Not if. When. She’s going to get better. She has to.
He must have looked pathetic, because Graham stood and put a hand on his shoulder. “You were going somewhere,” he said, his voice gentle.
Dan nodded. “Coffee.”
“When’s the last time you ate?”
Dan shrugged. “Yesterday? I’m not… I don’t remember.”
“I’m buying you breakfast.” Graham’s low rumble of a voice was surprisingly reassuring.
“Sure.” The elephant in the room could wait. Whatever he and Graham might be to each other at this particular moment, Graham showing up at the hospital meant they were still friends. Dan wasn’t so proud that he didn’t know he needed a friend right now.
Dan gestured to the doors, and they walked down the hallway to the elevators.
“How are you doing? Really?” Graham asked as the doors slid closed.
Dan leaned against the car wall and sighed. “I’ll survive. But Lacey….” He fought the tears that threatened.
“What do the doctors say?”
Dan shrugged. “When we came… when I brought her in Tuesday…. I could see it in their eyes,” he added. “They weren’t sure… they thought maybe she wouldn’t make it. And now…. They should have the results of the tests… the blood they took last night…. They should know by late morning.
“I didn’t even consider… I mean, kids pick up stuff all the time… in childcare… school. Her doctor… he said we should wait before treating the ear, that she’d probably fight it off. That maybe… maybe she wouldn’t need antibiotics. But what if… what if I made the wrong choice? What if… what if I should have insisted?”
“Hey.” Graham gently turned Dan’s face toward his. “Don’t even go there.”
“But I—”
“You’re an amazing father. This isn’t your fault. It’s terrible luck, but it isn’t your fault.”
“Thanks.” Dan knew it wasn’t his fault, but hearing Graham say it really did make him feel better.
The doors opened and Dan led the way to the cafeteria. Already, a group of residents chatted over coffee at a long table and several nurses waited as a cook prepared their breakfasts.
Dan filled a large cup of coffee after putting in an order for an egg biscuit at the counter. A few minutes later, he and Graham ate next to a bank of tall windows that overlooked a courtyard.
“Thank you. For coming… for Lacey,” Dan said. God, he missed Graham! He hadn’t realized how much until now. How much he needed Graham.
“I came for both of you. Although I have to admit I was worried you’d kick my sorry ass out on the street when you saw me.” Graham chuckled, but Dan sensed the fear he hid.
“I’m still glad you came. I’m sorry I didn’t realize you were there sooner.”
Graham shook his head. “The nurse told me you were sleeping. I didn’t want to intrude.” Graham looked a bit worse for wear in his rumpled shirt and suit pants. He could easily have changed at his apartment before coming, but the fact that he’d come directly from the office made Dan smile. It had been a long time since he’d been someone else’s priority.
“I’m sorry I didn’t call to let you know.” At the time, Dan hadn’t wanted to deal with the mixed emotions Graham brought up, so he’d called Terri. “It was a cop-out.”
“No need to apologize. I totally understand. Besides, the only thing that matters is that Lacey gets better. And if I can help you a little, I’m happy.”
“Thanks.”
“Feeling any better?” Graham asked after Dan finished his breakfast.
“Yeah. I didn’t realize how hungry I was.”
“It’s hard to remember to take care of yourself when you’re busy taking care of others.” Graham sipped his coffee.
“Sounds like you have a little experience with that.”
“My stepfather died the summer of my second year of law school,” Graham said. “Pancreatic cancer. I did what I could to help my mother. It made me feel like I wasn’t completely useless.”
“I’m sure you weren’t useless.”
“I realize that now.” Graham pressed his lips together. “But back then the only thing I knew to do was keep my mother from falling apart. Made sure she ate three meals a day. Drove her back and forth to the hospital so she’d get some decent sleep.”
“You were really close to him, weren’t you?”
