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I was curled up in the recliner in Adam’s mom’s room. He was finally asleep on the little couch. Doc had asked me to stay with him until she woke up. That meant an easy night for me. I had my e-reader with me and pulled out some snacks Rider had brought me. Lydia Camden, the boy’s mom had stirred a few times but had not woken up yet. I made sure to keep her comfortable and check her output. I was not looking forward to telling her that her husband didn’t make it. I just hoped she had someone as a support system.
I tried to read but my mind kept drifting to Rider. I remember the first time I saw him again after I was grown. I had not been home for two summers before, opting to work where I was going to school. When I came home for my break last year, my brother had been out of town on his job. It was Rider’s turn not to be on rotation, so he decided to come check on me. When I opened the door, he just stared at me. I knew I had grown up, and looked a little different but I was also struck by him. He had shaved his head and grown a little beard around his chin and mustache. He had some tats on his arms which were bulging with muscles, and he looked hot in the tank and jeans he was wearing. My panties grew damp on the spot. Geez, this was my brother’s best friend. Of course, I invited him inside. It would be rude not to. It was spring then, so I was in a tank top and shorts. My hair was in a messy bun on top of my head as I had been cleaning and doing laundry. Rider kept staring at my legs. I just smiled. I invited him in and offered him a beer. We sat on the couch talking for hours. Most of the days of my break were spent like that except for when he had to work. It was the best spring break ever. The night before I left to go back to school, he took me for a ride on his bike. Fang was at work, so he didn’t know. He took me to a cliff overlooking the valley below and we watched the sunset together. Before he took me home, he kissed me. It was hands down the hottest kiss of my life. He made sure I had his email address and he had mine. We called and emailed all the time over the past year and when I decided to do my residency at Liberty Memorial, he helped me find a place in town that was safe and close to the hospital.
I heard a gasp and looked up to see Mrs. Camden waking up. I put my e-reader down and went over to her.
“Mrs. Camden, you are in the hospital. I don’t know what you remember but your husband and son were in the accident with you. Adam is fine, he is asleep on the couch to your right. I’m really sorry but your husband didn’t make it.” I whispered as I held her hand. I saw tears in her eyes as they darted over to her son and then back at me. I offered her a sip of water to wet her lips and mouth.
“So, Adam is alright? He wasn’t hurt?” she whispered looking at me. I knew she was trying to focus on him and not on her dead husband.
“He had some cuts on his leg, but I stitched him up. He will be fine.” I told her gently. “He has been a real trouper. I stayed with him the whole time. Do you have any family we can call?”
“My sister Kimberly. I can call her. Was my purse found?” she asked me, biting her lip. I handed it to her and watched as she pulled her phone out. “My phone is dead. I can tell you the number if you can hand me the receiver of the phone on the table.” I dialed the number for her and told her I would step out for a minute to give her some privacy.
“Please stay. She will likely have questions that I don’t yet know the answers to.” She asked. I sat back down while she spoke to her sister and a few minutes later, she handed me the phone. I explained the situation to her and that she needed to come pick-up Adam, because her sister would be in the hospital for at least four or five days before she could be released and then would still need to take it easy. I handed the phone back to her telling her I was going to find Dr. Harper.
As I walked out of her room, I pulled the door closed. I saw Doc at the nurse’s station looking over some charts. He looked up and smiled at me.
“Hey Dr. Watson, how is my patient today?” he asked the laugh lines around his eyes showing. Cole Harper was a gorgeous man, beautiful complexion, short hair that was light brown and wavy, hazel eyes and built. He was a treat on the eyes. Of course, he was also like a brother to me.
“She is awake and alert, I told her about her husband. I think it really helped that she could lay eyes on her boy when she woke up. She has a sister that will come by in a few hours to pick Adam up and she will have both of them at her place once Mrs. Camden is released.” I updated him as we walked to her room. Doc knocked lightly on the door before walking into the room. Adam was awake and sitting on the recliner close to his mom.
“Good morning, Mrs. Camden. As I’m sure you have guessed, we had to perform emergency surgery on you last night. We had to remove your spleen and we got the bleeding stopped. Your young man here was quite brave. We had to give him a few stitches on his leg. Dr. Watson here stayed with him last night. Do you have any questions for me?” he asked her.
She looked at her son and at me. I nodded and took Adams hand. “Hey buddy how about we go find some breakfast?” he looked at his mother and back at me. “She will be right there when we get back, I promise.”
“Okay, I’s hungry.” He rubbed his little tummy. Adam climbed off the couch and took my hand.
“We will be back shortly.” It told his mom as I led him out so she could talk to Dr. Harper. I knew she likely had questions about how her husband died as well as how long she would be stuck in the hospital. Adam did not need any more trauma added so we went to the cafeteria. As I approached the line, I saw Dr. Parks and cringed. I really didn’t want to deal with him this morning. I decided to try and ignore him.
“What would you like to eat this morning, Adam? They have waffles, pancakes, eggs, bacon and biscuits?” I told him as he looked at the display. He pointed to the waffles and bacon. “That sounds like a good choice.”
“What can I get you?” the lady working the counter asked us. She was smiling at Adam who was looking at the food with wide eyes.
“This young man would like a waffle and some bacon, I’d like a waffle, bacon and a fruit cup for both of us.” I told her, when she handed us our breakfast I paid and took him to a table to sit and eat. I cut up his waffle and put part of the fruit on his plate. He dug in with a good appetite. I was about to start eating when Dr. Parks came and sat down at our table uninvited.
“So, looks like you are a glorified babysitter Dr. Watson. I guess you should have just gone to nursing school.” He said snidely.
“Patient care is everyone’s job, and nobody invited you to sit down so how about you go eat your breakfast somewhere else.” I said in a clipped tone. “Besides, my shift ended an hour ago.”
He looked at the kid and sneered then grabbed my wrist. “You better watch how you speak to me. You don’t want to get on my bad side.” Suddenly he turned my wrist loose and walked off. I let out the breath I was holding and looked down to see bruises already forming on my arm where he squeezed it.
“Doctor Kat, I don’t like that man. He’s mean.” Adam said frowning. He picked up his bacon, eating it and giving Dr. Parks a mean look.
“You know what, I don’t either.” I told him with a wink. We finished our breakfast, and I took him back to his mother’s room. As I walked in, I saw a lady that looked just like my patient except for the hair color. I looked back and forth at them, and she just laughed.
“Aunt Kimmy, you’re here. Mommy’s sick and Daddy wents to heaven.” Adam said matter of factly. I don’t think he understands yet that he won’t see his dad anymore. The lady leaned over to give him a big hug.
“Hey Adam Ant, how’s it going?” she asked him as she ruffled his hair. “Yes, we are twins, but I always loved to change my hair.”
“I gots stitches and I was a big boy.” he told his aunt proudly. His mother chuckled. I knew she was trying to stay strong for him.
“Your Aunt Kimmy is taking you home with her and I’ll be coming there in a few days.” She told him gently.
“Why can’t we go to our house?” he asked, looking confused. “I want my room and my toys.”
“Adam, your mommy has to get more medicine before she can go home and when she does, she will need help until she is all better. We can go by and pack a bag for you both to bring to my house ok.” Kim said, looking at him.
“Ok, but mommy has to get better soon.” He said looking at his mother. She picked him up and leaned him over so he could give his mom a kiss. Then took the keys for her house and they left.
