Read Online A Week at the Lake by Wendy Wax - Free Book Online

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    â€œWell, I don’t know a single person in this town, Amelia,” Serena says to me. “Not till Brooks gets here, anyway.” She gives me a wink. “What do you say once you get back from wherever you’re headed, and I’ve got a few things put away, we go downstairs for pizza or out somewhere to have ourselves a drink?”

    M ackenzie escorted Zoe out of Emma’s room and found Serena down the hall talking with Dr. Brennan. She’d left to take a phone call, and Mackenzie sincerely hoped it had been the anticipated one from California.
    â€œDid somebody find what we were waiting for?” Mackenzie asked cryptically.
    â€œYes.”
    â€œThank God,” Mackenzie said. “Talk about in the nick of time.”
    The doctor nodded. “How long will it take them to get here? Or shall we set up a conference call?”
    â€œThe conversation can take place pretty much anytime,” Serena said.
    â€œOh, good.” Mackenzie felt her shoulders relax slightly. “They’re in New York?”
    â€œYes, they are.” There was an odd note in Serena’s voice as she added, “The papers are being faxed to Dr. Brennan’s office right now.”
    â€œDo you know the person whom Ms. Michaels named as health care POA?” the doctor asked.
    â€œPretty well.”
    â€œSerena,” Mackenzie said. “Enough with the suspense. Just tell us what’s happened and who Emma named.”
    â€œWell, it appears that Emma had an appointment with her attorneys to go in and update things after our week at the lake. But as of this moment, it’s still me and you. Me first and you as backup . ” There was both fear and relief in her eyes. “It’s going to be up to us to understand the options and make informed decisions.” She whipped out Georgia Goodbody’s imaginary fan and tapped the doctor lightly on the shoulder. “And the sooner the better, Dr. B. We need to get Emma well as quickly as possible. We have plans for a trip to the lake.”

Six

    T hey left Zoe in the cafeteria staring without interest at a hamburger, a huge mound of French fries, and a Coke and joined Dr. Brennan in a small conference room just off the ICU. Pictures of Emma’s brain along with graphs and charts and printouts of what looked like every breath and beat of her heart since she’d arrived were spread out before them. Mackenzie hadn’t slept the night before her flight out of nervousness; last night fear for Emma and the ridiculously uncomfortable waiting room chairs had left her wide eyed. The caffeine she’d been ingesting all day surged through her bloodstream and sped up her heart, but it didn’t seem to have clarified her thoughts. Serena didn’t look any more rested. Not an optimal state for absorbing life-and-death situations.
    â€œMs. Michaels came in with multiple contusions including a small one to the lung, a bruised heart, a large laceration on her left thigh, and a deep gash on the right side of her head.” He paused. “Initial scans show a two-millimeter shift from right to left and a Glasgow scale of eight. The bruising on the brain here”—he pointed to a section of what looked like a large gray cauliflower—“has caused swelling and increased intracranial pressure.”
    Mackenzie couldn’t catch her breath as she tried not to picture Emma’s brain all bruised and swollen.
    â€œLook, Doctor, I’m an actress,” Serena said. “Mackenzie is a fashion and costume designer. I’ve avoided maths and sciences as much as possible my entire life. You’re going tohave to explain this stuff in terms we have a shot at understanding. You know, I’m thinking fourth- or fifth-grade-level science, tops.”
    â€œThis is not an elementary school kind of situation,” Dr. Brennan replied quietly.
    â€œWe know. But you’re going to have to dummy this down