Page 9 of Fractured Reunion

Joey frowned. “Without me?”

Dear Lord, why was this so hard? She hated every minute of giving this innocent little boy bad news but forced herself to continue. Officer Thomas had started this; it was up to her to help. “Your mommy didn’t have a choice, sweetie. She died and went to heaven. I know she didn’t want to leave you—” Her voice broke, and she couldn’t finish.

“Yes, we know your mommy loved you very much,” Officer Thomas said, picking up the discussion. “But as, er, Maggie said, she died and went to heaven. So now we’re trying to find your daddy. I need your help with that, Joey. Do you know your daddy’s name? Anything about him? Does he have a job? Does he live here or somewhere else?”

From Officer Thomas’s questions, it was clear he had not found any close family members to step up and take care of the little boy. The knot in her stomach tightened, knowing this child might very well be all alone in the world.

Joey shook his head and then began to sob. “I want my mommy! I want my mommy!”

He repeated the phrase between jagged sobs as Maggie cried right along with him.

CHAPTER THREE

Aaron was so preoccupied by the situation with Maggie and Joey that he was certain he’d given the worst presentation of his career. At least he hadn’t been booed off the stage or gotten bizarre looks from the crowd.

Then again, maybe he had gotten odd looks but hadn’t noticed. Whatever. He wasn’t concerned about that now. The moment he was finished, he bolted out of the hotel conference room and quickly took the grand staircase down to the main lobby level. He didn’t have a room since he lived locally, but as he passed the front desk, it occurred to him that Maggie probably had a room and luggage.

What about a handbag? Or other personal items?

Thinking back, he realized she hadn’t had any of her personal items with her when they’d attended to the bus crash victims.

He turned and headed back upstairs to the grand ballroom. Sweeping his gaze over the area, he spied an empty seat with a large black computer bag sitting on the floor beneath the table. He strode over to remove the bag, taking a moment to look inside.

Seeing Maggie’s familiar handwriting on a notepad was a jolt.

After double-checking to make sure her phone was inside as well, he carried the bag out of the room and to his car. He was glad to be able to do this much for her and was anxious to know what was happening with Joey.

Kyle hadn’t called him about taking the boy to surgery, but it was only two o’clock in the afternoon. The boy wasn’t tentatively on the schedule until three. And Aaron knew how easily a routine procedure could end up being anything but uncomplicated.

He’d called the local police after leaving Maggie and Joey at the hospital. The officer he’d spoken with had assured him that they’d follow up with Joey Johnson’s family. He hadn’t contacted his brother Alec yet, but he was next on the list if the local police weren’t any further along in finding the boy a parent or guardian.

He used the physician’s parking lot at Children’s Memorial even though he was not technically on duty today. His next cardiac surgical procedure was scheduled for the following week, and as today was Friday, he had hoped to have the weekend off.

But if something urgent came up, his colleagues knew to call him. Days off were somewhat of a misnomer in the world of medicine. Especially for those in leadership roles.

He’d thought his attempt to bury himself in his career would distract him from his failed marriage. One chance meeting with his ex-wife had proven him wrong. Shaking his head at his own foolishness, he grabbed her oversized handbag and headed inside.

Finding Maggie and Joey was easy enough as they were still sitting in the emergency department room they’d been in before he’d left. He frowned when he found Joey asleep on the cot and Maggie sitting with her face in her hands. When she lifted her head to look at him, it was clear she’d been crying.

Her brown eyes widened when she saw her bag. She reached for it, then stood to draw him from the room.

“What happened?” He searched her gaze. “Is Joey still having surgery?”

“I don’t know about that, but the police were here. An Officer Thomas told me that he has not found anyone related to Joey. At least not yet. We tried to question the boy, but he claims he doesn’t have a father, aunts, or uncles.” Her gaze was stricken. “Then we had to tell him his mother was dead and never coming back. I’ve had to give bad news to parents before but telling that sweet boy his mother had died and went to heaven was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I’m heartbroken for him.”

“Ah, Maggie. I’m so sorry.” Her damp puffy eyes were evidence of how badly that conversation had gone. His arms itched to draw her close the way he used to.

Before their divorce.

He made a move toward her but stopped when she reached up to rub her temple. “I’m not sure what will happen with the surgery now that he doesn’t have a parent or guardian to give consent.”

“Kyle was concerned about that,” he admitted. “Unless he can say the procedure is emergent, meaning loss of life or limb within twenty-four hours, he’ll have to wait until the court provides a temporary guardian.”

“And how long does that usually take?”

He grimaced. “Not sure. Being a Friday doesn’t work in our favor. I doubt the courts are in session over the weekend.”

“Then let’s get the wheels in motion now.” Maggie’s eyes flashed with urgency. “We can’t afford to wait. What if his condition deteriorates?”

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