Back Country (The Country Duet #2)(39)

“Hunter, I think you have the biggest ranch. I love it there.”

The proud papa inside me wants to tell her good job for hitting each sound in her sentence, but I refrain from it.

“We’ll live there forever one day, Baker.”

“I can’t wait, and I can ride that pony all day long right, Daddy?”

My hands freeze in her hair, and pure emotion strikes me hard in the gut. I fight to find the words, but every single one of them gets lodged deep in my throat.

“Right, Daddy?”

Teale clears her throat, and I turn to see her leaning up against the wall with her arms crossed.

“Right, baby girl,” I manage to croak out, feeling like the champion of the world at this moment.

“I love that pony.” Baker goes on about the little horse that will be hers on the ranch.

“You know your momma use to tease me about that pony. She thought it was pretend.”

“Momma, you’re so silly.”

Teale sits down next to us, then hands me a coffee mug. I have to take it easy on the black coffee to not upset my stomach, but the straight shot of caffeine is too hard to stay away from.

“Remember, Hun…” Teale pauses and corrects herself. “Daddy will be gone four days.”

Baker stands up with a worried expression covering her delicate features. “Promise you’ll come back.”

“Not even the wildest Indians could keep me away from my girls.” I grab her and hug her tight, then begin my tickle attack.

I drop her off like I do every Thursday morning at preschool. I’ve scoped out the boy named Carl, and make sure to give him an, ‘I’ll kick your ass,’ glare every single time. A bit childish, but the little ass better leave my girl alone.

I decide to race down to the nursing home to visit Dave before classes. I’ll be pulling a long shift at the university feedlot today to make sure everything is taken care of while I’m gone on my field trip.

The nursing home buzzes with workers racing in every direction. A few of the nurses give me a wave and a warm smile. I’m sure they’re happy I’m here to occupy Dave for an hour or so.

“Dave,” I holler louder than expected when I walk into his room.

His hands are planted on the floor, and his whole body trembling with his ass and legs still in the bed. I race over to him, helping him sit back up.

“What’s going on?”

“I keep leaning that way. I can’t sit up straight.” His body trembles as he fights to talk.

I’m thrown straight into panic mode, pushing him to the other side of his bed and then rushing out into the hall hollering for help. A set of nurses rush into the room. Chaos ensues as one of them calls for an ambulance to transport him to the hospital.

“What’s going on?” I grip the back of my neck with the question going ignored again.

I glimpse the manager of the nursing home walking by, and snag her by the arm determined to get answers.

“What’s going on with Dave?” I do my best to tamp down the hysteria threatening to erupt inside of me.

“His potassium levels have been through the roof, and we’ve been monitoring him.”

“He was hanging out of his goddamn bed when I got here!”

She, too, rushes past me. Everyone has blown into a full out tizzy with Dave’s condition. I stay by his side until he’s loaded into the ambulance, then tail it to the hospital.

I blow through a few red stoplights, fighting to keep up with the whaling vehicle in front of me.

“Shit.” I pound the steering with so much force my hand aches. “C’mon Dave, pull through this.”

By the time I sprint into the ER waiting room, I’ve lost track of the ambulance and Dave for that matter. I go through the same shit show I do every time at the front desk. There’s a new receptionist asking for identification to prove I’m Dave’s son. I don’t give a shit the last names don’t match.

“Sorry, Sir, I’m going to have to get clearance from Mr. Hendricks first.”

“I’m all he has.” I slap my ball cap on the counter. “He’s not in good shape, and I need to get back to him now.”

“Sir, I’ll be forced to call security if you don’t calm down.”

“Go ahead and call damn security, it might help me get back there to see him.”

“Hunter?” A familiar voice joins our conversation. “He’s back this way.”

I’m relieved when I see the nurse Dave and I both drooled over a while back. She grabs my arm, leading me to him.

“Do you have any idea what’s going on?”

She peers over to me with a sad look in her eyes. “It’s kidney failure. His potassium is sky high. He’s on so many medications his kidneys can’t filter what they need.”

I drop my head, keeping up pace. “That’s bad.”

It doesn’t even come out as a question, but rather a statement. She also doesn’t have to acknowledge the fact it’s a terrible predicament.

“Once the kidneys begin to fail, the other main organs come next.” She grips my arm tighter. “Hunter, you need to prepare yourself. I’m not a doctor, and I’m sure there are options, but just know.”

I nod, then freeze outside the door to his room. Dave’s voice floats out into the hallway calling for his boy. The desperation in his voice cracks me. Tears flow, and I don’t even have the will to hold them back any longer. The harsh time of reality is staring me right in the face, and I hate it.