Page 34 of An Engagement for Erica

Or maybe it was a severe migraine like Erica had.

No. Erica had pain and passed out from that. He’d thought she was starting to slur her words, but she’d said the pain caused her not to focus and stumble over things. He’d read that was common.

This was different.

“Have you talked to anyone?” Michael asked.

“No. They know I’m here. The woman at the desk let me in but told me not to bother the nurses.”

“Screw them,” Michael said. “Go do it. I know you don’t like throwing your weight around, but if there is a time for it, it’s now. Your grandfather donates a lot of money to this hospital.”

He hadn’t known that but should have.

He got up and went to the nurse’s station. “Can I help you?” the nurse asked after he’d stood there for five minutes while she was typing into the computer.

“Tucker Nelay, my grandfather TC Nelay was brought in about thirty minutes ago. I’d like to get some kind of an update or at least be able to see him if it’s possible.”

The nurse’s eyes lit up and she started to type. “I wasn’t aware you were here. Let me see what I can find out.”

He wanted to grind his teeth and wondered if the woman at the desk purposely steered him wrong because of his father’s reputation around these parts.

Many were employed at TCN Industries in this area. Disgruntled employees spread tales like mold in a bag of rotten vegetables sitting in the heat.

“Thank you,” he said.

“They are running tests at the moment,” the nurse said.

“Can you tell me what kind of tests?”

“A CT scan right now,” the nurse said. “The radiologist will read the results immediately in a situation like this.”

“So I’ll know something soon?”

“Within an hour or less,” the nurse said. “I’m updating his chart. Can I have your number please?”

He gave his cell phone number and returned to the waiting room.

“Well?” Michael asked.

“They are running a CT scan now and I should know something within an hour. I hope.”

“That’s better than nothing,” Michael said. “I need a coffee. I can’t stop shaking.”

“Do you think caffeine is the best thing?”

“They don’t have alcohol here,” Michael said. “Unless you’ve got a flask of something in your car.”

“I’m not my father,” he said drily.

“Thank God for that,” Michael said. “But it would have come in handy.”

He sat back and tried to close his eyes and calm his heart rate down but couldn’t.

He texted his mother quickly. She’d want to know what was going on.

His phone rang ten minutes later. “Do you want me to come back?” his mother asked the minute he answered.

“No,” he said. “I don’t know anything.”

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