with moms and dads waiting to pick up their children. As I inched closer and closer to the pickup zone, my future became crystal clear to me. It was time to put my plans into motion.
Chapter 42
Maddison
One Month Later
“I’m going home? Really?”
“You sure are, Maddie.” Doctor Davis smiled at me. “You’re still a long way from a full recovery, but I don’t see a reason you need to be here any longer.” He jotted a few notes on the clipboard. “You’ll need to arrange to see the orthopedist in two weeks to remove the cast from your arm and leg and start your rehabilitation, my job is complete here.”
I looked over at Xander to confirm I’d just heard I was going home. I had not seen his toothy smile once in the last month, and that was all the confirmation I needed.
“You’re going to need someone with you twenty-four-seven, you understand? You are not at a point where you can be left alone.”
“I’ve already worked that out, Doc. I’ve just been waiting for the day when you tell us we’re good to leave,” Xander piped up from his chair beside my bed.
I glanced at Xander, confused by what it is that he has worked out. “Do you care to share with me what you’ve already planned?”
“Nope, it’s a surprise, and since you can’t fend for yourself, you’ll just have to trust me and do as I say.”
Doctor Davis chuckled. “I’m going to leave the two of you alone now. Take care of yourself, Maddison.”
Xander reached out and shook Davis’s hand. My eyebrows lifted in surprise when I saw my doctor wink at Xander. What had the two of them cooked up?
To my surprise, I didn’t have to wait long to find out the answer. As Xander wheeled me through the front door of my home, I saw Elodie, Evelyn, and Brookie waiting for me.
“What’s this?”
“Reinforcements,” Xander asserted.
“Reinforcements for what?”
Xander rolled me closer to the sofa then lifted me from my chair and set me on the cushion.
“We’re moving, Mom,” Brookie squealed.
“Oh, no, we are most certainly not.” I frowned.
Xander knelt in front of me. “Just hear me out.”
I opened my mouth to speak, but Brookie placed her hand over it. “Just listen to him, Mom.”
Xander looked at Elodie and Evelyn before he began his speech about how I was going to need constant supervision and how none of my support network could provide that. He’d already arranged for a live-in nurse back in New York to help me through the upcoming months of therapy. Doctor Davis had recommended a colleague friend of his, who happened to have a practice in New York, and he’d agreed to take me on as a patient.
“Your place is only three bedrooms. You don’t have room for us and a live-in,” I tried to argue.
Xander’s devious smile told me I wasn’t going to like his answer. “Yes, but the penthouse has six.”
“Penthouse?”
“Malcolm’s penthouse has been sitting vacant all this time. I’d been holding on to it, trying to figure out what I wanted to do with it. Now, the problem has solved itself. We’re moving into it, and there’s plenty of space for a cook, housekeeper and live-in nurse.”
I was momentarily speechless; he had thought this all through. “It seems you’ve already worked all the details out and left me no room to say no.”
“Oh, you can say no, but that is why I have Evelyn and Elodie here. I figured a neutral party from your side and mine would make you feel better about the decision. I told them what my plans were and waited for them to tell me why it was a bad idea.”
I looked at Evelyn first. “Can’t’ find one, Maddison. I’m sorry, but he’s right. This is the best for you, Brooklyn, and your recovery.”
Next, I turned my attention toward Elodie. I hadn’t known her all that long, but I’d become close with her during the months I’d been visiting with Brooklyn. “You know I hate admitting when either Xander or Hollis are correct. It makes their heads bigger. But this is best for you. Brooklyn will have Hailey around, so you won’t need to worry about her, and you can focus on your recovery.”
Damn, as much as I wanted to protest further, Xander had thought this through from every angle and every hesitation I could have presented. He even played dirty by involving Brookie.
“Mom, I can’t wait to live with Dad and start a new school. We’re so close now, I’d miss him too much if he went away.”
“Is that so?”
She nodded rigorously. “Yep, it's so.”
I rolled my eyes. “You know I’m going to miss my California air and beaches.”
“Then, I guess we’ll be making use of the home I just bought in the Hamptons.” The brow over Xander’s right eye raised as he looked at me. “What? You’re surprised I thought of everything?”
“Yes.”
“It’s been your most significant contention about moving east. It always had been. So, the best way to fight the aversion to moving was to remove any obstacle you might throw at me. It just so happened that there was a home with a beachfront that came up for sale a week ago, and I bought it.”
Elodie chimed in. “He even had Hollis and I check it out, and I’ve got to say, I’m sort of jealous of you right now.”
As much as I hated to say it, he’d thought of everything. “Fine, you win. I guess we’re moving to New York.”
Epilogue
Xander
One Year Later
It had been a year since Maddie’s accident. The first four months were the worst. She had PTSD from the accident, and the constant sound of sirens when we were out and about was a reminder of that horrible day.
Even with a live-in nurse, she struggled with getting back to her old self and being self-sufficient. It wasn’t until she agreed to start seeing a psychologist that she began to recover fully. The nightmares eventually subsided, and she was able to sleep through the night.
