Chapter 4

CHAPTER FOUR

Walking back to the emergency department, Aaron glanced at Maggie. She had been unusually quiet after leaving Joey with the OR team. They'd managed to get over the hurdle of consent, but the little boy's future was still in limbo.

With his mother gone and no other family members having been identified, it was likely Joey would end up in the foster care system. The situation was reminiscent of what his brother Adam and his wife, Krista, had gone through when a safe haven baby had been dropped off at Adam's pediatric clinic.

"I assume Joey will be admitted to a regular room after his surgery?" Maggie asked, breaking the silence.

"Yes." They'd reached the emergency department. She went into Joey's room to grab her bag. "Would you like me to find out which room he'll be in?"

"Please." She managed a smile. "I'd like to wait in his room."

"You're sticking around?" He shouldn't have been surprised after the way Maggie had clearly bonded with the child. "I assumed you had a flight back to Boston later tonight."

"I do, but I'm not heading back yet." She frowned, reaching into her bag for her phone. "I need to formally check out of the hotel, then contact the airline about changing my flight. I'm not due back to work until Monday, but I'll ask my colleagues to cover for me a few more days."

"I see." Adam was tempted to offer her the chance to stay at his place but managed to hold back. First of all, being thrown together by chance didn't mean a reconciliation was in their future. They'd both moved on, leaving a chasm of hurt feelings and, yeah, even some bitterness behind. But he knew Maggie well enough to know she was not going to leave Joey until she knew things were settled.

The only problem being that could take time. The last thing he wanted was to have Maggie invading his personal space for the next few days. Maybe even stretching into a full week.

"There must be a hotel close to the hospital," she said as if reading his mind.

"There is. It's within walking distance." He hesitated, then said, "I can give you a ride back to the hotel. Do you have a rental car?"

"No, but I'll get a rideshare." She didn't look too concerned. "I don't want to trouble you any more than I already have. If you could please just tell me which room they'll admit Joey into, that would be great. I can handle the rest myself."

"Okay." Maggie always had been fiercely independent. "But I am not on duty today, so why don't you let me drive you back to the Pfister? I'll call my brother Adam on the way. His wife, Krista, went through the process of being a foster parent. She might have some insight regarding Joey's future."

"Really?" The news piqued her interest. "I didn't realize Adam was married."

"All the sibs are married now, except for Andrea. She…lost her husband, Stuart, four months ago in a car crash while he was traveling." He hated knowing he was the only one who'd failed at marriage.

"Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that. I'm sure it's been difficult for Andrea and her two kids to cope."

"Yes, the family has rallied around her, but it's been hard." He gestured for her to come with him. "I'm parked in the physicians parking lot."

After a moment's hesitation, she fell into step beside him. It had been one thing to be together while taking care of crash victims on the bus and dealing with Joey's medical care. But now it was just the two of them.

Alone together in a way they hadn't been in over two years.

"Are you sure about sticking around?" he asked as they approached his vehicle. "I can keep an eye on Joey's progress."

"I'm sure." She gave him a nod when he opened her car door for her. "I'm the one he's been clinging to since the accident. I won't abandon him."

He nodded, then closed her door. There was no denying the little boy had latched onto Maggie. But it wasn't like she could just step in and take the boy into her home.

Could she?

It burned a little to know that she was probably considering her options regarding adopting Joey. Yet when he'd suggested they adopt a baby, she'd stared at him as if he were crazy and walked away.

Two years since their divorce and he still resented her for that.

He really needed to get over it. To forgive her, the way God would want him to. He'd fallen away from God during his time in Boston, but now that he'd returned home, he'd begun attending church again.

Maybe that was part of the reason things hadn't worked out for him and Maggie. They'd let their respective careers get in the way.

Shaking off the useless regrets, he used his hands-free function to call Adam. His brother didn't answer, likely he was with a patient, so he left a message. "Hey, call me back when you have a minute. I have a few questions for you and Krista about the foster care system. Thanks." He hit the end button.

"Why would Adam and Krista have firsthand knowledge of the foster care system?" Maggie asked.

