Page 1 of Everything I Need

Prologue

Scarlett

5 Years Earlier

Having to make the decision to take my dad off life support is the hardest thing I have ever had to do.

My sisters and I have been in this hospital with our parents for almost a week. While we are grateful that Mom is healing from the car accident, our dad isn’t going to. The doctors are telling us that it’s time to decide what we want to do, and unfortunately, my demanding boss is giving me a deadline to keep my job. Either I come back to the office, or I stay with my family.

My sisters don’t want to make a decision about Dad. Not that I do. But the doctors have run multiple tests and there won’t be any changes in his prognosis. My sisters are blaming me, of course, for pushing Mom into making a decision. Hell, I blame myself too if I’m being honest.

The fight between my sisters and I in Mom’s hospital room was too much for her and she decided to make the decision without us. It’s hard, but it’s the decision Dad would want.

I sit next to Mom and take her bruised and swollen hand into my own. The incessant beeping grating on my frayed nerves.

“Mom, are you sure this is the right thing to do?” I ask after she sends the others away for a private moment with me. She knows that I’m blaming myself and shouldering all the guilt. Much like her, I keep my emotions bottled up, and she and I are feeling the same way right now.

Mom winces as she tries to sit herself up more to face me, I rush to help her, pulling her pillow up behind her.

“Oh, Sweet girl, of course I’m sure. Your father would not want to live like this. Your sisters just don’t want to face that yet, but they will come around,” she says through teary eyes.

I hope they can. I don’t know what I’d do if they continue to blame me for this. My sisters and I are so close, we always have been, and it would ruin me if this tore us apart.

But I’m in between a rock and a hard place here. I need to go back to work in order to keep my job. I’ve worked too hard and given up too much. Like time with my family that I will never get back.

Sighing I say, “I’m going to go find the girls. I need them to hear me out and understand the situation I’m in. I don’t want this either.”

I kiss mom’s cheek and shut the lights off so she can rest some while she is alone.

When I leave her room, I see all the nurses staring in my direction, and it confirms that the fight we all just had was definitely the drama of the day for them. I cringe with embarrassment and try to hide my face as I hurry toward the family waiting room in the ICU where I assume my sisters have gone.

There, outside the waiting room is Dr. Preston West. As if this whole situation isn’t hard enough, Preston West has to be the doctor assigned to my parents' care. I haven’t talked to him in two years and now is not the time that I want to see him again.

We dated in college, and I thought he was the one. I thought we were both dreaming of the same future. Until the day I walked in on him with Elizabeth Hunter, a gold digger if I’ve ever seen one. I’ve seen him a few times over the years at charity events through my work with high end businesses in Boston. He always tried to come talk to me, but I wouldn’t allow it, and he never really seemed to fight for me after. Every time I saw him I was hit with a wave of desire, followed immediately by a reminder of how hurt I was, and still am. I don’t think I have ever stopped loving him, but now, I hold just about as much hurt.

He is standing just beyond the ICU’s doors, huddled with one of the nurses. A pang of jealousy hits me at their closeness, then the anger at myself for feeling it.

I slow my walk and stand quietly, I’m behind them so they don’t see me just yet.

“She’s turned so cold, Stacey. She’s in there arguing to take her father off life support because she has to go back to work. She isn’t the woman - -” I clear my throat to announce that I’m here.

He’s said just enough for me to get the picture before he sees me standing in the doorway.

“Scarlett, uh, Ms. Harper. I’m so sorry,” he rushes to say.

I step closer to him, anger radiating off me in waves.

“Don’t you dare Ms. Harper me. Are you sorry about what you’re saying, or the fact that you have been caught gossiping here in the middle of the hallway? Or maybe you’re finally sorry about what you’ve done to me?” I point my finger close to his face.

I don’t even give him the chance to explain. The hurt of what he said is too much right now. It’s too much on top of everything else. I see my sisters looking out from the waiting room, but I just can’t handle this whole situation right now. I shake my head at Lacey who mouthswhat is going on?

Then I run. Fast.

I run away from it all, but especially from Dr. Preston West.

Chapter One

Scarlett

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