Chapter Nineteen

"She is in great condition. The test results and scans show the repair to the ASD is solid. The valve that suffered from the Ebstein's Anomaly is also repaired and no longer an issue. She shows no signs of injury to the brachial plexus-"

"Wait, what is that?" Sky jumped in before the Air Force cardiologist could say more.

"It is a rare and minor concern, but we check for it. The brachial plexus is the main nerve that provides sensation and muscle function to the arms and hands. We knew before we discharged her that her arm and hand functions weren't impaired, but we did check today to make sure she had sensation in her fingers, specifically the third, fourth and fifth fingers. When we did the surgery, we moved the nerve to open her chest cavity, and that is always a risk. As I said, it is a minor concern and one that we don't need to worry about with Kadey. She's doing great."

"Oh… okay." Sky filed the information away, grateful she didn't know to worry about that item, too. She was exhausted from watching for all the other things they'd told her to watch for… infection at the incision, fever, trouble breathing. Even with Doctor Cassidy watching over her, Sky was a nervous wreck.

The doctor continued, "She'll probably always have a small heart murmur, and you should follow up with annual check-ups, but overall, Kadey is almost ready to go play with the rest of the kids her age. She'll become winded quicker because she's not had any strenuous exercise for such a long time. Don't stress that, she'll get stronger. She can have a bath now that the incisions are healed. I do need to remind you to make sure she doesn't try to pick up anything heavy for at least another month."

"I'm doing that. Nothing more than her Barbie dolls or her stuffed animals."

"Perfect. We need to let the sternum heal, and it will take time, just like a broken bone takes time to mend, but other than that, she's doing fine."

"So this is pretty much… over?" Sky looked up at the doctor.

He smiled as his kind eyes met hers. "Yes, mom. Your baby is going to be fine. I've been told I'm on call to fly to wherever you are should there be any concern, but in my professional opinion, you won't see me again."

"I hate to say this, but that really makes me happy." Sky leaned in and hugged the man before she stepped back, embarrassed by the impulsive action.

"It makes me happy, too. Now I believe there is another patient they want me to see before I have to go."

Sky took that as her dismissal, said thank you and goodbye again, and headed back to the ranch house where Keelee was keeping Kadey and Lizzy occupied so Sky could talk with the doctor. Keelee and her step-mother Amanda had been a source of continual support. If she'd been here for any other reason, Sky would have enjoyed the stay. She stopped about halfway to the house and drew a deep breath of the crisp autumn air. A cold front had rolled through, leaving the skies under a blanket of grey clouds. Sky swept the vista and hugged her arms around her. Kadey had cleared the final hurdle. Sky lifted her eyes towards the heavens and said a prayer of thanks.

What did she do now? Kaeden had once again fallen off the face of the earth. Zane hadn't been able to reach him. Everyone told her not to worry… and in reality, she wasn't worried. This was her life as far as Kaeden was concerned. He showed up, and he left. There was no permanence. She knew from the beginning he wasn't sticking around. The hard part was going to be explaining to Kadey that her dad was once again out of the picture. But Kadey didn't ask about him much anymore, her attention diverted with the multitude of new things to play with and explore with Lizzy.

The problem now was she had no money and no idea where to go even if she had the means. The house in California held a few possessions she'd have to return to retrieve. Putting the house on the market would provide a nest egg. The prices of property in Sacramento had skyrocketed since she'd bought. She'd take the lifeline Kaeden had offered her, just not in the form he set up. She needed to stand on her own two feet, and for the most part, she had until Kadey's health issues sat her on her ass. No, first she'd figure out a way to start again, and when the house sold, she'd have a foundation to build on. She'd reinvent herself and make a good life for herself and Kadey. One without Kaeden. She couldn't be at his beck and call any longer. The pain was too much. She loved Kaeden, but a one-sided love wasn't enough to carry a relationship. She had little doubt he'd call her again, but Sky couldn't… not again. Her heart wouldn't survive being left… again.

She ran the problem through several times before she made it to the house. She had one option. She'd ask Keelee and Doctor Cassidy to front her some money. Just enough to get her and Kadey to her father's house. Sky's mother and father separated when she was twelve. Her dad was… well, he wasn't a pleasant man, but Sky hoped he'd allow them to stay with him until she found employment. She couldn't work as an office manager any longer, not after what happened in Sacramento at the DA's office… but she could wait tables until she found something else.

"Say what, now?" Doctor Cassidy lowered his fork and looked across the dining room table at Sky. They were once again eating dinner at the Cassidys. Sky had waited until the girls had asked to be excused before she brought up the topic of a loan.

