Sky mouthed I need to talk to you.
Dread crept over him after he disconnected the call and checked his Twitter account.
Sky touched his arm. “It’s not true.”
After he finished reading, the way Remington looked at Sky sent ice through her veins.
Remington ignored the plea and went to another post. He clicked on the video. Some woman was speaking. “There is a lot to digest folks. Award-winning actress, Bella Lord-Langston, said that she plans to file for a temporary restraining order against her husband and file for divorce from millionaire entrepreneur, Kane Langston. She claims that he was abusive in their relationship and only recently found out that he caused the accident that paralyzed her twelve-year-old daughter, Charlene ‘Charlie’ Kneeland with billionaire businessman, Remington Kneeland. To make matters worse, there was evidence of the physical abuse but the attending physician, Dr. Sky Kirby helped to cover it up because she and Kane were having an affair. There appears to e-mails to back up some of these claims.”
Remington turned tortured eyes toward Sky. She could see his chest rise and fall. This time it wasn’t due to the passion they shared. He was doing his best to control his anger. “I’ve got to get to Charlie.”
Sky saw the affection he had for her drain from his face as she crawled across the bed in an attempt to explain herself. “It’s not true. I tried to convince Shane to contact Child Protective Services. He wouldn’t, and Noah wouldn’t back me up. All I had was my word.”
“So, you knew?” Remington wasted no time putting on his clothes. He growled. “I don’t give a damn about Child Protective Services.” He banged on his chest with his fist. “You should have told me!”
Sky was still trying to plead her case. She stood on her knees in the middle of the bed. “I wanted to. I thought about it a million times. I didn’t have any proof, and then I started to doubt myself. Everything else they said was a lie. I’m not having an affair with Kane.”
He finished dressing and headed for the door, then turned and penetrated her with a hard stare. “The problem is they were telling the truth about the only thing I actually care about—Charlie.”
Seconds later, Sky jumped at the sound of her front door slamming closed.
*****
Later that morning, Nia walked into Sky’s condo. “It’s a madhouse out there. I can’t separate the paparazzi from the real journalists.”
Sky was wearing a bathrobe with her hands wrapped around a hot cup of coffee. “Thanks for coming. This entire thing is crazy. Do you want some?” She lifted up her cup.
Nia hugged her then sat her briefcase down on the sofa next to where Sky took a seat. She pulled out a yellow legal pad. “No. But, before we get started, are you okay?”
“I’m feeling so many things all at once, but the dominant emotion is anger.”
“Understandable. What the hell happened? Are you really sleeping with Kane? I thought you were sleeping with Remington?”
“Are you asking this as my friend or my lawyer?”
“As your lawyer, I don’t give a shit about who you were sleeping with. But as your friend, I need to know what to do to help you get through this. If I don’t understand what’s really going on, it’s going to make helping you difficult.”
Sky rolled her neck around her shoulders. “I’m not having an affair with Kane Langston, and until last night, I wasn’t sleeping with Remington either.”
“Shut-up! Finally, you two did the deed. You could see it coming a mile away. The sexual tension was off the charts.”
“I’m guessing after today’s news, it will be the first and last time. He’s pissed at me, and rightfully so.”
“I won’t lie. It is a lot to swallow. ”
“I should have told him that suspected someone was abusing Charlie.”
“So, you did know?” Nia started taking notes.
“I suspected. I wrote it up in my report after the surgery. Protocol for high-level patients is that those types of calls to the police, or any government agency, must be placed by the Chief-of-Staff or his assistant. I fought tooth and nail with Shane and Noah about making the call. Neither of them wanted to stake the reputation of the hospital on my medical opinion.”
“Is that what you meant that night when you said he put his career ahead of doing what was right?”
“Yes. They are trying to make me the fall guy. I don’t know what happened, but someone had to leak my notes/report to the media about the possible abuse and forge Noah’s name on it. Neither Shane nor Noah would have done it. But, I can see them doing damage control and deciding to blame it all on me. It would kill two birds with one stone.”
“There’s a special place in hell for people like them. You don’t have a copy of the original report do you?”
“No. Not here. At work, but I can’t get into the hospital until the suspension is over. My access to everything has been revoked.”
Nia nodded. “Okay. I’ll subpoena the notes from that night. Alright, tell me everything from the moment you were called in to consult on the case. Don’t leave out any detail. By the time I’m done, they’ll need to change the name of St. Lucia’s hospital to Sky Kirby Memorial.” She took Sky’s coffee out of her hand and took a sip. “You might want to make yourself another cup and get comfortable because we’ve got a lot to cover.”
Chapter 22
Remington arrived at the hospital under a barrage of flashing lights from the media and paparazzi. He barreled his way inside and strode directly over to Charlie. “Are you okay?” He hadn’t even noticed Bella standing off to the side.
