life.”
“It seems that every time she protects you from something, she loses big in the end, doesn’t it?” said Hayden.
The tears came when Emma faced such anger in her son. Any chance of reconciliation with Hayden was as slim as with Cain. “I’m sorry. I can’t say anything other than that. This may sound like an old cliche, but if I could trade places with her I would.” The sobs that were threatening came spilling out then, and she ran out to escape any other sarcastic comment he had.
“Wouldn’t it have been more effective to just slap her and get it over with?” Shelby asked him, never getting up from her seat.
“What do you know, lady? You’re just here to try and drag my mother down.”
“Check that attitude with me, Mr. Casey. I’m not Emma, and I’m not going to put up with it. Granted your other mom is in there fighting for her life, but I’m almost positive that if she were out here, she’d have slapped you down by now herself.”
It was remarkable to look into his eyes and find so much of Cain there. They held the intensity in their blue depths, and the same fire.
“Don’t come in here and spout off about things you know nothing about. My mother lets you see only what she wants you to see, and nothing more. Even you can’t be so stupid not to have figured that one out.”
“I’m not stupid, Hayden. I just heard what she told you in the restaurant tonight. You’re smart enough to know we’re always listening. ‘To be a man you have to respect your mother and your family.’ Isn’t that what she told you? One little setback and you have to lash out at the easiest target? One you know isn’t going to fight back. Maybe Cain’s right, and following her father’s rules does show what caliber of man you will become. But you act as immaturely as you just did, and people like me will finally break you.”
She kept her voice calm and waited to see if Hayden would make any other smart comments. When he turned away from her and leaned into Merrick, Shelby got up and went to find Emma.
“Do you think she’s right?” Hayden asked Merrick, once they were alone in the room with only Mook.
“Boy, you got a lot of learning to do yet, so I wouldn’t worry about it too much. Cain didn’t get everything right the first time, and you don’t have an edge on doing it any better.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“It means that you are your mother’s son, and nothing anyone can say will ever change that.” Merrick pushed back the hair that had fallen on his forehead and smiled at him. “She has one fiery temper when she sets her mind to it, and it makes her say things she normally wouldn’t. Lucky for us she doesn’t give in to that part of herself often.”
“I can’t help but get mad sometimes.”
“I know, buddy. Thing is, I’m paid to sit, watch, and listen, and to provide counsel when asked. I was there when Emma left and eventually realized why. I also knew that one day she was going to come back.” She smiled kindly at him. “You were a heavy factor as to why she made the trip, but not the most important. I know that sounds cruel, but sometimes love is.”
Merrick’s words shamed him, and he couldn’t hold back the tears, but he dropped his head so Merrick wouldn’t see. “I know she doesn’t give a rat’s ass about me. You don’t have to rub it in.”
“Listen to me, Hayden. You’re Emma’s son, and half the blood running around in here belongs to her.” Merrick tapped him on the chest over his heart. “But as important as the bond is between mother and child, it’s as strong for the person who owns your heart. The woman didn’t move to some out-of-the-way farm because she had a burning desire to stare at cows all day long and find someone else to fill Cain’s place. She left her heart here with your mother, and dying is the only way she’s going to get it back.”
“I wish I could remember more about what that time was like. It seems like I should, but I don’t have many memories of her. I like that Mom sometimes talks about her so that I have some mental picture to go along with the ones in my room, but I just can’t forgive her for leaving me behind. And if what you’re saying is true, for leaving Mom behind too.”
“My sweet boy, you’re learning after all, so don’t let the fed get to you. Your mother is proud of you. I promised I’d never admit this, but when you aren’t around she just goes on and on about you.”
One light pull on his sleeve was all it took to get him to collapse into her arms and have the cry he really wanted to have.
“She’s going to be fine, Hayden, if only to kick some serious ass for this happening in the first place.”
“Are you all here with Cain Casey?” A middle-aged man in green scrubs stood in the doorway of the waiting room, looking like he had sweated a bucket of perspiration on his outfit.
“Is something wrong?” Hayden stood up so fast he knocked Merrick back into her chair.
“No, I’m Don Elton, her surgeon, and I just wanted to tell you she’s out of surgery and holding her own. Are you her son?”
“I’m Hayden Casey, and yes, I am.”
“All I can tell you now, Hayden, is she’ll probably be in intensive care for a couple of days, and after that’s over I’ll be able to share with you more about what comes next.”
“She’s going to be all right?”
The doctor ran his hand over his head, pulling off the surgical cap with his action. “I don’t know yet, son. Your mom had a lot of damage, and she lost a lot of blood. I wish I could sugarcoat it, but I don’t believe that’s fair to you if something goes wrong later. The thing I know for sure is that it’s been a while since I’ve had someone on my table who’s in such great shape. That’ll mean a lot later on down the road, and now that I’ve met you I know she has something to fight for. Could you pass the information on to the other family members who were out here earlier? I’m going to see about getting her set up for the night. Call me if you have any questions, or if you need to talk about anything. The nurse will have all the information you’ll need to get in touch with me.”
“Thank you, doctor. We’ll take care of it.” Merrick put her hand on Hayden’s back in an effort to provide some
