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"Kate, it's Elaine," she said, her voice sounding near tears. "Your father's in the hospital. It's bad, sweetheart. He's had a stroke, an intercerebral hemorrhagic I think they called it. They have to do surgery to remove a clot. He's paralyzed on one side, and he's in a coma. I guess the stress of all these months with the election coming… I'm sorry to break this news to you in a message, and I hate to interrupt your time there, but you should come back as soon as you can, just in case."
I clapped a hand over my mouth to stifle a sob. Just in case… I knew what that meant.
I called Drake at the hospital immediately. The phone rang twice and then a female answered.
"Dr. Morgan's office."
It was a woman and I recognized the voice. Sam.
"This is Kate. Please put Drake on the phone. Tell him it's important."
There was a pause. "He's busy with a patient right now. I'll tell him to call you back."
I was about to hang up when something stopped me. "What are you doing in his office?"
"I don't think that's any of your business," she said, her voice full of affront. "But, since I work with Drake, I was working on a patient file."
"Tell him my father had a stroke and I need him to call me right away."
I hung up, my hands shaking, angry that Sam was in his office answering his phone, scared that my father was going to die before I got back to Manhattan to see him and say goodbye.
I checked my watch. It was seven hours behind in Manhattan so it was early morning. I called Elaine but her phone went right to voicemail so I went online and searched for the first international flight out of Nairobi to New York City. I could leave that night with a stop in Amsterdam and then New York. Then, I ran to my bedroom and started to pack a small bag with my toiletries and some underwear and a change of clothes. Manhattan was cold, so I'd have to borrow something warm from Elaine.
I called Elaine's cell and got her voicemail again but this time I left a message saying that I had a flight out and would be there late Friday night. I'd take a taxi right from the airport to the hospital.
Finally, I sat on the couch, a tissue in my hands, fighting panic while I waited for Drake to call. I pulled out my laptop and researched strokes while I waited for Drake to call or come home. In about an hour, my cell rang. I checked the call display and saw Drake's name. I took in a deep breath and answered.
"Drake…" I said but couldn’t continue because of the choke in my throat.
"Kate, I'm so sorry… Tell me what happened."
I took in a deep breath and tried to get hold of my emotions. "I haven't spoken to Elaine yet but she said he had an intercerebral hemorrhagic stroke. I left her a message but she hasn't called back. I have a flight out tonight and will be in Manhattan tomorrow before midnight."
"Did you book two tickets? I'm coming with you."
"You have class tomorrow and surgery and I could only get one ticket on the earliest flight out. You can come later. I have to leave right away."
"I want to come with you," he said. "Let me find a flight we can take together."
I exhaled. "Not if it means I have to wait another day, Drake. I have to go right away. Elaine said I should get back as soon as possible. Just in case." I stopped and covered my mouth, my emotions overcoming me once more, a sob bursting forth despite my best efforts.
"Oh, Katie…" Drake said, his voice soft. "Let me check to see if I can find us seats together. I'll cancel class and see if MacMillan can scrub in on my cases tonight. Give me a bit of time to work things out and I'll be home."
"You don’t have to come with me," I said. "I know your patients have been waiting so long for their surgeries. I can go by myself."
"No," he said firmly. "You forget that Ethan is like a father to me. I want to be there to see how he is. I want to be there with you."
"OK," I said, when I realized he wasn't going to change his mind. I was glad he'd be going with me. All I could think of was leaving right then and there, going right to the airport and waiting for the flight, even though it was hours away. Having Drake with me would make me feel less panicky.
After I hung up, I went to the kitchen and made myself a cup of hot tea and waited for Drake to come home. As I was sitting down in the living room with my tea in hand, the landline rang. I got up and saw that it was Elaine.
"Elaine!" I said, my voice breaking immediately. "How is he? Is he still alive?"
"He's going in for surgery," Elaine said, her voice shaky, tired. "His neurologist said they have to go in and fix the bleed. Only time will tell if he has any permanent damage."
"Oh, God," I said, tears finally breaking through, slipping down my cheeks.
"They have to remove the clot and do surgery. If he wakes up, he probably will recover. Maybe not fully, but he should recover some of his abilities."