Charlie’s outstretched arms reached for him. “What’s happening? What’s going on?”
“We’re moving you to a new hospital.”
“But, why?” She looked genuinely confused.
“Because it’s best,” Bella spoke. “Where have you been, REMI? It’s been a madhouse.”
It took everything within him not to strangle her. “No thanks to you and your damned press conference!”
“I finally had the courage, to tell the truth, REMI! I know you’re upset about the situation, but how do you think I feel. It was my husband she was sleeping with! Not to mention, he did this! He did this to our little girl.”
His voice was low and menacing. “You’re a piece of work. Sky wasn’t sleeping with Kane, and you know it! But even if she were, that’s your first concern? Not the so-called abuse? Not Kane causing Charlie’s accident? Makes me wonder if any of it is true. I find it hard to believe that Kane abused you. But you both better hope like hell he didn’t touch a hair on Charlie’s head because if he did, he’s a dead man walking.”
Remington turned to Charlie to ask if the abuse allegations were true.
Bella cut him off. “It’s true! He confessed the entire thing during our last argument. I was afraid for my life. It’s why I didn’t say anything. But I didn’t know about Charlie. It’s why I left. I won’t allow him to hurt her or me ever again.” Bella looked at Charlie to back up her claims. “Isn’t that right?”
Charlie’s eyes were wide with fear as she looked frantically between her mother and father. She licked suddenly dry lips. “I-I . . .” Her eyes filled with tears. “I need Sky.”
Bella was pissed. She balled her fists upon her hips. “I’m here. You’re father’s here. What do you need her for?”
“I don’t feel so good.”
Remington went to her then. He sat down on the bed accidentally sitting on her leg.
Charlie yelled out. “Ow!”
Remington immediately hopped up. “You felt that?”
Tears were streaming down her face. “Yes.”
Charlie realized it at the exact moment a medical transport team entered the room. “We are here to prepare Ms. Charlie Kneeland for transport.”
Chapter 23
“This is crazy.” Sky rested her head on the back of the sofa. She was exhausted from going over every detail she could remember from the time she receiv
ed the first phone call from Noah until today with Nia. They had gone over everything she could think of over the course of several days. “There is nothing else, Nia.”
“You better hope there is. Without your notes from that night, this case is ugly.”
“But, not impossible.”
“Only until it’s possible. Let’s just hope that’s before the court date.”
That quote was one Sky and Nia used a lot to encourage each other when they were trying to get through medical and law school.
“Have you talked to Remington?” Nia asked.
Sadness fell over Sky’s face. “I’ve left him about a hundred messages. He hasn’t responded to any of them.”
“It’s only been a few days. When he’s had enough time to think things through, hopefully, he’ll give you an opportunity to explain.”
“Explain what exactly? I mean, I think he knows me well enough to know, that entire Kane storyline is just that. A lie. But, I should have told him. I went back and forth over it in my mind a dozen times.”
“I thought it was a million?” Nia smiled.
“I wish I could just talk to him. Explain my side. Then, I think, really? If Charlie was my daughter, I never would forgive me.”
“Forgiveness is weird when you are in love.”
“Maybe. But, Remington and I aren’t in love love. I mean, we weren’t dating long enough for that, but I think there was something special there.”
“There you go being all rational when love is everything but. You can fall in love in a matter of moments.”
Sky shook her head. “I don’t believe in insta-love.”
“Really? So, you can’t stop thinking about him? Your heart beats out of your chest when he’s around? You would sacrifice anything for him and Charlie? You are not eating or sleeping? So, what exactly would you call that?”
“Stressed the fuck out.”
“That might be true, but it doesn’t cover how Remington makes you feel.”
Realization hit Sky like a ton of bricks. She chewed on her bottom lip. “It’s impossible.”
“It’s only impossible until it’s possible. There’s no controlling love.” Nia thought about her own screwed up love life. “Seems like somebody should invent a pill for that shit. If they could, I would have left Steven by now and given the damn pill to that famous actor, Chris Hemsworth.”
As distraught as Sky was she laughed. “I thought you only dated black guys?”
“Unlike you, who has dated a colorful assortment of men, my preference has always been chocolate, but I’d make an exception for him.”
“My preference has always been a damn good man. I don’t care what color he is, but I have to admit, Remington does it for me.”
“Then, fight for him! You’ve been searching for the right man for years. He’s the first one I’ve ever seen you show emotion over. It was weird having you get drunk and cry on my shoulder. The role reversal really had me shook!”
“He’s not answering my calls.”
“Aren’t they at some new rehab facility?”
“Yeah, I haven’t been able to find out which one. I think they are using an alias.”
“A little birdie told me that are currently at Serenity Rescue Rehab Center under the name Nahla Incredibles. Now, aren’t you glad we are besties?”
