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“We’ll be there in a little while.”
“Yes, she’s with me.”
“Okay, I love you, too.”
He rolled over to face Sam, the worry creasing his forehead. “My dad had a heart attack and is at the hospital. He’s having heart surgery in a couple hours. Mom would like us all to be there. She’s happy you’re with me. She loves you, you know.”
“I love her, too. Is your dad going to be okay? How bad was the heart attack?”
Gray shook his head. “We didn’t get into all of that. I’m sorry, Sam, but we need to go.”
Sam scrambled out of bed and threw on clean jeans and a soft sweater. She did her best to tame her hair, brush her teeth and she did her makeup in the car. After all they’d been through, she didn’t want to arrive looking like something the cat dragged in.
They arrived at the hospital, and Gray asked the receptionist which room his father was in. They were directed to the fifth floor and found his room. When they entered, Mary, Jamie, Dani, and Ethan were there. Harry was awake and communicating, but not talking much. Jamie and Dani stepped aside to allow Gray and Sam to say hello to Harry.
Mary hugged Sam and kissed her cheek. “I’m so happy you’re here, Sam.” Sam hugged her back. “I am too, but sorry we have to be here.”
She looked at Harry, and he smiled at her. “Great to see you, Sam. I thought Gray really screwed up this time.”
His voice was weak. “Well, it looks like you’ve gone overboard in looking for attention, don’t you think?” She smiled at him and was greeted with a grin.
He nodded yes. She took his hand in hers and held it. Gray placed his hand on Harry’s shoulder and kept it there for a long time. Harry looked at Gray and smiled weakly. “I love you, Gray. You hang onto her, okay?”
Gray’s eyes welled with tears, but he nodded. “I love you too, Dad.”
Sam stood next to Gray and put her arm around his waist. He wrapped his free arm around her shoulders never letting his hand slip from Harry’s shoulder.
Someone walked into the room behind them, and Sam heard a familiar voice.
“Sam?”
She looked up to see Eric Anderson.
She smiled. “Eric, I didn’t realize you worked at this hospital. Small world.”
They hadn’t talked about his career much at Adam and Janie’s, mostly about things to do in the area and neutral things. Gray’s arm tightened around Sam.
“So, can you fix him?” Sam asked with a smile, pointing to Harry. Eric looked at Gray for a few moments, then back at her.
“Yes, I have every confidence that Mr. Kinkaide will be fine.”
Mary cleared her throat and Sam looked over at her. “Have you all met Dr. Anderson?”
Introductions were made. Eric studied Sam for a moment, then asked about her stitches. She wrinkled her face. “They’re pink and feverish, but I’m taking my antibiotic.”
“I’ll have someone look at them while I’m in surgery.”
She nodded, and Eric began talking to Harry and Mary mostly, but each person in the room listened to him explain about the surgery, how long it would take, and what to expect afterward. When he was finished, he asked if there were questions. Everyone shook their heads, and he turned to leave, saying he would come into the waiting room and speak with them all after surgery. He looked at Sam and nodded before walking out the door.
The room was quiet for a moment, and Mary looked at Sam.
“How do you know Dr. Anderson, Sam? And what did he mean about stitches?”
Sam squeezed Gray’s waist. “I met him over the weekend. He’s my brother’s neighbor and was at my niece Julie’s birthday party. There was a little accident, and my arm was cut and Eric—Dr. Anderson—stitched me up.”
She held out her arm and pulled her sleeve up to her bandage.
Soon a team of nurses came into the room to prep Harry, so they said their goodbyes and told him they would see him in a few hours and left Mary and Harry to say what they needed to say to each other before he went into surgery.
