AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Taylor gave him a lopsided smile. “Good news. Thanks, Dr. Cook. So just put it back and get me out of here.”
The doctor, who looked about the same age as Taylor, said, “Not so fast. You did suffer a loss of consciousness, which is serious. We would like to keep you overnight for observation.”
Marcie and Taylor both frowned. “Is it really necessary?” Taylor asked.
“Given that you were unconscious for several minutes, yes, I would say so.” Dr. Cook looked at the chart in his hand. “If you have an uneventful night, we can release you tomorrow morning after breakfast.”
“Oh, goodie, I get to stay for breakfast,” Taylor whined.
“Now, if your friends will excuse us for a few minutes, I’ll put your collarbone back where it belongs.” As the doctor washed his hands, Roberta and Marcie made a hasty retreat for the door.
His collarbone back into proper anatomical position, it was time to transfer him to a room upstairs. With a bath towel draped over his head to mask most of his face and a parade of security guards, his progress to a private room on the fifteenth floor was uneventful.
Once settled in his room, Roberta stayed with Taylor until an announcement about visiting hours ending in ten minutes came over the loudspeaker. Nearly eight o’clock, she was just leaving when a woman resembling the cell phone photo of “Mom” and a younger woman, vaguely familiar, came breezing into the room. Mrs. Reyd took over the scene, sucking all the air out of the room. Roberta slipped out as quietly as possible, but Taylor, clearly still under the influence of painkillers, sent her off with a loud and cheerful “See you later, Bertie!” Cringing at the attention, she made her escape.
All the way home, Roberta pondered the ramifications of his accident and the presence of Mrs. Reyd in town. While he was not expected to stay more than one night for observation, it remained to be seen how his injury and his mother’s presence would affect the newest aspects of their relationship. Her curiosity turned to the young woman accompanying his mother. She’d seen that face before.Was that Melissa, his ex-girlfriend?
?
The morphine was not enough to deaden the anxiety created when his mother showed up. Especially considering who she had in tow.
“Mom, what are you doing here, and why did you bring Melissa?” Taylor tried to shake the fog from his brain, but it wouldn’t budge. “Neither one of you needs to be here.”
“Taylor, darling, how can you say that! When Marcie called, I was on my way to visit you anyway. Nothing could stop me from making sure my darling boy was all right.” Mrs. Reyd glanced around the room with a shudder.
Frowning, Taylor glared at the other woman. “Melissa, you definitely shouldn’t be here. Mom, how could you bring her? We broke it off months ago, for God’s sake. She’s the last person I want to see.”
As if called forward, the slim blonde rushed to his side, reaching out to smooth his brow. Taylor flinched as if singed by a hot brand when Melissa’s hand brushed his forehead. “Taylor, you don’t mean it. You know how much I love you. We’re so good together, you and I.”
A nurse stepped into the room, glancing at her watch. “Visiting hours are over. You’ll have to leave, please. Mr. Reyd needs his rest.”
“Surely you can make an exception for his mother?” Gail Reyd said as a matter of fact rather than a question.
“No exceptions. He’s suffered a concussion. He needs to rest.” The nurse stood aside, holding the door open, waiting for them to depart.
Mrs. Reyd gave a huge theatrical sigh, nodded, and kissed her son’s cheek.
Melissa approached his bedside, attempting to do the same, but Taylor held his good hand up before his face. Her lips pressed into a red line, and her eyes narrowed. Turning on her stiletto heels, she flounced toward the door and flung out, “We’ll talk later, Taylor.”
