Across the aisle, an older boy, about ten, was leaning against a seat, clutching his knee and grimacing.
“This is Kevin and that’s his sister, Meghan,” the youth in the aisle reported.
“Then you must be Greg,” Joe said. “I’m Joe.” His first glance made his patient choice obvious—Meghan came first.
“See, guys?” Greg said importantly. “I told you it wouldn’t take long.”
“Kevin,” Joe asked, “I know you’re hurting but can you hold on a few more minutes while I take care of your sister?”
Kevin nodded. “Yeah. I can.”
Greg bent close to Joe and lowered his voice. “She’s hurt bad, isn’t she?”
Joe rapidly assessed the damage. From her shortness of breath, restlessness, increased pulse rate and decreased blood pressure, he feared a pneumothorax, which was a condition in which air had entered the pleural space and formed enough pressure that the lung couldn’t expand. Everything else—the scalp wound and possible concussion, the obviously broken radius—would wait until he got her breathing and her shocky condition under control.
Before Joe could yell for Shep, Maggie appeared. “What can I do?” she asked.
“She has a tension pneumothorax,” Joe explained. “I’ll relieve the pressure while you start an IV.”
He quickly followed the treatment procedure and was gratified to see her breathing improve immediately. With her airway now stable enough for a trip to the hospital where doctors would insert a chest tube, he dealt with the rest of her injuries. Before long, her arm was splinted, her cervical spine protected, and she was hauled out of the bus.
Another team squeezed past to take care of Kevin, but Joe focused completely on his patient. “Let’s go,” he told Maggie as soon as they’d slid Meghan inside the back of the ambulance.
“I want…my…mama and…Daddy.”
“I’m sure they’re on their way,” he told her as they drove off, trying not to place himself in her parents’ shoes or imagine how frantic they would be after they received the fateful phone call…“But I’ll stay with you until they get here. I won’t leave you,” he promised.
Tears trickled out from under her squeezed eyelids.
“You’re being very brave,” he told her. “They’ll be so proud of you.”
“Don’t feel…good.”
“I know, but after the doctors fix what’s wrong, you’ll be playing with your friends before you know it.” The vehicle slowed and he knew they’d reached their destination. “Hey, what do you know, we’re at the hospital already.”
Her brown-eyed gaze met his, the misery in them obvious, the same misery he’d seen at one time in Breanna’s eyes and hoped to never see again. “Your mom and dad will be here soon.” And if they weren’t, he silently vowed, he’d track them down himself.
The hospital was like a madhouse but, true to his word, he stayed with Meghan until her anxious parents arrived. Then, after patting the child’s shoulder and shaking hands with her grateful father, he met Maggie in the hallway.
“How is she?” she asked.
“Stable,” he told her. “Her parents are here now, so that helps.” He flexed his shoulders to relieve the tension he hadn’t felt until now.
“You did a nice thing for her, Joe. She won’t forget it and neither will her parents.”
He shrugged. “I had to,” he said simply. “Remember how you asked me once if I’d ever treated a patient who reminded me of someone special?”
“If I recall, you said it had never happened to you.”
“Today I’m eating my words. It’s crazy, but Meghan reminded me of Breanna. All I could think was that if this was our little Bee, I’d want someone to stay with her so she wouldn’t be so scared.”
She threaded an arm through his. “One of my instructors once said something I’ll never forget. Every patient is someone’s parent, daughter, son, brother or sister, and we should treat them the way we’d want someone to treat our family. I’d say you did.”
Family. He’d been part of foster-families, but he hadn’t been part of his own for a lot of years. Now he was. Breanna wasn’t just Dee’s daughter…by virtue of the love he felt for her, she was his, too.
And yet, what if it had been his daughter on that wrecked bus instead of a little girl who only reminded him of her? Could he handle the worry, the pain, the anguish? He’d seen the tears on the mother’s face, the way she and her husband clutched each other for moral support, their struggle to be upbeat when they saw their daughter connected to tubes and hoses and monitors.
