Take Me Back (Vegas Bad Boys #2)

by C. Morgan

  He smiled at me when he said it, and it felt good to hear him give me a little credit.

  Dr. Lenz agreed and gave me a smile. “I’m sure you’re both anxious enough waiting for these results, and I want you to know before we get into this that your baby is healthy, but he does have a growth deformity that is impairing his hearing. His eardrums are not properly functioning due to deformation inside the middle ear.”

  “How did that happen?” I asked. “What causes such a thing?”

  “Well, as we discussed before, it was most likely during the early stage of his life in the womb and changed as he grew. That’s why there weren’t any initial signs.”

  “Did one of us give him the gene?” I stressed.

  Clay was silent next to me. “Beth, we didn’t do this to him.”

  “He’s right. There is no proof that this is something inherited, especially when you’ve never had a family history of it. It occurs randomly, and so there really isn’t a way to tell it’s going to happen until it does. But there is some good news. According to the tests that helped us pinpoint the problem, we do have the option of surgery to repair it. It’s fairly common for children with this problem, but it is a big risk that it fails.”

  “What would that mean for Jack?”

  “Well, at the moment, your son has a little better than one percent hearing in that ear. So, if it fails, he would lose that as well.”

  “What about the other ear?” asked Jack. “Didn’t you say this deformity was most likely in both?”

  “Yes, but since his hearing is actually at a decent and much higher level, we want to leave it alone and focus only on the one bad ear.”

  Hearing him say “bad ear” made my stomach hurt. Nothing about my son was bad. It just couldn’t be. It was going to take some time to wrap my head around it.

  “So, you’re saying we don’t have anything to lose. Just the one percent?”

  “Even the one percent could be put to use toward giving him a healthy life, and then you have to consider the fact that it is a surgery. Although I feel that Jack is perfectly capable of going through the procedure, it is a big decision.”

  “But there’s a chance he could have his hearing back?” Clay sounded so hopeful, but it sounded all too easy for my liking.

  “Not entirely, but he could regain as much as eighty-five percent of his hearing in that ear, and who knows? Maybe more. It’s hard to give percentages until we really know, but I’ve seen people get most of their hearing back. And maybe we could try implants if this doesn’t work.”

  “It’s a lot to take in. When do you need to know an answer?”

  “I’d like to schedule it as soon as possible, but take a few days if you need it. If you don’t want to go that route and leave things the way they are, I understand that too. But you need to know, without this surgery, the one percent could become irreversible, so this could be our only window of opportunity. He’s growing fast.”

  “Thank you,” said Clay with a look of distress in his eyes. He was holding it together for Jack, who was in his lap, but I could see the fear in his eyes.

  “My husband and I will talk it over and get back with you.” I was still numb.

  Dr. Lenz got to his feet. “I’ll leave you two alone a bit, and you can leave when you want. The weather’s a bit angry at the moment. If you need to call later, that’s fine too. I’ll get with Dr. Elmer and have him schedule something where we can both be there.” He left the room, and I slumped in the chair as if the wind had been taken from my lungs.

  “What do you want to do?” asked Clay.

  “I want to get my bearings and think about it. I feel too numb right now.”

  “We need to decide,” he said with an urgent tone. “You heard him. He’s growing fast.”

  “He said to take a few days, Clay. I just want the rest of the day. We’ll talk when I can wrap my head around it, and when we’ve made the decision together, we’ll both call and have him set it up.”

  “So you think he should? That’s what you’re leaning to?”

  “I don’t know. You? What are you feeling right now?” I had a feeling he was just as useless as I was with grief.

  “Yeah, I get it. Maybe we should wait. But no more than a day. We have to accept this is happening and make a decision.”

  “I’d like to make a sane one. With a clear mind and no regrets. Right now, I’m terrified we’d do something that could make it worse.”

