One Summer in Santa Fe - By Molly Evans Page 0,55
She looked between the two from Ian’s amused expression to the thunder brewing in Taylor’s.
“She has to go back to surgery,” Taylor said.
“And you want to scrub in, right?” she asked, knowing without asking that was going to be the issue.
After a pause and a sideways glare, he said, “Yes.”
“Bad idea, Taylor. You know that.” Dr. McSorley folded his arms over his chest, and stared down his friend, the patience of a saint in his expression. “You are out of line with the request. Again. If our roles were reversed, you’d treat me the same, too.”
“I’d cut you a break because you’re a colleague.” Taylor’s eyes were narrowed and cold as he glared at Ian who only grinned, which seemed to madden Taylor further.
“No, you’d kick my ass out the door, which is what I’m doing to you.”
Taylor flinched, dumbfounded surprise showing on his features. “Are you kidding me?”
Ian grinned and included Piper. “Nope. Will you take this guy out of here for a while or suture his mouth shut?” he asked her, and gave a charming smile which she returned.
“I don’t know if that’s included in my skill set.” She glanced at Taylor and motioned Alex to her. “But I’ll try.”
“Can I see my mom now?” Alex whispered.
“Go in, Alex. Piper can take you.” Ian gave the directive, but stepped in front of Taylor to bar his entry. “You and I need to have a man-to-man. In private.”
Piper left Taylor and Ian to their conversation and escorted Alex to his mother’s bedside. They spoke to the ICU nurse who apprised them of the situation. “She’s stable now, so the doctor wants to go in and fix her wrist. It wasn’t urgent last night.”
“Is she awake at all?” Piper asked, and stroked Alex’s hair.
“Yes, in and out. She’s still got the breathing tube, so she can’t talk, but I’m certain she’ll hear you.”
With an arm on his shoulders, Piper led Alex to the side of the bed. “Let’s see if she’s awake.”
“Mom? It’s me, Alex, again. I’m here with Piper. She’s a nurse, Uncle T.’s friend.” He touched her hand, and she slowly clasped his fingers. Pure excitement on his face, he turned to Piper. “She’s holding my hand.”
Tears flooded her eyes at Alex’s hopeful words. Wasn’t that what it all boiled down to in life? Hope? If things weren’t the way you wanted them, there was always hope for change. If you gave up on hope, there wasn’t much else to live for.
“That’s great. Taylor’s going to be happy, too.”
The man’s heavy sigh behind her alerted her to his presence. “She’s doing better, isn’t she?”
“Uncle T.! She’s squeezing my hand.”
Piper moved back to let him into the small space beside his nephew. “That’s good. She’s going to go back to surgery in a little while have her wrist fixed, so we’ll have to leave in a few minutes.”
“No! I don’t want to leave her.”
Alex’s heartfelt cry squeezed Taylor’s heart, and he reached out to the boy. “I know. I know. Neither do I, but for now we have to let the doctors and nurses take care of her.”
“But you’re a doctor, and Piper’s a nurse. Why can’t you take care of her? Please?” His watery gaze included both of them, and Taylor pressed his lips together, unable to form words. They wouldn’t come out of his mouth. He looked at Piper and held his hand out to her, needing her help, needing her right now in this very emotional time that he was so unfamiliar with. Depending on her made him weak, but right now he couldn’t find the strength he thought he had. Jumping out of a plane with a faulty ’chute would be better than this.
“We are, honey, but when our family member is a patient, we’re not allowed to take direct care of them. It’s kind of a rule.”
“Why not? You’re the best doctor and nurse ever!” Alex cried, and his voice cracked.
Just then the anesthesiologist arrived to review the chart.
“Come on, Alex. Let’s go—” Taylor started.
“No!” He pulled away from them and clung to his mother’s hand. “She needs me, and I’m staying here with her.”
“It’s okay, son,” the anesthesiologist said. “You can stay with her and hold her hand all the way to the OR doors, okay?”
Alex nodded, and glared at Taylor.
“Why don’t you and I get out of the way and give Alex a minute with her?” Piper said, and tugged on Taylor’s sleeve. With another sigh, he allowed her to lead the