Stella MacLean - Unexpected Attraction

“I—I’m not sure. Shannon is in the emergency room,” the teacher said. “They need you there now.”

Emergency room?

“I’ll—” She took a deep breath. “Tell them I’ll be there right away.” Stunned, Andrea ended the call, only to have her cell phone ring again.

“Is this Shannon Taylor’s mother?” a very cool, professional voice asked.

“Yes. Who’s this?” Tension climbed Andrea’s shoulders.

“My name is Karen. I’m calling from the hospital. Shannon has been injured.”

Andrea held the phone closer to her ear as though that could stop her hands from shaking. “Her teacher just called me. Please tell me what’s going on.”

“Your daughter was brought in with abrasions on her arms, face and knees from a fall onto the sidewalk, or so we believe. The doctor is doing a few tests and a chest X-ray for possible injury to her rib cage.”

There had to be some mistake. “Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

Andrea glanced at her watch. Shannon should have been at the hairdresser an hour ago. She would never change her plans without calling first. Andrea had to call Gina to find out what had happened after the salon appointment. “Who is there with her?” she asked, her mind fumbling for an explanation.

“Kyle Donahue. A classmate, I believe.”

Kyle was in Shannon’s class and was her math tutor. He was always polite and kind when he came to the house. Andrea liked him mostly because Shannon was always happy to have him around. Shannon never discussed the boys in her class other than Kyle, leading Andrea to wonder if they were more than friends. “I don’t understand. My daughter is supposed to be at—”

“Mrs. Taylor, we need you here now.”

“I’m on my way,” she said, her heart racing as she tried to remain calm. She shoved the gearshift into Drive, turned the wheel sharply and did a U-turn in the middle of the street.

She sped toward the interstate as she dialed Gina. When it went to voice mail, she left a message asking Gina to call her immediately. Her friend would be able to fill her in. The accident must have happened after Gina dropped Shannon off at home.

Andrea called her client, explained the situation and promised to set up another appointment as quickly as possible. Fortunately, as a doctor, he understood the urgency. She called her mother’s house. Edna, her mother’s housekeeper, picked up. “Is Mom there?” Andrea asked without preamble.

“Carrie is landing in Chicago as we speak. Can I give her a message?”

“Tell her to call me as soon as she can.”

“I will. Anything wrong? Anything I can do?”

Andrea hesitated. Edna had been her mother’s housekeeper and a part of Andrea’s life for as long as she could remember. Edna loved Shannon as if she were her own granddaughter. “Shannon’s been hurt. I don’t know the details. I’m on the way to the hospital now.”

“No! That can’t be. I’ll come right over.”

She heard tears in Edna’s voice and tried to hold her own at bay as she responded. “Please don’t. I’m sorry to upset you, but I’m sure she’s okay. Just give Mom the message. Tell her to call me as soon as she can.”

Traffic was backed up on the exit that led to Headley Hospital. Andrea gripped the wheel, waiting. Feeling the tension in her shoulders, she forced herself to breathe deeply and slowly. She had to remain calm and in control. Whatever had happened couldn’t be that serious. It seemed impossible that a fall would injure Shannon severely enough to require a trip to the emergency room. She was cheerleader, a good athlete and a physically strong young woman with good reflexes. She would have protected herself if she fell. This didn’t make sense.

Finally the traffic eased forward. Andrea turned onto the street leading to the hospital then made her way into the parking garage. In a matter of minutes she’d be with her little girl.

She hurried to the reception desk inside the emergency department. “I’m Andrea Taylor. I’m here to see my daughter, Shannon.”

“There is a waiting room for family members. I’ll let the staff know you’re here. Please follow the red dots just beyond the door,” the woman at the desk said.

With a click the doors slowly opened, and Andrea went in, making her way along the wide corridor leading into the brightly lit space.

Inside the waiting room there were groupings of chairs and a refreshment stand with a coffeepot and bottled water. Relieved to see the room empty, Andrea fought back the worry she’d been struggling with.

Moving toward a comfortable chair near the center of the room, she glanced around at the muted blue walls displaying paintings by local artists. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and tried to calm herself.

The clock on the wall behind the sofa clunked at each passing minute. The coffeepot hissed. The muffled sounds emanating from the hospital corridor did nothing to soothe her anxiety. How long would she have to wait? They’d told her to get here as soon as possible. She was here. Where were they? Unable to sit still any longer, Andrea clutched her purse and stood. Sliding her hands up her arms, she walked around the room, looking for a distraction.

Suddenly there was a woman wearing blue scrubs and a white lab coat standing at the door. “Mrs. Taylor?”

Andrea’s heart felt as if it were going to leap out of her chest. “Yes.”

“I’m Dr. Janet Everett. I’ve examined Shannon. She has some cuts and a bruised knee, a welt on her forehead. We’re running a few tests on her now.”

“What happened? Why would a fall on the sidewalk result in my daughter being brought to the hospital?”

“An ambulance was called to the scene, so obviously someone was very concerned. As far as I know, she didn’t lose consciousness. Your daughter has said very little other than that she fell. A young man came in with her but left about ten minutes ago.”

“Kyle Donahue?” Why had Kyle left Shannon alone instead of waiting for Andrea to arrive? Was he involved somehow in what happened? And how had Shannon ended up being hurt when she was supposed to be at home?

“I believe that’s the name, but your daughter should be able to tell you.” The doctor’s quizzical expression made Andrea feel inadequate, as if she should have known who was with her daughter. And she should have... Which was a problem she intended to fix as soon as she could see Shannon.

Dr. Everett’s glance swept over her. “Are you okay?”

Shannon had never been in the hospital before. Not once. She must be so frightened by all this. “I—I think so. When can I see her?”

“In a few minutes.” The doctor’s weary smile didn’t offer much comfort.

Andrea stood still, trying to absorb it all, trying to calm her racing heart. She had more questions after speaking with the doctor. She still couldn’t understand how Shannon could have fallen and why an ambulance had been called. If Kyle was with her, why hadn’t he grabbed her before she hit the sidewalk? None of this made sense.

The ring of her phone sent a spike of adrenaline through Andrea.

She checked the caller ID. Scott Taylor?

Her ex-husband was the last person she wanted to speak with now, yet she couldn’t ignore him. “Scott, why are you calling me?”

“Shannon just phoned. Did you know she’s in the hospital?”

Why would Shannon call her father? The man only wanted contact with their daughter when he needed something. “Yes. I’m at the hospital now.”

“Have you seen her yet?”

“I’m on my way to her room in a few minutes,” Andrea said, the old feelings of inadequacy roiling her stomach.

“What are you doing to help her?” Scott demanded, his voice suddenly loud and angry. “You’d better be looking after her.”