The Price (29 page)

Sheer human curiosity outweighed the fear. She untied the gown in the front until she could see her partial flesh. There wasn’t much to see other than bandages and the surgical brassiere that she would have to wear for the next two weeks along with a drain tube stemming from the brazier and filling a small pouch taped to her stomach. She turned sideways, trying to see her back. All she saw was a large white bandage.

Kate fought back the urge to cry as she re-tied her gown. She wasn’t exactly sure why she wanted to cry for it wasn’t as bad as she thought or at least the appearance didn’t look so gruesome. Maybe it was possible to lead a normal life after a mastectomy after all. It seemed to help with her strength, and she decided she could make it back to the bed on her own.

Just as she was lowering herself to a sitting position on the bed, the nurse came back in.

“Well look at you,” she smiled.

“I decided to do the marathon on my own,” said Kate.

“Do you want me to help you lie back?”

“No, I think I’ll sit like this for a few minutes.”

Since Kate was sitting, the nurse tidied her bed, fluffing her pillows, and tucking the sheets back under the mattress.

“So where’s the hubby, today?” she asked.

“He went home to check on our son,” said Kate and seeing the woman seemed relieved.

“I didn’t know you have a son,” she stated. “How old is he?”

“Jesse is six months,” said Kate, missing him. “Jack should be bringing him by later.”

“Is he crawling yet?” the nurse asked, talking idly while she straightened the hospital tray.

“Not yet but he’s a rocker,” Kate smiled. The more she talked about him the faster she wanted Jack to return with their son.

“I bet he’ll be crawling in no time,” the nurse exclaimed.

Kate heard a tap on the door. Her eyes grew wide with anticipation of seeing her son. Instead of Jack and their curly blond-haired boy, she saw a man with jet-black hair and a trimmed goatee walk through the door carrying a bouquet of flowers.

“Paul?” Kate blinked in astonishment.

“Hey, Katie,” Paul replied, and strolled over to the bed. He kissed her square on the lips ever so briefly then held out the flowers. “These are for you.”

“They’re beautiful,” exclaimed Kate, seeing a display of orchids the shade of tangerines mixed with an assortment of other exotic flowers. “Please, help me by putting them on the table.”

“Sure,” said Paul, setting them on the table the nurse just moments before cleaned.

“I’ll give you two some privacy.” The nurse exited by the door but lingered for a moment as her curiosity got the better of her.

Kate glanced at the nosy nurse who shrugged nervously, then made a quick dash out the door.

“What are you doing here?” she asked, returning her attention back to Paul now that they were alone.

“I came to check on you and see how you are doing,” he answered. “By the looks of it you’re doing pretty well.”

“They made me get up and walk, but now I’m stuck in this position since the nurse abandoned me.”

“You want to lie back in bed?” he asked. Kate nodded her head. “Here, let me help you.”

Paul scooped her up in his arms and with gentle ease lifted her until she was situated in the middle of the bed with her back resting upright alongside the mattress. She sprawled out her legs and he covered them with the blanket.

“Thanks,” she said, almost nervously.

“You’re welcome.” He sat on the edge of the bed and brushed away a stray hair from her face.

His gray eyes went intense, staring at her with adoration. It was rather awkward to say the least. Kate found herself looking at everything but Paul.

“The orchids are gorgeous,” said Kate, focusing on the flowers.

“Are they still your favorite?”

“You remembered,” she said with an awkward smile.

“I remember everything you like.” He took her hand and placed it in his palm. He began massaging it like he did when they were married. “I remember doing this for you after being on the computer for hours on end. Your hands used to get so tired and you said doing this energized you.”

“I remember,” said Kate, wishing she could shift in the bed. Instead her attention went to the door, staring at the lighted exit sign in red.

“Is it helping now?” He continued to massage.

“I don’t know,” she flushed. “They have me strung out on some pretty powerful narcotics.”

“You want me to stop?”

“I think it would be best.” She withdrew her hand.

“So how long before you get sprung from this place?” he asked, making himself more comfortable on the bed.

“A few days I suppose.” Kate concealed her hand under the blanket and rubbed her palm with her fingers.

“When they discharge you, I would be happy to take you home,” he said, and laid his palm over the blanket to stop her hand from fidgeting.

