She’d always thought of herself as a person who handled crisiswell. Typically, adrenaline made her more focused and sure, instead ofparalyzing her like it did some people. But while watching paramedics lift herfather onto a stretcher, she used every ounce of her concentration to remainstanding upright, though she did manage to lock the front door as she followedthem outside. She nodded numbly when one of them asked if she’d be followingthem to the hospital and hurried to her car.
A few minutes later, she pulled onto the street behind theambulance. Through the back windows she could see one of the paramedics movingaround her father, who still looked pretty unresponsive, but she couldn’t tellwhat he was doing. Several times, she had to jerk her eyes away from the rearof the ambulance and force them to the traffic and road conditions around heragain. She wouldn’t be any help if she got T-boned on the way to the hospital.
*
“Mom.”
Casey glanced up from her laptop screen, surprised when Sean camethrough the front door. She’d settled against the arm of the couch an hour ago,laid her legs along the length of the cushions, and promised herself shewouldn’t do any work tonight. She’d lasted nearly an hour before she’d pulledher computer onto her lap to answer justone email. “What are you doing here?”
“Mama called. Poppa went to the hospital in an ambulance.”
“What?” She shoved her laptop onto the coffee table, turned, andput her feet on the floor.
“He fell, but she said he’s okay. I’m on my way up there. Sheasked me to stop by his house and get his slippers. They’re admitting him, andyou know how particular he is about his slippers.” He stood in the middle ofthe living room, looking a little lost. His eyebrows were pinched with worryand his shoulders stooped in a way she hadn’t seen since she and Jacquelinefirst split up. He’d never been able to hide his anxiety from her.
“Okay. Have you been over to Poppa’s yet?”
“No.” He didn’t move.
“Do you want me to go with you?”
He nodded. “And to the hospital?”
“Of course, sweetie.” She headed for the kitchen to grab herpurse and her car keys. She wasn’t about to let him drive. In fact, she wasn’tvery happy with Jacqueline for calling him at school and encouraging him tocome home upset.
Minutes later, she pulled her car into Teddy’s driveway and Seanjumped out. She stared at the front of the house and hoped, as Sean hadrelayed, he truly was going to be okay. Someday she’d have to face losing him,but neither she nor Sean was anywhere near ready.
From the first day they’d brought him home, Teddy had been asurrogate father and a grandfather all rolled into one. Sean had taken to him,probably more quickly than he did even to Casey or Jacqueline. And, afterraising just one daughter, Teddy had clearly loved having someone around whowanted to learn guy stuff.
Sean climbed back in the car, holding a small duffle bag on hislap. “I got him some fresh clothes, too. For when they let him come home.”
Casey smiled, pleased with what a thoughtful young man Sean hadbecome. He didn’t say anything more during the drive to the hospital, and Caseydidn’t press him to. But she hoped whatever he was thinking so hard about as hestared out the passenger window didn’t weigh too heavily on him.
When they reached the hospital, Casey continued to take chargewhile Sean trailed along behind her. She followed the signs until they foundthe room number Jacqueline had texted to Sean. But when they reached thecorrect hallway, she let Sean enter first.
A lamp in the corner combined with a subdued glow coming fromsomewhere behind the bed provided enough light to see the room’s two occupants.Teddy lay in the bed, covered to his chest, his eyes closed and his facepeaceful. His right arm lay outside the sheet, encased in a splint to hiselbow. But she didn’t see any other obvious injuries. Jacqueline slumped in thechair beside him, pulled close enough that her hand rested on the bed next tohis. Jacqueline’s eyes were also closed, but her body radiated tension. Herfingers twitched like they often did when she wasn’t fully asleep, but sheseemed to be hovering just under wakefulness.
Casey stepped inside the room and pulled the door closed behindher, hoping to keep the bustle from the hallway outside from disturbing them.But as the latch clicked, Jacqueline jolted awake. The motion caused Teddy tostir as well. Sean moved immediately to his bedside, but Casey hung back andoffered them both a small smile in greeting.
“How are you feeling?” Sean touched his shoulder.
“Not bad enough to warrant all this fuss.”
“Would you rather I’d left you on the kitchen floor to fend foryourself?” Jacqueline asked as she rose and pulled Sean into a quick hug. Heheld her for longer than Casey expected, as if he needed the embrace as much asshe did. “He’s okay, buddy.” She cupped the back of his neck quickly beforereleasing him.
Sean nodded, his jaw muscles working against the emotion in hissweet eyes.
“Since you came all this way, sit and tell me about school.”Teddy waved his good arm at Sean and then toward the chair at his bedside.After Jacqueline stepped out of the way, Sean sat down, bent close, and begantalking to him.
As Jacqueline moved farther from the bed, Casey spoke quietly toher. “Hey, I hope it’s okay that I tagged along.”
“Of course.”
“What happened?”
Jacqueline shrugged. “I went to take him his groceries and foundhim on the floor.”
She lowered her voice. “Was he unconscious?”
“For a bit, but we don’t know exactly how long he was therebefore I found him. His scans came back clean, but since he hit his head whenhe fell, they want to monitor him overnight.”
“You could have called me when you found him. I would’ve comeover and helped. You know I’m only a couple minutes away.” She hadn’t meant tosound as accusatory as she did.
Jacqueline shrugged. “Once I’d called the ambulance, I didn’thave much to do but keep him still and wait.”
“I’m
