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“Um, Mulin family?”
We looked a short distance away to see the doctor who called us. He’d interrupted our tear fest, and he looked taken aback to find us both there, weeping our eyes out. We both got to our feet in anticipation as he walked over to us.
“He’s stable,” the doctor, Dr. Robbins, said. Relief washed through me. “But we need to schedule him for surgery immediately.”
My mother and I both shared a look. We didn’t have the money for it, but there was no choice.
Taking a deep breath, I nodded at the doctor. “Yes, go ahead.”
“Alright. I’ll send the nurse over to take down your insurance information.”
“Oh, we don’t have insurance,” I corrected the doctor. “But I—”
“I’ll take care of it,” came a deep booming voice, and we all turned to watch Zane and Casey approach us.
They were standing close together, and I noticed Casey didn’t look half as pale as he did before. Zane must have settled it.
“Oh, you don’t have to—” my mom started saying.
“I’m going to,” Zane said in a firm tone that meant that was the end of any possible discussion or argument. I shook my head. I knew there was no use arguing with him, so I gave in.
“Thank you,” I said, feeling gratitude bloom in my chest. He seemed uncomfortable with it, but he nodded.
I turned to Casey, who wasn’t sulking anymore. Although, he did look quite awkward.
“Grandpa is okay now,” I said. “He’s stable.”
“That’s good,” Casey said with a small sigh. “But you don’t have to lie to me anymore. I’m not a kid.”
His eyes were blazing with meaning beyond what we were talking about. I merely nodded.
Meanwhile, my mother and Zane were having their own conversation.
She observed him for a few seconds, then started talking, saying, “I’m going to try to understand your relationship with Charlie. I’m not saying I accept it all the way, but I’m going to try for my daughter.”
Zane looked mildly surprised, then he nodded. “It’s all I can ask for, ma’am.”
Ma’am? I nearly smiled. It was cute to see him being so polite to my mother. It also meant he was really trying.
“You two take Casey home,” my mother ordered.
I shook my head. “No, I don’t want to leave you alone.”
My mom smiled wanly. “There’s nothing you can do for me here. I’m going to see if they’ll let me sit with him, and it will be easier to convince them if it’s just me.”
“But—”
“I want to see Grandpa,” Casey cut me off, his eyes widening and pleading.
My mother shook her head, then ruffled his hair. “Not now. Maybe you can come back later with Charlie.” My mother gave me a meaningful look, and I knew exactly what she meant. She didn’t want Casey here, traumatized by all this.
“Okay, Mom,” I said, taking a deep breath. “We’ll come back later.”
On our way out, Zane stopped by the front desk to give his payment information, and then we headed home. Casey headed up to his room once we reached home, probably tired from all the emotions of the day.
Zane and I, on the other hand, hung out in the parlor with his arm tucked around me. I could sense he was tense and thinking about something.
“What is it?” I asked.
