A Beautiful Thought (The Beautiful Series) (17 page)

I regretfully climbed off the bed, leaving her there to let her catch up on sleep. I needed to tackle some work that I was finishing up outside of Lake Tahoe. I quietly walked over to the dresser and retrieved my laptop and briefcase.

I went to sit at the kitchen table, and I fired up my computer. I already had eighty messages from the last few days. A grumble left my throat. It would take me forever to sort my way through each one.

I got up from the table and flipped the switch on the coffee pot. Eighty emails required a lot of caffeine to wake up this tired guy. Coffee in hand, I sat back down and got to it, starting off with the easiest messages first. All my current blueprints were compressed in zip drives, so I uploaded and sent them to my contractors.

An email from William Rawn Associates caught my attention, and I clicked on it.

Dear Mr. Johnson,

Thank you for your recent inquiry with William Rawn Associates.

We have reviewed your resume and would be delighted to see more of your work. Could you please forward your most recent blueprints that represent your best work along with at least three references and their contact information?

I sincerely thank you for your time, and I look forward to hearing from you.

Regards,

Jonathan Reagan

Human Resources Director

William Rawn Associates

Astonished, I stared at my laptop screen for a good three minutes. When I had sent that resume months ago, I never fathomed actually getting a response, let alone a chance to submit my work. To say working at William Rawn Associates was my dream job would be the understatement of a lifetime.

But they were located in Boston, and Boston was a long ways from Lake Tahoe.

I thought of Jason and Kyle and how much blood and sweat we had been putting into our office here. We were so close to finishing, and I wanted to be here when the office doors opened for the first time.

And Gail…

Fuck.
I could not just leave her. I was pretty damn sure my girl was wrapped around my heart. Leaving her would be like leaving my soul here.

I dropped my head in my hands, deliberating if she would come with me and leave her family and friends behind.

It was not right to ask her to leave them either though.

But this was my dream. It had been since I was ten years old.

Motherfucker.

Does she love me enough to come with me? Do I love her enough to stay?

Do we
love
each other?

Fucking hell.

My mind was going batshit crazy.

An inner war raged within me. I had no fucking clue what to do. My only sense of solace was that sending blueprints for a job inquiry was still an early stage in the process, especially since William Rawn Associates was the largest architectural firm in the United States. Inquiring about my work did not mean they wanted to hire me. I reassured myself that there was no reason to rock the boat at the present moment.

I let out a heavy sigh.

I uploaded and sent the necessary requirements. It was only then that I noticed I was sweating and nearly on the verge of a damn heart attack over the possibility of this job and the effect it would have on my girl and our families.

It seemed Gail and I were in for a serious talk about our future today.

A phone vibrated on the kitchen counter behind me. I ambled over to it, setting my current freak-out moment on hold, and I picked up Gail’s cell to see that her mom was calling. I did not want to invade her privacy by answering her phone, so I strolled into my bedroom where she was sound asleep.

“Gail,” I said quietly, “your mom’s calling.”

She groaned softly, turned onto her stomach, and tucked her head into the pillow. “Ugh, it’s Sunday morning. Can you answer it? Tell her we’ll be there at two or maybe three this afternoon.”

I couldn’t help but grin at
why
she was tired. It was all her fault for wearing that sexy red dress last night.

The phone stopped ringing before I could answer it. I walked out of the bedroom and back into the living room, so I would not disturb Gail’s rest.

The phone started vibrating again with
Mom
flashing on the caller ID.

I picked it up and said, “Hello?”

“Hello?” Kathy asked before clearing her throat. She sounded like she was crying. “Damon? Where is my daughter? I need to speak with her right away.”

“Mrs. Bennett, hold on one second,” I said, racing back to the room. “I’m getting her now.”

I pressed the phone against my lounge pants as I reached the bedside. Then, I knelt on the bed and bent over her. “Gail, sweetheart, you gotta get up,” I said, lightly shaking her arm. “Your mom is on the phone, and I think she’s crying.”

Gail flew up in bed, sitting straight up and nearly knocking me unconscious in the process. “What? What’s wrong?” she asked, panicked.

“I’m not sure.” I thrust the phone at her. “Here.”

Gail met my eyes while taking the phone. The fear of the unknown in her gaze knocked the wind right out of me.

“Mom? What’s wrong? Is Caroline all right? Dad okay?” she fired off, not taking a single breath.

Then, she stopped cold. Her body went rigid, and then she started to tremble. Tears filled her eyes and coursed down her cheeks. All the while, she stared into my eyes. My chest seized painfully at seeing her look so heartbroken and absent. She was right in front of me, yet her mind was somewhere else.

All I could do was extend my hand out and hold Gail’s tiny one until her mom finished talking.

“What room?” Gail asked.

She listened to her mother’s response.

“Okay, we’ll be right there,” she replied before ending the call.

As soon as Gail clicked the button, she scrambled up from the bed. “We have to go!”

She ran into her room, and by all the ruckus, I assumed she was throwing on some clothes. I jumped to my feet and got dressed in seconds. I had no idea where we were going, but I knew that I had to go. I would not leave her in a time of need. After grabbing my truck keys, I started to head toward her room. We met at the junction of our bedroom doors. Together, we moved toward the front door.

“Wait!” Her head whipped back and forth. “Where is my purse? I might need my ID or money or something.” She began crying.

“Sweetheart, you just need you,” I said, trying to soothe her with my hand on her arm. “I got the rest.”

She nodded, and her big brown eyes peered up at me. They were filled with worry and shock. “It’s Caroline,” she whispered, brokenhearted.

