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When his call went to voicemail and his text unanswered, he grabbed his keys and decided to go seek her out.
Thirty minutes later he was pulling into the hospital parking lot when his phone rang and he saw it was Kendra.
“Ivan,” she said. “My mother shouldn’t have bothered you. I hope you didn’t leave.”
“I’m here. I just parked.”
He heard her sigh. “I’m sorry. I was in the cafeteria getting something to eat and I guess I didn’t have reception and didn’t know that. Then I was talking to the doctor.”
“So your father is out of surgery?” he asked.
“Yes. It went well and he is in recovery. Once a room opens up they are moving him there. I can go see him in a few minutes, then I’m leaving. It’s been a long day.”
“I’ll wait for you.”
“I don’t know how long I’ll be,” she said. “Just go home. I’m sorry you came all this way. I’ll call you when I’m home.”
“No,” he said firmly. “I’m waiting for you.”
There was silence and she said, “Okay. I’ll text you when I’m leaving.”
It was too hot to sit in his car and wait for her, so he went into the hospital and would wait in the front lobby.
Forty minutes went by and she texted, so he left to meet her at the ER entrance.
“Hey,” he said ten minutes later when she walked out. “How are you doing?”
“Just peachy,” she said.
He grabbed her hand and, moving to a bench, he pulled her down next to him and tucked her under his arm. “Hey. Talk to me.”
“I’m sorry. What a freaking day.”
“I know. Your mother told me what she knew. Your father got hurt and had surgery and now is there for the night. Does that sum it up?”
“Pretty much. The part you don’t know is that he needs someone to bring him home tomorrow when he’s discharged. I fully expect he’s going to ask for more on top of it.”
“You don’t know that,” he said. “Do you?”
“No. It’s a feeling I’ve got, but I could be wrong.”
“What are you going to do?”
“I want to say I’ll set up a cab for him, but I can’t bring myself to do it.” She started to cry and his heart broke for her. “I suck. Even when I want to be mean I can’t. Yet all I can think of is what he did to my mother and me.”
“You’re the bigger person, Kendra. Remember that.”
“I know. My mother said the same thing. I talked to her before I called you. I was mad she told you.”
Which only pissed him off. Here she was again, doing it all on her own.
She never wanted help. Not only wouldn’t she ask for it, but she didn’t even want him to know what was going on in her life.
It was only a few days ago at his aunt’s party that he tried to keep his feelings to himself.
He wasn’t ready for an engagement ring yet, but it hurt to hear Kendra say that she wasn’t there either.
He knew that was stupid on his part. She said she didn’t want to hurt him and she feared she was.
