The Heart Surgeon's Secret Son

Kimberly’s legs had gone numb about an hour ago, but Devon slept half on her lap, half sprawled across the sofa. He’d cried himself to sleep, and she didn’t have the heart to risk waking him to restore circulation to her legs.

Tenderly, she stroked his hair, thinking it looked and felt much as Ryan’s had at six.

At the moment, more than ever, she missed her son.

A son who was so like his father that her heart ached at times just from looking at him and the feeling of loss it evoked.

When she returned to Atlanta, that feeling would be tenfold because she’d seen the hurt in Daniel’s eyes and she’d felt his pain, felt what she’d robbed him of and that she could never give back.

He wouldn’t forgive her.

The waiting-room door opened.

“Nurse?” Beverly stilled, her hands wringing tightly as she waited for some word on her husband’s condition.

Blinking, Kimberly’s eyes shot to the uniformed woman standing in the entrance of the waiting room.

She winced at the worried look on the nurse’s face.

Oh, no, had Mr. Reynolds died?

“My husband, how is he?” Beverly pleaded, looking at the nurse with hope. “Please, tell me he’s okay.”

“He’s still in surgery. I’m sorry I can’t tell you more.” The nurse then turned to Kimberly. “You’re Kimberly Brookes?”

She nodded.

“Can you, please, come with me?”

Her heart flopped. What had happened? Why would they want her?

Daniel.

She eased out from under the sleeping boy, grateful he didn’t wake up as it might be hours before they’d know anything on his father and she hated the thought of having to look into his soulful brown eyes and not have good news.

Beverly grabbed her hand, held on tightly, panic in her eyes. “Please, come back and tell me if you learn anything on Ken. Promise me.”

Kimberly nodded. “

I promise.”

Once outside the waiting room, the nurse gave her an awkward smile. “I have a message for you.”

“For me?” It had to be from Daniel.

“Actually,” the nurse continued, looking a bit sheepish, “I have two.”

“Is Dr. Travis in surgery?” Perhaps he was doing Mr. Reynolds’s bypass and was sending word to let her know he’d be a while.

“No, but one of the messages is from him. He wanted me to tell you to get a taxi back to your hotel. He’s staying at the hospital tonight and will see you in the morning in the cardiac lab.”

Disappointment spread through her. She’d be home tomorrow evening and had hoped for time with Daniel tonight for them to discuss Ryan, time to make him understand how she’d felt when he’d left for Boston.

“Okay,” she told the nurse. “But I’m not leaving until I know how Mr. Reynolds is.”

Having probably stayed past the end of her shift many times to check on a patient’s outcome, the nurse nodded. “I understand.”

“You said I had two messages?”