I Love You, I Hate You: Part 2

“How was I supposed to know?” Tessa snaps back.

I march over to the refrigerator and find the note I wrote the day we moved in, buried under a heap of printed recipes. I snatch it off the fridge, the magnet and subsequent papers flying onto the floor. Holding it up in Tessa?

?s face I scream, “I told you what she was allergic to. I even fucking wrote it down so you wouldn’t forget and you still fucked it up. I should have never trusted you alone with her. Not for one minute.”

Tessa’s face blanches. “Danika I… I’m sorry.”

“Both of you, shut the fuck up!” Logan yells. He swoops Molly into his arms and runs her outside.

Sirens echo in the distance, growing louder with each passing second. Logan must have radioed someone while Tessa and I were arguing. I grab my purse off the counter and follow him outside. Two guys have Molly strapped onto the gurney and are lifting her into the back of the ambulance.

“Get in,” Logan demands. “I’ll follow with Mom.”

35

Logan

“Say something, Logan. Please.” Mom’s eyes burn a hole into my cheek.

I grip the steering wheel and follow the ambulance down River Boulevard. I change my radio to a channel I’m not authorized to be on. I pinch the receiver button attached to my shoulder. “How is she?”

Bryan, the ambulance driver, is a young kid, a good kid. “Not good, Harris. They paddled her two lights ago and your woman is hysterical.”

Fuck. “Did she flatline?”

I steal a glance at Mom. She’s staring at my radio, wide eyed, waiting for the answer. It takes maybe ten seconds for my radio to make that stupid static noise, signaling someone is about to speak, but it’s the longest ten seconds of my life. “They brought her back, but she was out for a few minutes. You know what that means, Harris.”

“I know. Thanks, man.” I veer to the right, taking the road that leads to the Emergency Room parking lot while Bryan takes the ambulance around back. I could follow, but having mom with me makes the situation more complicated. Besides, if the time comes when I need to pull strings, I don’t want to waste my chances on a backdoor entry.

“What does that mean, Logan?” Mom’s voice shakes. She grips the seat belt, squeezing the fabric between her fingers until it bends in half, and then some.

I take a deep breath as we walk to the entrance, putting on my work face. That may be my daughter in there but I can’t lose my head. Most of the doctors and nurses know me for one reason or another. I may be off duty but I’m still in uniform. Too bad there are more than a handful of nurses who would do anything to burn me because their feelings got hurt. “It means there’s a possibility for brain damage, Mom.”

Mom gasps, covering her mouth with her hands. She shakes her head, tears running down her cheeks. “I’m so sorry, Logan. I never would have given Molly strawberries had I known.”

I rub the back of my neck, then hold my arms out to her. As pissed off as I am, this was nothing more than an accident. “It’s okay. Molly will be okay.”

“Danika will never forgive me,” she cries into my shoulder. “She already hates me for how I screwed up with you.”

I rub Mom’s back. Danika’s forgiveness depends on what happens to Molly. Hate to say it, but mine does, too. Right now, though, there’s no point in pouring salt on the wound and every minute I’m out here consoling my mother is a minute I’m away from my girls. I pull back and set my hands on mom’s shoulders. “Call Piper. She’ll be pissed if you don’t, even if she is stuck in Nashville.”

Mom nods and fishes in her purse for her phone. “You’re right. Find Walter. Maybe he can help.”

“I intend to.”

Kelly Hallorin is the worst possible nurse to be sitting at the triage station. We had a fling before the wedding that lasted a few weeks and she didn’t take it well when I called things off. We were never exclusive, but I ended it the moment I knew Danika was coming home.

Kelly laces her fingers together and rests her chin on her hands. “To what do we owe this pleasure, Logan?”

“I need to see Dr. Winters.” I stand at the double doors, waiting for her to buzz me through. I don’t know where Walter’s office is, but I’ll find it. He wouldn’t send Danika to wait in the waiting room. She’s too much of a mess.

“Aren’t you off duty? If so, can’t let you back.” Kelly shrugs.

I slam my fist against the wall, my temper getting the best of me. “God damn it, Kelly. I need to see Walter. Now!”

Another, older nurse, steps through the doors. She crosses her arms, expecting me to dash inside or move backwards. I do neither. I stand my ground because I’m not going anywhere, especially to jail for breaking into a hospital.

“Sir,” she demands, “I’m going to have to ask you to have a seat.”