Acting On Temptation (Temptations) (18 page)

              She looks back at me, “No Sweetie, she was on her way too. She hadn’t gotten there yet.”

             
I nod, “Oh.”

Luckily we are only minutes away from the hospital but even those minutes fel
t like eternity.   Hugh brings the car to a screeching halt in a parking space outside the ER.  We go running in like crazy people.  Luckily security leads us right back to where the family is waiting. Mary is sobbing.  Hugh and Amy rush over to her, she looks up at them and falls apart.

             
I can’t hear what they are saying but Hugh drops to his knees.  I’m beginning to freak out a little, “Where’s Gabby?  I need to find Gabby.”

             
Russ grabs my hand and we walk to where his family is sitting with his Aunt and Dad sobbing.  Amy looks up, “Anna, Gabby is getting checked out she was in the back seat.  Linc is in critical condition in surgery right now.”

             
We both nod and then it hits Russ, “Wait what about Uncle Marshall?”

             
Amy shakes her head, “He was gone by the time they got here.  It was pronounced when the ambulance arrived with him.”

             
I need to see my sister, “I’m going to find Gabby and make someone let me to her.”

Amy looks up, “Russ, honey go help Anna find out about Gabby, please.  If I get any news on Linc I’ll let you know.”

              Russ nods and we walk off, I can tell he’s so worried about Linc and upset about his Uncle.  They’d just made such progress in their relationship.  I’m tucked under Russ’s arm when we get to the E.R. nurses station. 

             
I step forward, “Ma’am, I’m Anna Lewis my sister Gabriella Lewis was just brought in a little while ago.  Can I please see her?”

             
The nurse looks something up on the computer, “You’re her sister?”

             
I nod, “Yes ma’am, I’m the only family she has here.  Her fiancé is in surgery.”

             
She nods, “Okay come this way.  Now she’s been sedated a little.  She was in pretty big shock when she came in.  So she may sleep through your visit, but I’ll get Dr. Blain and let him talk to you.”

             
I walk into a small room with the curtains drawn, when I look at Gabby’s face, its cut and scratched.  There are stitches and bandages all over her arms.  I start sobbing, I run to her side, “Gabby?”

             
She looks up at me and groggily says, “Anna?  Where are Linc and Marshall?”

             
I look at her, so sad, I can’t tell her.  “They are checking them out right now.”

             
She nods and doses back off to sleep. I look over at Russ shaking my head, “I just couldn’t.”

             
He holds me close to his chest, stroking my hair, “Do you want me to call your Dad?”

             
Oh my God I hadn’t even thought about Dad.  I shake my head, “No it needs to come from me, will you stay here in case the doctor comes in and tell him I’ll be right back.”

             
He nods, “Yes Sweetie.”

Russ

              Standing here looking at Gabby all cut, beaten and bruised I’m scared to think what Linc looks like.  I’m scared to find out what his condition is.  I can’t even think about losing him.  What if Linc dies, he’s my best friend, and he’s my cousin and basically my brother.  I love him; if something were to happen to him I’d be lost.  Gabby would be devastated as would my Aunt Mary.  Poor Aunt Mary, her world is falling apart.  God Uncle Marshall, he and my Dad were getting along so much better and he’d just apologized to me for everything he’d said.  I feel something wet on my face and I wipe it.  I realize I’m crying.

             
About that time Anna steps back in the room, “He’s on his way.  I felt bad I really didn’t have much to tell him about Gabby.  Has the doctor still not been in?”

             
I shake my head unable to speak; my world is in such limbo. 

             
Anna wraps herself around me and we both have a good cry.  She looks at me with those big green eyes, “Russ, if something happens to Linc, I don’t think she’ll be able to handle it.  He completes her.”

             
I nod, “I know Sweetie, and I’d be lost too.”

             
She looks up at me, “Oh God Linc I’m so sorry.  I’m so inconsiderate.  Your cousin is in surgery, your uncle died.  All I can think about is my sister and she’s going to be okay, I guess.  I’ll find out whenever the doctor gets in here.”

             
I look down at her, “Baby its okay and we’re all losing it a little.”

             
About that time the door slides open, “Ms. Lewis, I’m Dr. Blain.”

             
We nod and Anna shakes his hand, “Can you tell me anymore about my sister than what I see right here?”

             
He smiles, “Okay she suffered several cuts and gashes, and her cheek bone is fractured.  But everything with her looks really good.  She was in the back seat, so she took the least amount of impact.”

             
Anna nods, “Okay, um we know that her soon to be father in law passed away can you tell us anything about her fiancé?  This is his cousin.”

             
“Mr. Addison is in surgery.  He sustained some broken bones and a little internal bleeding, even though he’s in critical condition the surgeon is very optimistic.”

             
I’m nodding, “Is there any worry about him being paralyzed or anything?”

             
The doctor looks at us, “No he and Ms. Lewis are out of the woods on that.  They should both be fully recovered and doing well by the time the baby gets here.”

             
I look at Anna whose mouth is hanging open like mine, the doctor looks like he just told a government secret.

             
He looks at us, “I’m taking it you didn’t know that Ms. Lewis is pregnant?”

             
Anna shakes her head, “No.  I don’t think she did either.  Um is the baby…is the baby okay?”

