Against the Odds (Fighting to Survive #2)(43)

“I wonder if Brooke will ever write children’s books?” I ask.

“I highly doubt it. Her romance books have really taken off. Dove told me she is writing another cliffhanger trilogy.”

“I know. I spoke to her a few days ago. It still might be nice if she would do a children’s illustrated book.”

I stand and kiss Gracie and Robert asks, “Are you ready to go home, Sweets?”

I carefully place Gracie in her bed careful to not wake her. Robert bends down to kiss her. “I would like to stay here tonight.”

“Does this have anything to do with what happened with the baby earlier?” he asks.

“It does. I’m worried that something will happen to Gracie and we won’t be here,” I sadly admit. I look up at Robert so he can see the worry in my eyes. “I don’t want to leave her alone anymore. That little baby was alone today,” I whisper.

He searches my eyes, “Being here with her will relieve some of your anxiety?”

“It will.” I look from Robert to Gracie, who is sleeping peacefully. “If something happens I want to be here.”





Chapter Five: Against the Odds

Robert

I know that if something happened to Gracie and she was alone, Leah would never forgive herself. Hell, I wouldn’t forgive myself either. “Let me talk to the nurse first, okay?”

I walk over and speak to the on-duty nurse about the policy on staying the night. I also ask about showers and sleeping arrangements. When I have the information I need, I join Leah. “She said one parent can stay and that they have showers for you to use whenever you want."

“Perfect,” she says, smiling.

“Are you sure you want to do this?”

“I am. She’s gaining weight and hopefully it’ll only be for another week or two.”

“How about we take turn staying? I’ll go home tonight and bring you a bag of clothes and hygiene items in the morning and I’ll stay tomorrow night?”

“Are you afraid I’ll brainwash her before you can?” Leah teases.

“That is exactly my fear,” I smile. She is referring to me referring to Jamie as Daddy’s girl.

“Thank you. You know I love you, don’t you?”

“I never doubt it,” I say my goodbyes to Leah and to Gracie before going home. It’s always hard to leave Gracie, but now I’m leaving Leah, too.

I get to the main lobby and I see Drake Sinclair walking in through the large double doors. He is dressed in a black designer suit, crisp white dress shirt, and a black tie. He looks fresh like he is just starting his day, although it is 9:00 p.m. I watch as he stops by the hospital information desk, never taking his eyes off mine. When I pass by him, he nods but says nothing.

When I get to my Hummer, I see a note on the windshield. It says. I’m onto you. No name and no signature. A knife is also stuck on my driver-side back tire. I go back into the hospital as I think about Sinclair and wonder if it could have been him. As I walk up to the information desk I smile at the young volunteer working. “Hi, I’m here to see my friend but I can’t recall the room number,” I lie. “Can you please help me?”

“Last name?”

“Sinclair.”

I watch as she types something into the hospital database. “I’m sorry, but we don’t have any patients by that name. Maybe they’re at another hospital, perhaps.”

“Perhaps," I say walking away from the desk. I call Bruce and ask him if he can meet me at the hospital. I don’t use the elevator, I take the stairs to the 3rd floor two at a time. I search the hallway of the 3rd floor searching for Sinclair and hoping I don’t see him. So help me, if I find out he is watching my wife and daughter, I will kill him with my bare hands. The N.I.C.U. doors are closed tightly. I don’t go in, I don’t want to alarm Leah.

Gracie’s nurse comes out and she see me and smiles. “Decide to stay after all?”

“I did, but I don’t want my wife to know,” I lie, again. “She’ll just send me home.”


“Well your secret is safe with me,” she says walking towards the elevator. Good, I was planning on that. I walk the halls, and when I don’t see any sign of Sinclair I go back outside and wait for Bruce to come as I change my tire.

When Bruce still isn’t here I decide to wait for him in the waiting area on the 3rd floor. I want to be able to watch Leah while looking out for Bruce. He walks out of the elevator and he looks exhausted. I stand up and extend my hand. “Thank you, for meeting me here.”

“Not a problem. Sorry, it took so long for me to come. I was in the middle of a conference call.”

“I didn’t realize you kept such late hours,” I joke. I sit down and he follows suit. I watch as he loosens his tie and removes his jacket. He is also dressed in a suit, but he doesn’t look as crisp as Drake Sinclair did just an hour ago.

“I didn’t either up until very recently.” He smiles and says, “This must be important.”

I tell him about running into Drake on my way out earlier, about the knife in my tire, and about the note on my windshield. He reads the note and asks to keep it. He tells me about his visit with Drake earlier and about his threats to expose me as being a junkie. I reassure Bruce that I used after Jamie’s death and I have been clean for over a year. I hoped that part of my life wouldn’t resurface again.