Page 84 of Ice Ice Maybe
“Everett?” Mom’s voice trembled. “Are you all right?”
Time seemed to slow down as Dad’s eyes rolled back and he clutched his chest. Then, before anyone could react, he collapsed to the ground like a marionette with cut strings.
Chapter Twenty-One
Zena
I paced the hospital waiting room for what must have been the hundredth time, my eyes darting from the generic landscape paintings to the outdated magazines scattered on side tables. The ticking of the wall clock seemed to mock me with each passing second. It had been two hours since we arrived, and there was still no word on Dad’s condition.
“What’s taking so long?” I muttered, more to myself than anyone else.
Mom looked up from her seat. “Zena, honey, try to relax. Everything’s going to be fine. This is a wake-up call, to let your father know he can’t continue with this stressful lifestyle any longer.”
Nolan patted the seat next to him, inviting me closer. “Come sit before you polish the linoleum to a mirror shine.”
I sank into the chair, and Nolan immediately reached for my hand, his touch grounding me in the moment.
“You don’t have to worry about your dad,” he said. “He’s probably giving the doctors a run for their money right now. I bet he’s negotiating for extra Jello as we speak.”
A giggle escaped me, surprising us both.
Nolan squeezed my hand. “Plus, this waiting room’s emptier than a hockey rink in July. I’m sure he’s getting the VIP treatment.”
His words helped ease the knot in my stomach. I leaned into him, grateful for his steady presence.
“Thanks,” I said. “I needed that.”
Mom smiled gratefully at Nolan. “Yes, thank you, dear. Positive thoughts and a sense of humor are always encouraged instead of imagining the worst.”
The doctor emerged from the double doors.
We all jumped to our feet, hearts racing.
“How is he?” Mom asked.
The doctor smiled reassuringly. “He’s going to be fine. Our preliminary findings indicate he suffered a minor heart attack. We expect a full recovery, but he’ll have to make some adjustments to his life, which will include diet, stress management, and being more active.”
We all exhaled in unison as the doctor finished explaining Dad’s situation. Forty-eight hours of observation in a private room was like a luxury vacation compared to the nightmare scenarios that had been racing through my mind.
“The nurse will advise you when he can have visitors,” the doctor added before departing.
“See? All is good,” Mom said, her voice warm and comforting. “The silver lining to something like this is it usually brings families closer together. You and your father can spend some much-needed quality time together, Zena.” She paused, a mischievous glint in her eye. “Speaking of being together, now that we can breathe a little, we never finished our conversation about your wedding. I’m over the moon, truly, but I’m also baffled. Why in the world would you choose our anniversary as your wedding date? Did our vow renewal completely slip yourmind? We were supposed to plan when we got back to San Diego.”
Nolan and I exchanged panicked glances.
This was not a conversation I was prepared to have.
“Mom,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady, “there is no wedding. We only told Mitch that to get him off my back.”
Mom’s face fell faster than a soufflé in an earthquake. “Oh. Well, that’s disappointing, I must say. You two are a perfect match.”
“I agree we’re right for each other,” Nolan chimed in, squeezing my hand. “But Zena also made it abundantly clear from the beginning that no matter what happened between us, Mr. Dalton would kill me before we ever had a chance to walk down the aisle.”
Mom laughed, the sound brightening the sterile waiting room. “Oh, please. He’s all bark and no bite. I’m sure he’ll tell you that you’re from different worlds, but don’t let that stop you. He and I were from different worlds, and except for his stubbornness on a few things, we turned out just fine.”
As I watched Mom’s face light up with memories, something seemed to strike her. Her brow furrowed slightly as she looked between Nolan and me.
“Wait a minute,” she said slowly, her eyes narrowing. “If you two aren’t engaged, what ring was Mitch talking about?”