             
He nods his head, “I’m sorry you found out like this, I’m even sorrier that she’s going to find out like this.  The baby is fine, strong healthy heartbeat and good movement.  She’s eleven weeks and two days from the ultrasound we did.  We were going to wake her up soon and talk to her.”

             
Anna looks at him and gives a soft smile, “Um if you don’t mind can we let her rest until we find out about Linc’s surgery and I would like to be the one to tell her about the baby.  She may freak out a little.  Also, since I don’t think they know can we not tell anyone else.  This may be a little bit too much for Mary, since she just lost her husband, also our Dad will be here soon and I’m sure Gabby would like to tell him herself; after her and Linc both know.”

             
He nods, “I understand sibling love, I have a couple myself.  I’ll instruct the staff not to say anything, that the news would be best coming from you.”  He pats us on the shoulders, “I’ll let you know when Mr. Addison is out of surgery.”  With that he leaves the room.

             
After the door shuts Anna looks at me with huge eyes, “Do you think they knew?”

             
“Linc and Gabby?  No, I think we’d of heard the commotion.”

             
“Holy crap Russ, how do I tell her all of this?  I mean this is good, but at such an awful time.”

             
About that time my mom comes in the door.  Anna and I give each other the look like we aren’t saying anything.  My mom walks in and brushes Gabby’s hair back from her face looking back at Anna, “Oh Anna baby I’m so sorry, I know you’re worried about her.”

             
Anna nods, “The doctor says she’ll be okay she just has a lot of healing to do.  He feels like Linc will be okay too.”

             
Mom nods, “Yeah, they told Mary that they were very optimistic on Linc.  But poor Mary has lost the love of her life.  She’s happy that the kids are going to be okay, but I’m afraid she’s going to be lost without him.”

             
Anna looks up at me knowing that she’s thinking the same thing, we’d be lost without each other.  She gives a small smile, “I need to go call Cade.”

             
I nod, “I’ll stay here in case she wakes up.”

             
Anna nods and steps out of the door.  I look over at Gabby, wow she and Linc are going to be parents, they just got engaged- holy crap this has been a crazy Christmas.

             
Mom looks over at me, “How are you two doing?  This is a lot for both of you.  Did someone call their Dad?”

             
I shrug, “We are doing okay, holding it together.  Anna called their dad a little bit ago.  He’s on his way.”

             
My mom nods, “Ok sweetie.”

             
I look over at her, “How’s dad doing?  I mean he and Uncle Marshall were getting so close?  I mean Uncle Marshall had just apologized to me the other night for all the Sabrina stuff.”

             
She nods sadly, “Your dad is taking it pretty rough right now.  He and Mary are leaning on each other.  I think he’s taking it better than if they had still been resentful toward each other.  He knows that his brother loved him and that his brother knew how much he loved him.  I think maybe God was trying to make sure they’d healed their relationship before this happened.  So there were no regrets.”

             
I nod, “Yeah, maybe you’re right.”

             
She nods, “I’m going to go back and check on everyone else, and when Linc is out I’ll let you know.”

             
I nod as she kisses the top of my head and leaves.

Anna

              Once I’m finally off the phone with Cade and Daria.  I walk back into the room where Gabby is and Russ is sitting with his face in his hands.  I walk over to the chair beside him, “Hey baby.” He looks up at me and has been crying.  I can’t take that, I start crying and we just sit there holding each other for a while. 

             
He finally pulls back, “So did you get up with Daria or Cade?”

             
I nod, “Yeah, they’ll be here as soon as they can make the drive.”

             
He nods, “Sorry, I was so upset when you came in.”

             
I lay my head on his chest, “It’s okay.  You are like me you’re worried about everyone right now.”

             
“Yeah, I mean.  All I could think is what if that had been us, what if I was sitting here while you were in surgery or you were sitting here while I was in surgery.  I just don’t think I could take that.”

             
“Hey, but it wasn’t okay.  Gabby is going to be fine, Linc is gonna be fine and the baby will be fine.”

             
He shakes his head, “I just still can’t believe they’re going to be parents.”

             
I shake my head too, “I know, I can’t imagine.”

             
He looks at me dead serious, “What if it was us?  What would you want to do?”

             
I look at him with confusion, “Baby, what’s going on in that head of yours?  I mean I hope you don’t want us to have a baby just because they are.  That’s just what my family needs a third pregnant person.”  I let out a laugh, “My Mom is going to be a new mom and Grandma all around the same time.  Hope she likes them apples.”

             
Russ snickers and looks at me, “No what I mean is, if that did happen to us accidentally, would you be okay with it?”

             
I shrug, “It wouldn’t be my first plan, but the day I told you that I was allergic to latex and we couldn’t use condoms, I knew there would be risks with us having sex.  Even if we had been able to use condoms they don’t always work.  So, yes I knew then that if we happened to get pregnant, well you and I would figure it out.”

             
He kisses me on the mouth hard and full of need, “Marry me Anna.”

             
My mouth drops open, but before I can say anything my Father comes in.

             
“Daddy.”

             
He walks to me and pulls me in this great big hug.

             
We begin talking about what the doctor has told me about Gabby, well everything but the big secret.  I tell him what we’ve heard about Linc and about Marshall.

             
He looks over to me, “Your Mother will be here tomorrow.”