Total pages in book: 123
Estimated words: 117506 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 588(@200wpm)___ 470(@250wpm)___ 392(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 117506 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 588(@200wpm)___ 470(@250wpm)___ 392(@300wpm)
The only thing I could do was nod and follow both of them back to the waiting room.
My mother stood. “What’s wrong?”
Timberlynn spoke as I went and dropped into a chair. “My father went in to check on Brad and noticed he was suffering from some dizziness and loss of coordination as well as some memory loss. They just took Brad in for emergency surgery—he has internal bleeding and swelling on the brain that they need to take care of.”
I closed my eyes tightly. Someone took my hand and squeezed it, and I didn’t even have to open my eyes to know it was Merit.
“Oh God, no!” my mother called out as I quickly released Merit’s hand and moved to my mother and drew her to me. She quickly composed herself and stepped away as she stood taller. I knew she was attempting to be strong.
“Kimberley, let’s take a walk outside, shall we?” Lori said, taking my mom’s hand.
“Dirk, do you need anything? I know you just flew in.”
Brock’s voice caused me to swing my gaze to him. I shook my head. “No, I’m fine. I just want to see my dad.”
He nodded.
“What about something to eat?” Merit asked. Her eyes filled with concern as she reached for my hand once more. “You don’t need your mother worrying about you, as well, Dirk.”
I nodded in agreement. “If someone wants to go get something, I could probably try to eat.”
Brock and Merit exchanged a glance, and he looked down at my hand clasping tightly in hers. “I’ll go. Merit, are you hungry?”
“No.”
“Yes, you need eat something,” Timberlynn said, giving a pointed look in Merit’s direction.
The two women had a conversation with their eyes, neither one uttering a word.
“Timberlynn’s right, I should eat something,” Merit finally agreed.
“Okay, I’ll run and get burgers. I don’t think you can eat in here, so I’ll text Merit when I get back with the food,” Brock stated. “Timberlynn?”
She shook her head. “Tanner left to grab me something, but thank you.”
He nodded. “I’ll text you, Merit.”
She nodded back. “Sounds good.”
“I’m going to go hang out by the nurses’ station and see if there is anything else I can find out,” Timberlynn said as she leaned down and kissed me on the cheek. “It’s going to be okay.”
I felt so numb that all I could do was nod. Timberlynn squeezed Merit’s shoulder and then turned and walked away, leaving Merit and me alone.
We sat in silence as I stared out the window and watched the trees sway from side to side. Merit still had my hand in hers, staring out the same window. Her thumb moved lazily over my skin, and it felt so calming. The last time I saw her was the night we had sex in my truck, when we’d exchanged heated words with one another. I couldn’t help but wonder if she meant what she’d said, that it had meant nothing, that she hadn’t felt anything.
I frowned and pushed the thoughts away. That was the last thing I needed to think about. I needed to focus on my father now and be there for my mother. I pulled my hand gently from hers and stood. She didn’t protest or even utter a single word.
I stood next to the window and looked out. I felt her approach my side. When she gently placed her hand on my arm, my heart jumped in my chest.
“Brock texted, the food is here.”
“You go ahead and eat. I’ll wait here in case the doctors come back out.”
“I…I don’t want to leave you alone if you need me here.”
I closed my eyes, wanting desperately to tell her to just leave. That I didn’t need her here. But the truth was that I needed her more than I wanted to admit. I fucking needed to feel her next to me. And it wouldn’t be fair to Merit to ask her to leave. She loved my father, and it would be cruel to ask her to leave simply because of my fucked-up feelings.
“Dirk?”
I spun around at the sound of Timberlynn’s voice.
“I just spoke with my father—he was in surgery with your dad, observing. He stepped outside to update me and said it’s going to be a bit longer. I wanted to let y’all know it looks like it’ll be another hour or so.”
Nodding, I turned to Merit. It was the first time I noticed how tired she looked. “I guess we can go eat, then.”
She gave me a soft smile and nodded before she turned and walked over to the elevator.
“Call me if anything changes,” I said to Timberlynn.
“I will,” she replied with a sympathetic expression. “Your mom is with Stella and Lori in my father’s office. They’re trying to get her to eat something.”
I could feel my brows pull in some. My mother. God, my poor mother. “Okay, thank you.”