Connor felt the faint curve of a smile on his lips. “Susie hasn’t changed much. She’s still in a hurry, and she’s never caused anyone even a moment’s grief.” His smile widened. “Except maybe Mack.”
“Yeah, those two are quite a pair, aren’t they?” Mick said. “What’s with spending every spare second together and still swearing they’re not dating?”
“They’re both delusional, that’s all,” Connor said.
Mick shook his head. “Crazy, if you ask me. Anyway, my point is that waiting around when someone you love is injured or ill may be one of the toughest things you’ll ever have to do, but you get through it, son, because you have to. People are counting on you to be strong. Heather needs that. So does your son.”
“I know,” Connor said, dragging his hand through his hair. “I’m just no damn good at waiting. I need to be doing something.”
“Then how about this,” Mick suggested quietly. “You need to think about calling Heather’s family. They’d want to be here.” Before Connor could tell him to forget it, Mick held up his hand. “Look, I know there have been some differences there, but we’re talking about her mother and father. They have to know what’s happened. It’s only right.”
“Heather wouldn’t want them running over here acting all concerned after the way they’ve rejected her and our son,” Connor protested. “And frankly, they’ll be none too pleased to hear the sound of my voice.”
“Doesn’t matter,” Mick insisted. “At times like this, families put differences aside. Whatever they decide, you need to do the right thing and at least give them the option of being here for their daughter. I can have Ma or Megan call them, if you don’t want to. Just give me a phone number.”
Connor thought about what his father was saying and deep down, he knew the call had to be made. He also knew he had to be the one to make it.
“I’ll do it,” he said eventually.
“You have their number?” Mick asked.
Connor nodded. “It’s in my cell phone. You go on back with the others. I’ll call and be there in a minute. If you find out anything, if the doctor turns up, come and get me.”
“Or I can wait with you,” Mick offered.
“No, I swear I’ll make the call. You don’t have to stand over me the way you did when I slugged Timmy Frost and you made me call to apologize and stood right there until I did it.”
Mick smiled. “Don’t think I didn’t figure out that you were holding down the disconnect button the whole time,” he said.
Drawn out of his despair by the memory, Connor laughed. “You knew?”
“Of course. I’d have done the same thing. Why do you think I drove you over to Timmy’s house right afterward and made sure you actually spoke to him face-to-face?”
“I thought that was just part of my punishment,” Connor admitted. “It was humiliating.”
“You learned your lesson, though, didn’t you?” He squeezed Connor’s shoulder. “Now make that call. I’ll be inside.”
Connor paced around the small courtyard, ignoring the patients and family members sitting on the benches on the pleasant morning. He dreaded making this call, not just because of the news he had to impart, but because he feared Bridget and Charles Donovan wouldn’t react as loving parents, but as the two judgmental people who’d hurt Heather so deeply.
Finally, knowing he couldn’t put it off any longer, he placed the call. The phone rang several times before Bridget Donovan picked up.
“Mrs. Donovan, this is Connor O’Brien,” he said, then heard her gasp of dismay. “Please don’t hang up. There’s something you need to know. It’s about Heather.”
“What about her?” she asked, the question tentative. “We haven’t spoken in months.”
“I know that, but it doesn’t really matter right now. She’s been in an accident. She’s in the hospital over here in Maryland. I’m still waiting for word on how serious her injuries are, but it’s not good. I just thought you and Mr. Donovan should know.” He hesitated, then added, “If you want to fly over, I can make the arrangements and have someone pick you up at the airport.”
“She won’t want us there,” she said, sounding sad.
“Right now, all that matters is that she be surrounded by everyone who loves her,” Connor said. “Please, come. I know you’ll regret it if you don’t.”
“It’s…it’s that serious?” she asked in a choked whisper.
“It is,” he said. “Please, come.”
“We’ll drive,” she said decisively. “In the end, that will be faster than trying to arrange for a flight. I doubt I could get Charles on a plane, anyway, not even for this. Tell me where you are.”
Connor filled her in. “Do you have a cell phone?” he asked.
“Yes,” she said and gave him the number.
“I’ll call you the minute I know anything more,” he promised. “And you take down my number in case you have any questions or need directions or anything.”
“We’ll be there by tonight. Shouldn’t take more than eight hours or so to get there.” She hesitated, then added, “Thank you for calling, Connor. I’m sure it wasn’t easy after the way we’ve treated you both.”
“That’s not important now,” Connor said.
“Can you tell me something before I let you go? Were you in the car with her?” she asked.
“No, she was alone. She was on her way to do some shopping, according to my mother.”
“Then—” she began, hesitated and then asked “—the baby? He wasn’t with her?”
“No, she’d left him with my mother.”
“Thank God for that,” she murmured.
“Hurry, Mrs. Donovan.”
“We will, and don’t you worry. Heather’s strong. She’ll bounce back from this. Just you wait and see. We’ll see you soon.”
Connor disconnected the call,
