Page 61 of Remembering Passion

“Basically, our dear brother called to piss me off.”

“I thought he’d be here,” she said.

I nodded. “I’m surprised he isn’t. Have you asked Mom if he’s called?”

Stephen spoke, “Marsha asked me to call Darius. I did. He seemed off, but I didn’t give that much thought.”

“Did he say he was coming down?” Dani asked.

“No. He just listened to what I had to say and thanked me. Then he hung up.”

“Un-fucking-believable,” I muttered.

With the ringer on my phone off, I was officially off the radar. Johnathon had strict orders to handle anything that came his way. I was only to be contacted if there was an emergency. The vibration in my pocket alerted me to a possible emergency. Pulling the phone from my pocket, I read the screen. I had one missed call from Gabriella Crystal.

“I need to listen to this message,” I said to Dani and Stephen as I stood. “If you hear anything, come and get me.”

Dani nodded.

Out in the hallway, the waiting room was virtually empty. There was one small cluster of chairs where an older man and younger woman were watching television. I scanned the area for my mother. Although she’d spent the night in the surgical waiting room, now she was in Dad’s room—the one visitor he was currently allowed.

Stepping to a more secluded area, I hit play on the message. Ella’s voice came to my ear. “This is bullshit, Damien. You can’t spring a trip on me the night before. I’m not your doll to dress.”

The first smile to curl my lips in days lifted my cheeks.

I sent a text message to Allen, my pilot.

Take the plane back to Indianapolis. Ms. Crystal will fly tomorrow morning to Ashland, Wisconsin. I will charter a plane for my return.

Or fly commercial. That worked out quite well last time.

The quarterly coalition meeting would go on even if that meant it happened without me.

I didn’t want to miss the trip, but getting Ella in front of them was more important.

Come on, Dad. Wake up and talk to us—show us you’re still with it. I have a meeting I don’t want to miss. Mostly, I want to be there because with all that’s happened, I haven’t had the chance to brief Ella on the CEOs she was about to meet.

“Damien.”

I turned and met my sister’s stare. “Is he…?”

“He’s awake. Mom said we can go in for a few minutes.”

Thank fuck.

As soon as relief flooded my circulation, a new emotion emerged. Walking off the elevator was the last person I thought I’d see—Amber Wilmott.

Her green eyes met mine. “How is your father?”

My hands balled to fists at my sides. “What are you doing here?”

Amber looked at my sister. “Hi, Dani. I got the call and wanted to be here for you—all of you.”

My sister’s eyes were wide, watching the two of us. “Who called you?” Dani asked.

“Mom.”

Her mother was Gloria Wilmott.

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