“I’d better not. I want to check in again on my mom before it gets too late. She’s having a hard time on her own without my father. They’re so close. I don’t know what would happen to her if we lost him.”
“That’s very sweet of you. Let me wrap those decorations up before you go. You don’t want them to shatter before she sees them.” Dakota scooped them up with the tissue and went back to the workroom to wrap them before putting them in a small carry bag with her label on the front. Adam reached for the bag. “I can’t thank you enough for these.”
She walked him to the door. “You’re more than welcome. Thanks for dinner, Adam. I really enjoyed myself.”
He paused, a hand on her elbow. “I did too. Nice to have the company. We should do it again soon.” He dropped a kiss on her cheek and walked away, his hand raised in a wave.
Dakota lifted her fingers to her face. She hadn’t realized how much she missed a man’s gentle touch until now.
Chapter Four
After work the following day, Adam walked into his father’s hospital room and took a seat beside the bed, handing over the magazines he’d picked up earlier. Hopefully his father would find something of interest between the pages, a crossword or a gossip column that would take his mind off his pain. “Hi, Dad. How’re you feeling?” The pasty sheen on his face worried him. He thought he’d be showing more improvement by now.
His father opened his eyes and gave a wan smile, a sheen of sweat beading on his top lip. “Son, good to see you.” He shuffled up the bed, trying to sit, then moaned in pain.
Adam sprang up. “Here, let me help you.” He raised the end of the bed, rearranged his father’s pillows and watched him for signs of distress, ready to call the nurse if need be.
“Don’t look so worried. I’m not ready to die yet.” His father laughed, sounds of glee fast turning to strangled sobs of anguish.
Adam scurried forward and grabbed his father’s hand while buzzing for the nurse. “Dad, relax. Just take it easy.” Helplessness rose in his chest. He wasn’t used to seeing his big strong father reduced to this state and had no idea of how to handle it.
A nurse bustled in. “What’s going on here, Mr. Clement? Are you in pain?”
His father sobbed, waved his hand at the nurse.
Adam handed his father a tissue and spoke to the nurse. “He was laughing and then burst into tears. I’m not sure what’s going on.”
“Quite normal after heart surgery, I can assure you. His emotions are up and down and he has no control over them. When you come that close to meeting your maker as your father did, you tend to look at life differently. I’m sure he’ll be fine once he comes to terms with his illness.” She took his hand, lifted her watch and listened to his pulse. “You need to relax and not let it upset you so much. Remember what the doctor said?”
His father wiped his eyes and sighed, giving Adam a shaky smile. “Yes, I do. I’m alive, I can beat this if I put my mind to it and I shall. Make no bones about that.”
She patted him on the shoulder. “Good. That’s what we want to hear. We’ll give you a moment.” She turned to Adam, signaled him to follow her out the door.
He followed her out while his father composed himself. “Are you sure he’s going to be okay? He doesn’t look very good to me.”
The nurse put a reassuring hand on his arm. “Your father is very lucky they got to him in time. The majority of people with this heart condition don’t even know they have it. The coroner is the one who finds it. You should all be very thankful.” She watched through the door, making sure her patient was okay.
“We are, believe me. Just seeing him come apart like that, it makes me feel so, inadequate I guess.” Helpless and scared, he wasn’t afraid to admit it either.
“Vulnerable?”
Adam looked at the nurse, Abbie. He nodded.
She stood with a knowing smile on her face. “I get it. Nobody wants to think they’re going to die. It’s hard to deal with after such a fright but the prognosis is very good for your father. So long as he takes it easy for a little longer, then eases back into life, he’ll be fine. You can ask the doctor. He wants to speak to you anyway.” She held up her hand to another nurse calling her to the desk. “One moment, please.”
“He does?”
“Yes, if you hadn’t come in today I would have called and set up an appointment for you. Pop in and see what he wants on your way out. I’ll tell him you’re here. Now go and see your father, let him know how much you care for him. He needs it right now.” She turned on her heel and walked back to the nurses’ station, and picked up the phone.
Adam wondered if the doctor was going to tell him his father shouldn’t be going back to work. After his mother’s comments the other night about helping sell the business, it sounded likely. He had to try and talk his father into slowing down, retiring. He wasn’t ready to lose either of his parents.
His father was more composed when he walked back in. “Guess who I met yesterday, Dad. Dakota Moore, sister to