“I barely knew my biological father.” Graham’s gaze remained focused and neutral, but his eyes were wide and dark with emotion. “He left when I was six. I never saw him after that. He died when I was in middle school. Drank himself to death. My mom met Bo Swann my first year of high school. When he was transferred to Tennessee, she married him and we moved.”
“You took his name.”
“I think it made him proud,” Graham explained. “I was proud to be his son.”
Dan guessed there was more to the story, but he knew where that might lead, so he only smiled his understanding.
“I’m sure you want to get back to the ward.” Graham motioned to the clock.
“Thanks. I was hoping to speak to Lacey’s doctor this morning.” He stood and picked up his tray, then deposited it on the conveyor belt near the exit.
They walked in comfortable silence back to the elevators.
“I really can’t thank you enough for coming,” Dan repeated as they stepped inside.
The doors closed and Graham pulled Dan close against him in a warm embrace. In spite of himself, Dan felt the last of his self-control flee with the gentle hug. Tears fell silently over his cheeks and he pressed his head against Graham’s chest.
“I needed that,” he told Graham through his tears. “I spent too much of my life holding back. Trying to be someone I’m not. Letting it go feels a hell of a lot better than feeling like I’ll explode.”
“I know a little about that,” Graham said gently.
“Why don’t you go home. Get some rest? They only allow one visitor at a time in Lacey’s room.”
“Don’t worry about me,” Graham told him. “Focus on Lacey. I’ll be here if you need me.”
Dan leaned against Graham and sighed. “Thank you. For being here. Now.”
Graham kissed the top of his head before whispering, “I’ve got your back.”
Chapter Thirty-Two
AFTER breakfast, Dan returned to Lacey’s room and Graham settled into a chair in the waiting area. He pulled out his phone and glanced through his email, not really paying attention. He’d asked his assistant to cancel all his meetings for the rest of the week. He wouldn’t be much use at the office anyhow; he couldn’t keep his thoughts off Dan and he couldn’t stop worrying about Lacey. As difficult as it was for him to fathom that she might—might not get better, he couldn’t imagine how Dan must feel.
He hadn’t meant to hug Dan, but the urge had come over him suddenly, and for once he’d acted on emotion alone. The last thing he’d wanted was to make Dan cry. Seeing Dan like that, Graham wanted to cry himself.
By now, Dan would be speaking to the doctors. A litany of what-ifs ran through Graham’s exhausted brain. He tried to focus on what would happen after Lacey recovered. He refused to give credence to any other thoughts.
“Graham?”
Graham looked up from his phone to see Jane and Bill Parker walk into the waiting room.
“You made it,” he said.
“We caught the first flight out from Asheville this morning,” Bill said. “We’re glad you called us.”
“How is she?” Jane asked, her voice tentative.
“Dan’s waiting on an update,” Graham explained. “She’s on some heavy-duty antibiotics. The doctors think they’re working, but they’re waiting on test results to be sure.”
Jane sat heavily in one of the chairs. “She’s going to be fine. She has to be. He can’t go through this again.” She smiled at Graham. “Thank goodness you’re here for him. When Benn died, there was no one there to help him through it. It happ
ened too fast.”
“I can’t imagine how hard that must have been,” Graham said.
“He always puts on a good face. But inside….”
Bill put his arm around his wife’s shoulders. “This isn’t like then. Lacey’s strong. And Dan has someone who cares about him. Who’s there for him.”
Graham wanted to crawl into a hole and disappear. He should be giving Dan support, but he’d made a total mess of things.
A LITTLE over an hour later, Dan came out into the waiting room. His eyes were red, and Graham’s heart leapt into his throat.
“Mom? Dad?”
“Oh, sweetie, I’m so sorry.” Dan’s mother threw her arms around him, and his dad patted him on the back.
“I meant to call,” Dan said. “I wanted you to know… I just couldn’t think straight.”
“Graham called us last night,” Jane said, stepping back from Dan and putting her hand to his cheek. “It’s fine. We’re here. Is there any news?”