Nothing is permanent, he’d once told Maggie. He was right. Nothing was. He could accept that life was constantly changing and had its share of problems, but also had its share of joys. Was he willing to miss out on the good times in order to protect himself from possible pain and heartache?
No, he wasn’t. He’d come too far to give up Maggie or Breanna now.
Maggie had expected Joe to be riding an emotional high as they usually did after a non-fatality rescue, especially one involving children, but if Joe was elated by the morning’s events, he hid it well. He was preoccupied for the rest of the day, then impatient while they waited for the next shift to report for duty.
“You’re in a rush,” she remarked.
He grinned. “I have an errand to run. Would you mind watching Breanna at my house until I get there?”
“We could tag along,” she offered.
He smiled. “You could, but it would spoil the surprise.”
“Surprise? What’s going on, Joe?”
He leaned over and kissed her. “I’ll explain when I get back.”
“Is this a good surprise or a bad one?”
“Good, I hope.”
Bowing to the inevitable, she nodded. “We’ll be waiting.”
She drove to Joe’s house, greeted Breanna with a hug and a kiss, and sent Nancy on her way. Because she didn’t know how long Joe would be gone, she threw a load of Breanna’s clothes into the washing machine, whipped up a chocolate cake to appease Joe’s sweet tooth, and played tea party with Breanna.
It wasn’t until the doorbell pealed that she realized how many hours had gone by. Immediately, she flung open the door and found a complete stranger standing on the porch. “May I help you?”
“I’m looking for Joseph Donatelli,” the well-dressed man said smoothly. “Is he here?”
“No, but I expect him shortly. If you give me your name and a number where he can reach you…”
He shook his head. “I’d rather wait. Do you mind?”
She did, but just then Joe’s pickup turned into the driveway.
“Ah, that must be him,” the stranger said, his grin too wide and his eyes too calculating to suit her. “What perfect timing.”
“Isn’t it?” she said. “Please, come in and have a seat. I’m sorry, but I didn’t catch your name.”
“Silvestri. Carter Silvestri.”
Maggie counted the minutes until Joe strode in.
Silvestri rose off the easy chair to introduce himself and shake Joe’s hand. “I’ve been trying to track you down for several weeks. You’re a hard person to find.”
“Not if you know where to look.” Joe turned to Maggie. “How about some coffee?”
“Oh, don’t bother on my account,” Carter said. “It won’t take long for us to conduct our business.”
Joe sank onto the sofa, a picture of ease. “I wasn’t aware we had any business ties.”
“We don’t. Not yet,” Carter answered. “But I’ll get right to the point. I understand you have guardianship of Dee Delacourt’s daughter.”
Instantly, Maggie tensed, but to her surprise Joe seemed as calm and as unconcerned as ever. “I do,” he answered.
“Breanna is a sweet little girl, isn’t she?” Carter said. “I’ll bet you two have gotten quite attached.”
“I’m sure you didn’t come here to discuss how Breanna and I are getting along.”
Carter steepl
ed his hands, the consummate picture of a businessman. “Dee and I were friends, too. In fact, for a time we were inseparable.”
Suddenly, Carter’s identity became all too clear. He was the man Hannah had seen with Dee—the well-dressed, suave, sophisticated man they’d been trying to find. Yet his claim didn’t quite ring true. If the two of them had been inseparable, then why didn’t any of Dee’s friends know his name?
“In fact,” Carter continued, “I believe Breanna is my daughter.”
No-o-o, Maggie shouted inside, but she bit back her dismay. Oh, this was awful. Horrible. She couldn’t lose Breanna, not like this—without warning and without recourse.
“Really?” Joe asked, his interest obvious.
Carter Silvestri was the image of a successful man, fully capable of taking care of his child. And to go to the trouble of tracking down Breanna…Joe would surely believe Carter had Breanna’s best interests at heart. Who wouldn’t be impressed by his supposedly single-minded determination to find his daughter?
