of I don’t go get her out of
there. Plus, I also need to let Josiah and Susan know everything is okay.”
“Tell him thank you for me, will you?”
“Of course, baby. I’ll be right back.” Lowering
his head, he pressed his lips to her forehead. “I love you.”
Chapter 10
Josiah stood in front of the vending
machine, shaking a handful of change in the palm of his hand, contemplating his
choices or rather lack of choices beyond the scratched glass that had signs of
undeserved abuse. Pressing a palm against the black metal box as if the thing
would bestow some wisdom to aid him in his selections, he caught Tessa and
Susan’s reflections as they sauntered into the waiting room. He couldn’t help
noticing how beautiful Susan was, even with her brows drawn in worry, and her
bottom lip pinched between her teeth. Josiah kept his eyes on the glass that
had allowed him to watch her as she slid into one of the beaten up brown
plastic chairs, unaware that she captivated him. Tessa left her side to hound
Cheryl the nurse at the desk for information. Josiah smiled at both the beauty
of this woman who captured his attention so quickly and Tessa, who no matter
how long he’d been away hadn’t changed one bit.
“Tess,” Rowan’s voice filled the waiting
room as all eyes shifted to him and his sister.
Josiah left his post of standing guard
over the vending machine and matched steps with Susan as she rose to find out
what was going on with Madison along with the others. His fingers slid to the
small of her back without thought and he quickly pulled them away.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered as he leaned
in next to her.
Susan lifted her eyes to his, the corner
of her mouth lifting. “It’s okay, I don’t mind.”
Well, now then, that wasn’t what he
expected to come out of her mouth, but before he could respond to her Rowan
began to fill them in on Madison’s condition. He told them that she was just
dehydrated, that she would be fine and that as soon as her IV was complete
she’d be able to go home. Josiah had been known to withhold information from
the family members of his patients in order for those said patients to be the
ones to inform them of any news they thought their loved ones would want to
hear directly from them. He knew by the shift of Rowan’s weight from foot to
foot and the way he never truly held their gaze as he spoke that there’d been
more he wasn’t telling, but he also understood the need for time and that when
he and Madison were ready to let the others in on what was truly going on, they
would.
“I want to see her,” Tessa insisted.
“Not tonight, sis. She’s worn out and in
no shape to see anyone right now.” Rowan turned to Josiah. “Would you mind
taking Madison’s car back to her place?”
“Not at all. Anything else you need?”
Rowan shook his head, gave Tessa a hug
and made his way back to Madison. The three of them stood silently for a moment
as they watched Rowan disappear behind the tan double doors.
Tessa swung around. “Okay, I know my
brother and he’s not telling the whole story. J, what’s going on?”
Josiah threw his hands up in defense. “I
honestly don’t know, but you and I’ve known Rowan long enough to know that he’s
not spilling the beans until he’s ready, so don’t push him.”
“Fine, but as God as my witness, if I
find out there is something seriously wrong, I’ll wring his neck for not
telling us.”
“That I have no doubt of.”
Tessa turned in the direction Rowan
headed off in. “J, can you take Susan home? I want to stay and make sure they
don’t need anything.”
"Sure, not a problem," Josiah
said as he pulled Madison's keys from his pocket and motioned toward the
hospital exit to Susan.
****
Without a word, Susan hugged Tessa and
led the way outside with Josiah in tow. The tension in the air between the two
them hung thick in the air like a blanket of fog had settled in, the coldness
from it caused a
there. Plus, I also need to let Josiah and Susan know everything is okay.”
“Tell him thank you for me, will you?”
“Of course, baby. I’ll be right back.” Lowering
his head, he pressed his lips to her forehead. “I love you.”
Chapter 10
Josiah stood in front of the vending
machine, shaking a handful of change in the palm of his hand, contemplating his
choices or rather lack of choices beyond the scratched glass that had signs of
undeserved abuse. Pressing a palm against the black metal box as if the thing
would bestow some wisdom to aid him in his selections, he caught Tessa and
Susan’s reflections as they sauntered into the waiting room. He couldn’t help
noticing how beautiful Susan was, even with her brows drawn in worry, and her
bottom lip pinched between her teeth. Josiah kept his eyes on the glass that
had allowed him to watch her as she slid into one of the beaten up brown
plastic chairs, unaware that she captivated him. Tessa left her side to hound
Cheryl the nurse at the desk for information. Josiah smiled at both the beauty
of this woman who captured his attention so quickly and Tessa, who no matter
how long he’d been away hadn’t changed one bit.
“Tess,” Rowan’s voice filled the waiting
room as all eyes shifted to him and his sister.
Josiah left his post of standing guard
over the vending machine and matched steps with Susan as she rose to find out
what was going on with Madison along with the others. His fingers slid to the
small of her back without thought and he quickly pulled them away.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered as he leaned
in next to her.
Susan lifted her eyes to his, the corner
of her mouth lifting. “It’s okay, I don’t mind.”
Well, now then, that wasn’t what he
expected to come out of her mouth, but before he could respond to her Rowan
began to fill them in on Madison’s condition. He told them that she was just
dehydrated, that she would be fine and that as soon as her IV was complete
she’d be able to go home. Josiah had been known to withhold information from
the family members of his patients in order for those said patients to be the
ones to inform them of any news they thought their loved ones would want to
hear directly from them. He knew by the shift of Rowan’s weight from foot to
foot and the way he never truly held their gaze as he spoke that there’d been
more he wasn’t telling, but he also understood the need for time and that when
he and Madison were ready to let the others in on what was truly going on, they
would.
“I want to see her,” Tessa insisted.
“Not tonight, sis. She’s worn out and in
no shape to see anyone right now.” Rowan turned to Josiah. “Would you mind
taking Madison’s car back to her place?”
“Not at all. Anything else you need?”
Rowan shook his head, gave Tessa a hug
and made his way back to Madison. The three of them stood silently for a moment
as they watched Rowan disappear behind the tan double doors.
Tessa swung around. “Okay, I know my
brother and he’s not telling the whole story. J, what’s going on?”
Josiah threw his hands up in defense. “I
honestly don’t know, but you and I’ve known Rowan long enough to know that he’s
not spilling the beans until he’s ready, so don’t push him.”
“Fine, but as God as my witness, if I
find out there is something seriously wrong, I’ll wring his neck for not
telling us.”
“That I have no doubt of.”
Tessa turned in the direction Rowan
headed off in. “J, can you take Susan home? I want to stay and make sure they
don’t need anything.”
"Sure, not a problem," Josiah
said as he pulled Madison's keys from his pocket and motioned toward the
hospital exit to Susan.
****
Without a word, Susan hugged Tessa and
led the way outside with Josiah in tow. The tension in the air between the two
them hung thick in the air like a blanket of fog had settled in, the coldness
from it caused a
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