by Vivian Wood
Addy guided his tip toward her and he gritted his teeth at the heat of her entrance. She lifted her top leg and wrapped it across his calf to pull him toward her. With one hand she clung to the couch cushion. The other was between her legs where she played with her clit.
Jack went along with it, although as he entered her he couldn’t help but remember the way Mr. Fuller had touched his chest.
It’s my heart. Addy began to pant and push her ass against him.
He grabbed her hip and thrust into her. Something wasn’t right, but he couldn’t figure it out.
The tests were mostly normal. He’d seen much worse results in other patients that still didn’t call for delving deeper.
“Fuck me harder,” Addy moaned and pulled him back into the moment.
He leaned toward her and bit her shoulder as he changed angles to glide against her G-spot.
Maybe it really was nothing, he told himself.
Alcoholics and drug addicts, some of them were nearly indestructible. It was like they’d built up such a tolerance they nearly had superhero powers, coming back from the literal dead with surprising regularity.
“Make me come,” Addy groaned.
He reached for her nipple and rolled it between his fingers. She responded with calls of his name. Normally that would put him over the edge, make him feel like she belonged to him, but what had happened with her dad made him nearly a spectator.
“Come on,” Addy said. “Make me come.”
Jack slid his hand down her toned stomach and brushed her hand away. He pushed against her clit and made her cry out.
“Yeah,” she said. “Like that. Faster.”
Jack obliged, followed her directions, and fucked her the way he knew she liked it. The way he knew would make her orgasm hard and fast.
As he felt her come, the walls of her insides clenching and releasing his hard length, he watched Winona Ryder’s face over Addy’s shoulder. She looked scared and confused.
“You didn’t come,” Addy said, sleepy and disappointed over her shoulder.
“Oh, uh, sorry. It was a long day.”
“What can I do?” she asked. “Come on, I want you to feel good.”
Addy started to lower herself on the couch. As he felt her tongue on his tip, her lips wrapped around his cock, he closed his eyes and willed the picture of her dad from his mind.
It took twenty minutes, but when he finally released himself into the back of her throat, he’d completely forgotten about the old man’s heart.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
“What’s Jack doing on his day off?” Dawn asked.
Addy dumped the tray of dirty dishes in the sink and wiped her brow.
“Shopping for some kind of jet ski thing,” she said. “And you know what that means. The next time we both have a day off, he’s going to drag me off on that death trap.”
“You don’t know how lucky you are,” Dawn said. “I’m lucky to get a night out that’s more exciting than a movie and dinner at Dusty’s.”
Addy laughed. “Maybe you’re right.”
“Addy?” The girl who’d just come on for the lunch shift stuck her head in back. “There’s a call for you. It’s… it’s the hospital?”
“The hospital? But Jack’s not there …” Addy headed to the cash register and picked up the landline, confused. “Jack? What are you doing at work?”
“Addison Fuller?” the woman asked. She didn’t recognize the voice.
“Yes, that’s me. Is Jack okay? What’s—”
“Is Theodore Fuller your father?”
“Yes.” Her blood turned to ice. Of course it was Dad. Of course. “What happened?”
“He came to the ER in an ambulance and has been moved to the ICU.”
“Is he okay? He’s in the ICU, so that means he’s okay, right?” Addy whipped off her apron even as she spoke.
“Your father has cardiomyopathy.”
“What… what is that? Like a heart attack?”
“It’s when the heart becomes enlarged, and… are you able to come in right now? I can’t tell you much over the phone, it’s best you talk to a doctor.”
“Yeah, yes, I’m coming,” she said and slammed down the phone.
“Everything okay?” Dawn asked. Addy jumped at the voice.
“No, my dad—he’s in the hospital. Can you cover for me?”
“Sure, yeah,” Dawn said. “Go, we’ve got this.”
Addy pulled out her phone as she ran toward the car. Briefly, she paused, not knowing who to call first.
