Olivia (Logan 5)

"There were many times in my past when I had to do more than I should and I'm sure there'll be many times in my future, Samuel. Let's not waste another second talking about it," I said.

He put his head down and took my arm. Fifteen minutes later we pulled up to the hospital emergency room entrance and Samuel helped me out. We found Daddy had already been taken to the Cardiac Care Unit. The emergency room doctor told us there was no question Daddy had suffered a heart attack.

"How is he?" I asked.

"Critical," he said. "I've called your family physician."

They permitted us to go into the CCU, but all we could do was stand near the bed and gaze at Daddy hooked up to the monitors, the oxygen flowing into him. Doctor Covington arrived a short time later and conferred with the specialist who had reviewed the tests and Daddy's vitals. We met in the small waiting room for CCU visitors.

"I'm afraid it's rather massive, Olivia," Doctor Covington said. "He may not even regain

consciousness. You shouldn't be here. You might end up in the obstetrical unit yourself," he warned.

"This is nothing," Samuel couldn't wait to say. "She went to the office this afternoon and put in hours and hours of work. I couldn't stop her!"

"Is this true?" Doctor Covington shook his head. "I'm disappointed, Olivia."

"I'm all right," I said. I glared darts at Samuel who quickly turned to Doctor Covington.

"Stubborn," he muttered.

"Go home, Olivia," the doctor said.

"I'll stay awhile," I said, "in case he does regain consciousness. I'd like to be here if he does," I said.

"Well . ."

"I couldn't be in a better place, Doctor Covington, if something did happen," I pointed out.

He laughed.

"I suppose not. All right, but try to rest," he said. "I'll stay in touch with the CCU nurse. Right now, I'll go back and let them know you're waiting here."

I thanked him and he left us.

"I'll call Thelma and tell her where we are. Jacob's probably looking for us by now," Samuel said.

"You'd better put in a call to Belinda, too," I told him. "She's been looking for some excuse to leave the school. Now she has it," I added.

"Don't you think you're being a little too hard on her, Olivia?" he asked. I looked up with surprise. "I mean, that's her father in there, too, isn't it?"

I almost laughed.

"Yes, Samuel. That's her father, that's the man she has been unable to sit across the dinner table from. That's the man she's been unable to talk to, to be near, to help.

That's the man she's aggravated all her life. Yes, Samuel, that's her father in there dying."

"I just meant . . . in times like this, you can't harbor bad feelings," he said.

"I don't harbor anything. I just do what has to be done and say what has to be said. Don't worry, I won't make any scenes with her. Just call her. When you come back, bring me something cold to drink."

"Okay," he said and left me.

I sat there alone in the waiting room, staring out the door and thinking about Daddy. He wasn't my daddy really, but I had done more to make him proud than his real daughter, hadn't I? He loved me more. He had to. I was the one who wanted to be here if and when he regained consciousness. It would be me he saw last.

Samuel returned ten minutes later with a cold soda.

"Belinda wasn't in. I left a message," he said. "Are you hungry?"