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"He's concerned. He's not just your doctor, he's your friend."
I nod. "Yeah. I know. I'm bracing myself for his lecture, though."
"Where is he?" Nathan asks.
Dani looks over at him. "On his way to Decatur."
I frown and look at Nathan. Decatur? What have I missed while my brain has been mushy?
"Why the hell is he going to Decatur?" Nathan asks.
Okay, I’m not the only one then.
Dani stares at Nathan. "He still hasn’t told you?"
Nathan comes toward us. "Told me what?"
"Clayton had a heart attack,” Dani says. “He’s in the hospital.”
“What? Is Clayton okay?” Nathan asks, sounding as alarmed as I feel.
“Yes, the doctors said it was a minor heart attack. Michael got the call about the same time Crew got hurt. We split up at the airport. He's probably on the plane right now."
Neither of us reply for a long moment. I look to Nathan. He’s frowning deeply and he looks at me as if I’m supposed to know what to say. My first reaction iswhy the hell did you let him go to Decatur alone?So I decide not to say anything.
Dani leans away from me, studying my face. “What?”
I look from her to Nathan. He gives me nothing.
I focus on her. “I’m just…surprised…that you’re here with us instead of with Michael.”
“I’m here because you’re hurt. If Clayton wasn’t in the hospital we both would have come home early.”
“Um, no,” I say. “Michael would not have come home early for this, Dani.” I squeeze her. “This is nothing that hasn’t happened before. And will again.” It’s just a reality of hockey. It’s a rough, physical sport.
She frowns. “I thought you’d be happy to see me.”
"I am, baby.” I kiss her cheek. “I love that you were worried about me. But…”
“But what?” she demands, frowning.
“But Michael’s father is in the hospital," Nathan says. "You didn't think you should go with him?”
“I did think about going. We talked about it and he said he wanted me to come home. Michael is a rock,” Dani says, meeting Nathan’s gaze. “He doesn’t really need anyone. Especially…me.” She says it quietly.
I squeeze her hand and then grasp her chin, making her look at me. “Hey. Dani.” Finally, she meets my eyes. “What does that mean? Michael loves you. Very much.”
She nods. “I know he loves me. But he doesn’tneedme.” She gives me a little smile. “Come on, Crew. You know that’s true. He’s the caregiver. He takes care of us. We don’t take care of him. And if I’d gone with him, I would have just been one more person for him to worry about.” She pauses and sighs. “I think he was glad I chose to come home where you two could deal with me.”
I don’t know what to say to all of that because…well, she’s not wrong.
I don’t think Michael considers Dani a burden or anything like that, but it’s definitely true that Hughes takes care of us and there’s not much we do for him.
Nathan pulls his phone out of his pocket. He dials, but a moment later he shakes his head. "He's not answering."
"I told you he's on the plane,” Dani says.
"We should all go, right?" Crew asks. “If we’re all three there, then Hughes knows we’ll take care of one another and we’ll just be there. If he needs us.”
