“Have a seat.”She waved a hand at a chair.
“Thank you for calling me.Your baby is beautiful.She looks like you did at that age.”
“Yeah, about that, I’ve thought of a way, besides a DNA test which I still might need, that you might convince me you’re who you say you are.”
“All right.”
She stared at him a while before speaking.She’d been so little when he left and it was so long ago, she couldn’t possibly say if he looked like the man she remembered.“Do you remember giving me a present when I was around six?It was a special present.What was it?”
“The plant.The African violet.”He chuckled.“Your mom was convinced you were too young to care for it, but you weren’t, were you?”
“Not once you showed me how to mix the food.And set it up with a grow light in my room.Mom was afraid I’d drink the plant food.”
“You were too smart to do that.”
“The water was such a pretty blue color.I can see why Mom was worried.”
“I can’t believe you remembered that.You were so young.”
“It was the last thing I remember that you gave me.It stayed with me.Even after I realized you weren’t coming back, I still kept it.”She’d started to throw it out multiple times but had never been able to make herself do it.It had died while she was in high school and she’d mourned it like she’d lost a friend.In a way, she had.
“It looks like you’re building a greenhouse.Is that for pleasure or do you plan to make it commercial?”
“I’m starting a nursery.I’ve always loved plants and now I can indulge and, hopefully, make a living.I was a hospital administrator before this.When we moved I decided to change careers.”
“I wish I’d been in time to see your mother.When did she pass?”
“Several years ago.But I’d rather not talk about her.”At least not until she was certain he was who he said he was.After all, he could have told someone the African violet story.Unlikely that he would have, though.“I want you to get a DNA test.I need to be absolutely sure you’re who you say you are.”
“I’ll be happy to but where do I go to do this?”
“I’ll ask Ryan but I’m sure the hospital can do it.I’ll be in touch with you about when.”
“Once we take the DNA test and get the results, I’d like to talk to you.I want to tell you about why I left.I’m not trying to excuse it but there were reasons.”
“I’ll listen but I’m not guaranteeing anything.Also, I’d like to wait for Ryan to be here and he’s working tonight.”
“Okay.”He stood.“I’ll let you get back to the baby.Call and tell me when and where.”
“All right.”She walked him to the door with Sophie in her arms and watched him leave.In a different car than the one he’d had the night before.Which made sense since he’d said he’d borrowed one.Her emotions were a complete mess.She was almost certain he was her father, but did she want to know him?Did she want to hear his explanation about leaving and not getting in touch with either her or her mother for all those years?
Ryan seemed to think there could be a reasonable explanation for what the man had done.Aria wasn’t so sure.
Sophie began to fuss and Aria went to get her a bottle.No matter what else happened in her life—concerning either Ryan or her father—Aria knew one thing.Sophie was the important one.Whatever happened she needed to view it through the lens of how it would affect her baby.
*
The ER wasa place that could be anything between incredibly boring or way more exciting than you wanted, Ryan thought.Since the hospital drew patients from miles around, they received all sorts of injuries and illnesses.Usually, children with more serious injuries or illness went to Billings, to the level 1 hospital there.
Unless there was an emergency.A four-year-old child with a hot appendix was an emergency.Appendicitis at that age was fairly uncommon, and it also carried a stronger risk of perforation.The closest hospital to the patient being Marietta Regional meant the patient would be Ryan’s since he was the surgeon on call.
Ryan had done plenty of appendicitis surgeries on people of all ages, but nowadays a pediatric surgery meant a pediatric surgeon.Still, even by helicopter Billings was too far away to be safe, so the child came to Ryan.She was a sweet little girl with dark curly hair that reminded him of Sophie.Her parents, Tyler and Mary Jones, were nervous wrecks but Ryan managed to talk them down to where they were nervous, but not wrecked.
Thank God, the surgery went smoothly.He went out to talk to the parents.“The surgery went well.Anastasia should recover fully with no problems.She’ll be in recovery for a while yet but one of you can sit with her until she’s moved to her own room.”
The little girl’s mom began to cry as soon as Ryan said the surgery went well.Tyler put his arm around his wife and hugged her.“Thank you, Doctor,” he said.“Mary can sit with her.I’ll wait.”
Ryan pointed them toward recovery and watched them go, thinking he hoped he and Aria never had to go through that with Sophie.The problem was, Ryan knew all the bad things that could happen and he was sure they would be on his mind if his child were to need surgery.He’d be a basket case rather than the calm, collected surgeon he was.But why the hell was he thinking about Sophie needing to have surgery?
