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Scott nodded. “Pediatrics. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” I said. “I’m just…” My throat closed, and my eyes welled with tears again. “I’m sorry. My sister was just brought in. She’s not doing so well, and I don’t know if she’ll make it.”
“Do you have someone I can call for you? Someone who can be with you?”
I shook my head. “No. I mean, I’ll call my brothers, but it will take them a while to get here. I have to go get the kids. I…” Shit. My car was still at Rachel’s house, and I had no transport. “I’ll call a cab to get back to the house.”
“Sit down,” Scott urged gently. “You’re in no state to drive.”
“I can’t leave the kids,” I said.
Scott glanced at his watch. “They’re at school?”
I nodded dumbly.
“They won’t be out for another couple of hours, right? It’s only eleven.”
I nodded again.
“You’ve got time.”
I took a shuddering breath, trying to keep it together. I didn’t want to break down and ugly-cry in front of Scott. I’d only met him twice, and I probably looked like crap with mascara streaks down my cheeks and a red nose.
“Wait here,” Scott said. “I’ll see if I can find someone with answers for you. And something to drink.”
“Thank you,” I said, but he was already gone.
I curled in on myself and waited. I felt lost, forgotten. I noticed others coming in with the same expression on their faces, looking like I felt—panicked, worried, terrified. We all had a world that could fall apart, pain that we had to bear, hope that could be crushed in a second.
“Mackenzie.” When I looked up, Troy was striding toward me.
“What are you doing here?” I asked, blinking at him. I wasn’t crying anymore. Now, I just felt numb.
“Scott told me you’re here.” He sat down next to me and stuffed a paper cup with sweet tea in my hand. “I’m so sorry. Is she okay?”
“I don’t know yet,” I said. “I haven’t heard from anyone.”
Troy sat down next to me and put his arm around my shoulder. He pulled me against him, and his proximity and warmth were all I needed to break down again. His being here allowed me to let go, it gave me the permission to stop being the strong one.
He stroked my back while I cried, his chest solid against my cheek, his arms around me, keeping my world together when I just couldn’t do it myself.
I didn’t know how long we waited. I managed to stop crying long enough to sip the sweet tea, and the sugar helped me get over the worst of the shock.
“Ms. Frye?” a doctor asked, and I looked up.
“Yeah? How is she?”
“She’s sedated and on oxygen right now, and we’ve started her on blood thinners again. She’s stable for now.”
I swallowed hard. “For now?”
“We’re going to have to operate, and she’ll have to undergo a few other treatments, too.”
“How bad is it?” I asked.
“I’d be lying if I told you it’s not serious, but it’s not without hope. We’ll do what we can. We’re waiting to see how she responds to blood thinners and then we’ll take it from there. She’ll be here for a few days, at least. Do you have other family you want to call?”
I nodded. “I’ll take care of it.”
