“The Missus likes to be prepared and I don’t want you driving.”
She smiled her thanks. “I appreciate this.” Then she slid Sam into his car seat and ran to the passenger’s side door.
Robert had them in town in only a few minutes. He parked in front of the building housing the doctor’s office and helped her get Sam out of his seat because her hands were shaking.
At the window for the receptionist, she said, “I called Dr. Nelson this morning. Sam is sick.” Her eyes filled with tears. “He said to bring him right in.”
A nurse appeared at the door to the right and motioned for Tory to come back to an exam room. Once inside, the nurse took Sam and unzipped his snowsuit. “Hey, sweet Sammy,” she crooned, obviously familiar with the baby. “We saw Sam two days ago when Chance brought him in.” She smiled. “I’m guessing you’re the nanny.”
Tory nodded.
“He signed papers for you to authorize treatment.”
She breathed a sigh of relief, then pulled her cell phone from her jacket pocket. She hit the speed dial for Chance’s cell phone, but again it went to voice mail.
“Sammy,” the nurse crooned again, trying to wake him, just as Dr. Nelson entered the room.
“Now, what this I hear about Sam being sick again?”
The nurse gave the doctor a meaningful glance as she laid the baby on an exam table that looked like one of their changing tables at home. The doctor walked over and opened both of Sam’s eyes, peering into them, then he whispered something to the nurse who raced out of the room.
“You’re Tory, right?”
Tory nodded.
“Okay. I need you to call Chance. I’m sending Sam to the hospital.”
* * *
When Chance put on his jacket after a two-hour lunch, he felt his cell phone vibrating. Unfortunately, the call went to voice mail before he could answer it. That was when he noticed he had eight missed calls.
He heard the shiver of fear in Tory’s voice when he listened to the first message saying they were going back to Dr. Nelson’s office. And she was crying by the time he got to message number eight, the one when she told him Sam was at the hospital and she was in a waiting room and she hadn’t heard anything from anybody for forty minutes.
He didn’t even say goodbye to Max or their guests. He ran to his office, got his topcoat and keys and left for the hospital. He called Tory and she tearfully told him she was in the third floor waiting room with Robert and he should meet her there.
It seemed to take forever for the elevator to get him to the third floor. As he stepped out, he saw Tory, pacing in the hall. She turned and saw him and the next thing he knew she was in his arms sobbing.
“I don’t know what happened! I don’t know what’s wrong!”
She clung to him, obviously sharing the same desperation that raced through his blood. He slid his lips over her hair, her forehead. “It’s fine. Everything will be fine.” Though deep down inside he didn’t know anything of the sort. All he knew was his baby was sick, they were both scared to death and in his heart he knew he had to comfort her.
“Let’s not panic until we hear from the doctor.”
She began to shiver. “But it’s never good news. Never good news!”
Though fear for Sam still paralyzed him, he suddenly realized Tory’s fears were a hundred times worse. She’d been here. Probably this very hospital. With a shattered leg and a dying boyfriend.
He smoothed his hand down her hair. “Hey. Shh. It’s going to be okay. Dr. Nelson is the best.”
Even as he said that, Dr. Nelson walked out of a swinging door. “Chance. I see you made it.”
The very fact that his voice was calm sent a river of relief through Chance. Still, when he turned to face the doctor, he kept his arm around Tory, supporting her. “Stupid meetings. My brother told me to turn off my cell—” He sucked in a breath. “How is he?”
“He’s fine. His fever got to him. Apparently the meds we prescribed didn’t take his fever down enough. We have it down now, but I’d like him to spend the night.” He smiled. “Just in case.”
Chance wanted to collapse with relief. Tory gasped twice then threw herself into his arms again and wept. Dr. Nelson said, “He’s in room 312 when you’re ready.” Then he turned and walked over to the nurse’s station.
Chance squeezed Tory against him. He felt everything she felt, wanted to cry as much as she did, and simply basked in the fact that he wasn’t alone. Neither was she. They had each other.