Page 63 of Relentles
“That’s a tradition I’ll never break for anyone. Ever. And I’ve bought Molly a gift, too.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Molly Harris.”
“Is there another girl we both know with that name?”
She fell silent.
“I’ll see you around, Jaleena,” he told her quietly, and walked out of the room, allowing Haskell to see him out.
Chapter Nine - Meggie
“We recommend the procedures as soon as possible.”
Although Dr. Wilbur delivered the news with sympathy, Meggie still processed the words slowly. Out of Jo’s care team, the cardiologist and ophthalmologist explained her baby girl’s setbacks.
MRI images hung on lighted boards in the small meeting room, located in the administrative wing of Hortensia General. Reports and test results were stacked on the conference table. Christopher had gotten the best specialists in their field to look after Jo. Money bought expertise. Their daughter’s tiny, frail body had to do the rest.
Jo’s severe Retinopathy of Prematurity required surgery. Without it, she’d likely end up blind. Her cardiologist gave the most devastating blow. She had a hole in her heart. PDA, though Meggie’s shock didn’t allow her to remember the medical term. Jo had already had so many tests, all of which showed her brain and heart were fine.
Christopher hugged her to him, but she’d seen his stricken look before his arms went around her and pressed her head to his chest. The scent of leather, spicy cologne, and smoke comforted her. While she recovered, he’d spent the most time with her. His pulse thumped, his muscles taut and tense; his heart was breaking.
A month ago today, Meggie delivered Jo. She was 30 weeks old and had been making such great strides. She still needed the panda cart. Yet, her lungs were developing, she took her bottle, and she pooped and peed just fine.
“When the surgeries planned?”
“Once you agree and sign the necessary paperwork, we would like to schedule the heart procedure for the day after Christmas, Mr. Caldwell,” Dr. Wilbur replied. He cleared his throat. “Once she, er, is stable, we will meet again, though our target date for the eye surgery is mid-January.”
Ifshe survived. He hadn’t said those words, but they hung in the air.
Guilt swept through her. This was her fault. She’d seen Jo as an accident, and now her baby girl’s life was in danger. Her thoughts were muddled and confused. Some days, she remembered briefly considering terminating her pregnancy. And other days she told herself it was her imagination fueled by stress and wondering when Johnnie would pop up again and what he’d say to her.
Grabbing Christopher’s hand in her own and not letting go, Meggie straightened. “How likely is there for complications?”
“Optimally, the margin is low,” Dr. Wilbur responded. “She has gained weight. She has made many strides.”
Christopher squeezed her hand, then yanked his away to fold his arms. Meggie didn’t want to break into devastated sobs, though it took effort. She needed reassurance, not withdrawal.
Jo washis, though. More than she belonged to Meggie. She fussed when Meggie held her. She didn’t feel a connection to her own baby. In her daddy’s arms, she calmed immediately. Meggie vowed to spend more time in NICU. The nurses, especially one of the head nurses, Torie, took excellent care of the baby, although she was standoffish with Meggie.
She felt so sad. Johnnie’s stalking started her descent into this funk. She’d evaluated and reevaluated the last six months of her life. Even now, when all her energy should’ve been focused on Jo, she was distracted, lost in despair.
She pressed down on her lips, swearing she still tasted the pig poop. The idea compounded the nausea brought on by Jo’s health update. The flour and the ketchup were bad enough.
Butpoop?
Not only that but they’d ruined one of her favorite jumpsuits that cost several thousand dollars. Rebel told Meggie that they should’ve been gladshehadn’t gotten doused with shit, otherwise she would’ve made international news with their gruesome deaths.
Yet, Ryder, Ransom, and Axel’s mischief, and Rebel’s threat, paled in comparison to this news. It made it inconsequential. The team had been gracious enough to adjust their schedules and met with Meggie and Christopher almost two and a half hours after their originally appointed time.
“If there are no more questions, we can start the process of signatures,” their social worker, Carole, said.
Meggie nodded. “Of course.”
After dropping Megan off at the house and parking her Lexus in the garage, Christopher walked to the club. Two days before Christmas, the club was overflowing. Since Thanksgiving, the Bobs were on hand, as well as many of the Dweller girls as Christopher could round up. Though most of the brothers from out of town blazed out yesterday and this morning, a few opted to stick to their original plans and stay until after Christmas.
Normally, when the club girls were there, he made himself scarce. It just saved a bunch of bullshit. Megan trusted him, yet she was still a woman, and she had her moments.
Not tohislevel of jealousy toward her, though he knew she’d never betray him. He was just a fucking psycho behind her.