"Last Christmas, a safe haven baby was left in Adam's pediatric clinic. Krista had hoped to adopt Joy, but my brother Alec helped find the infant's mother." He shrugged. "Joy was reunited with her mother, which proved to be a happy ending for everyone involved."

"I see. So this is your way of warning me not to get too attached to Joey because his family will likely be found." There was a hint of annoyance in her tone.

"Maggie, you must know that you can't just step in and adopt a kid on the spot." He let his own frustration show. "Nothing is that easy. Just because the police haven't found Joey's family yet doesn't mean there isn't someone out there who will love and care for him."

She turned away to stare out the window. Then she sighed. "I know that. It's just…" She let her voice trail off. Then she said, "Joey needs me, especially now that he's undergoing surgery. I won't leave him alone. I'll be ecstatic if Joey experiences the same happy ending baby Joy did."

Would she? He wasn't convinced. But he decided to let it go.

The drive back to the Pfister didn't take long. Shifting into park, he glanced at her. "Would you like me to help? Or wait here?"

"Wait here. It won't take me long." She jumped out of the car and slammed her door shut before he could say anything more.

Why was he prolonging the agony? He could text her the information from Adam and Krista, along with Joey's room number. He didn't have to play the role of her rideshare driver.

His phone rang. Seeing Adam's name on the screen, he quickly answered. "Sorry to bother you at work, Adam."

"No problem, just saw my last patient of the day," Adam said cheerfully. "I'm heading to the hospital to make rounds. Why the need to know about the foster care system?"

He quickly filled his brother in on the bus crash and Maggie's attachment to Joey Johnson. "Last we heard, no family members have been found."

"Maggie is here with you?" Trust his brother to zero in on the biggest sore spot. "Like you're together?"

"No, we're not together," he swiftly responded. "We just happened to be standing outside the Pfister when the crash happened. She was at the medical conference too."

"The one where you were presenting?" Adam asked. "Maybe Maggie specifically chose that conference to reconnect with you."

"No, she didn't. Can we please focus on the issue at hand?" He glanced out the window, relieved Maggie wasn't back yet. "Joey is having surgery, and it looks like he'll end up in foster care."

"That is exactly what will happen if they don't find any family members," Adam agreed. "Krista is still a foster parent, although she hasn't taken in any kids yet. I can ask her if she's open to taking Joey in."

"Well, I'm not sure that's necessary." Maggie emerged from the hotel and was heading his way with a small rollaway suitcase in tow. "How long did the process take?"

"Several weeks, although Joy had specific medical needs that helped speed things up. Not unlike Joey, if he's having surgery. Medical professionals have the advantage when it comes to fostering kids with medical needs."

"Great, that information is really helpful. I have to go. I'll be in touch later." Adam quickly ended the call, then opened the trunk. Sliding out from behind the wheel, he rushed over to take her bag. "Here, let me."

"Who were you talking to?" Maggie asked, as she allowed him to place her small suitcase in the trunk.

Figures she'd seen him on the phone. He sighed, closed the trunk, and turned to face her. "Adam. He's on his way to Children's Memorial. I'll fill you in along the way."

"Great, thanks." She grabbed the passenger door handle. "I can't wait to hear what he said."

Yeah, somehow he had a feeling Maggie would try to become a foster parent to Joey. Yet rather than being happy, he battled a wave of anger.

Apparently, Maggie was more than happy to go down the path of adopting a child, as long as she wasn't married to him.

* * *

Tension shimmered off Aaron as he drove her toward the hotel located within walking distance of Children's Memorial Hospital. Maggie was just as eager to put distance between them. The moment he pulled up the drive to park in front of the double doors leading to the lobby, she jumped out of the car.

"Thanks for the ride. I'll find out about Joey's room when I get back to the hospital. Take care." She hoped her smile didn't look as forced as it felt.

"I'll give you a ride," he offered.

"No thanks. You said walking distance. And that works out well for me." She slammed her door, went around to grab her suitcase from the back, then hurried inside.

She really should have insisted on taking a rideshare, she thought as she smiled at the hotel clerk. She didn't have to talk to Aaron's brother to find out about the foster care process. She was confident the social worker would have all the information she needed.

"Three days?" the clerk asked.

