Rachel wanted to ask what happened, but didn’t want toberude.
The woman said, “My name’sBailey.”
“Rachel.”
“If you want me to go back to theotherside…”
Rachel couldn’t decide if she wanted company or to be alone, so she didn’t sayanything.
Bailey leaned back slightly. “We were at the company Christmas party. I don’t know why they have them so early in the month. I guess they know that we have other obligations. Anyway, we were driving home from the party when we got into an accident. Henry, my husband, didn’t see a patch of black ice. We skidded off the road. I was thrown out of the car on impact and ironically, it saved me. I wasn’t wearing my seatbelt. Can you believe that? I only have a few scratches butHenry…”
Rachel knew exactly how the other woman felt. Sometimes fate was a monster, claiming people before it was their time. She hoped it wasn’t Jimmy’s time. She hoped it wasn’t Brady’s time either. She needed the two most important men in her life tosurvive.
Bailey asked, “Who are youherefor?”
“My son. Leukemia. And my… well… his father’s here to do a bone marrowtransplant.”
The woman squeezed her hand. “I’m sorry to hear aboutyourson.”
“Thankyou.”
“I’m sure everything will turn out all right. Just like my Henry’s going to be fine. We’ve been married twenty-five years. He’s my soulmate. I couldn’t livewithouthim.”
Rachel smiled through tears. “Brady, my son’s father… well… things arecomplicated.”
“Unfixable?”
“I don’t know. I haven’t had enough timewithhim…”
“When he makes it through the surgery, don’t wait to tell him how you feel. Life’s too short for pettyarguments.”
“It’s more than just a pettyargument.”
Bailey shrugged. “If he didn’t kill anyone, then it’sfixable.”
Rachel realized that she didn’t really know what had happened in Afghanistan. Not that it mattered; he was only doing his duty. But he’d alluded to something bad happening and she hoped he’d be able to talk to her about it. She wanted to know everything about what had happened to him during the four years they’d spentapart.
She sighed. “I’ll talk to him. I think we can work things out. I just hope hemakesit.”
Baileynodded.
Both women looked up as a silver-haired doctor walked into the room. The man held his scrub cap against his chest. The look in his eyes told them everything they neededtoknow.
Bailey screamed. Her face turned a deathly shade of gray. The doctor rushed forward to catch her as she slid to thefloor.
“I need help in here,” heyelled.
Two orderlies ran in and helped him lift Bailey back into the chair. Rachel stood to get out of their way. She backed away from the horrifying scene, wondering if she’d be the next woman to pass out in this room. Blood pounded through her ears to drown out the wailing woman’s ear-splitting screams. Twenty-five years. One fateful patch of black ice. And gone. Life was sofragile.
Rachel stared at the doctor as her vision narrowed as if encapsulated by a dark tunnel. She couldn’t pass out now. Dr. Landry could be coming in at any moment to give her good news. She couldn’t give up hope this easily. Death couldn’t come to take her son and Brady too, could he? Was he thatmerciless?
A loud alarm pierced the relative silence. In the corner of the room, a bright blue light flashed. She stared at it, somehow knowing that it was warning her. But of what? She couldn’t think. The whole world had become a haze of light andsound.
But in an instant, her senses sharpened in a rush of screeching alarms and screamingnurses.
“Code Blue to OR one. Code Blue toORone.”
* * *