However, the more Maggie studied Carter, the more something about him set her teeth on edge. He was too perfect and too polished, and her instincts screamed a warning.
“Of course, I was devastated when I learned Dee had made other arrangements for little Breanna,” Carter added with the right amount of concern in his voice.
“I’m sure,” Joe said, his tone sympathetic. “You must have been distraught trying to find out where Breanna had gone. Why, you probably spent a lot of sleepless nights worrying and wondering about her.”
Somehow, Maggie didn’t think this man lost any sleep over anyone. Idly, she wondered if he’d attended Dee’s memorial service. For some reason, it seemed imperative for her to know. “Joe didn’t mention seeing you at the cemetery,” she said.
“I was out of town. I didn’t find out about her death until later. As for worrying about Breanna, yes, learning her whereabouts has been my top priority. From what I see, though…” he glanced around the room “…it’s obvious she’s been in excellent hands.”
“We’ve done our best, haven’t we, Maggie?” He glanced at her and for that fraction of a second she saw a calmness in his eyes that seemed at odds with the freight train barreling down on them.
“Joe,” she warned, “you—”
He held up his hand. “Let the man talk, Maggie.”
“But Joe—”
He shot her a glance that she hadn’t seen since they’d dealt with the drug seeker—a glance that hid more than it revealed. Instantly, she remembered how Joe had seen Sandler’s act for what it had been. Would he be as wise now, or would Carter play on Joe’s fears of inadequacy to get what he wanted?
Hoping and praying, she gritted her teeth and fisted her hands until her nails pressed into her palms.
Joe addressed Carter. “You were saying?”
Carter nodded. “The thing is, I hate to uproot Breanna again after everything she’s been through.” His face was a picture of solicitude, which was, in Maggie’s opinion, only a skilled performance.
Joe nodded. “It will be tough on her.”
“Especially now that she’s grown so fond of you and your wife.”
Maggie noticed that Joe didn’t bother to correct Carter’s wife reference.
“Breanna is comfortable with us,” Joe agreed.
“I thought she would be. So here’s what I’m proposing. Purely for Breanna’s best interests, mind you.”
Maggie held her breath. Joe, however, seemed extremely interested, so much so that he leaned forward. “Which is?”
“As much as I love that little girl,” Carter said, “I’ve decided not to contest the guardianship, provided we can reach acceptable terms.”
Terms? The man wanted money in exchange for Breanna! She would have threatened to call the police, but she was too furious to do more than sputter. And when Joe calmly listened, as if he were giving Carter’s proposal serious consideration, she wanted to box his ears.
“How much do you consider ‘acceptable’?” Joe asked.
“Well…” Carter stroked his chin. “Considering the cost of lawyers and paternity tests and all that, how does twenty thousand sound?”
“Hmm.” Joe didn’t bat an eyelid. “That’s a little steep, don’t you think? After all, I’m only a city employee. Paramedics aren’t on the high end of the pay scale.”
“I’m willing to negotiate,” Carter assured him.
“I’m sure you are, but I’m not.” Joe rose as anger replaced his easygoing expression. “You see, I’m not willing to give up my daughter to anyone, including a guy who wants to make an easy buck. Contest Dee’s will if you like, but I won’t relinquish my daughter for any price.”
“But…but I’m her father,” Carter sputtered.
“Funny thing, but I have results from a paternity test that say otherwise.”
Maggie could scarcely take in what she was hearing. Not only had Joe called Breanna his daughter, which was a miracle by itself, but he’d gotten the test results and hadn’t told her? She didn’t know if she should be happy or angry. She chose the latter.
“You’re bluffing,” Carter said.
“Am I?” Joe rummaged through the pile of newspapers on the coffee table, pulled out an envelope and waved it under Carter’s nose. “Once a judge reads this, he’ll toss you out of his court so hard and so fast your butt will leave tracks on the floor. So tell me again how you’re willing to negotiate because when this comes up with our attorneys present, Maggie and I want to quote you accurately.”