I wanted to know every detail, but right now, I needed to get Gail to her family. “I’m so sorry, sweetheart.” I kissed her once, hoping to lend her my strength, while inwardly praying her sister was going to be all right. “The sooner we get there, the faster you can see her, and we’ll find out what’s going on.”

“Okay,” she breathed and wiped her tears.

I gently guided her out the door and led her to my truck.

I followed her directions to the local hospital. Once we neared, all of the Emergency signs led me to the east side of the building. We exited the truck and raced inside the building only to come to a stop at the front desk.

“I’m looking for Caroline Bennett,” Gail said to the receptionist.

“And you are?” the lady asked, glancing between Gail and the computer screen as she began typing.

“I’m her sister, Gail Bennett.” She nervously folded her hands together. “Is my sister okay?”

“I’m so sorry, ma’am. I can’t give you any information about her condition,” she informed in an apologetic tone and gestured to the right. “But the waiting room is around that corner. The attending doctor or nurse will be out to give you and your family an update as soon as possible.”

Gail’s shoulders sagged. “Okay,” she sighed sadly. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” the lady replied.

I put my arm around Gail’s shoulder and led the way to the waiting room. When we rounded the corner, Kathy and David rose from their chairs. Kathy was in a floral apron as though she had just come from work. Her face was pink and swollen from crying. David looked to be in work clothes, too, and his expression was equally as grave.

“Mom, Dad,” Gail said.

We all exchanged hugs and hellos.

Gail stepped back and glanced between the two of them. “Have you guys heard anything yet?” she asked apprehensively.

I tucked Gail tightly into my side, bracing her and myself for whatever they were about to say.

“Not much. All we know is that Caroline had a seizure at her school. She was standing at the top of the stairs when it happened. Sh—” Kathy broke off on a cry, shaking her head. “She fell all the way to the bottom.”

David put his arms around his wife, his own tears running down his cheeks. He cleared his throat. “The doctor told us that they will do whatever is necessary to save her life during the surgery Caroline is undergoing. Then, he ran off through the double doors.” He shook his head. “I don’t even know what they meant by that, but it sounds just awful.”

I held Gail as she nearly collapsed in my arms. I turned her face, and she buried it against my shoulder. I backed up, still holding her, and sat on the bench behind me, pulling Gail into my lap. She clung to me as she quietly wept against my chest. I wiped my own eyes as my heart ached for Caroline and what she must be enduring. I prayed that she was going to pull through this and stay here with her family, who loved her so completely.

Hours upon hours passed, and we waited. Each of us stared off into space, at one another, at other people coming and going, and at the clock, which was moving unbearably slow.

Finally, a doctor and nurse walked into the room, both dressed in blue scrubs. The four of us leaped up from our chairs as the medical professionals approached us.

“Mr. and Mrs. Bennett?” the doctor asked.

“Yes,” Kathy answered. “We are Caroline’s parents.”

“I am Dr. Heathman, and this is Shelly, the registered nurse attending to Caroline,” the man said.

Kathy and David nodded.

He continued, “Caroline is out of surgery. She will be moved to the ICU within a few hours as long as she remains stable. Caroline suffered severe head trauma, resulting in a major concussion and a deep laceration at the back of the head near the occipital lobe.” He lifted his hand to show the area he was talking about. “We were able to close the wound with four staples.”

Kathy gasped, and the doctor gave her a moment before he continued.

“Caroline broke her femur”—he pointed to his thigh—“which is the largest bone in the body. It will require major physical therapy down the road. She also has three broken ribs that will heal on their own.”

“Will our baby girl be okay?” Kathy croaked unevenly.

“It’s too early to say, Mrs. Bennett,” the doctor answered regretfully. “As of now, the most important factor is that Caroline is stable. The extent of her concussion and any resulting damage will not be known until her scheduled MRI first thing tomorrow morning.”

“When can we see her?” David asked.

“She’ll be in a recovery room for at least another few hours. As long as her vitals stay stabilized, she will move up to the ICU floor. At that time, the nurse will come back and take you all to see her.” The doctor glanced at us with sympathy in his eyes. “I wish I could give you more reassuring news, but the next twenty-four hours are critical for Caroline. Shelly or I will keep you updated on any changes that might occur through the night.”

Kathy nodded her head in acknowledgment. “Thank you for taking care of our little girl, Dr. Heathman.”

“Of course,” he responded. “Please, if you have any questions, feel free to ask me or the nurse,” he added before politely dismissing himself.

Once again, the four of us took our seats, and we began round two of the dreadful waiting game.

I left for a short time to grab club sandwiches and waters from the cafeteria on the lower level of the hospital. None of us ate more than a few bites as our anxieties ran high.

By nine o’clock, the same nurse, Shelly, returned, and we all greeted her.

“Mr. and Mrs. Bennett,” she addressed them softly, “Caroline is still stable, and she has now been moved to the ICU. If you will all come with me, you can see her two at a time.”

Kathy glanced over at Gail.

“You and Dad go ahead first,” Gail said reassuringly. “Damon and I will go in after you two.”

“All right.” Her mom nodded.

David, Kathy, Gail, and I all followed the nurse to the ICU floor. Once we exited the elevator, I noticed the long corridor was lined with room after room, all of which had glass doors and only a small curtain attached to the left side of the room. Kathy and David continued onward, following Shelly into a room, and Gail and I watched as Dr. Heathman went in after them. Then, we headed to the new waiting room.

Twenty minutes later, the doctor, nurse, Kathy, and David exited the room. Gail’s parents walked over to Gail and me.

“The doctor said Caroline’s vitals are still good, but she has not woken up yet,” Kathy said with a gloomy expression. “He said all we can do is wait.”