“Uh…I appreciate the offer but Jack is taking me home.” Once more, she looked nervously looked at the door.

“So where is your husband?”

“He went to check on Jesse,” she said, returning her attention back to the man she once knew so well. “He should be back any minute.”

“You say he went to Marnie’s?” Paul got a puzzled look on his face.

“Yes, he left after breakfast.”

“I stopped by Marnie’s this morning before coming here,” he replied. “Jack wasn’t at the house—hadn’t been there all morning. From what Marnie told me, Maria was with Jesse and she was a bit perturbed.”

“Maybe I should call him,” said Kate, suddenly worried that something happened to Jack, and she leaned over to pick up her cell phone lying next to the flowers Paul brought her on the side table.

“I wouldn’t worry about your lustrous husband,” he frowned, removing it from her hand and setting it aside. “I saw him talking to a pretty little blond in the hospital’s parking lot when I pulled up.”

“That doesn’t sound like Jack.” Her blue eyes flashed with confusion. “He’s supposed to bring Jesse to see me this morning.”

“Maybe he got sidetracked.”

Seeing the worried look on her face, he reached for her hand again.

“I didn’t mean to upset you,” he said as he brought her hand to his lips and bestowed a loving kiss.

“I’m not upset,” said Kate, hitting the red button for more pain meds. “I’m suddenly very tired.”

She didn’t want to talk anymore as an unsettled feeling formed in her belly.

“Well, why don’t you close your eyes and try to rest,” he said in a soothing voice. “I’ll stay right by your side until you fall asleep.”

Kate closed her eyes and prayed the medication would set in quickly. She needed to shut her mind down from all the terrible thoughts running through it. She found herself drifting, the medication making her groggy. Sleep over-took her, and she found herself dreaming…dreaming of black stallions and thundering locomotives.

Jack stepped from the elevator with Jesse sprawled on his hip and a diaper bag swung over his shoulder. He walked past the nurse’s station and paused when several nurses and aides raced to his side to gush over his son.

“Oh my God, he is the cutest thing,” the bubbly aide with blond hair exclaimed as she reached out and grabbed the child’s chubby fingers.

Jesse gave her a big smile then he reached for her long blond hair and wrapped his fingers in it pulling her toward him.

“You have to be careful around him and hair,” Jack laughed, working to untangle Jesse’s fingers from the blond strands.

“Isn’t he adorable?” said the one nurse with short red hair who Jack recognized from an earlier visit with Kate. She clapped her hands together and Jesse reached out for her to hold him. “Can I?”

“Sure, go ahead,” he said, brimming with fatherly pride and he handed over his son.

“You are a living doll!” she exclaimed.

Jesse reached for her stethoscope, focusing on the toy elephant attached to it. He brought it to his mouth and began chewing on it.

“He’s teething.” Jack pulled the stuffed animal from his mouth and replaced it with a hard plastic teething ring. “He’s breaking in his fourth tooth.”

“Maybe it’s a good thing your mommy stopped nursing,” she laughed. “I remember when mine were little like this. Teeth were a killer.”

No cancer was the killer
, Jack thought to himself. Kate never complained once about her son’s grip or his teeth.

“So how is my wife doing this morning?” he asked, pulling the horrible thought from his mind.

“She got up and walked to the bathroom all on her own,” she stated.

“Good for her!” Jack smiled with relief.

“She’s making progress,” she continued. “She was even up for company today.”

“She had company?” Jack questioned, wondering who had come to visit Kate since he just left Marnie back at the mansion.

“At first I thought it was her brother,” she replied, a little too eager to spread the gossip. “But he acted a little too personal if you know what I mean.”

Jack’s eyes narrowed a little.

“What’d he look like?” he asked.

“Kind of good-looking with black hair, trimmed goatee,” she paused. “You know, preppy-like…”

The jaw of Jack’s face tightened and a frown formed on his face. He knew right away who her visitor was and he didn’t care much for it.

“He’s still with her, if you want to go back?” she added.

“Damn right I want to go back!” Jack reached for his son and placed him on his hip.

Small talk was over. Jack marched down the hall with arrogant determination fueled by a fire of rage burning inside him. He almost kicked the door in storming into the room, and came to an abrupt halt when he found Paul sitting on the bed holding a sleeping Kate’s hand.

