Page 25 of Awakening His Daddy

Joe

I rarely answer my phone when I’m at work, but the call is from Mercy General Hospital.

Mercy General?

I take a second look. That’s the hospital up north.

Could it be Izzy?

He said he was working near the cabin today.

“Hello,” I answer.

“Hello, am I speaking to Joesph Long?”

“Yes.” I swallow hard.

“My name is Kaitlin, and I’m calling because you’re listed as the second emergency contact for Izaiah Collins, and we couldn’t reach the first.”

“I…” My heart starts pounding. “Is he okay? Is it serious?”

“He’s doing fine, but he’s nervous and having a hard time communicating, so we haven’t been able to move forward withhis treatment yet. He’s in a lot of pain, and he’s basically sedated right now.”

“What kind of choices? Like pull the plug or amputation? He does work with chainsaws.”

“Nothing like that.” She sounds amused, so that must be a sign that things aren’t too serious. “Now, if you could please get here as soon as you can, I think that would really help him.”

“Okay, I’ll leave right now, but I’m in the city, so it will probably be closer to an hour and a half.”

“That sounds fine. Also, I don’t know what the weather is like there, but it’s supposed to snow here later tonight. So be careful. He’s fine and in no danger.”

I want to tell her he’s in the hospital and in so much pain that he can’t function, doesn’t mean he’s fine, but whatever.

Lane is sitting in his office when I find him.

“Hey, I’ve got to run out early.”

“Everything alright?”

“Not really.”

Lane studies me hard for a moment before nodding his head.

“Alright, get going and take as much time off as you need. Lord knows you’ve got it coming.”

“Thanks.”

I run to the locker room, change, then head out to the hospital.

He’s okay. She said he was okay.

But he’s in pain.

I need to get there and help him.

I enter the emergency room, and the front desk directs me to a small room that’s a few doors down.

“When will the doctor be in?”

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