Page 88 of Her Summer Hope

Kyle nodded, his jaw set. "I'll wait for you in the hallway," he said, his voice low. "Take your time with your kids."

He left, the policewoman following him out.

“Mom, mom, mom,” Jack said, tugging on her shirt. “They said Miss Helen had a stroge. Is that like the flu? She fell down and Ellie had to call the 911.”

“It’s called a stroke,” Ellie said, tapping her feet on the floor anxiously. “She looked really sick, mom. She couldn’t talk.”

James was silent, holding her hand tight and staring at baby Em, who was happily making baby noises though her diaper was full.

Madison cleared her throat. “Everything is fine. I’m going to find the doctor and then we’ll see what to do, okay? Ellie, can you read Jack and James some of that book for a few minutes?”

“It’s a girl book,” Jack said disgustedly.

“Is not,” Ellie said.

“Is too, too, too, too, too, too—”

“Enough!” Madison hissed. “People are sick here. We need to be quiet, okay?”

Jack nodded, and Ellie began to read. James didn’t want to let go of her hand, and so she took him with her.

Kyle was stationed outside the door. He gave her an inquiring look.

“I’m going to talk to the doctor about Helen, then I’ll need to take them home.” She wondered how she’d get home. Would he offer?

He nodded. “Called the guys. Evans volunteered to take care of the food,” he said wryly. “Murdock is going to watch the house and John will drive your car home. I’ll need your address.”

He was so calm and distant.

She breathed out shakily and gave him her address.

“I’ll take you home,” he said, then nodded across the hall toward a desk. “That’s probably the doc.”

He took Em from her and Madison nodded, her heart still pounding with a mix of fear and gratitude.

She approached the doctor, a middle-aged man with kind eyes that held a touch of weariness. He greeted her with a sympathetic smile and led her to a quiet corner.

“How is Helen?” she asked, afraid of what he’d say.

“Are you family?” he asked, looking over the chart in his hands.

“Yes.” This was a lie she had no compunction over telling. Helen was her family in all ways that mattered.

"She had a stroke," he explained gently. "She's stable now, but the next few hours are critical. We're doing everything we can. We’re going to fly her up to Turkey Creek Medical Center. They can provide her with the best care."

Madison listened, her mind racing with questions and worries. "Can I see her?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Not right now," the doctor replied. "But we'll keep you updated. Leave your number at the desk and we’ll contact you and let you know when she gets settled there."

She nodded, her throat tight with emotion. “Give them my number as her emergency contact.”

“Yes, Ma’am,” he said, going to a computer cart nearby to deal with his next patient.

As she turned to go back to her children, she saw that Kyle had slipped into the waiting room. Madison felt a wave of conflicting emotions— gratitude for his support but fear of the future.

She returned to find him sitting with Ellie and Jack, who were listening intently as he told them a story about his time in the military. His voice was soft, yet captivating, and Madison saw a side of him she hadn't known before. Ellie was engrossed, her earlier anxiety forgotten, while Jack's eyes were wide with admiration.

James, however, still clung to her hand, his expression closed off.

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