Carter jumped up and hurried to the front door so fast he looked more like a bug scurrying for cover than a successful businessman. “There’s no need to be hasty. I may have made a mistake.”
“I’ll say.”
“Don’t trouble yourself to get up,” he said as he grabbed the doorknob. “I’ll see myself out.”
Joe followed him anyway, then slammed the door shut behind him. When he turned around, Maggie stood there, waiting.
“What just happened?” she asked, still trying to make sense out of what she’d just observed.
“I took out the trash,” he said simply.
Suddenly, the emotional extremes she’d endured for the last fifteen minutes caught up to her and tears fell.
“Aw, Maggie,” he said as he pulled her against him. “Don’t cry.”
“I’m not,” she sobbed.
“Of course you aren’t,” he answered, stroking her back.
“Do you know how long I’ve waited for you to call Breanna your daughter instead of referring to her as Dee’s?” she sniffled into his shirt.
“From your reaction, I’d guess a long time.”
She pulled away, wiped the moisture off her face, then punched his shoulder.
He winced as he grabbed the spot. “What was that for?”
“For bluffing so well I was dying inside. For not telling me you got the lab results,” she finished crossly. “I’ve been fretting and stewing and…How long have you known?”
“They arrived a few days ago,” he admitted.
“Then consider that little tap as payment for making me worry over what you might have been plotting.” She paused for breath. “Didn’t you think I’d want to be with you when you read the report?”
“Maggie,” he said softly. “Check out the envelope.”
Check out the envelope? “What are you talking about?”
He grabbed her hand and tugged her back into the living room where he placed the envelope in her hands. “Look at it.”
She obeyed. The logo proved he hadn’t been bluffing with another company’s mailing. The results had arrived.
“Turn it over,” he urged.
She did. The flap was still sealed. It took her a second for the fact to sink in. He didn’t know what was inside!
Maggie met his gaze. “You didn’t open it? I don’t understand.”
“It’s simple, really. I didn’t need a scientific report to tell me what I know in here.�
�� He tapped his chest. “Breanna is mine in all the ways that matter.”
Tears threatened again. “Oh, Joe,” she said hoarsely as she sank onto the sofa, unable to stand on her wobbly legs.
“I debated reading the report,” he admitted, tucking her under his arm as he sat beside her. “But after the school bus accident as I watched the parents of those kids, I realized I felt the same love for Breanna that they did for their children. I knew then I couldn’t let her live with anyone else, no matter what the test showed.”
“What about Carter?”
“What about him?”
“If he’s her father…”
“Maybe he is and maybe he isn’t. Either way, if he was willing to extort money from me, he doesn’t deserve her. If he chooses to fight me on it, between our testimony of what just happened and Dee’s will, I can’t see he’d have a chance of winning.”
She ran a finger along the seam. “Will you open your report?”
“That depends.”
“On what?”
“On you. Silvestri called you my wife and I want to make it official.” He shifted position to dig in the pocket of his coat, which still lay where he’d flung it earlier. A few seconds later he pulled out a small jeweler’s box and opened the lid. “Sorry it took me so long this morning, but I had to find the right ring.”
Her heart pounded as she stared at the glittering diamond surrounded by rubies. She wanted to accept, but only if he was asking for the right reasons. “Are you asking me because you’ve decided to keep Breanna or—”
“I’m asking because I love you. I don’t have much to offer you except Breanna—”
“Don’t you dare say that, Joe,” she replied fiercely. “You don’t have to offer me anything except yourself. Breanna is a bonus.”
“Really?” He still sounded unconvinced.
“Yes, really. I love you, too, Joe Donatelli, and I’d be honored to marry you.”
As he pulled her close to kiss her, the envelope between them reminded her of its presence. “So what do we do about this?” she asked, holding it in the air.
His mouth nuzzled her neck. “What do you want to do about it?”
“We should open it, at some point,” she said slowly. “But I can live without knowing the verdict. As you said, she’s ours in every way that matters.”
Emergency: Parents Needed Page 17
