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I shook my head. “No, I told you at the airport; you were the dream.”
Teagan sucked in her breath in an audible gasp. I placed my free hand over hers to engulf it between both of mine. “I know how bad this is, but we can’t fall into our own misery. We have to be strong for Remi. If I fall into that trap, I’m not sure I could come back from it, and she doesn’t need to see her mom and dad sappy and sad. It will scare her.”
She sniffed, nodding, and her voice was full of tears. “You’re right, but there’s more to tell you, and I’m not sure I have the right, but I’m asking anyway. It might not change anything, but at least you’d know why things happened the way they did. I need to tell you, Chase. I know you think it will hurt you, but I don’t think it will. At least, I hope it won’t.”
Honestly, I didn’t know how anything could add to the pain I’d already been subjected to, and I’d already decided I wanted to know.
“The other night changed things. We’ll find some time to talk. Not here, though.” I glanced around and noticed a plump woman in a blue velour tracksuit listening to every word we said, and she wasn’t the only one. When our eyes met she knew I’d caught her and she jumped up and rushed away as if her ass was on fire. “People are listening.”
“Excuse, me, Mr. Forrester?” a woman came over and touched my shoulder. It startled me out of my intimate conversation with Teagan and I turned to look at her. She was in her late thirties or early forties, dressed casually and without makeup. She pushed a few strands of her straight, shoulder length hair behind her ear.
“Yes?”
“Of Arsenal?”
“Yes, ma’am.” I nodded and stood to speak to her.
“I’m sorry to intrude, but I saw you at the reception desk in the hospital lobby and I was wondering—” She clasped her hands in front of her as I wondered if she’d followed me through the hospital and hovered the whole time I was in the waiting room with Teagan. Her expression was pained and she hesitated. “My son is a huge fan and he loves soccer. He was in a car accident and he might never walk again. I was hoping… well, I was hoping you could stop in to see him? I know it would mean the world to him.”
My heart dropped. If this was a kid who dreamed of playing soccer and now was faced with his dream ending, I wasn’t sure if seeing me would help. It might only make things worse. “I’m very sorry to hear about your boy, but are you sure it won’t make him feel worse?”
Teagan stood by my side and slid her hand around my elbow. “Chase, you can help him see nothing is achieved without hard work so he won’t give up hope of getting better. Nothing is worse than no hope.” Instinctively I covered her hand with mine. She was right.
I nodded and looked back at the woman. “Okay then, sure. I’ll be happy to. What room is he in?”
“342. This will mean so much to him. I can’t thank you enough.”
“My pleasure. I have to wait a bit because my daughter is in surgery. It might be this afternoon.”
“Thank you!” she said with tearful exuberance. She leaned in to give me a loose hug and I returned it.
“You’re welcome. I’ll see you later, then.”
“Okay. I hope your daughter is okay.”
“Thank you. I do, too.”
The woman walked away and out of the waiting room as I stood to watch.
“That was nice.” Teagan’s hand slid down my arm and I threaded my fingers through hers.
My phone started to ring in my back pocket and I hoped it wasn’t Bronwyn. I pulled it out and glanced at the screen. “It’s Dr. Radar’s office.”
“Oh, my god,” Teagan said. “Maybe they have the results.”
“It better be,” I answered the call. “Hello?”
“Mr. Forrester?”
“Yes, this is he,” I said impatiently. “Do you have the DNA results?”
“Yes, sir. If you’d like to come into the office—”
“Just tell me the results, please,” I answered shortly.
“Can you please verify your identity by giving me the last four digits of your social security number?”
I didn’t hesitate. “3791.”