Jack or Kenzie? But when she opened her call app, it was Jack’s name she tapped.
“Hey!” he said. “I’m glad you called. I can’t decide between the Ski-Doo—”
“Where are you? Are you in town?”
“Yeah, some place on Pine. Are you okay? What happened?”
“My dad’s in the ICU.”
“I’m on my way. Are you driving there? Do I need to pick you up?”
“I’m driving, I’m leaving the restaurant now.”
“Did they say what it was?”
“Cardio—something. I can’t remember.”
“I’ll meet you there.”
Addy flipped the phone to speaker mode and dialed Kenzie.
“Addy, you better have a really good reason for waking me up,” Kenzie said, groggy. “I have the whole day off and I’m not—”
“Dad’s in the hospital.”
“What?” The sleep disappeared from Kenzie’s voice.
“Where were you?”
“Where was I?”
“Kenzie, goddamnit! He took an ambulance to the ER, where were you?”
“I… hold on,” she said with a whisper. “I’m at a friend’s place. Hey,” Kenzie whispered to someone. “What’s the address of this place?”
Addy could hear a deep male voice reply.
“Kenzie! How long will it take you to get to the hospital?”
“I, um. I think my car’s here. What! We’re in Indian Hills? Addy, it’ll take… a little while. I’m leaving now.”
Addy hung up before she could say anything more. Or burst into tears. Whatever came first.
How many nights was Kenzie hooking up with random guys and leaving Dad alone?
She never should have moved out. That was obvious. Now look at what had happened. And she couldn’t even blame Kenzie, since her sister had never had a speck of responsibility.
It was on her. Whatever happened to her dad, it was all her fault.
Jack was already there when she pulled up to the hospital. He paced in front of the doors.
“Jack! Did you see him? Check on him? Is he—”
“I did, briefly. He’s asleep right now, but stable.”
“Can I see him?”
“They’re not letting anybody see him right now.”
“But you’re a doctor here! Can’t you—”
“I don’t make the rules, though,” he said. “Come with me, we’ll talk to the doctor who’s been handling the case since he was transferred to ICU.”
He grabbed her hand and led her into the brightly lit hospital.
“But can’t you be his doctor? Can’t you—”
“One thing at a time, Addy,” he said. He sounded so confident, so sure, that it made her fall quiet.
“Addison Fuller?” the doctor asked.
She’d never seen him before, but his age and stature were soothing. He must have been in his fifties and his white coat fell almost to his knees. Thanks to Jack, she knew that the longer the white coat, the more experienced the doctor.
“Yeah, that’s me,” she said. She didn’t even bother to correct the surname.
“Your father had cardiomyopathy. It’s when the heart gets bigger and thicker, and in turn weaker. It’s often worsened by excessive alcohol use, although age and genetics are usually the primary cause. Your father’s blood alcohol level was almost three times the legal limit when he was admitted. It’s… quite shocking, really, that
he was even conscious let alone had the wherewithal to call an ambulance.”
“Jesus,” Addy said.
She faltered, and Jack caught her elbow to lower her into one of the chairs in the waiting room. Vaguely, Addy was aware of all the people around her. Some stared at her, while others were wrapped up in their own pains and traumas.
“Miss Fuller? Are you alright?” the doctor asked.
“Yeah, sorry.”
“Does your father have a history of alcohol abuse?”
“Yes,” she said meekly, embarrassed.
“We also tested his liver, given the BAC levels and cardiomyopathy, and it looks like your father is in the middle stages of alcoholic liver disease. Not all alcoholics develop this,” he continued.
Addy flushed at the word “alcoholic.” It sounded like it rang out through the waiting room.
“However, it’s more common in those who also have poor nutrition. Miss Fuller, I have to tell you, your father is on the border of developing liver cirrhosis.”
“What… what does that mean?” She was aware of Jack’s hand wrapped around hers, but the comfort it offered was minimal.
