Book 21 preview

Here is a preview of Book 21. I would love to know your thoughts! Title and cover coming soon…

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Tommy watched Tessa’s surgery and ignored the pain in his whole body. He way over did it, but he couldn’t help it. This was Tessa. This was Jack and Stephanie.

He was incredibly worried about Jack, he worried that Brittany didn’t come to talk to him. That meant she was with Stephanie and it wasn’t good.

But he knew the best thing he could do for Jack was make sure his daughter got through this.

At least physically.

He knew the ramifications of what Nick did would reach much further than the physical trauma. He felt sick when he thought of what she must have gone through.

He watched the team closing and he sighed when he saw them put in the stoma and the colostomy bag. It should be able to be reversed, but it would be a few months at least.

He got up to make his way to speak with the surgeon and the room spun around him. He sat back down and took a few breaths.

“I brought you a wheelchair,” Enid said as she walked to him. “I think you’ve pushed yourself enough for just getting over a torn heart.”

Tommy smiled, grateful for her.

“Thanks Enid. It looked like everything went well,” he sat down gently.

“It did, but that little girl is one big bruise. I’d like a moment or two alone with the sick freak who did this.”

Tommy sighed.

“You’ll have to get in line. Has Dr. Young been able to come in yet?” he referred to the neurologist.

“I think he is going over the scans right now.”

Tommy looked at her.

“I’ll take you, but then we are going back to your wife. I don’t want to have to face her if you collapse.”

Tommy smiled.

“Thanks Enid. I owe you.”

“I won’t let you forget it.”

He smiled as she wheeled him to Tessa.

******

“You think it will hold?” Stephanie asked the surgeon. “You don’t think he will need a transplant?”

“I think it looks promising. The liver perked up considerably when we released the clamps and his vitals are holding their own. I don’t feel confident saying we won’t need to do more, but right now he is stable. We will watch his kidney function and make sure things are working. You can sit with him soon. I expect he will be sedated for most of the next few hours, but you can talk to him.”

“Do you want me to go speak with Dr. Williams? I need to run the echocardiogram and I don’t know how much he knows about this,” Dr. Kingsley asked.

Brittany walked to him while Stephanie hugged Sabrina.

“He is in pediatrics. He was consulting on Dr. Stephens’ daughter.”

Dr. Kingsley crossed his arms.

“I did not give him clearance to leave his room. He is nowhere near ready to do any work.”

Brittany nodded.

“I know, but this is our family. It would kill him to sit back while those we love are in trouble.”

Dr. Kingsley shook his head.

“It could kill him to push this. I will be in my office when he decides to come back. I have been your colleague for a long time and I don’t want to see anything more happen to any of you.”

“I know that and so does my husband. Thank you,” Brittany said softly.

The nurse came to take Stephanie and Sabrina to Jack.

“I’ll go find out about Tessa and I’ll let Tommy know about Jack,” Brittany said.

“You can’t walk around alone,” Stephanie said.

“She’s not,” Jade walked in. “I’ll go with you.”

Brittany smiled and they all left.

******

Jade looked at her phone as they made their way to where Tommy was. Brittany stopped her.

“What’s wrong?”

“I haven’t heard from Mike since I left with Jack. I know Bill was with him, but when I left, he was standing over Nick after shooting him. I don’t know what happened and I’m worried.”

“You saw what happened?”

Jade nodded and wiped her eyes.

“It was horrible. Tessa was as limp as a ragdoll and Nick just tossed her around. He was disgusting and I’ve never seen Mike so angry. I’ve also never seen him shoot anyone.”

Brittany walked her to the benches and they sat down.

“Hey, look at me and take a few breaths. I didn’t realize you were in the middle of all of this. Are you okay?” she smoothed Jade’s hair behind her back.

“I’m fine. Nothing happened to me. I’m just worried. I don’t think Tessa is going to be okay and I don’t know that my husband is going to forgive himself. All I could do when Nick shot Jack was try and stop the bleeding, but I had to do CPR and I couldn’t stop to help Mike. I just want to talk to him. I need to know he’s okay.”

“Then let’s do that. Let me call my brother as we head to Tommy.”

Jade nodded and they made their way while Brittany called Bill. She hung up and smiled at Jade.

“They are here together. Bill said he would meet us in pediatrics.”

“Did he say how Mike was doing?”

“No, he just said he would come there.”

Jade nodded.

“Okay.”

*****

Tommy sat in the hallway after he spoke with the doctors. He needed to go talk to Stephanie. He needed to talk to Jack.

The surgeon and neurologist went first because Tommy was simply too exhausted. He was struggling with his breathing and he was frustrated and angry with himself.

Enid went to help get Tessa settled into a room and Ron and Jenny were with her. Tommy knew Brittany was on her way, so he waited.

He waited and worried.

He was able to wheel himself over to the nurse’s desk and he looked up Jack’s chart. He didn’t know what had happened and he hoped it was something simple and nothing too serious.

He stood up and walked to the computer, logging in and finding the chart.

Tommy felt the tightness in his chest as he read the words and he scrolled through the notes and saw the prognosis.

Brittany and Jade made their way down the hall and saw him standing there.

Tommy logged out of the computer and looked up as he caught the eyes of his wife.

She ran to him as he gripped the counter and then fell to the floor.