Page 134 of Family Bonds: Carson & Laine

Laine hung up after that. “It’s going to be fine,” he said.

“You don’t know that,” she said. “He’s healthy, but every time he needs surgery for anything, there is a chance of complications. We almost lost him once from that.”

This was news to him. “What happened?”

“It was an experimental surgery to see if they could restore some movement or anything for him. It didn’t work. He knew there was a slim chance of that. But he got an infection. Even though he had a lot of care, the infection came weeks later. He couldn’t feel it, he had no idea. He was too prideful to have someone looking at his wounds and he only noticed when therewas blood on his sheets one day. He called my mother. We were still living on the property, but she was married to Stewart then. She rushed over and brought him to the doctor and then the hospital. He ended up with sepsis.”

Which was never good. “But he recovered.”

“Doesn’t mean it couldn’t happen again.”

“It doesn’t mean it will either,” he said. “Think positive. It could be nothing.”

“I can’t lose him,” she said, her breath catching. “He has to be able to hold his grandkids. He has to see them. They have to know him. I shouldn’t have waited this long.”

He wouldn’t let the hurt show that she’d said that. Was it possible this had more to do with giving her father grandkids than it was being with him?

Could he have fallen for this again? Where he had something to offer more than just being him?

41

IGNORANCE IS BLISS

It felt like the longest two hours of her life from when she got the call from her mother to when she was running through the doors of the emergency room.

Carson was right behind and at least he wasn’t telling her to slow down.

She found her mother right away and ran to hug her. “Any news?” She had to push her fear of hospitals from her mind. This wasn’t about her. It was her father.

Besides, she was going to be in the hospital to deliver her babies so she couldn’t be stressed either.

“Nothing,” her mother said. “It’s horrible sitting here waiting. I’ve called his primary to see if they can get anything. I called some of his specialists too. No one has gotten back to me.”

If she thought it was odd her mother was still privy to that information, she didn’t say anything. It wasn’t her business.

“I’ll go talk to someone at the desk and see if they can give us something,” she said.

“I’ve tried, Laine, but they are busy.”

“I don’t care,” she said. “It doesn’t hurt to try again.”

Carson came with her and they got to the desk but had to stand there and wait.

No one was even paying attention to them and she was getting frustrated.

She supposed this was one of those times it might pay to throw money around, but she couldn’t do that.

“Hi,” he said. “I’m Dr. Carson Mills. Can we get an update on Caleb Connors?”

The nurse looked up at him. He pulled his wallet out and showed his ID. “You’re not a doctor here.”

“No,” he said. Laine didn’t know what he was doing right now but would let it go. “I’m sure you know a man like Caleb has a team of specialists all over. Boston isn’t that far from here.”

“Yes, of course,” the nurse said. At least he wasn’t lying with that statement. If the nurse didn’t want to ask more, Laine was going to let it go. The nurse was looking at the computer and then said, “They’ve taken him in for several tests. It looks as if the results are still pending.”

“Is there a doctor we can speak to while we wait?” he asked.

“Dr. Zion is the attending. I’ll see if someone can track him down.”

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