Chapter 54

CHAPTER 54

SLATE

I t had been a long-ass night. For hours, we'd sat on that damn sofa and sipped our tea, impatiently waiting to hear absolutely anything from absolutely anyone. Jess had Doug's phone with her, so we hadn't been able to contact him for updates and every hour without news had been agonizing.

At around eight a.m., a nurse finally came around the corner and smiled at the Merrick siblings. "Jess and Austin? You can come see your mom now if you'd like. I'll take you to her room."

Jess glanced at me as she leaped to her feet, but I shook my head at her. "It's okay. Go ahead. I'll be right here if you need me."

"Thanks, man. We'll be back soon to let you know what they found." Austin wrapped an arm around her, guiding her to the hallway, but she kept looking at me over her shoulder.

I could practically see how terrified she was, and every instinct I had urged me to go with her. To hold her while she was being told what had taken the doctors so long to determine and to comfort her through it all.

I stayed put, though. Simply watching as they disappeared into a private room down the hall, I slumped back in my seat. I'd paid for the room, not taking no for an answer even when Jess and Austin had both tried to fight me on it, but I still wasn't family. I didn't belong in there with them right now.

Once they were gone, I buried my face in my hands, my chest tight with worry. The doctor had gone into that room a few minutes ago and she was in there with Jeanie and Doug, waiting with them to tell their kids what was going on.

All night, I'd kept a brave front for Jess's sake, but I was fucking terrified for Jeanie myself. Heart complications were no joke. My own father had struggled with his heart for a couple of years, and though that hadn't been what had gotten him in the end, I knew very well how serious it was.

Praying like hell that the family wasn't getting bad news in there, I kept my head down and just sat, glad to finally have a moment to let my worry bleed through. Jeanie deserved better than a dying heart or one that would put her in danger every day from now on.

Minutes felt like hours, but finally, Jess popped out of the room, looking lighter and happier than she had any right to after the night we had. I exhaled a harsh, sharp breath of relief as I got up. "What's the word?"

"Do you want to come in?" she asked, smiling as she extended her hand to me.

I took it, eager to see Jeanie and to find out what the problem had been. Clearly, the doctor hadn't just smashed their worlds to pieces, but something had sure been wrong. Jess clung to my hand until we reached her mother's door. Then she let go of me as we walked in.

I missed her touch instantly, but we had way bigger fish to fry. Jeanie was the first person I looked to once I was inside, and more relief trickled through me at the sight of her, propped up in bed and looking a lot better than she had the last time I'd seen her.

Her face had regained some color and her eyes had life in them again. She even smiled when she saw me. "Slate, honey. Thank you for everything you did for me last night."

"You're so welcome."

"She's going to be okay," Jess said quietly as she came to stand with me at Jeanie's bedside. "It looks like they caught the problem soon enough after all."

"What was it?" I asked, still not completely convinced that she was in the clear.

Sure, she looked a lot better, but even if they had caught it soon enough, there was still a problem. A heart problem. It didn't sound like super great news to me.

"I'm going to need a coronary artery stent," Jeanie explained calmly, her hands in her lap as she glanced at Doug, reaching for him before she turned her attention back on me. "My heart has been working double time trying to pump blood through a nearly closed vein. That's what caused my symptoms. The dizziness, fatigue, and chest pain were all because of just one little vein. Can you believe that?"

"They're inserting the stent later today," Doug said, his eyes on his wife but his words clearly meant for me. "It's a simple surgery, apparently. They'll be going in through the artery in her leg and the doctor has assured her that she'll feel good as new within just a few days."

Finally, I felt the tension leaving my body and I exhaled, my lips cracking into a real smile for the first time since we'd heard that heavy thud last night. "Thank God. You really had us worried for a minute there."

Jeanie chuckled, her gaze sweeping across the room as she looked at each of us in turn. I could've sworn I saw her taking note of how close Jess and I were standing, her eyes even dropping to our hands for a moment. They weren't joined right now, but a tiny hint of smile touched her lips before she finally looked at her son.

"You didn't have to come, Austin. I'm sure you need to get back to the city."

