“Caroline didn’t say how they were getting to the ER, but if she’s driving Grandpop’s car, that can’t be good.” For the first time since his father had died some twenty years earlier, Blake was scared. “For all we know, they could end up at the hospital.” The thought of his grandfather seriously injured was unbearable, and he swallowed hard as he braked for a red light. “Grandpop is like a father to me. If anything happens to him…” He clamped his jaw and gripped the wheel.
Vi laid her hand on his shoulder. He wasn’t used to being comforted by anyone and wasn’t a man who cried, but he was on the verge of losing his cool. “What are you doing?” he said in avoice that sounded gruff to his own ears. Better that than break down.
“The same thing you did for me—easing your worries.” She took her hand away, and he was sorry he’d asked.
She didn’t seem to take offense. “I feel the same way about Gran,” she said softly. “She and Gramps were the only stable adults in my childhood. But sinking into the darkest place possible isn’t helping. We don’t know what the situation is. It seems to me if things were that serious, we would’ve heard from a medic instead of Gran.”
“Why didn’t Grandpop call instead?”
“I’m sure we’ll get answers when we get there.” She laced her fingers together in her lap.
The light turned green and he continued toward the ER. “We need info,” he said. “It sucks that we’re still a good fifteen minutes away.”
“That’s not so far, and you’re making good time. I’ll call Gran and put my cell in speaker mode.” Caroline’s phone rang and rang, but no answer. “Either she doesn’t have it with her or she turned it off at dinner and forgot to turn it back on,” Vi said. “I’ll try Malcom instead.”
“Forget that and contact the ER directly.”
The voice message on that phone explained they’d answer in the order taken. “Must be a busy night,” he grumbled.
“Someone will probably be on the line soon. We don’t need to stew about what-ifs on the rest of the drive. Let’s eat our cookies now.”
He didn’t have much appetite and only managed a bite or two. Vi didn’t eat, either. When he pulled into the parking lot at the ER some minutes later, her call was still on hold. She disconnected. The lot appeared to be full. “Be on the lookout for a parking spot,” he advised.
“I see something the next row over.” She swallowed. “I’m worried sick, Blake.”
“You and me both.” He pulled into the slot and they exited the car. Heart in his throat, he reached for her hand, and they headed for the door.
A dozenor so people sat in the ER waiting room, speaking in hushed voices. After what Gran had said about her condition, Vi had expected to see her and possibly Malcom seated and biding their time for their turn, but there was no sign of either of them. Seized with fear—was Gran more hurt than she’d let on and Malcom badly banged up?—she was glad for Blake’s hand in hers.
They approached the front desk, where a harried woman took their names and asked them to be seated. “That won’t work,” Blake said. “We’re relatives. We need to see them.”
Magic words that allowed them to enter the hallway leading to the exam rooms. Wearing the masks handed out at the desk, standard protocol in the waiting room, they approached the nurse’s station. “We’re looking for Caroline Newberger and Malcom I’m, Debra,” Blake said, his eyes on the name tag pinned on her shirt. “They’re our grandparents.”
“But not married,” Vi clarified.
Debra clicked the keyboard on the computer in front of her. “Let me check their room numbers, Mr. and Mrs.—is it Essex or Newberger?”
“We’re not married, either,” Vi quickly explained.
“Definitely not,” Blake added.
Debra looked appalled at herself. “I’m sorry, I thought?—”
Blake flashed a quick smile, no doubt to put her at ease. “No problem. Where can we find them?”
As soon as they had the room numbers, they started down the hallway. Vi leaned slightly toward him, felt his warmth, and wanted to sink against him for comfort’s sake. He didn’t react, and she cleared her throat. “I can’t believe she thought we were married.”
“That was unexpected,” he said. “I guess because we’re here together.”
“Probably. There’s Gran’s room.”
“Looks like Grandpop is next door. See you in a bit.”
Pulling in a fortifying breath, Vi knocked on the closed door. “Hi, Gran,” she called out and opened it.
She noted an empty chair in the room. Gran lay propped up on a hospital bed, a blanket covering her. Unused equipment stood here and there, with a monitor tracking blood pressure, temperature and other things.
A look of sheer relief crossed her grandma’s face. “You made good time. I’m glad to see you.”
