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"What? Who? Ed?"
"No. Your dad. Every now and then you get like this, and I know it's because you miss him."
"I don't miss him," Kim lied. "How can you miss someone you don't even know?"
Barbara sighed. "I don't blame you for being upset. You're a good person, Kim. You deserve better."
Kim opened the refrigerator, absentmindedly shoving the Cheez Doodles inside.
"The man's been a jerk from the get go," Barbara continued. "I mean, cutting off all communication just because you moved with your mother…"
"He did send me money…"
"He can afford the money," Barbara said. "But no letters? No phone calls?" Barbara shook her head, disgusted.
"Okay, Barbara. Thanks. Next subject."
Barbara shrugged. She knew better than to push her luck. Kim had always been a very private person, and Barbara knew she had to respect that. "What time is everybody coming tomorrow?"
"Chris and Lisa are coming at three. Kate will be here at four. I told them that if it's a nice day, they should come early and bring their suits."
"Thanksgiving on the beach," Barbara said wistfully. "I mean, I miss my family, but I love the idea of a swim before turkey."
The phone began to ring, and Barbara snatched it up. "Hello? Sure. Just a minute." She held the phone out toward Kim. "It's for you. A man," she said devilishly, raising her eyebrows.
Kim frowned as she accepted the phone. "Hello?"
"Is this Kim Risson?" a deep, unfamiliar voice inquired stiffly.
Kim glanced up at Barbara. Probably a sales call. "This is Kim," she admitted.
"I'm Dr. Steve Harkavey. Your father's doctor." He hesitated. "His cardiologist."
Kim slowly sat down in a chair. "Yes," she said, stunned.
"Your father… had a heart attack last night. He's in the intensive care unit here at St Mary's."
Kim was silent.
"The good news is that as head of the Thoracic Unit, he's getting the absolute best treatment possible. We've got a top-notch team working on him, but… ah, it looks like we're going to have to replace his mitral valve and do some bypass surgery. We're waiting for him to stabilize."
She paused, feeling everything and nothing at all. "Did he ask for me?" she managed.
"He hasn't been able to talk. Fortunately, I found your phone number in his address book."
My father has my phone number? "How serious is this?"
"Well, that depends on the damage to his heart. As you know, this isn't his first heart attack."
No, she thought. She did not know that. She knew nothing about the man this doctor was talking about.
She heard the doctor ask, "Are you planning on coming out here?"
Kim was silent.
"Kim," the doctor repeated. "We may need you to make some decisions."
Decisions. "Of course," she said automatically. "I… ah, I'll be there as soon as I can."
