Total pages in book: 107
Estimated words: 100750 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 504(@200wpm)___ 403(@250wpm)___ 336(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100750 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 504(@200wpm)___ 403(@250wpm)___ 336(@300wpm)
“Breathe,” Sydney said as she wiped Reid’s tears away, despite her own wetting her cheeks. “Breathe, honey.”
Reid hiccuped and shuddered. “I’m so sorry, I should be consoling you, and here you are, telling me to breathe.”
“It’s a mom thing,” Sydney told her. She sat back in the chair and put her arm around Reid. “Gilbert went to see what he can find out, and he’s going to call your dad. He should be here.”
“Yes and no. I mean, he’s pretty upset with Grayson because he thinks he’s leading me on.”
Sydney nodded. “I understand, but you’ll want him here.”
It took a moment for those words to sink in. She raised her head and looked at Sydney. “Why?”
Sydney only shook her head and brought Reid back to her shoulder.
When Gilbert returned, he told them that Grayson was in surgery and that it could be a while. He sat next to his wife and held her hand, while she held Reid.
The television aired the news, but the sound had been muted. People had come and gone. There were more tears and some elation. The sounds of the doors whooshing, the sirens wailing, and the constant beeping began to grate on Reid’s nerves.
She’d stood and had begun to pace again when her father came in, straight from work. He rushed over to her and wrapped his big, beefy arms around her. She nuzzled into his work jacket. The smell of Old Spice, oil, and nature soothed her.
Luther Sullivan was a hardworking man and had done everything he could to provide Reid with the best life he could. He was six feet, with a head of dark-auburn hair, matching Reid’s. He was what she called a rugged man and preferred to be outdoors unless it was football season and his beloved Ravens were on, and then you’d find him in front of the tube. He didn’t care for many other sports, unless it was something Reid wanted to watch. When her mother died, he’d taken the role of sole provider to heart and vowed to never let her down.
“I’m so glad you’re here.”
“I’m here for you.” Reid didn’t miss the undertone. She also didn’t blame him.
Luther led Reid back to where Sydney and Gilbert sat. He shook Gilbert’s hand and offered a kind smile to Sydney.
“What do we know?” he asked as he sat down.
“We’re waiting.” Sydney wiped at her tears. Neither she nor Reid had been able to stop crying.
“Well, no news is good news. Have you eaten?” Luther asked.
Reid and Sydney said they weren’t hungry.
“Coffee it is.” Luther stood, with Gilbert following.
Reid stood and began pacing again. Sydney begged her to sit down, but she couldn’t. There was a level of unease festering beneath the surface, and Reid knew if they didn’t hear something soon, she was going to lose her shit.
“It’s taking too long,” she said to Sydney. “Whatever this is . . . something’s wrong.” Reid walked toward the nurses’ station, paused, and then walked back. She did this until her father and Gilbert returned with paper cups filled with stale coffee. She didn’t care because she needed something to keep her wits about her.
“This tastes horrible,” she said as she brought the cup to her lips again.
“The worse it tastes, the more kick you’ll get.” Her father laughed and drank. “Come on, come sit. Pacing isn’t going to help any of us right now.”
She let her father lead her back to the pleather and fabric chairs. As she stared around the room, she thought it wasn’t only the waiting game that made people restless; it was the fact that the seats in the waiting room were the most uncomfortable things possible. Others slouched, their bodies contorted in unnatural positions, and one sat on the floor and used the seat as a pillow.
“You’d think the hospital could provide a better place for people who have to sit here and wait to find out if their loved one is okay,” Reid said in disgust. “Imagine how much money the CEO or whatever makes. Whoever they are is probably living in the lap of luxury in Georgetown or Potomac.”
“You know they are,” Gilbert agreed.
Reid stood and had started toward the coffee station to refill her cup when a doctor strode toward the waiting area. She froze, thinking this was it—this was the news they’d waited hours for. The man stood on the cusp of the room and looked at the file in his hand. Reid’s eyes studied Sydney.
“I’m looking for Grayson Caballero’s family.”
“That’s me,” Sydney said as she stood up. “That’s us.” Gilbert followed and Reid stepped forward. She wasn’t his family, at least not in the sense of the meaning according to the hospital.
“I’m Dr. Wynn, the cardiologist on staff. You must be Sydney?”
She nodded.
“If you’ll follow me.”
Everyone took a step forward, but the doctor shook his head. “Family only.”