AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Yeah.” The trademark Billy Marshall bad-boy smile tilted his lips and he moved forward, lifting his hand and cupping her jaw before rasping, “It was personal.”
She leaned into his touch and a soft sigh fell from her lips. No matter how upside down her world turned, Billy had the magical ability of righting it with a word, a touch, or even just a look.
“I know Mr. Rizzo, but it’s hospital policy.” The sound of a female voice filled the room seconds before the door opened and Billy dropped his hand.
“I can walk on my own two feet,” her dad grumbled, as he came into view, seated in a wheelchair being pushed by a very attractive nurse.
“Dad!” Maxi sprung up from her chair and rushed to his side.
Bending down, her arms flew around his neck and she hugged him as tight as she could without hurting him. Emotions that she’d done her best to keep at bay began flooding out of her. Her entire body shook as tears started pouring down her eyes.
“Shh, shh, shh pumpkin.” His arms wrapped around her. “I’m okay. I’m fine.”
She held tight and nodded, unable to speak and unwilling to let him go.
“I’m fine. Really. It was no big deal,” her dad continued minimizing his condition, “It was just a little reminder that I need to take it easy.”
“And change your diet.”
At the unfamiliar male voice, Maxi reluctantly stood up. An older man with salt and pepper hair in a white coat was now standing beside the nurse.
“Dr. Shaw, Stephanie this is my daughter Maxi and the closest thing I’ll ever have to a son, Billy. Maxi, Billy this is Dr. Shaw and my nurse Stephanie.”
After some resistance and more grumbling Stephanie helped her dad into his bed while the doctor explained what the tests had revealed.
She hoped that Billy was taking it all in because only keywords stuck out to Maxi. Heart attack. High blood pressure. Stress. High cholesterol. Cardiac rehabilitation.
“Alright, I’ll be by around ten a.m. Do me a favor and try to get some rest,” the doctor instructed her dad before leaving.
“How does that feel? Do you need another pillow?” Stephanie asked as she adjusted a tube hanging from the IV stand.
Her dad shifted and grouchily responded, “I’m fine.”
Stephanie smiled, seeming to be completely unfazed by his less than friendly temperament. “Great. Here’s the button to call me if you become un-fine. And Dr. Shaw was right, you need to rest.” The nurse directed that statement to Billy and Maxi.
They both nodded as her dad answered with a dismissive, “Yeah, yeah, rest. I got it.”
“We won’t stay long,” Maxi promised the nurse.
“I’ll be just down the hall, push the button if you need anything,” Stephanie reiterated before heading out.
Maxi returned to the seat beside the bed where she’d been waiting. For the first time since he’d arrived she really looked at him. His normally olive skin was pasty and looked paper-thin. His eyes were sunken and his cheeks were hollowed. Seeing her tough, strong dad looking so frail and lying in a hospital bed with tubes sticking out of his arms and nose was a lot to take in.
She tried not to let how much it was affecting her show on her face as she asked, “How are you feeling?”
“Sore, tired and hungry.” Lowering his voice, he tilted his head towards her and wagged his eyebrows. “Hey, you think you can sneak in a cheese steak and beer?”
Maxi and Billy laughed.
She knew he was joking, trying to make her feel better. “No, dad. No cheese steak. I don’t think that will be on the menu for a while.”
“I leave for two minutes and look who decides to join the party!” Grandpa J came in with three coffees.
The conversation quickly turned to sports, the weather, and the fishing trip. Maxi sat quietly listening to all of them talk. All she could think about was how close she’d come to losing her dad tonight. How from one second to the next her entire life could’ve changed.
She hadn’t noticed that her foot was tapping until Billy’s hand covered her thigh. He was touching her, in front of her dad. She froze and looked over at him. He appeared to be totally engaged in the conversation, but he had to know what he was doing.
A week ago, she would’ve moved his hand or shifted her leg away. But tonight she left it there. It made her feel safe. Protected. Loved. And after everything that had happened tonight, she wasn’t thinking about what that meant a year from now or how she would deal with the aftermath when it was gone.
She just let herself feel the now.
