Second Chance Pass (Virgin River #5)(85)

A half hour later he was back upstairs, sitting outside the surgery. He saw the second hand pass through every minute for two hours before John finally came out of surgery. Jack stood up.

“We made it in time, Jack—we got so lucky. We had a helicopter in flight, not far from you—a miracle in itself. She got critical drugs in time, thanks to you digging through her bag. But, Jack—I wasn’t able to save her uterus. I’m sorry. I know you wanted more children.”

Jack fell into the chair, his elbows on his knees, his head in his hands. His shoulders shook briefly as relief poured out of him, and when he looked back up at John, tears ran down his stubbled cheek and he said, “Man, the uterus doesn’t mean anything. I can’t live without her.”

John put a strong hand on his shoulder. “You have many years with her left to you, my friend.”

“God, thank you. Thank you, John.”

“You and Susan made a good team, then putting that baby to the breast to nurse,” John said, shaking his head in wonder.

“It wasn’t the baby,” Jack said weakly, wondering if his legs would ever hold him upright again. Remembering his fear that his last memory of his beloved wife would be taking her milk as he tried anything to keep her alive. “Emma wouldn’t nurse. I did it.”

“Hmm,” John said. “You might’ve given us the couple of minutes we needed to save her life.”



Jack called Brie to tell her Mel was out of surgery, then he stood at the recovery-room doors without moving for another two hours until he was allowed in. A unit of blood dangled above her, but her skin was still pasty white, her eyes dark and sunken, her lips so dry they appeared cracked. She looked so tiny, it was scary. He bent over her, slipping an arm under her shoulders, lifting her a bit. He pressed his lips against her forehead and her eyes opened weakly. “Jack,” she whispered.

“Aw, Mel, you scared me just terrible,” he said.

“There won’t be any more babies, Jack,” she said.

“We have all we need. Two perfect, healthy kids.”

“I know you were going to try to sneak one more by me…”

“I wasn’t going to,” he said. “I promised you time to enjoy your kids. I have more with you and them than I ever thought I’d have.”

“Well,” she said, a weak laugh escaping her. “As long as you’re within reach, I’m destined to never have a period.”

This was so like her, to joke around with him when she’d nearly died. “Close your eyes and rest, Mel. I’ll stay with you. I won’t leave you.”

“I want to be with my children,” she whispered, her eyes closing.

“Pretty soon, Mel. Shh. Pretty soon I’ll take you home.”

He held her like that, stooped over her bed rail, for another hour. The nurse tried to urge him away to check her bleeding, but he wasn’t inclined to go. John came up to the three of them and said to the nurse, “I got it.” He pulled the curtains around the bed. “They don’t understand about you,” John said to Jack. “I guess if you can deliver your own children, you’re all checked out on peri-pads.”

“All checked out,” Jack said, dropping another kiss on her brow. “You going to stay all day?” he asked John.

“I haven’t figured out how I’m getting back to Grace Valley yet. Plus, I want to run in another unit of blood. I’ll stick around for that at least.”

“You aren’t hanging around because she’s in any danger, are you?”

“Nope. I’m hanging around to keep you from being thrown out.” He lifted the sheet and as he gently pulled apart her legs, she roused briefly. “Good,” John said. “Looking much better.”

“Better,” Jack told Mel.

“You should think about getting back to your kids,” John suggested. “Once I figure out the transportation, I can take you.”

“Not until she’s fully conscious and knows why I’m not here. Preacher would come for me. We’ll work that out,” Jack said.

“I’m going to turn her over to Larson, and he’s going to keep her a few days,” John said.

“You have to get her a breast pump. You know how she is about nursing. And Emma’s the last one—you know how she is.”

“She’ll get a pump, don’t worry.”

Another hour passed, Mel rousing from time to time, Jack holding her all the while. John came in again and said, “We’re going to take her to her room now, and there’s someone out in the hall to see you. Meet us upstairs—306.”

“Okay,” Jack said, gently lowering Mel’s shoulders to the bed. “I’ll be with you in a minute, baby. You’re going to your room now.”

When Jack walked through the swinging doors there stood Doc, leaning heavily on his cane, looking both frazzled and exhausted, as if he’d aged years in a few hours. Doc had driven all the way over that mountain pass to get here. It would’ve taken hours. Jack stepped up to him and put out a hand. “It was close,” he said.

Doc shook his head. “Thank God. We can’t do without her now.”

“No,” Jack said. “We can’t.”

“When can I see her?”