Page 47 of Rescue Plans


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Chapter Twelve

“Hi, Dad. It was a long, delicate surgery, but it went well.” Cody’s voice resonated in Arianna’s ear and heart, evoking painful memories.

“Congratulations,” the proud father responded.

Arianna debated whether or not to turn around and face him.

“Cody, you have an old friend here.”

No way to escape now. Legs crossed, fingers interlaced in her lap, she pivoted the chair toward the surgeon in scrubs.

“Hello, Cody. Congratulations on the successful surgery.”

His eyes widened, and his jaw sagged. He blinked a couple of times, tilted his head, and grinned. “Arianna? Oh my God, I’ll be damned. Is that really you?”

So, she’d shocked him out of his arrogant self-control.

He stepped forward, grabbed her hands, pulled her out of her chair straight into his arms, and kissed her right on her pursed lips.

She’d expected him to hug her, but not to be this bold in front of his father and Rafael.

Feigning a loss of balance, she stomped on his gym shoes, wishing she’d worn her stilettos. Still, he yelped in pain, and she managed to step back.

“Sorry. Cody, meet my boyfriend, Captain Rafael Lopez. Rafael, Dr. Cody Mason. He was doing his residency in his father’s clinic when I worked there.”

“A boyfriend? You have a boyfriend, Arianna?” Off kilter, Cody’s gaze flitted from Arianna to Rafael. She recognized the angry gleam in her friend’s eyes and prayed for peace.

Rafael held out a hand to the doctor and shook it quite energetically.

“Easy man. I need my fingers in good shape.” Rubbing his hand, Cody spun toward Arianna and opened his palm. “These fingers served me well today with the baby. I changed the valve. Not an easy task on a tiny, undernourished six-month-old infant.” For once, he didn’t sound smug, just commenting about a difficult operation to other medical personnel. “She’ll recover and God willing live a normal life, but her heart has to be monitored regularly for the next few months.”

“Thank you, Cody,” she said, sincerely grateful that he’d saved the baby. “I’ve never doubted your surgical expertise.”

“Dad told me you’d called him. I did the surgery pro-bono for you.”

“No need. She’s in the foster care system and insured by Medicaid. Keep the pro-bono for someone without insurance. I’m happy she survived.”

“I knew you’d recommended her, and I assumed she was dear to you. It was almost like a flash from the past. You, coming in with a dying baby. Unlike your Annie, you brought this one in still breathing, and I was able to save her.”

Unlike her Annie. Arianna’s heart squeezed painfully, emotions whirling out of control. Dizziness blurred her vision.

All she could see was her baby’s lifeless body on the examination room gurney. All she could hear was Dr. Mason’s cold professional voice.“Too late. Nothing we can do.”

Too late. Her baby had died in her arms, all wet under the pouring rain, and yet burning with fever. “Annie? It was too late,” she murmured, evoking the scene from her past.

“Arianna, are you okay?” Rafael’s concerned voice pierced through the fog in her brain.

Her eyes filled with tears. “Annie... My poor baby.” She shut her eyes, fighting blackness.

“Arianna, I just gave you good news,” Cody said. “I thought you’d forgotten about the past.”

“How can a mother or father forget a dead child?” Rafael barked at Cody.

“Sit down, Arianna,” Herb Mason ordered. “Cody, get her some Buspirone. It’ll calm her anxiety attack.”

Rafael sat her in the chair and held her hands, stroking them.

Cody ran out for a couple minutes. “Here, swallow this pill,” he said when he returned. He helped her drink the water in the glass. “Everything will be all right, Arianna. Just relax for a moment.” He shook his head. “I’m sorry. I was so pleased to give you the good news... I didn’t think.”

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