Graham steeled himself, but instead of speaking, Dan walked over to him and hugged him tightly, clinging to him for the longest moment.
“They just got the results,” he said finally.
“And?” Graham’s voice broke.
“She’s getting better.”
Graham blinked back tears.
“Oh, thank God.” Jane hugged them both. “I just knew she’d be all right.”
“She’s… she’s still not out of the woods,” Dan said. “She’s running a fever…. She … she hasn’t woken up, but the doctor… he—” Dan’s voice cracked. “—he says her chances are a lot better… now that the antibiotics seem to be working.”
“Can we see her?” Jane asked.
“They’re supposed to move her out of ICU to a stepdown floor. She’ll still have round the clock care, but once she’s there, she can have visitors.” Dan smiled.
“I’ll stay with your parents if you want to go back inside,” Graham said.
“They’re getting her ready for the move.” Dan ran a hand through his hair and rubbed the back of his neck. “Once the nurses are set, they’ll let me know. They… They said it’ll probably be a few hours. When did you two get here? Have you had something to eat?”
“Always worrying about everyone else,” his mother said and turned to his father. “But I think we need to get something to brighten up Lacey’s room so that she has something to look at when she wakes up. Don’t you?”
“I don’t know,” Dan’s father began. “Seems like—”
Jane elbowed him and whispered loudly enough for Graham to hear, “Let’s give them a few minutes alone together, Bill.”
Bill’s cheeks colored. “Oh, right. We definitely need to brighten up Lacey’s room.” He winked at them as Jane dragged him out of the waiting room.
“You have to admit, they’re kind of cute.”
Dan laughed. “And subtle as a freight train.”
“That too.”
“I… I can’t thank you enough… For contacting them,” Dan said, once again serious. “But how did you know I hadn’t called?”
“I didn’t. But I guessed you’d want them here, so I reached out to them.”
“I’m so sorry… I should have let you know sooner.” Dan drew a long breath.
“I’m here now.”
“What about the office?” Dan asked.
“Taken care of. I may like to have my hands in everything, but Terri and I did a good job making sure the firm could run without us. Unless there’s an emergency, things will be just fine without me.”
“I’m glad. I’d hate to think you made me partner just to have me trash the place.” Dan smiled.
“Does that mean you’re staying on?” Graham asked.
“Why wouldn’t I?” Dan took Graham’s hand and squeezed it. “Regardless of what happened between us, I made a commitment to the firm when I signed that contract. So as long as you aren’t ready to boot me out the door, you’re stuck with me.”
Graham’s throat tightened at Dan’s words. “Does that mean there’s still a chance we can work things out?”
“I’m stubborn, remember?”
Graham smiled. “That makes two of us. And speaking of stubborn, how about I drive you to your place so you can take a shower and get some clean clothes.”
“Do I smell that bad?”
“Not particularly,” Graham said. “But you’re starting to look a bit scruffy.” And I want to take care of you for a change.
Dan touched his cheeks. “You’re probably right. I don’t think it’s my best look.”
“Probably not.” Graham fought the urge to take Dan in his arms. This wasn’t the time or place for him to apologize… or grovel. This was about Dan and Lacey.
“Yeah.”
“You okay?” Graham asked.
Dan nodded. “I know they say she’s getting better, but I can’t help thinking….”
“I know.” Graham squeezed Dan’s shoulder. “But standing around here worrying isn’t going to change things. You’ll feel a lot better with a shower and clean clothes. And when Lacey wakes up, she’ll see her daddy and not a mountain man.”
Dan laughed. “Okay. You got me.”
“I’ll text your parents and let them know to meet us at Lacey’s room.”
“Thanks,” Dan said. “For everything.”
Graham swallowed hard. “I’m glad I could do something to help. Besides, I think I’ve fallen in love with that munchkin.” And her father.
Chapter Thirty-Three
“MR. Parker?” Sarah said.
“Yes?”