“Well, up until cirrhosis, the liver is able to repair itself. In early stages the symptoms are barely noticeable, if at all. Unfortunately, this means that the liver can become damaged beyond repair before the patient is aware of the problem.”
“But you said he’s borderline. So it can be fixed, right? His liver can still fix itself?”
“Anything is possible,” the doctor said. “But in my opinion, I don’t think that’s likely. I believe this event might have pushed him over the edge and when we retest I foresee him to be in full cirrhosis.”
“No,” Addy said as she shook her head. “No.”
“Also, we tested his gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, or GGT, which is an enzyme linked to the liver. His levels are extremely high, which is another sign of toxic alcohol levels as well as cholestatic damage.”
“I don’t know what all that means,” Addy said.
“It furthers my diagnosis that I believe your father is moving swiftly into late stage liver damage coupled with cardiomyopathy that can lead to a heart attack at any moment.”
“How… how could I not know?” she asked. “He seemed fine, just the other day…”
“It’s not your fault,” Jack said.
The doctor flipped through his notes. “It says here in his charts that Mr. Fuller was here two days ago complaining of chest pains. And that you saw him, Dr. Stratton.”
The doctor looked at Jack curiously.
“What?” Addy dropped his hand and turned to Jack. “Is this true?”
“Addy, I—”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Your father asked me not to, and I—I couldn’t, Addy. Legally.”
“So, what, you just sent him on his merry way? He’s dying, Jack! And he was here asking for your help, what, two days ago? This is your fault!” she screamed, and in the darkest corner of her heart she believed it.
“Addy, his blood work came back fine—”
“Yeah, well, apparently you weren’t supposed to be testing his fucking blood, Jack! It was his liver. This doctor figured it out.”
“Addy! Jack! Oh my God, is everything okay? Where is he?” Kenzie came barreling down the hall in a barely-there minidress, barefoot with heels in her hands and last night’s makeup streaked across her face.
“No, it’s not!” Addy yelled.
“What—”
“You deal with this,” she said, and shoved the printouts the doctor had given her into Kenzie’s hands. “Both of you, you fucking deal with this for once.”
“Addy—” Jack started, but she was already half-running down the hall.
“What happened?” she could hear Kenzie call.
“Addy!” Jack caught up to her outside. She wasn’t aware there were tears that poured down her face until he grabbed her elbow and spun her around. “Calm down! I know you’re upset, but—”
“Calm down? Don’t tell me to calm down! That’s my dad, Jack! And I left him, I… I fucking moved out and stopped taking care of him so I could play house with you. How ridiculous is that?”
“This isn’t my fault—”
“Then whose fault is it, Jack?”
He opened his mouth, but she held up her hand.
“Don’t you dare say it’s mine.”
Jack took a deep breath. “Addy, you stay here.”
“What?”
“You stay. Go talk to Kenzie. I’ll leave.”
“Where are you go—”
“Stay with your family. I’ll leave,” he repeated.
Before she could ask anything else, he turned on his heels and walked into the parking lot.
“Addy! What happened?” Kenzie was at her side and pulled at her arm. “Is Dad okay? Did I do this?”
Addy sucked in her breath.
“It’s not your fault,” she told Kenzie halfheartedly. She wrapped an arm around her sister and escorted her back inside.
A voice deep inside her already mourned what she’d done to Jack.
Fuck, she thought, there’s no way he’s coming back now.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
“I’m sorry,” Kenzie sniffed.
“Stop saying that,” Addy said.
“But I am!”
“Kenzie, we’ve been here for five hours and you must have said it five hundred times. Dad was an alcoholic, okay? Is. He would have destroyed his liver whether you went out last night or not.”
“But I could have been there,” Kenzie whined. “I could have cut him off, maybe—”
“When’s the last time Dad let anyone get between him and his whiskey?” Addy asked.
As she tried to calm Kenzie down, she had to admit it worked for her, too. Being forced to be reasonable for Kenzie’s sake made her see things from a different perspective.