He scoffed, shaking his head as he sank into the armchair in the corner. "No way. I'm not going anywhere. I'm exactly where I need to be."

"Damn right," Jess said, grinning as she winked at him. "Coffee is on Austin this morning. Speaking of which, I'm feeling a little parched. Caffeine, anyone?"

Doug's eyes went wide as he nodded. "As strong as they can make it, boy."

"I can get it," I offered, but Austin shook his head as he stood up, clasping my shoulder on his way to the door. "The least I can do is bring you some coffee. Strong?"

"Yes, please," I said.

"Make mine a triple," Jess teased.

He rolled his eyes at her. "One triple, spiced tea coming up."

She wrinkled her nose. "I know you're kidding, but ew. No. I want all the caffeine they've got and I want it in one cup of coffee ."

He chuckled but snapped his fingers to his forehead in a salute and left the room. "I promise I'll be back as soon as I can."

"You better be," Jess said.

His laughter got cut off when he shut the door behind himself, and I turned back to Jeanie, pulling up a chair next to the one Jess had just sat down on. "How're you feeling? Thank God, you're doing better. You really did scare us."

"No, son. Thank you ," Doug said, coming around to clap me on the back as his eyes grew glassy.

He didn't say anything else, but I knew where the gratitude was coming from. It wasn't necessary, but I nodded at him anyway, catching his hand and giving it a tender squeeze before he went back around the bed to resume his seat on Jeanie's other side.

She glanced at me and again I saw her looking between Jess and me, but then she leaned back against her bed and fluffed the pillow behind her back. Doug, Jess, and I all surged forward to try and help, but she waved us off, chuckling as if we were in their kitchen at home.

"Stop it," she said. "I'm perfectly capable of adjusting a pillow. We've all had a scare, but I'll stay right here if you're going to treat me as any less from now on."

Jess settled back immediately. "You have my word that we won't treat you any differently. We just need you to come home."

"When you're ready," Doug added, shooting a look at his daughter. "Not a moment before. We'll listen to the doctor and we won't put any pressure on them to discharge you."

Jess sighed but nodded dutifully when she realized her father seemed to be waiting for it, and Jeanie smiled at her husband. "Relax, darling. I'm going to be fine."

"You still have surgery," he said, and I realized then that the worry hadn't completely left him. "I don't care if they say it's simple, I know you're going to be fine, but you need to give yourself time to recover. No pressure about anything. From anyone."

I nodded, winking at her when she looked at me for help. "Sorry, Jeanie, but I'm with Doug on this one. This is the best place for you to be right now and on the upside you even have someone cooking your meals for you. Just pretend that it's a hotel and that you've come here for a break."

She pursed her lips at me. "I'd rather be the one cooking the meals, but fine. It's a hotel that smells like a hospital. Got it."

I chuckled. "It's all in the mindset."

Jess poked me in the ribs. "Hey, don't make her feel too comfortable here. We do want her to come home at some point."

She glanced at her dad and held up her hands. "I didn't say right away."

Doug leaned over to gather Jeanie's hand in his again, taking it and running his thumb along the side even as he grinned at his daughter. "Look at you, learning how to listen to me. You're only thirty. I thought it would take at least double this long."

She laughed, kicking off her shoes and putting her feet on her chair, drawing her knees up to her chest and getting comfortable. "I'm a teachable monkey."

"But a very lovable one," Jeanie said playfully. "You're the cutest teachable monkey in the whole world."

Austin came back with the coffees and joined us around Jeanie's bed, immediately chiming in with a few jokes of his own. As they shared the relieved moment of the morning after near disaster, I didn't feel out of place.

I was the only person in the room who wasn't blood and technically I worked for them, but right now, I felt like part of the family. I felt like this was where I belonged. Just like Austin had said earlier, I too was exactly where I needed to be, and since no one looked at me funny or suggested I leave, I had a feeling they felt the same way.

I didn't quite know what to do with it just yet, but I leaned back in my chair, smiling as I joined the banter and knowing that no matter what, the Merricks had become more than just a job to me. Maybe Austin had been wrong before.

Maybe I had been destined for cow shit and open pastures all along. Right now, I sure as hell didn't mind the thought of that being my future.