After about fifteen minutes, Dr. Franks cameout of Angel’s room “Ms. Martin?”
Jason released Vicky from his arms as theyboth made their way through everyone to talk to him. “Yes, yes, I’mright here. What’s going on? How is she? Can I see her?”
Everybody stood around with abated breathwaiting to hear the news.
“If you haven’t figured it out yet, throughsome miracle we were able to get a blood match for Angel. We are inthe process of completing the blood transfusion now. However, Ineed you to know that this doesn’t by any means mean that Angel isout of the woods but it does mean she has a fighting chance.”
They listened intently to everything Dr.Franks had to say. “Angel has a long road ahead of her and the next24-48 hours are going to be critical but….we’ve got a real chance.I’ve got to get back inside. We’re prepping her for surgery.”
Chapter 23
Dr. Franks went back into Angel’s hospitalroom to continue working on her. Now, instead of everyone beingblanketed by the feelings of death those feelings were now replacedwith feelings of hope and life. The relief was so palpable and thejubilation was so contagious. Everyone just started hugging eachother. Even Alicia Carter and she didn’t know a soul except for herhusband’s mistress. That was probably why no one noticed when Ryanstepped off of the elevator. No one except Alicia. When she saw himshe called out “Ryan!”
Suddenly the room went very quiet and alleyes turned into the direction that Alicia called. Ryan walked overtowards her. He bent to kiss her on the temple but she turned herhead and hissed at him “Where have you been? I’ve been trying toget in touch with you all day.” After that, everything seemed tomove in slow motion. Before Ryan could say anything Jason walkedover to him and punched him in his face. Ryan fell to the floorknocked out cold. For just a few moments everyone stood aroundstunned. Everyone except for the reporter who’d followed RyanCarter up to Angel’s floor. He captured everything on video withhis iPhone.
Some of the medical staff rushed to Ryan’sside to make sure he was alright. Alicia didn’t bother to help. Shejust watched the scene unfold before her. Ryan began to come towhile being helped to his feet and Jason was ready and waiting.
“Get up you bastard!” Jason couldn’t wait forRyan to get his bearings so that he could beat him like hedeserved. Franklin and Vicky made their way over to Jason to makesure he didn’t kill Ryan. Franklin could only imagine how Jasonfelt knowing that scumbag literally held life and death in hishands….with his own child no less. Yet, he couldn’t allow Jason tohurt him or got to jail. His family needed him to be strong forthem as they got through this next critical stage.
Ryan got to his feet and cleared his head“What the hell? Alicia what are you doing here? And...Why the helldid you hit me? I don’t even know you.”
Jason was ready to charge him again butFranklin held him back. Mr. Rutherford Sr. tried to get control ofthe situation. “This is not a conversation that I believe needs tobe had in the hallway of a hospital.”
Vicky agreed and touched Jason’s arm in thehopes of calming him down. “Yes, thank you Mr. Rutherford. This isa conversation that Jason, Alicia, Ryan and I should have inprivate. I think we should all go into the private waitingroom.”
Jason looked into Vicky’s eyes and lost someof his anger. Not all of it but enough to calm down.
The four of them left to go into the waitingroom. As soon as the doors closed behind them Alicia hauled off andslapped Ryan across the face as hard as she could. “You deservedthat and so much more. How could you get this woman pregnant andkeep it from me for all these years?”
Ryan wasn’t prepared to answer questions fromAlicia so he proposed some of his own “What the hell are you evendoing here Alicia?”
Alicia and Ryan had been so engrossed intheir own battle they’d completely forgot that Vicky and Jason werestanding in the room. Vicky spoke up “I can explain that. I calledher.”
Ryan turned around incredulous. That was thefirst time he’d really noticed Vicky. He hadn’t seen her in overfour years. She was still beautiful, more so because she worematurity and confidence well. Ryan needed to catch his breathbecause Vicky still made his heart beat a little faster. He wasn’tprepared for that so he thought he’d try anger to hide from it. “Soyou thought you’d ruin my marriage because I wouldn’t let youcontrol me?”
Jason was ready to launch at it him again butVicky stopped him before focusing back to Ryan. “Ryan, somehow, Iknew that you would make this situation all about you. I calledyour wife hoping she could convince you to come and save the lifeof your daughter. I was prepared to do whatever I needed to do upto and including calling a press conference and announcing to theentire world that your public persona and your private one were twodifferent people.”
Ryan blanched at the thought of hisrepublican constituents finding out about his illegitimatedaughter. It would end his career. He was actually more concernedabout that than he was Alicia finding out about Angel. His careermay be first in his line of priorities but he wasn’t completelyheartless. He did care if Angel survived.
“I grant you that I’m a bastard but I’m notcompletely heartless. I am here. That must count forsomething.”
“Honestly, Ryan, I don’t care why you came. Ijust care that Angel got what she needed from you and I pray thatmy baby comes through this alive. Oh, and the man who knocked youunconscious is Jason Rutherford, my fiancé and Angel’s father inevery way that counts.”
Vicky turned back to Jason before cradlinghis head into her hands “You are our hero. I love you so much and Ithank god for you.” Vicky sighed before continuing “I think maybewe should cancel the press conference.” Then she tenderly kissedhim on his lips.
Jason just held