“Are you kidding?”
“Nope, I am so serious.”
“Is that a mash-up of characters from the movies The Lion King and The Incredibles?”
Nia giggled. “Yes. And, my advice to you is to get in the shower, put something cute on, and head over to that center before they leave. That same birdie told me they will be moving Charlie to a rental at the end of the week. At the rehab center, he can’t technically keep you out. Once he moves into the rental, he can keep your ass out by the curb.”
*****
Sky was wearing a baseball hat and wearing a dark pair of glasses as she stood outside the Serenity Rescue Rehab center. Her intention was to be incognito just in case the media was lurking somewhere around.
She walked inside with no problem. Once Sky entered the building she began to second guess herself. Then, shook off those feelings. She was willing to do whatever it took to get Remington to forgive her.
As she walked down the hall looking for the room number that Nia’s little birdie gave her, Sky stopped short.
Remington was standing in the hallway with his arms folded across his chest listening intently to someone who looked like a physician. Sky quickly took off her glasses and hat. She ran her fingers through her hair as she approached them.
The man spoke. “Mr. Kneeland, Charlie hasn’t been working as hard as I feel she can. She’s making progress, but it’s slow.”
Remington nodded. “I’ll talk to her.”
“I suggest we try to get her to physical therapy tonight to make up for the session she missed earlier today.”
Sky knew the moment he noticed her. His chin lifted slightly as he looked at her over the man’s shoulder. His eyes never left hers as he addressed the man in front of him. “We’ll finish this conversation later.”
It must have been the insidiousness of his voice that caused the physician to walk away. His jaws clenched. “What are you doing here?”
“Charlie’s not going to therapy?”
“Charlie is no longer your concern, so again—why are you here?”
“Right. She’s not.” But, I still care about her. Sky swallowed. “I’m here because you won’t answer my calls.”
“I’m not answering your calls because I don’t want to talk to you.” He moved to enter Charlie’s room, but Sky touched his arm.
It was as if her touch shot pain through his arm. “Don’t.”
“I know I messed up, but just give me a minute, please.” Sky pleaded.
Remington didn’t answer, but he didn’t move either.
Sky new she had about thirty seconds to make her case. She swiped her sweaty palms down the front of her jeans. “I realize that I should have told you about my suspicions. But, you know that already. Still, I’m so so sorry that you feel like I betrayed you. If I could go back in time, I would make a different choice.” Sky took a deep breath. “In my wildest dreams, I never would have expected for a twelve-year-old girl and her father to steal my heart. But, that is what happened. Remington, we connected like I’ve never connected with another human being. We have something special. We have something real. I made a mistake, but everyone deserves a second chance.”
Remington thought about her words.
Nervously, Sky watched him closely. She had laid her feelings bare and could only hope he was willing to give them another try.”
“Charlie is my one and only priority right now. She’s been through enough by people who claim to care about her. When it comes to her, I don’t have the luxury of giving anyone a second chance.” He pushed lightly on the door and walked inside closing the door behind him.
The loud click was symbolic of so much. But, mainly the crushing of her heart and the ending of a relationship with a man she had fallen in love with.
Chapter 24
Omara Johnston-Reid-Hall sat across from her daughter at her favorite restaurant. She whispered. “So, what did you think of Sam? He’s great isn’t he?”
He actually did seem like a good guy. Maybe her mother had met her prince charming after all. “I like him.”
“It’s a shame it took an emergency for us to finally meet.”
Sky was about to disagree but changed her mind. It was true.
“Don’t try to deny it. I’m just glad you called me. It feels good to be needed. Granted, it’s been almost two weeks since that fiasco with the hospital, but I don’t care why we’re meeting. I’m just glad that we are.”
“Me too.” Sky honestly meant it.
“Do you mean that?”
“I do.”
Omara reached across the table and held her hand. “I know how hard it is for you to need people.�
�� She chose her words carefully. “Have you talked to them?”
Sky shook her head. “Not since shortly after they left St. Lucia’s Hospital. Charlie called a couple of days ago and left a message on my phone, but I haven’t called her back. I’m not sure I should.” A small smile appeared on Sky’s face. “However, the good news is the feeling in the lower half of her body is getting stronger.”
Omara clapped her hands together. “That’s fantastic! So, the by-pass surgery you performed was successful.”
“Apparently.”
“I’m so proud of you. Now, you are one of eleven physicians who has ever performed it successfully. That must be worth at least a congratulations phone call to Charlie right?”
Sky blew out a breath. “I don’t know. She’s been through so much. I think her family needs some time to heal.” Sky lifted a shoulder. “As far as Remington, I can understand why he doesn’t want to talk or have anything to do with me.” Sky couldn’t help but think it was usually the men who lived down to low expectations, but this time, it was her. “I should have told him my suspicions.”
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