We were finally a family. One complete with a new set of challenges and hurdles. One divided by two last names, which I hoped to change in the future.
It was summer, and the sweltering humidity almost seemed bearable here on the island. Maddie and Brooklyn sat in their Adirondack chairs on the beach earlier, digging their toes into the sand, while they worshiped the sun. A big, floppy, straw hat graced Maddie’s head to shield the sun from her face, so I wouldn’t be able to see her expression of the new surprise I carried with me. I headed toward them, and when I reached the edge of the yard, where the grass turned into sand, l bent over and placed the little bundle of white fur with lemon-colored ears and eye mask on the ground. The tiny Papillon ran over to Brooklyn.
“Oh, my God!” Brooklyn exclaimed as the small ball of fur jumped into her lap on instinct. “My 3 F’s are complete.” The puppy began licking her face uncontrollably with lightning speed.
Maddie lifted her hat from her head and turned to face me as I walked toward them. “Fins, feathers, and fur. You are such a sucker, and you spoil her too much.”
She was right. I spoiled both my girls every opportunity I had. I never thought my life could have been so blessed. Just over a year ago, if asked, I would have told you I was married to my company, in a relationship with my computer and phone and I’d probably die a bachelor. Now, everything was different and just the way I wanted it. Well, almost everything.
I lowered my head and placed a kiss on my woman’s lips and whispered in her ear. “Come inside with me, and I’ll show how much of a sucker I am. When my lips find that clit of yours, you’ll be screaming in excitement, too.”
Maddie pushed at my chest but failed at moving me. I wrapped my arms around her and lifted her off the ground, spinning her around a couple of times. When I set her back on her feet, I dropped to one knee. “Marry me, Maddie Hightower.”
A squeal came from behind us. “Say yes, Mom. Say yes!”
Maddie looked over her shoulder to find Brooklyn jumping up and down. Her new puppy tightly held against her chest as she smiled a big toothy smile.
“Yes, Xander Livingston, I will marry you.”
Epilogue Two
Maddison
Two Years Later
It seemed like a lifetime ago when I said yes to Xander. I guess you could say it was. He owned my heart the day I first met him in college. I’d said yes to a relationship with him and gave him my heart.
Life threw some nasty curves my way, like the day he left me to chase his dreams in New York. The day Brookie was born was the most joyous, but still shadowed by the fact that I had done it alone. I’d always dreamed that Xander would be by my side when I gave birth to our child. Then there was the accident. Something so terrible brought Xander and me closer together with each passing day of my recovery. The relocation to New York forced me to become stronger than I had ever thought I could be. I learned to bridge my part-time career and how to be a full-time mother on a whole different level. Two years ago, I said yes to the man I always dreamed I’d grow old with, and I learned that I really could have it all. In the back of my mind, I knew karma was always going to be lurking, waiting to rear her ugly head and take it all away. But I’ve learned to live each day like it was my last.
“Hey,” Elodie called out to me. “You going to get your skinny ass in this amazing Vera Wang, or what?”
I stepped away from the window that overlooked the beach from our Hampton home and walked toward my new best friend. A twinkle in her eye confirmed I wasn’t the only one excited about wearing the incredible white gown in her hands.
“I’ve been starving myself for weeks now, just to make sure I fit into it.”
Elodie shot me a look of annoyance.
“I’m only kidding, so you can stop mother henning me.”
We both laughed as I stepped between the layers of fabric, and Elod
ie helped me into the strapless rose and tulip ball gown accented with a ribbon embroidered corset. I held my breath until the zipper on the bottom half of the dress was zipped, and the strap holding the corset tight against my body was buttoned.
“Wow,” Elodie whispered behind me.
“I know, right? It's beautiful. Hell, it makes me look beautiful.”
The scars from the multiple surgeries I had after the accident had changed the way I looked at myself. When I stood naked in front of a mirror, all I saw was the imperfection that was now my body.
“Stop it,” Elodie pushed at my shoulder. “You’re always beautiful.” She stepped away and walked to the window I had recently vacated. “Oh, wow.”
Wow had become the word of choice for Elodie today. “What are you wowing now?”
“The sexy as hell men standing in a line in front of the arbor.”
I looked out the window and followed the floral arranged pillars as they made their way through the yard and toward the sand. At the edge of the grass was a white arbor draped with tulle and accented with pink and white roses. When my eyes landed on three tuxedoed men, I, too, had only one word to say.
“Wow!”
Elodie nudged me, and we both laughed.
“What are the two of you looking at?” Evelyn inquired as she entered the room with the three girls.
Everyone had a part in this wedding. Bridgette and Hailey were acting as ring bearer and flower girl. Brookie rounded out the threesome as one of my bridesmaids.
“Oh, snap. Look at Uncle Hollsy,” Hailey remarked. “Your husband looks pretty good.”
“Where’s Ben?” Elodie asked.
“He’s with Doris.”
Doris was Elodie’s nanny, and soon to be ours. We’d found out last month I was pregnant. Xander and I decided to keep it a secret from Brookie, for now, until we made it past our first trimester.