Page 66 of Before You Go

CHAPTER 16

Francisca

Curled up in the reclining hospital chair next to my dad’s bed, I study the steady beat of his heart on one of the many monitors he’s hooked up to.

It’s been a little over seventy-two hours since he was rushed in for open-heart surgery after suffering a major heart attack—a heart attack the doctors said would have killed him if Mom hadn’t been insistent on calling an ambulance and getting him help as soon as she did.

The first forty-eight hours after his surgery were touch and go, but he’s improved a lot over the last twenty-four hours, giving us all some relief and a much-needed dose of hope.

Taking my eyes off the monitor, I look over at my dad and breathe through the ache in my chest. Since I was a little girl, he’s always seemed untouchable, so seeing him so fragile while realizing that he’s just a normal man who is susceptible to the same ailments as everyone else has been a hard pill to swallow.

Hearing the door open, I watch my mom come around the side of the curtain and force a smile for her. She looks as exhausted as I feel. Then again, none of us have gotten much sleep the last few days, even with the two of us taking turns staying here with Dad ever since he was moved out of the ICU.

“How’s he doing?” Mom asks quietly, walking around the side of the bed and picking up Dad’s hand.

“Good. He woke up for a while early this morning, and the nurse was in about an hour ago and said that everything looked great,” I tell her carefully, sitting up. “Did you get some sleep?”

“A little.”

“Where’s Jacob?” I ask, and she gives me a forced smile.

“I told him to stay behind and get some more sleep.”

“That’s good.” It’s a toss-up who I’m more worried about—my dad, who is obviously recovering from major surgery, or my brother, who has turned into a zombie since Dad was put in the hospital. I’m just hoping Jacob snaps out of it when he sees that Dad is going to be okay.

“Where is Dayton?”

“I made him leave about two hours ago,” I tell her, and she frowns. “He has a big case he’s working on, and he’s put off a few meetings to be here with me. I told him that I would be okay for a few hours without him.”

“And he believed you?” I smile at that, obviously. Dayton has been a permanent fixture, and he’s made it clear to not only me but my family that he’s not going anywhere. Even when we haven’t been here at the hospital, he’s been at my side—or I’ve been at his—since during the few breaks we got, the two of us have slept at his place in his bed together.

“I didn’t give him much of a choice, and I told him that you were coming, so I wouldn’t be alone for long.”

“I like him.”

“Me too,” I say quietly. Getting up, I fold up the blanket I was using and toss it over the back of the chair, then start to stretch out my back.

“How did you sleep?”

“Surprisingly okay.” And I do mean, surprisingly, since Dayton and I both slept in the single recliner last night. I doubt he feels the same as me since I was using him as a bed and a pillow, but he didn’t complain. Then again, he never complains unless it’s about me not eating or sleeping.

“You should go home and shower sweetheart, maybe take a nap.”

“I think I’m going to; I also need to check on PJ.” Clay went and got him the day Dad had his surgery, and he’s been staying with him and Willow when Dayton and I have been at the hospital. I know from the pictures and videos that Willow sends me that he’s had the best time with Skye and Rowen, who keep him busy, but I miss him like crazy. “I’ll come back this afternoon. The nurse mentioned that the doctor wanted to talk to you about Dad’s release plan.”

“Release plan?”

“I guess that they are planning on sending him home soon.”

“He just had major surgery. He’s barely sitting up and hardly awake for more than a few minutes.”

“I doubt it’s going to be something that happens today, but I think they want you to be prepared for when it does.”

“I guess.” She agrees, looking unsure.

“It will be okay; we can set up the downstairs bedroom so that you and he can stay in there and hire a nurse to come in and help out so that you don’t feel overwhelmed.”

“You’re so smart.” She says quietly.

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