  The rain on the roof calmed, and I grabbed Jack’s diaper bag and got to my feet. “I’m going to go home and rest. I’ll call you later. We’ll get together if you want.”

  “Yeah, we do this together, for sure.” He stood up, and we left the building while the rain wasn’t too bad to drive.

  I drove through the rain, thinking the heavens had opened up and were crying for us. “God, help me make the right decision.” All I could do was pray.

  Chapter 25

  Clay

  I had just gotten back to the hotel for the morning when I got a call from Lloyd Scott.

  “How’s it going?” he asked. “Are you still interested in making a little money?”

  “Yeah, why? Do you have something for me?”

  “There’s a luncheon today, and my boss’s piano player is out. I asked him if I could find a replacement, and he said go for it. I thought it might be a good time to meet him, and who knows? Maybe you could ask about the entertainment complex.”

  “That would be great. Where is it?”

  “At the White Wolf Lodge, and I need you there within the hour if possible.”

  “I’ll hurry, but that might be pushing it.”

  “I have faith in you. They wanted something slow that spans the softer genres, just enough to set the mood. It’s a formal occasion.”

  “I’ll wear my best suit, but that’s all I can do at the last minute, or I would have rented a tux.” He couldn’t expect too much, calling me to save their asses.

  But Lloyd didn’t seem to care. “You’ll be great. Wear that suit you had on the other night or something like it. I’ll tell him to expect you.”

  “Will you be there?” I wondered if he was just going to throw me to the wolves.

  “Of course. Look, don’t be nervous. Meeting this man could change your life.”

  He ended the call, and I looked at the time. I had a lot of work to do, and thankfully, I didn’t need to shower. I got the suit out of the closet and found a shirt to wear with it. Then I polished up my best shoes, making a mental note that I needed to invest in a wardrobe upgrade if I got a full-time gig.

  When I was ready, I splashed on my best cologne and smoothed down my hair, thankful I’d had the foresight to shave before Jack’s appointment.

  I drove out to the venue and parked out front. The best thing about being a piano player was that no one expected me to bring my own equipment. I could just walk in looking like a million bucks, shake a few hands, and get to work charming the crowd.

  I was surprised when I went inside and found the White Wolf was full of silver foxes. The crowd was much older than I was used to, and not in the same way that LeRoy’s crowd was older. There wasn’t a person in the room under forty-five, and most looked to be in their fifties and early sixties.

  Lloyd Scott was standing on the other side of the room, wearing a suit that made him look like one of the others, and I walked across the room, turning heads as I joined him.

  He held out his hand. “Clay Whitmore,” he said. “You made it.”

  “Yes, sir. I’m ready to play. If you want me to warm up, I can.”

  “First,” he said, leading me away from that spot, “I’d like to introduce you to the owner of Hawk Entertainment.” He continued to a table where a man in a black suit stood tall with a head of thick black hair, despite being much older than it implied. Lloyd shook the man’s hand. “Ezra, I wanted you to meet the young man I told you about. This is Clay Whitmore. Clay, this is Ezra Hawk.”

  “Clay Whitm
ore,” he said. “It’s good to meet you, and I appreciate you filling in today.”

  “I appreciate the opportunity.”

  “Good man. Let’s see what you’ve got.” He shook my hand and then walked away.

  “That’s your cue to get started,” said Lloyd with a chuckle.

  “So much for first impressions. I’ll have to show him what I’ve got.”

  “Hey, he said hello. That’s a big step. Don’t let it shake you.”

  I wasn’t going to. I needed to do my best. If the man was the kind of person I was destined to work for, it would work out.

  My blasé attitude was only to keep my cool. And when Lloyd walked me to the piano stage, my breath was taken by the early twentieth century Steinway Grand. The classic Victorian Ebony was a favorite look of mine, and I couldn’t wait to put my hands on it. Whoever had owned it through the years had taken care of it. Everything seemed to be original, and it was nothing like the pianos I’d played across the bars and club scenes.