"Yes, please. It may be longer, depending on how things go," she said.

"I understand." The woman's gaze was sympathetic, making Maggie realize that many people stayed here to be near their sick loved ones. "Extending your stay won't be a problem."

"Thank you." Maggie tucked her credit card back into her bag, grabbed the room key, and turned away. Her intent was to dump her suitcase in her room and head directly back to the hospital.

Yet she needed to slow down, to make the proper arrangements with Johns Hopkins. Other patients depended on her too. As did her colleagues.

Joey would be in surgery for at least an hour, likely longer. Then he'd spent time in the post-anesthesia care unit for another hour. She could probably convince Kyle to let her see Joey in the PACU, but there was no reason to rush back to Children's Memorial. She needed to take a few minutes to adapt her travel plans.

Her stomach growled with hunger as she dealt with the airline and her boss at Hopkins. She changed into a comfortable pair of jeans and a sweater, the clothes she'd planned to wear home on the plane and headed outside. She'd grab a bite to eat in the cafeteria, then find Joey's room number.

Was she crazy to rearrange her life for the little boy? Just remembering how he clung to her made her heart ache. No, she wasn't crazy. That child needed her.

And if she were honest, she'd admit she needed him too.

The two years since leaving Aaron had been more difficult than she could have imagined. Initially, she'd thrown herself into her work, taking on additional call shifts for trauma cases just to prolong the moment she returned to her empty condo. Then she'd tried to get back out there, but after two disastrous dates, she realized she wasn't ready. It didn't help that every man she met wasn't nearly as attractive as Aaron. Or as accomplished as Aaron.

Or as sweet as Aaron.

Giving up on a social life, she'd gone back to concentrating on her professional life. But even that hadn't helped. Her days were nothing but work, eat, sleep, and work again. Even the job she normally loved didn't seem important anymore.

She'd wanted to have a baby so badly. Accepting that wasn't an option for her had not been easy.

Now there was a motherless little boy that needed her support. She quickened her pace to reach the hospital. After entering the building, she was able to find the cafeteria easily enough.

And abruptly stopped when she saw Aaron seated at a table. He was alone, his gaze locking on hers.

Why hadn't she considered he'd be in here eating a late lunch or early dinner too? Swallowing a groan, she gave him a nod as she headed over to see what looked good.

After paying for her grilled chicken and fries, she saw Aaron waving her over. Hiding a grimace, she crossed over to join him.

"Joey is doing well," he said by way of greeting. "Kyle has drained the hematoma and is doing a washout of his abdomen now. The antibiotics appear to be working."

"That's great news," she said, munching on a french fry. "How long before he hits the PACU?"

"Thirty minutes, give or take a few." Aaron looked down at his phone. "Joey's been admitted to room 721 on seven south, that's generally where kids his age are cared for."

She made a mental note of the room number as she picked up her grilled chicken sandwich. "You didn't have to stay here for me. I know my way around a hospital."

He shrugged. "I missed lunch too."

Had he chosen to eat in the cafeteria hoping to see her? And why was he being so nice and supportive now?

Honestly, she would have preferred eating alone.

Reminding herself that Aaron had gone out of his way to get an update on Joey and to get his room number, she told herself to relax. "I was thinking of calling Officer Thomas to see if he has found any of Joey's family members yet."

"I figure the social worker will be all over that," he said. "Here, I meant to give you Kyle's phone number so that you have it." After he pressed a few keys on his phone screen, her phone dinged with an incoming text.

"Great." She added Kyle Flores's name and number to her contact list. "I won't abuse the privilege."

"I know you won't." Aaron waved that off. "I should tell you that I spoke to Adam. He mentioned his wife, Krista, is still registered as a foster parent." Aaron caught her gaze. "I can ask if Krista would consider taking Joey in on a temporary basis. Child Protective Services is more likely to place Joey with a medical professional to help him recover from surgery."

"I was thinking of taking Joey in." The words popped out of her mouth before she could stop them. "I mean, I know I'd have to go through the process of becoming a foster parent, but that shouldn't be too difficult."

Aaron sat back in his seat. "I had a feeling you were going to say that."