She moved out of the way. “I thought you might want to see this.”
Dan’s heart thudded against his chest as he walked to the bed.
Lacey smiled up at him. “Daddy?”
Oh thank God! “Lacey, sweetie.” He leaned down and kissed her forehead. “How do you feel?”
“I’m hungry.” She sounded weak, but her eyes shone bright as she looked around the room.
Dan blinked back tears. “I can’t tell you how happy that makes me.” He brushed her cheek with his fingers.
“I’ll let Dr. Pilkington know,” Sarah said and smiled at Lacey. “We should be able to get you something to eat really soon.”
“Are we in the hospital?” she asked.
“Yep. You’ve been asleep for almost a week. Grandma and Grandpa are here too. And—”
“Is Mr. Graham here?”
Dan nodded and picked up the stuffed animal from the table next to him. “He left this for you.”
Lacey reached out and he put it in her hands. “I told him I like geeses,” she said. Dan had meant to ask Graham why a goose but had completely forgotten. “’Member? When we rode the train.”
“I remember.”
Lacey yawned and her eyes fluttered closed. A moment later the door to the room opened.
“I hear our patient woke up,” Dr. Pilkington said.
“I think she may have fallen back asleep,” Dan told her.
“Lacey?”
“Mmm-hmm?” Lacey opened her eyes again.
“I’m Dr. Pilkington. I’ve been taking care of you.”
“Mr. Graham brought me a present.” Lacey hugged the stuffed goose.
“That’s a nice present. Mr. Graham must be a very nice man.” The doctor turned to Dan and smiled.
Lacey nodded.
“So let’s take a look at you,” Dr. Pilkington said. “I need to check a few things.”
A few minutes later, Dan walked out of the room. He’d nearly made it to the waiting room when he stopped and leaned against the wall. The tears he’d managed to hold back now fell unimpeded, like a rain storm.
Get it together. Deep breaths.
Someone gently squeezed his shoulder. “Everything okay?” Graham asked.
Dan nodded, momentarily unable to speak.
“It’s all right.”
Dan wrapped his arms around Graham. “She’s awake,” he half sobbed, half
croaked against Dan’s chest.
“Oh, Dan.” Graham hugged him tight. “That’s the best news.”
“She really likes the goose you bought her,” he added. “She was telling the doctor about it when I left.” Dan wiped his eyes with his hand.
“Let me get you some tissues.”
Dan shook his head. “In a minute. Right now, I just want you to stay like you are. I’m feeling a little overwhelmed.”
“You got it.”
“Thanks.” Dan took a few more deep breaths and his heart stopped racing. He held on to Graham for another minute, then nodded. “I think I’m good.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah.”
Dr. Pilkington walked out of Lacey’s room. “Mr. Parker?”
“Yes?”
“Do you have a minute to discuss your daughter’s condition?”
“Sure.”
The doctor glanced at Graham.
“I’d like Graham to listen in, if that’s all right,” Dan said.
“Of course,” she said and nodded. “I just gave your daughter a pretty thorough once-over.”
“And?”
“And she’s recovering very well. Best I can tell, she seems to have no permanent damage from the swelling around her brain. Her arms and legs appear to move normally.” She chuckled, then added, “And when I asked her if she knew what her name was, she told me that her father made her memorize her street address and phone number, and did I want her to tell me that as well.”
Dan sighed. “Thank you. For everything.”
The doctor shook her head. “Just doing my job. And it was your quick thinking to bring her in that probably saved her life.”
“Thank you. Whatever it was, I’m truly grateful.”
“You’re welcome,” she said.
“When can she come home?”
“I’ve ordered a few more tests, just to be on the safe side. But as long as she’s eating well and everything checks out, she should be ready tomorrow morning. She’ll need to rest up before she goes back to school,” the doctor continued.
“I’m sure Mr. Parker’s boss will give him the time off he needs,” Graham put in with a grin.
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