  “I’m already in love,” I said, letting my fingers move along the keys. It was perfectly tuned.

  Lloyd chuckled “Well, take it easy on her. I have a feeling she’s not what you’re used to.”

  “I’m afraid this isn’t my usual crowd. But I’ll give it my best shot.” I sat down and began to play, my fingers doing their best work as I looked across the room. When I began to play, a few of the older women smiled and began to sway in their seats, and before I knew it, one of them got up to give me a request.

  “Do you know Sinatra’s I Get a Kick Out of You?” she asked.

  “Yes, ma’am, I sure do.” I let my hands tickle out the intro, and she smiled with glee, turning to her friend, who was still seated as she gave a thumbs-up.

  “Play all the Sinatra you want,” she said. “Can you sing it too?”

  “I’ll give it my best shot.” I was only playing coy. I could sing Sinatra as good as Old Blue Eyes himself and kept the performance nice and soft, the way I was told.

  By the time I was on my third song, a crowd had formed, and the luncheon was going off without a hitch. I noticed Mr. Hawk watching me from across the room, and he seemed pleased.

  Before I knew it, I was onto other classic hits, and the tempo sped up a bit, the group working up a frenzy despite their age.

  “This is one of the best times I’ve had in months, Gladys,” said one of the older women who had crowded around.

  “Years for me. It’s not many who can play and sing Sinatra anymore.” The old woman swayed her hips and snapped her fingers to the beat.

  I gave her a wink. “Thank you, Gladys.”

  I finished the song, and then it was time for me to take a break while some of the hosts made announcements. The crowd made its way back to their tables, and the emcee took the microphone as the crowd still clapped for my playing. “That’s some great music, isn’t it, folks?” He went into his spiel, and I accepted another round of applause, which was a little unusual for the type of event, which was apparently an investors’ luncheon.

  Lloyd walked over, and the crowd parted. “You sure know how to work a crowd. These luncheons are never this much fun.”

  It was good to see them having fun, but I couldn’t take all of the credit. “Well, I just followed their lead really. They’re a good crowd.”

  “But it takes a smart entertainer to know the crowd and let them lead. You’ve got a talent for pleasing people. It’s a gift.”

  “Tell that to my wife,” I said, making a joke.

  Lloyd laughed. “And I have to tell you, Hawk is super impressed with your talent. He didn’t know you could sing too. He asked me if you could come and do a private audition next Wednesday morning at his office. I think he’s going to offer you a job.”

  “Really?” I wondered what kind of job and where? I’d play at a nursing home if it could save my marriage.

  “Yeah, but you have to be there. Don’t let this guy down, or you can kiss your dreams goodbye. And I know him. You can’t reschedule if something comes up. He’d hate it.”

  I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Was Hawk going to offer me a job? “Are you sure it’s a job? A full-time gig? And local?”

  “I’m not really supposed to say, but do this, and I’m sure he’ll make you a happy man.”

  “Yeah, just tell me what time.” I couldn’t believe the whirlwind day I was having. Just when everything seemed the bleakest with Jack, the new opportunity fell in my lap and eased my pain enough to give me hope.

  Not only hope that things would be better for me but for Jack too. And Beth. I could finally take the burden off of her for a change instead of adding more.

  I decided right then that I wanted to go through with the surgery and let my son have a chance at hearing. Maybe it was selfish, but I knew it had to work. Even the doctor was hopeful.

  Lloyd went on about the meeting. “He said he’d squeeze you in just before lunch. I know it’s early, but he was impressed with your ability to just show up and play without much notice and conform to what’s been thrown at you. So keep up the good work and don’t be late.”

  “I’ll be there. And thanks so much, man.” I couldn’t thank him enough for showing up at the right time in my life.

  “Don’t thank me. Thank LeRoy. When that man called and told me he had found a better piano player than him, I didn’t believe it, but I do think you might actually give him a run for his money.”