“What are you doing here?” Jack barked in a low growl.

“Shh, she’s sleeping,” said Paul in a hushed tone. “Let’s talk outside.”

Jack propped the door open with his foot and waited for Paul to walk past him before entering the hallway. Jack followed, making sure the door closed behind him. He took several steps down the hall then turned and glared at Kate’s ex-husband.

“You’re pressing your luck, Harris,” Jack snarled. “You should know by now I’m not a man you should be pissing off.”

“Are you threatening me again?” Paul stood firm.

“Take it any way you want,” said Jack. “I want you to leave.”

“Well that isn’t for you to decide,” he stated, feeling a little secure considering the intimidating man had a baby in his arms. “As a matter of fact, you and I shouldn’t even be having this conversation. I have a restraining order against you and it states you aren’t to get any closer than two hundred yards of me.”

“Then I suggest you high-tail it out of here,” Jack snorted.

“Maybe it should be the other way around,” deemed Paul as a slow smile formed on his face. “I was here first.”

“Oh, you are treading on some dangerous ground.” Jack clenched his teeth. “I’m going in to see Kate, and I’m taking
our
son with me.”

“Sorry
buster
, it doesn’t work like that,” said Paul smugly. “I could call the police right now and have you arrested for violating the restraining order.”

“Go ahead, what the hell do I care,” Jack snarled. “That’s my wife lying in that hospital bed. No cop in their right mind would arrest me for staying close to my wife.”

Jesse began to struggle in his arms and balled up his fists and smacked his daddy in the chest.

“You’re not in Nevada anymore, cowboy!” exclaimed Paul. “The law is in my back pocket here in Santa Cruz and as far as my friends are concerned in the SCPD, you’re in violation.”

“What are you getting at?” Jack’s eyes narrowed, cold like steel.

He wasn’t familiar with the laws in this crazy county. He was not back home and under the blanket of protection of the local sheriff. He didn’t want to repeat his last encounter with Santa Cruz’s finest. It would crush Kate, and the last thing he wanted was to upset his wife.

“I’m just saying, it would be a shame for me to force my hand, considering you have your son present,” stated Paul, playing his final move and check-mating his opponent. “If I call the police, they’ll haul your ass in jail and Child Protective Services takes your kid since Kate is incapacitated at the moment.”

“You wouldn’t dare?” Jack challenged.

“Try me,” he gloated.

“You would do that to Kate?” His eyes narrowed with disgust. “Have her son taken away while she was trying to get well. What kind of man are you?”

“The question is what kind of man are you?” Paul smiled with triumph. “Kate would never forgive you for not protecting her son.”

“I think you’re bluffing,” growled Jack.

“You willing to take that chance?” Paul raised a clever brow. “That little guy of yours is one cute kid. Be a shame for him to have to be away from his mother and father, and stay with some stranger for a few months until you can get him back.”

Jack hated to be bested. There wasn’t anything he would like better than to punch that stupid look off Paul’s face. A part of him doubted the police could do anything to him. After all, he was the spouse of an ill patient and Paul had no rights to visitation. But, on the other hand, it seemed like Kate’s ex and her mother had influence in this community and he doubted he held any merit, as far as the police were concerned. If he was arrested, they would take his son and Kate would be left at the mercy of Paul and her mother. It was a slim chance Paul was telling the truth, but Jack was not about to risk losing his son.

“Fine, I’ll leave for now,” Jack growled in compliance to Paul’s demand. “But mark my words this isn’t over.”

With that, Jack strode down the hall, passing the nurse’s station on his way to the elevators.

“Can you call me on my cell phone when that asshole leaves?” Jack’s request was more like an order as he addressed both the nurse and the aide.

He didn’t wait for a response as he headed for the elevator.

“Where you going?” the blond-haired aide called after him.

“I’ll be in the cafeteria waiting,” said Jack, pressing the button to the elevator and seeing its doors automatically open.

They watched an irate Jack McBride and son step in-to the elevator. They both glanced with confusion in the opposite direction and saw the dark-haired man with a satisfied smile on his face turn and walk down the hall, returning to Jack McBride’s wife.