Roz Fox - Texas Mum

She barely slept. Once she got on the plane, however, she convinced herself that all she could do was to face each hurdle as it came up. She needed to place all her hopes on Dario Sanchez being the perfect match.

Chapter Three

Delaney’s flight home wasn’t a nonstop. When she landed in Miami, she checked her messages and found she had a voice mail from Dr. Avery. Her body went icy, then hot, then icy again. Her steps faltered as she searched for a semiquiet spot to listen.

“I’m sorry to bother you on your trip, Delaney,” the message started off. “Nickolas told me you would be home tonight. I have some information that will undoubtedly affect some of your plans. Dr. Von Claus contacted me with good news. His expansion grant was accepted. He wants Nickolas admitted in San Antonio, and he’s arranged for a bed as soon as we can fly Nickolas down. We spoke at length, and I agree it’s the best option for Nick. I took the liberty of lining up a medical flight for the two of you tomorrow afternoon. Of course it hinges on your approval.”

In spite of the butterflies in her stomach, Delaney quickly called him back. “This is Delaney,” she said when Dr. Avery answered.

“Goodness, are you back in town already?” he asked.

“No, I have a layover in Miami. Does this mean Nickolas won’t need a marrow transplant after all?”

“No, no. He must have a marrow donor. But Dr. Von Claus’s program has been successful in stimulating the patient’s energy, which lets his team lower the frequency of radiation. All of that will hopefully give you more time to find a marrow donor.”

“His father has reluctantly agreed to fly to Texas for blood tests.”

“That’s wonderful! I hadn’t received any test requests. So, he’s coming here, rather than being tested in Buenos Aires?”

“Yes, he wants DNA tests done first. It’s infuriating and humiliating.”

“I’m sorry, Delaney. Some men find it difficult to face hard truths.”

“That’s a nice way of saying he’s being a jerk.”

“Ah...well, it’s a matter of opinion, I suppose. And you’re entitled to your feelings. When is he arriving?”

“Dario needs a few days to wind up his business before he leaves Argentina. I’m not totally sure when he plans to get here.”

“I’ll alert Dr. Von Claus to prepare documents needed for all the tests. One thing in your favor, Delaney, with the larger facility in San Antonio, they have much greater access to labs. DNA results shouldn’t take long.”

“I guess that’s something. You know I’m for anything that has a shred of promise to help Nick get better. Please, arrange the transfer, Dr. Avery. I’ll sign authorizations tonight. It will be midnight or later, but I’ll come straight to the hospital from the airport.”

“I’ll leave the necessary release forms with the ward clerk on Nick’s floor.” He gave her a bit more information about the receiving hospital, then said, “Delaney, don’t be too hard on Nick’s father. Remember we want his cooperation. The old saying is you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.”

“I know. I really do know that.” It was just so disappointing that he didn’t believe her. Didn’t trust her. After she hung up, Delaney took several deep breaths. Then she scrolled to Maria Sofia’s number. She should have gotten a number from Dario when he contacted her at the hotel, but she’d been so irritated by his attitude that she’d forgotten to ask.

The girl answered on the second ring, but their connection had static. “Maria Sofia, this is Delaney Blair.”

“Are you still in Argentina?”

“No, I left Buenos Aires early this morning. I’m awaiting my connection in Miami. Could you give Dario a message? Nickolas’s doctors will be moving him to San Antonio tomorrow.” She gave the girl the name of the facility. “I hope Dario hasn’t already booked a flight to Lubbock.”

The connection was bad, but Delaney caught Maria Sofia’s promise to let Dario know right away. “Our call is breaking up,” Delaney said, plugging one ear and moving nearer to a window. “I’ll be in Lubbock around midnight, Texas time, should Dario want to check anything else with me. Otherwise it’s the same plan, just a different hospital in a different city. Adios.”

She still had time to call Nickolas.

“Mommy, where are you? Last night you said you’d see me today.” He sounded fretful. Delaney was racked with guilt for leaving him in the first place to go on a wild-goose chase. Although, if Dario turned out to be a match, it would be worth every minute of her time.

“I’m at the airport, honey. I’ll be boarding a plane soon, and that will bring me closer to you. Remember I told you last night I didn’t get to only fly on one plane to get home. I’ll see you tonight, but don’t try to stay up, because you need your rest, and it’ll be very late when I land. I’ll wake you up and let you know I’m there. I promise.”

“Did you buy me a present? Henry’s daddy came to see him today and brought him a Dallas Cowboys shirt. I want one.”

Delaney had been walking toward her gate, and it so happened there were gift shops galore. She checked her watch to make sure she had enough spare time to stop at one. “How about a Miami Dolphins shirt instead?” she asked, finding a table of kids’ shirts on sale right inside the door.

“Okay, I guess. Mommy...Henry asked where my daddy works. I told him I don’t got a daddy. He laughed and said everybody’s got one.”

Delaney’s heart seized for a moment as she waited in line to pay. Was it Murphy’s Law? Up to now she’d never needed to have this conversation with Nickolas. Henry was older than Nick, so it was understandable he might ask such questions.

“Nick, honey, Mama has to go board her plane. You be a good boy for the nurses, and I’ll see you in a few hours, okay?”

“Okay. Bye.”

She pocketed the phone, and paid for the shirt and tucked it into her carry-on. She’d never lied to Nick about the absence of his father. She had put off getting into it with him—waiting, she supposed, for when he went to school. Nick knew Zoey Bannerman had a dad, and yet he’d never asked her why he didn’t have one. The subject had never come up before. Now it had. Boy, howdy, just what she didn’t need—another problem to deal with.

More anxious than ever to get home, she forced her mind to things other than Nick’s absentee father.

San Antonio would provide a whole new block of prospective Latino donors. If things didn’t work out with Dario, she would need help arranging a recruitment event. She’d also need someone to drive her car to San Antonio, since she would fly with Nickolas. Maybe Jill Bannerman and Amanda Evers, her friends from La Mesa, would do that, and help her organize a campaign to register a new batch of prospective donors.

Her flight was called, temporarily stopping her planning. Delaney stood and gathered her things. Once boarded and settled, she got lost in thought again. It took a while, but she finally admitted she needed to feel as if she was doing something productive while she waited for Dario to be tested. Or with luck, maybe a stranger-donor would magically show up if she cast a wide enough net around San Antonio.

She tried to read one of her veterinary journals, but her mind skipped back to Dario, back to how good he had looked, back to how cold he had been. So, wouldn’t it be the perfect retribution to find a stranger donor and be able to tell Dario she no longer needed him?

Or not.

Deep down Delaney couldn’t help wishing he’d been someone she could lean on. Yes, she had done her best after he’d pulled his vanishing act to put him out of her mind. Of course he’d always lurked there. And now that he was back in the flesh, gosh darn it, he was stuck there. Her heart had a far more charitable opinion of him than her head did.