They found a place to park and Mia ran inside with Matt close on her tail. They stopped at the admissions desk to find out where he was. “Mr. Ryan Morgan.”
“Family?”
“Yes.”
* * *
Matt held onto Mia as she struggled to keep it together. On the ride over, she’d told him about the heart attack that took her father and the slow demise of her mother not long after. Her Uncle Ryan was all the family she had left and she was terrified she would lose him.
“The doctor would like to see you.” The receptionist gave them directions to the doctor’s office. When they were seated in front of him, Mia clung to Matt’s hand.
“Your uncle’s condition is critical, Ms. Morgan. I have to tell you, I’m greatly concerned.”
Mia’s voice dropped to a whisper. “Is he going to make it?”
The doctor leaned back in his chair. “I certainly hope so. He got here fast, which is in his favor, but what concerns me is the history of heart disease in the family. He should’ve been under a specialist’s care but he wasn’t.”
Mia shook her head and looked at Matt, confused. “I don’t understand.”
“According to his hospital records, his brother—your father, I presume—died young from heart failure. We believe they may share a genetic condition, one that your uncle could’ve been kept under control with strict lifestyle changes. Do you have any idea why he didn’t take advantage of that knowledge? Why he let it get this bad?”
Mia’s throat worked as she listened to the doctor. “This is the first time anyone’s told me what my father had is hereditary. I’m not sure if Ryan knows any different either; he’s never said anything to me. Are you sure?” She clung to Matt’s hand and he could feel the cold seeping from her fingers into his. “We understood my father died of a heart attack. Nothing else was mentioned at the time.”
“I’ve been running tests since he was brought in. Your uncle has a serious case of arrhythmia as well as other minor heart deformities. Both can be hard to detect unless the patient is hooked up to a machine when it happens. In layman’s terms, his heart races so fast it stops, which I believe is what happened in this case. I’m sorry to say, the type he has is definitely genetic. I want to operate and put in a pacemaker, but your uncle needs to be stable to survive the anesthetic. The next twenty-four hours will be critical.”
Matt could see the questions in her eyes. “Do you think he knew he had this…this condition?”
“I’m not sure what he knows. We can ask him that when he recovers.” He peered over his glasses and focused on Mia. “It’d be in your best interests to have some tests done to clear yourself as well. You don’t want to find yourself in the same position, Miss Morgan, because not everyone is as lucky as your uncle.” He closed the file in front of him and sat back in his chair. “In most cases we can keep the condition under control with diet and medication but not always. If he survives, I’m hopeful he’ll have a full recovery.”
“If he survives.” Mia sat up straight and stared at the doctor. “What exactly is this disease called?”
“Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy. ARVC for short.” The doctor cleared his throat. “As I said, it can be hard to detect. A lot of people put their symptoms down to stress or panic attacks and never take it any further.”
Mia repeated the diagnosis in her head. “Thank you. Now, if I could see him please, I’d really appreciate it.”
“Don’t forget what I said about you, Miss. Morgan. Get yourself checked to make sure you don’t have the same disease. I can suggest a top cardiac specialist, or if you like, you can come to my clinic here at the hospital. Let the nurse know what you decide and she’ll book you in. The last thing you want to do is see me in an emergency.”
“I’ll make sure she gets it done, doctor.” Matt had only just found her. He wasn’t about to lose her before they got the chance to see if there was something between them.
The doctor led them out of his office and up to intensive care. “Just five minutes. I’ll be checking him hourly, and if all goes well, we’ll operate first thing in the morning.”
“Thanks, doctor.” Matt spoke because Mia seemed incapable now having gotten a look at her uncle.
Mia clung to Matt’s hand as she stood at the door, staring into the private room closest to the nurses’ station. The sound of machines beeping was intimidating and she was shaking. “I’m so scared.”
He rubbed her arm, noticing the goosebumps on her skin. “You’ll be fine. I’ll wait right here, okay? I’m not leaving you alone, Mia.”
She nodded and walked closer. Matt said a silent prayer that things would turn out okay for the man tethered to monitors that marked every heartbeat, every breath he took.
When Mia came out of the cubicle shortly thereafter, she collapsed in his arms. She seemed totally downtrodden and frail compared to the woman she was yesterday. He didn’t blame her. Facing death was enough to bring even the strongest person to his knees. The best he could do was be there for her and support her.
Matt sat with her through the night outside her uncle’s room, checking on him as often as possible. Mia had refused to leave the hospital, and he didn’t want her to be alone. Earlier that night, he’d called his father and given him the news, and Atticus had promised to pass it on to Gigi.
Atticus had also sent his best wishes to Mia. “I hope he makes it. I like Ryan; he’s a good man. Very caring and a good businessman and friend. He pretty much brought Mia up after her parents died. I think she was about fifteen when her mom passed away.”
“How