  Just hearing him say that humbled me. “He’s the best. I owe him big time.”

  “And if he thinks you are better, you see why I had to come and find out for myself?” Lloyd gave me a huge smile.

  “Yeah, and I’m still not believing he said that.”

  “He thinks highly of you.”

  “And I think a lot of him too. He’s a great friend. He’s really been there for me when others weren’t.”

  “And said you’ve had a tough time but are coming out of your troubles on the right foot. Don’t let whatever that was slow you down. Leave it in the past. You’ll be on the way to everything you want in life in no time.”

  He made it all sound so easy. I could only wish he was right. But unless I got my family back, no matter how successful I was, it would all be for nothing.

  As Lloyd gave me another handshake, I felt like the luckiest man. I couldn’t wait to share it with Beth, but only when I sealed the deal. I didn’t want to tell her about my big shot and then blow it. I had to take this offer and do my best.

  I didn’t even miss the person I had been back when I came home from Las Vegas. That offer had been okay, but there was no way I’d leave my family, not even for that gig, which seemed like, at the time, my kind of poison.

  But that was exactly what it would have been, and it would have killed me eventually.

  It was time to make my way through the world with different goals, and my first one was having my family back together for good. I’d do anything to make sure that happened.

  Finally, the emcee finished up with business, and I went back to work on cue, playing much softer music for my newest and oldest fans.

  Chapter 26

  Beth

  I hadn’t planned on letting the decision process take too long, so after working the afternoon of Jack’s appointment, I decided to call Clay and have him come over for dinner so we could talk about the operation.

  I could only hope that he would come and help me make an important decision. I wondered what he’d been thinking about since he left the appointment, and with any luck, he hadn’t used it as an excuse for day-drinking or making a public scene.

  I dialed his number as I got in the car after meeting with my last student. The phone rang a few times before he answered, and I was surprised when he answered that he sounded refreshed and awake.

  “Hey, Beth,” he said. He actually sounded happy but not sauced. “Sorry, I just left a gig. Let me get in the car.”

  “You played a gig?”

  “Yeah, it was a last-min
ute thing. Someone’s piano player canceled, and I took the gig. I made good money, and it might lead to more work. Maybe something permanent.”

  “Have you given your son any thought?” I didn’t mean to sound so snippy, but I had expected him to be sitting around as miserable as I had been.

  “Yeah, actually, I’ve given it a lot of thought, and I’d like to talk to you about that whenever you’re ready.”

  “You’ve already made up your mind?” I asked. How could it be so easy for him?

  “Well, yeah. As I said, I had a lot of time to think about it while playing, and I did. It’s going to be okay, you know?”

  “I don’t know. And I was hoping you’d be able to come over tonight and talk with me about it.”

  “Definitely. Let me go home and change out of this suit, and I’ll be right over.”

  “You still have clothes at the house, Clay. You could use my shower if you want.”

  “I might do that,” he said. “Are you okay?”

  “No. Yes. I don’t know. I’ll see you soon.” I hung up the phone and went to my house, and when I arrived, Della had Jack in her lap, watching the end of her talk show and rocking him to sleep. I tried not to feel jealous by how he looked so comfortable there as if he belonged to her and not me.

  “Hey,” she said. “He’s been fussy. I think he’s cutting another tooth.”

  “Oh, no. Poor baby. Any fever?”

  “Nope, he’s just crying a lot and chewing everything he can get his hands on.”

  “Thanks for sitting here with him.”

  “No problem. With my dad at my house another night, it gave me a break.”

  “When is he going home?” I asked.

  “Tomorrow morning, and it can’t come soon enough. The two of us working from my house was getting old. And I decided to take off a half-day anyway.”

  “You could have worked from here,” I said, feeling bad she didn’t get anything done.

  “Nah, I was due, and besides, I ate your snacks and watched TV with the world’s most handsome little baby, so that’s like a bonus.”