Read Online Finding Forever (Living Again #4) by L. L. Collins - Free Book Online
Authors: L. L. Collins
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eyes, their mom’s eyes, red-rimmed. Both of them had their blonde hair pulled back into ponytails. An outsider would never tell them apart, but he knew that Heather had a little birthmark behind her ear, and Brooke had a certain gleam in her eye that set her apart from her sister. He had always been very close to them, especially over the last few years. While they still relied on their parents for college so they didn’t make waves with them, he knew that they supported and loved him.
“Let’s go in,” he said, indicating the waiting room. “I’m sure Mom will want to see you.”
When they walked into the room, it was the first time since they had arrived he had seen his mother move from the corner chair. She embraced her daughters, the three of them crying in each other’s arms. For a moment, he felt like an outsider, but he didn’t have time to dwell on it, because the doctor came into the room.
“Tucker family?” Brant scanned the doctor’s face, trying to predict what he was about to say. Was it good news?
“That’s us,” Brant answered, indicating the four of them. “Is he going to be okay?”
“Robert was lucky that he got here when he did. He had such a deep laceration to his arm that had he waited any longer, he would’ve bled out. He needed a couple bags of blood while we were in the operating room. We went in and cleaned it out and stitched it up. Unfortunately, while he was on the table, he had a heart attack and he flat lined for a few minutes.”
Brant’s mom gasped, and he reached out his hand to steady her. “Is he going to make it?”
The doctor looked back and forth between them. “We got him back, but we had to open his chest. He’s going to be in surgery for a few more hours. After that, the first day will tell us a lot. Since we have the threat of infection in his arm, plus the added complication of open heart surgery, there’s no way to really predict.”
Brant couldn’t believe it. His father had always been the epitome of health. Now here he was at the age of fifty-two, fighting for his life. “Thank you, doctor.”
The doctor looked at him sympathetically. “I’m sorry. It was better that the heart attack happened while he was here, honestly. Had he been at home, he might not have survived the trip to the hospital. We’ll keep you updated, but it will still be several more hours. I need to get back.” With that, he smiled wanly at them and walked back out of the room, leaving them all staring at each other in shocked silence.
Brant jerked awake, his body aching from falling asleep in a chair. What time was it? He blinked his eyes. Midnight. He looked over at his sisters, huddled on either side of his mom, all of them passed out from exhaustion. He couldn’t believe they still hadn’t heard anything about his dad.
Standing up, he stretched, his back sore. He needed some coffee, but after asking someone what was going on. It had been a long time since the doctor had been out to see them. In his opinion, that wasn’t a good sign.
Brant walked up to the nurses’ station, seeing no one down either side of the hallway. He waited, drumming his fingers on the counter. What if something happened to his dad? If he died, how would they go on? What would his mother do with the ranch? You refused to help him , he thought. So there isn’t anyone to take over the ranch. The business that’s been in your family for generations will be gone; sold to someone else .
“Can I help you?” Brant turned to the nurse who had stepped behind the desk. He recognized her, but he didn’t remember from where.
“I’m looking for an update on my dad,” he answered. “Robert Tucker. The doctor came out hours ago and said he would be in surgery for a while still, but we haven’t heard anything in a long time.”
“I thought that was you,” she said. “Brant. It’s been a long time.” He looked at her nametag. Bailey Lewis. He had ‘dated’ her in college. More
“Let’s go in,” he said, indicating the waiting room. “I’m sure Mom will want to see you.”
When they walked into the room, it was the first time since they had arrived he had seen his mother move from the corner chair. She embraced her daughters, the three of them crying in each other’s arms. For a moment, he felt like an outsider, but he didn’t have time to dwell on it, because the doctor came into the room.
“Tucker family?” Brant scanned the doctor’s face, trying to predict what he was about to say. Was it good news?
“That’s us,” Brant answered, indicating the four of them. “Is he going to be okay?”
“Robert was lucky that he got here when he did. He had such a deep laceration to his arm that had he waited any longer, he would’ve bled out. He needed a couple bags of blood while we were in the operating room. We went in and cleaned it out and stitched it up. Unfortunately, while he was on the table, he had a heart attack and he flat lined for a few minutes.”
Brant’s mom gasped, and he reached out his hand to steady her. “Is he going to make it?”
The doctor looked back and forth between them. “We got him back, but we had to open his chest. He’s going to be in surgery for a few more hours. After that, the first day will tell us a lot. Since we have the threat of infection in his arm, plus the added complication of open heart surgery, there’s no way to really predict.”
Brant couldn’t believe it. His father had always been the epitome of health. Now here he was at the age of fifty-two, fighting for his life. “Thank you, doctor.”
The doctor looked at him sympathetically. “I’m sorry. It was better that the heart attack happened while he was here, honestly. Had he been at home, he might not have survived the trip to the hospital. We’ll keep you updated, but it will still be several more hours. I need to get back.” With that, he smiled wanly at them and walked back out of the room, leaving them all staring at each other in shocked silence.
Brant jerked awake, his body aching from falling asleep in a chair. What time was it? He blinked his eyes. Midnight. He looked over at his sisters, huddled on either side of his mom, all of them passed out from exhaustion. He couldn’t believe they still hadn’t heard anything about his dad.
Standing up, he stretched, his back sore. He needed some coffee, but after asking someone what was going on. It had been a long time since the doctor had been out to see them. In his opinion, that wasn’t a good sign.
Brant walked up to the nurses’ station, seeing no one down either side of the hallway. He waited, drumming his fingers on the counter. What if something happened to his dad? If he died, how would they go on? What would his mother do with the ranch? You refused to help him , he thought. So there isn’t anyone to take over the ranch. The business that’s been in your family for generations will be gone; sold to someone else .
“Can I help you?” Brant turned to the nurse who had stepped behind the desk. He recognized her, but he didn’t remember from where.
“I’m looking for an update on my dad,” he answered. “Robert Tucker. The doctor came out hours ago and said he would be in surgery for a while still, but we haven’t heard anything in a long time.”
“I thought that was you,” she said. “Brant. It’s been a long time.” He looked at her nametag. Bailey Lewis. He had ‘dated’ her in college. More
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