Page 30 of Doctor Knows Best


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He mouthed I’m sorry when Herbert wasn’t looking, and Suzette winked at him. Herbert did seem to calm down, and they got comfortable around the fire, listening to music and chatting about law school and Jason’s residency, and he was careful not to mention that he planned on taking Lily with him if he left the state.

“Open one gift before dinner,” Suzette said, handing everyone, even Jason, a wrapped present.

“Oh, you didn’t need to get me anything,” he said, mortified that he was empty-handed.

“We got them something,” Lily whispered. “It’s okay.” She walked to the tree and stooped down, picking up a large square package. “Here you go. It’s for you both. Dad, you get to open it.”

“I don’t know what it could be,” he said. “It’s not like we need anything.”

“That’s the whole point of Christmas, Dad! Or I would have bought you socks.”

That broke the ice, and Herbert laughed for the first time, a pleasant, soft chuckle that changed his face completely. He tore the paper off the box and gasped. “Suz, look! Our girl got us Luxury Monopoly! You shouldn’t have spent so much money,” he said, truly thrilled with the gift.

“Jason helped pay for it, Dad, so don’t worry too much.”

Learning that took the thrill right out of Herbert, and he put the game on the coffee table. “Thank you so much, and you too, Jason, that was a generous gift,” Suzette said. “Lily must have told you that we are obsessive Monopoly players.”

Jason just smiled, afraid to open his mouth.

Their gifts were gag gifts, T-shirts that had I’m with stupid and arrows pointing to the side, the joke being that he was a doctor and she was a lawyer. Well, almost. Jason laughed out loud.

“I guess they’re dumb gifts,” Suzette said.

“They’re ignorant,” Herbert said. “I’ve had enough of this cheese crap. Let’s eat dinner.”

Lily saw Suzette’s expression and knew her mother was biting her tongue like she did at every family meal. The snacks she’d put out for them to enjoy while they opened gifts were delicious, traditional foods the family loved and looked forward to every holiday. For Herbert to call it crap was just his way of expressing his disapproval of everything that was happening.

“Okay, dinner is ready!” Suzette said. “Come into the dining room and have a seat.”

“Mom, Jason and I will help you bring the food out,” Lily said, further inciting Herbert, but he didn’t say anything for once.

“Wow, this looks delicious,” Jason said, meaning it, and then worrying it would be yet another thing that would make Herbert angry.

“This is our traditional Christmas dinner. Prime rib, twice-baked potatoes, broccoli with cheese sauce, and biscuits. And the Caesar salad is to die for,” Lily said.

They got all the food out to the dining room and passed the plates to Herbert first, who piled it on without joining in the conversation. Eating began in earnest, and it wasn’t until his face was in his plate that they noticed Herbert wasn’t doing too well.

“Dad!” Lily screamed.

They got up and ran to him, pulling his face out of the food. Suzette grabbed his napkin and ineffectively wiped his face off, but Jason was grabbing him under the arms and dragging him out to the hall where there was room to maneuver.

“Call 911 right now,” he instructed Lily, loosening Herbert’s belt.

Jason felt for his pulse, and there was none, although he still appeared to be breathing on his own. Immediately, he began chest compressions while Lily held her distraught mother. Within minutes, Jason was covered with sweat, while Herbert’s color improved. Soon, the sound of sirens blasted over the Christmas music, and the house swarmed with paramedics.

“How are you doing?” an EMT asked, crouching down next to Jason.

“I’m ready for relief,” he said, rocking back on his heels so his replacement could get to work.

They started an IV and put an oxygen mask on Herbert while on his other side, another EMT set up the defibrillator. Unbuttoning his shirt and cutting his T-shirt open, they placed the pads on Herbert’s chest. No heart sounds were evident.

“Stand back,” he shouted, and everyone moved back as they jolted Herbert.

It took another try before the room filled with the sound of a heartbeat, and Suzette and Lily burst into tears.

***

Sunday morning, with Herbert stable after a stent insertion for a blocked coronary artery, his exhausted family and Jason finally left the hospital, but not without the usual drama.

Source: www.allfreenovel.com
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