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Grant shifted in the chair as frustration with his son coursed through him again. “He was?”
“Yeah. When I woke up, he came in, I thought to check on me, but he just yelled at me about how stupid I was and that I could have killed Julia.”
Grant’s jaw flexed as he imagined the tense confrontation between his children. “Sorry, Sierra. Though I’m certain he was just upset.”
“Umm, so was I. Duh. I know I could have killed Julia. I could have used some support instead of a lecture from him. Like he is so saintly. He could have killed Julia, too, with his crazy behavior.”
Grant shifted his gaze to the door again as Sierra reminded him of Kyle’s tendency to cross boundaries he shouldn’t. Still no sign of Julia. He checked his watch. Maybe it hadn’t been as long as he thought.
A check of his phone for when he placed the call to Worthington showed it had only been about fifteen minutes. Checking on them this early may be unreasonable.
“Yeah,” he answered as he fiddled with the device in his hands. “Hey, did they say when they may release you?”
“I really hope soon. This bed stinks and so does the service here. I’ve gotten one jello and it was a nondescript blue flavor.”
“I don’t think blue is flavor,” James said with a chuckle.
“Well, it was blue-colored and tasted like nothing,” Sierra said. “Daddy, can you go check and see if I can get out of here? I want to go home.”
“Absolutely,” Grant said as he leapt from his seat.
With each passing moment that Julia did not return, his agitation grew. He needed the distraction. He strolled into the hallway and flagged down a nurse, asking when his daughter may be released.
She led him to a central desk where she clicked around before she studied a computer screen. “She’s scheduled to be released as soon as we get her final discharge instructions from the doctor. You should be able to leave within the hour.”
He breathed out a sigh of relief. “Thank you.” With any luck, he’d have his family home and settled in time for a few hours of rest before the sun rose the next day.
Then they could brainstorm how to bring Lydia down and end the constant threats against him and his family.
He typed out a text to Worthington, letting him know they’d be home soon before he hesitated, his gaze falling again on the waiting room at the end of the hall.
For the third time, he considered marching down there and ending whatever conversation Kyle was having with Julia. Instead, he figured he’d give them a few more moments alone while he passed the news along to Sierra.
He strode back into her room with a smile. “Good news, baby. You should be out of here in an hour.”
“Yay, thank God. I hate it here.” She frowned after she said that, her forehead crinkling. “My clothes…they’re all wet. I can’t go home in a hospital gown.”
“They gave Julia a pair of scrubs to wear,” Grant answered.
“Ew,” Sierra said with a wrinkled nose. “Pass. I’d rather go home naked.”
“I can run home and get you something,” James offered.
“It’s only a short ride home. Wearing scrubs is a small price for getting you out of here and back home, Sierra.” He glanced at the door again as his muscles tensed.
“Maybe you should tell that to Kyle, who apparently is having the longest conversation ever with Julia.”
“Yeah, I think I’m going to go check on them.” Grant rose from his seat, his knuckles white around his phone as his mind ran wild with what may be happening in the waiting room. Visions of Kyle kissing his wife again danced in his mind.
The vision forced his feet to move a little faster as he strode down the hall toward the open doors at the end. When he reached them, he puffed for breath as he scanned the space. Empty.
His forehead creased. Where was Julia? He twisted to stare down the hall before he shifted his gaze to the adjoining one. No sign of her or Kyle.
He glanced down at his phone and found Julia’s number. After her voicemail greeting played, he recalled her phone was likely at the bottom of the river. He made a note to tell Worthington to have it replaced immediately, especially before her sister showed up on their doorstep demanding answers when she couldn’t get a hold of her.
He ended the call and dialed Kyle’s number. It went straight to voicemail, too. A gnawing worry embedded itself in the pit of his stomach. Where were they?
He swallowed hard, trying to keep the panic building inside him at bay. They had to be here somewhere. Julia wouldn’t have left the hospital without telling him. Unless she wasn’t given the choice.