She took another bite of her sandwich, even though her appetite was fading fast. They were treading on dangerous ground. It had been a long day that wasn't close to being over, and she wasn't in the mood to rehash their past arguments.

"Look, Aaron, I appreciate everything you've done regarding Joey's care. But I didn't come here to discuss what went wrong in our marriage. I'd like to stay focused on taking care of Joey. I think it's best if you get back to your job too. I'm not sure exactly what your role is here in the hospital, but you must have patients to see."

He arched a brow. "Yeah, I kinda got the hint when you bolted out of my car when I pulled up to the hotel. Keep in mind, you came to the conference here in Milwaukee, not the other way around."

"Yet you're the one who followed me outside where we happened to witness the bus crash," she shot back. Then she winced upon realizing they were beginning to sound like a pair of five-year-olds. She held up a hand. "Please, Aaron, I don't want to argue. Let's just move on from this unexpected reunion, okay?"

There was a long pause before he finally nodded. "Yeah. Sure."

"Thank you." She finished the last of her chicken sandwich, then rose to her feet. "Take care of yourself."

"You too." To his credit, he didn't stand or try to follow as she left the cafeteria. Rather than heading back to the lobby, she took the elevators to the seventh floor. Parents were usually allowed to wait in their child's room while the patient was undergoing a procedure. Since Joey's mother couldn't be there, Maggie went up to the main nurse's station to let the nurse assigned to Joey's room know she was there for the little boy.

"I thought Joey Johnson lost his mother." Nurse Clarice frowned.

"He did. I happened to respond to the bus accident, and he latched onto me while we tried to resuscitate his mother. I need you to trust me on this. Joey will be more relaxed after surgery when he sees me."

"Okay." Clarice did not look convinced. Maggie hoped she wouldn't run into this reluctance with every nurse on the unit.

"Please let the PACU know that I'm waiting here and that I'd like to see Joey as soon as possible." She'd used her best authoritarian tone but then softened. "I really don't want that poor little boy to wake up in a room full of strangers all alone."

That seemed to do the trick. Clarice nodded. "You're right, that would be awful. I'll gladly let them know."

Maggie smiled and hovered nearby as Clarice made the call. A moment later, Clarice hung up the phone. "Joey is on his way to the PACU now, and Dr. Kyle said you can head up there. Do you know where it is?"

"No, but I'm sure I can find it. Which floor?"

"The OR suites are all on the third floor. The PACU is to the south, like directly beneath us."

"Great, thanks again." Maggie quickly turned and headed back to the elevators. The third floor looked similar to the operating room setup at Johns Hopkins. Or maybe most ORs looked the same. If not for the different shade of blue scrubs, she would have felt she was back in Boston.

The doors to the PACU opened when she stepped forward. She frowned when she saw Aaron standing and talking with Kyle. Why was he here? Then a horrible thought hit, and she quickly rushed over to join them. "What happened? Is Joey okay?"

"His condition is stable," Kyle said with a tired smile. "But he's not out of the woods yet. His fever has not come all the way down, so I decided to keep a drain in his abdomen in case he needs to have another irrigation with antibiotic solution."

That wasn't entirely unexpected, so she nodded. "But he's otherwise stable. He hadn't needed any blood products or anything, right?"

"Correct," Kyle affirmed. "He's in bay number three. You can go over and see him for yourself."

With a nod, she turned and walked to the third bay. This area didn't have individual rooms like the rest of the hospital. There were only curtains separating one patient from the other, mostly so the hospital staff could reach their patients quickly if needed.

Anesthesiologists cared for patients while they were in the PACU. Only once the anesthesiologist signed off did the surgeon take over.

Bending over Joey's bedside, it felt strange to be there as a patient visitor rather than the doc in charge. Her gaze automatically went to the monitor where his vitals were displayed on the screen, then she checked the IV solution. She couldn't fault the care Kyle and the anesthesiologist provided.

"Joey? Can you hear me?" She gently took his hand. He was still groggy from the meds and the anesthesia, but his fingers closed around hers in a tight grip.

Yes, this was where she belonged. And if she had her way, she wouldn't be leaving Joey's bedside anytime soon.