It’s not our job to be his caretaker, to tell him when and what he can drink.
“Addison and Kenzie Fuller?” A nurse they hadn’t spoken to before approached them. Her shoes clicked against the linoleum.
“Yes?” Addy asked as Kenzie jumped up.
“The doctor has approved family visitors, but only for a few minutes. Your dad’s awake, but very groggy.” The nurse touched Addy’s forearm. “Just a warning. He doesn’t look very good and he might be… confused.”
Kenzie shot her a look. Confused and doesn’t look good. We’re used to that.
But the nurse’s warning didn’t prepare her for what she saw. Their dad had so many wires that popped out of him he looked part machine. His watery blue eyes shot toward them as they entered, but he didn’t move his head.
“Addison? MacKenzie?” he asked, as if he weren’t certain.
“It’s us, Dad,” Kenzie said and rushed toward him.
Another nurse that had been checking his vitals glanced at them.
“You’re his daughters?” she asked. Addy nodded. “I’ll give you a couple of minutes, but I need to come back soon to finish up.”
“My heart…” he said, but Addy shook her head.
“It doesn’t matter.”
His eyes glazed over and although he looked in her direction, it was like he looked straight through her. “Thirsty …”
“Here, Dad,” Kenzie said, and held up a paper cup of water by his bed. “There’s water right here.”
He shook his head slightly, but it looked pained. “Drink …”
“Yeah, Dad, there’s water right here,” Kenzie said. “Do you want me to hold it up for you?”
“Bottle…”
“He wants whiskey, Kenzie,” Addy snapped.
Her dad nodded vigorously.
“Oh. No, Dad, sorry. You’re in the hospital. You can’t have that here. Try the water…”
He gathered up a reserve of strength and knocked it out of her sister’s hand. “Dad, stop!” Addy said.
“Janice?” For a moment his eyes cleared
and locked on Addy’s.
“Dad—” she started.
“Janice, so beautiful.”
“He thinks you’re Mom,” Kenzie whispered loudly.
“Yeah, I get that, Kenzie. Dad, Mom is—”
“Where the girls, Jan?”
“Dad—”
“Addy and Kenzie, they okay?”
Addy felt tears well at the corners of her eyes, but she blinked them back. “They’re good,” she said. “Addy and Kenzie are fine.”
“Where… Jan, where are they? Want to see them…”
“They’re on the way. They’re coming right now.”
“Okay. That’s good,” he said. “Janice, you look real pretty.”
“Thanks,” Addy said. She looked to Kenzie, but her sister was frozen. Silent tears rolled down her cheeks.
“Tired,” he said.
“You should rest. Get some sleep.”
“Okay. Love you.”
“I love you, too,” Addy said as she forced the waver out of her voice.
“I love you, Dad,” Kenzie said.
As her sister touched his shoulder, the machines started to blare. The nurse rushed into the room with another nurse in pink scrubs on her heels.
“BP is dropping,” she said as she lifted his arm and punched a pattern into the machine. The nurse barked to the pink-suited nurse, “Get a doctor.”
“What’s happening?” Kenzie cried. “Is he okay? What’s—”
“I need you both to wait outside,” the nurse said. She barely looked up.
“No! We’re not—”
“Outside now.” Addy grabbed her sister’s arm and dragged her into the hallway.
“Addy, stop! Dad needs us! He’s—”
“Dad’s gone, Kenzie,” Addy said.
She listened to Kenzie blubber and sob. “How do you know? They didn’t say that. You can’t give up on him…”
Addy guided Kenzie toward the corner of the waiting room and wrapped her arm around her. Kenzie cried into her shoulder, soaked her shirt. For some reason it reminded her of when they were kids and one of the neighbors had cut off Kenzie’s favorite Barbie’s hair into a mohawk.
As tears tracked down her face, she thought of how she’d been strong for Kenzie then. Damn if she wouldn’t do the same now.
