Page 110 of Sticks and Stones
“He’ll be okay,” she said, trying to reassure Tony even when she didn’t feel it.
What else could they do?
“Really?” he asked. “He’ll be okay?”
While she didn’t advocate lying, sometimes, you had to do just that.
For the other person’s sanity.
Honestly, she hoped so because she couldn’t lose Charlie now. She needed him. The loss of her mother flashed back, and she was sick over it.
“Yes,” she said, hoping he believed it.
When he kissed her on the temple, she knew he didn’t believe it any more than she did.
“I have you, Honey,” Tony said, putting his arm around her as they waited. “I’ve got you. I’ll be the man in the family.”
Jesus.
No way.
The day she let this nut be in charge of anything was the day she was officially institutionalized. Tony got his ass into more trouble than anyone she knew.
Including her.
Together, they sat there another five minutes, and jumped from their seats when Chris headed their way as he exited the ER.
Immediately, she needed to know.
“How is he?”
Chris reassured her.
“First off, it’s not a heart attack,” he said.
Oh, thank God.
There had never been more reassuring words than those.
“What was it then?” Sam asked.
Chris shared.
“He needs his gallbladder removed. They are going to be taking him back for surgery,” he stated. “That pain he felt wasn’t related to his heart.”
He sat them all down.
“I saw the scans. He’s got some gallstones, and they caused acid reflux, and that’s why he thought it was a heart attack. He likely ate something fatty.”
Oh, well, with Charlie, that was likely a definite. Fat was a food group to him.
Chris reassured them.
“His heart is fine. They said he had a little sinus tachycardia, but that could be because of his anxiety of thinking he had a heart attack or knowing that Sam was going to lecture him.”
Thank.
Freaking.
