Page 103 of Returning to Everton

“Hey,” Hudson takes my chin and turns my head to face him. “It’s just some tests. We knew he would send you for tests. Don’t worry baby. Okay? After your MRI, we’ll call the guys, well except for Declan, and get some lunch okay Sugar?” he comforts me.

I nod mutely again just as the door opens to reveal the nurse, or Nancy as the doc called her. “Okay, I’m to take you to get your blood drawn, then to MRI. You ready?” she asks with a smile.

Why do people smile at you when they know something is wrong? My whole life is about to be flipped upside down, and you’re smiling. It’s not helpful, so I hope that’s not what you’re going for. Instead of saying any of that, I get off of Hudson’s lap and we follow her to a different room.

When the doctor said he was going to do some simple blood tests, I was not expecting them to take so much blood. How many tests issome? Why do they need so much damn blood? Of course, I’m still in shock, so I don’t voice any of these questions. I kind of wish Declan was here too, so he could answer the magnitude of questions running through my head with no way to escape. Instead, I just hold Hudson’s hand while they attempt to take all of my blood from a tiny needle in my arm. The grouchy lady that took all of my blood gives me some juice and a cookie then lets Nancy take me away.

Nancy lets Hud walk me to the MRI room before he has to go to the waiting room. I hug him before I enter the ominous room I’ll be spending the next hour of my life in, clinging to him until he finally pulls back and kisses me.

“It’s going to be fine, Rowe. I’ll be right outside waiting for you,” he reassures me again.

I nod yet again. “Thank you, Hudson. I’d be lost without you.”

“You’ll never be lost again, Sugar,” he vows and I feel slightly better. At least good enough to leave him and get this damn test done.

39

Hudson

While I wait for Rowe to get her MRI, I step outside to get the guys on a group call. I call Nate first, as soon as he answers I tell him to hold on while I get the twins on, so he doesn’t start the questions I know he's dying to ask. Next, I call Ayden and tell him to hold while I get his brother. Once I get Kayden on, I join all the calls together and everyone starts talking at once.

“What’s going on?” Nate questions.

“Is Rowe okay?” Ayden and Kayden demand at the same time. Damn twin talk.

“Guys! Calm down and let me talk!” I yell at them and a few people passing by give me dirty looks. It works though because everyone shuts up. “The doc thinks he knows what’s wrong, but he wouldn’t tell us until she had some tests done so he would know for sure. She just had a bunch of blood drawn, and now she’s getting an MRI of her brain. It’s going to take about an hour, and even longer until we have the results. So, Dr. Johnston told Rowe to go home after her MRI, have some lunch, and relax. He’ll call her as soon as he has news. I’m thinking she might appreciate all of us, that can at least, being here when she gets out,” I suggest.

“She knows if she needed these tests, that something has to be seriously wrong. She went kind of numb for a while until the doctor left the room and I pulled her into my lap and held her. Then she broke down and sobbed until she couldn’t cry anymore,” I tell them.

“Of course, we’ll be there. I’m closing the shop now,” Kayden tells me.

“Me too,” Ayden adds.

“Why don’t you try calling Mikey first so we don’t have to close. If he can’t come in go ahead and close,” I tell him.

“I’m already on my way,” Nate declares and then I see him pull up on his motorcycle. Man, that helmet microphone is amazing. I had no idea he was driving!

“Alright, you two get the businesses taken care of and get here. Rowe needs you,” I stress then hang up.

Nate’s already off his bike and walking toward me. “What’s the plan?” he prods as soon as he gets within talking distance.

“The plan is the same as it’s been the past two days. Distract Rowen. How we’re going to do that I don’t have a clue, but we’ll have four of us to try,” I assert. Then I text Declan to let him know what’s going on. Just because he can’t be here doesn’t mean he can be left out of the loop.

He nods his head and we just stand there in silence, both of us no doubt thinking about all the things that can be wrong with our girl. Ten minutes later Kayden pulls up on his bike and I eye him in surprise. There’s no way he should be here yet.

“How the hell did you get here so fast?” I ask him when he walks up to us.

“I kicked everyone out and told them the shop was closed. If they had a problem with that, they could drive an hour to the next shop. I didn’t stick around to hear their arguments,” he snarls dismissively.

Nate nods his head in approval. “Good for you, Kayden. They’ll either wait for you to open back up or they won’t. Either way, they’ll be back eventually. No one wants to drive that far to get their car fixed,” he contends. Can’t say I disagree with him.

“So, what’s the plan?” Kayden asks me, and I’m starting to dislike being the one in charge.

“Distract Rowen, same dance, different song,” I repeat myself, knowing full well I’ll have to say it again when Ayden gets here. That is exactly what happens fifteen minutes later. Now, we’re all standing around trying to come up with the best way to distract Rowen.

“How about we take her out for a nice lunch? Go home get cleaned up and dressed up and take her to The Emerald Star. It’s the nicest restaurant in town, and I think Rowe would like the fondue,” Ayden suggests.

“That’s not a bad idea. Plus, she loves cheese and chocolate, so I’m sure she would love the different fondues they serve,” I concede. I look to Nate and Kayden to see if they’re on board.

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