"We wouldn't need much. I swear I'll pay you back every cent, with interest." Sky lowered her own utensils and glanced from Keelee to Doctor Cassidy. "You don't know me very well, but I swear I'll pay you back and somehow I'll pay Guardian back for the medical bills."

"It's not the money. Hell, I'll give you whatever you need. Why are you leaving before Kaeden gets back?" Doctor Cassidy asked.

Keelee placed her hand on her husband's arm but looked over at Sky. Keelee understood. Sky could see it in her eyes and that gave her strength to speak the words. Sky straightened her shoulders and told them the truth. "Kaeden isn't going to come back. He has always been straightforward with me. He said he'd only stay until Kadey was through her surgery and recovering. He didn't ask for this, for us."

"Sky…" Keelee started and then stopped. She glanced at her husband and they communicated silently with just a look. He nodded. "We'll give you one of our vehicles, and I'll get you money tomorrow when the bank opens. How much do you think you'll need?"

Sky let out a breath and deflated. They weren't going to ask for specifics. Thank God. "I have a three-day drive, so enough for a hotel, gas, and food?"

Keelee nodded and placed her fork on her plate. "When do you want to leave?"

Sky gave her a sad smile. "Tomorrow. If I can follow you to the bank, we'll leave from there."

Doctor Cassidy leaned back in his chair. "I think you're making a mistake."

Sky bit her bottom lip and looked at the Doctor. "How many times have you told Keelee that you love her?"

He blinked at her question. "Too many times to count." He looked at his wife. The love between them was a tangible thing, something that Sky didn't have and never would have with Kaeden.

"I love Kaeden; I always have. I know he cares for me and for Kadey, but he's never said he loves us. Kaeden helped Kadey, and I'm eternally grateful, but I can't live a life where Kaeden is a question mark. I believe he cares for us, but he can't physically be here for us, and it isn't fair to either Kadey or me to pretend that he'll change. Kadey deserves a full-time father. I deserve a man who will be there when I need him. I'll forgo my needs, but not Kadey's. She deserves better."

Doctor Cassidy stared at her for a moment. "I know what I saw. I believe he cares for you."

"I think he does, in his way, but it isn't enough. I need to make arrangements to take care of myself and my daughter." Sky wiped her mouth with her napkin. "I'm sorry for dropping this on you, but you were the only ones I could ask."

"It isn't a problem. Have you told Kadey you're leaving?" Keelee pushed her own plate away from her.

"No, I'll explain it tomorrow morning."

Keelee nodded. "I'll explain it to Lizzy. Well, okay. I'll meet you here at eight tomorrow morning? We'll get you packed up and on your way. I'm sorry to see you go."

Sky smiled and reached across the table, squeezing Keelee's hand softly. "I never meant to be here permanently. I don't know what I would have done without you two. I appreciate your friendship and hospitality." She turned to Doctor Cassidy. "If you would let me know how much I owe Guardian? For the flight, the medical expenses? Your time?"

The doctor brushed away her concerns, "It was all donated. You don't owe us anything."

Sky blinked back tears and nodded. "Then thank you very much. I'll grab Kadey, and we'll go."

"Let her spend the night? I know Lizzy will be heartbroken when Kadey leaves." Keelee glanced into the living room where the two girls were brushing the manes of Lizzy's toy ponies. "But children are resilient and so are you. I'm glad I got to know you Sky."

"And I you." Sky hugged both the Cassidys, made sure Kadey was okay with staying, and then made her way back to the main house. She'd be able to pack faster with Kadey not 'helping.'

"Why can't Lizzy come with us on our adventure?" Kadey sat in the borrowed booster seat that Doctor Cassidy had strapped in. He added foam to the seatbelt across Kadey's chest to prevent any rubbing or chaffing of the incision site.

"Because her mom would miss her the same way I'd miss you." Sky watched the bank doors as Keelee exited the facility. The woman headed straight to the SUV that Sky was borrowing. She'd figure out how to return it once they got situated. Keelee assured her they rarely used the vehicle and they had other ranch trucks they could use if needed.

"Here you go. I added some in there to keep you going for a little while. That's my gift to you. Pay this forward. I'm blessed that I don't need the money or the vehicle and I don't want repayment. I signed the title over to you last night. It's in the glovebox. Register it in whatever state you end up in. It's yours.

Sky took the envelope with shaking hands and brushed away the tears that fell.

"Momma, is it dusty again?"

Sky nodded. "Yeah baby, it's really dusty today." She looked up at Keelee. "Thank you. For everything."

"You take care of yourself. I put my number on the back of that envelope. Call me and let me know you made it alright."

"I will. Thank you." Keelee smiled sadly and blinked back tears. "Take care of yourself, Kadey. Maybe come back and visit, okay?"

"Okay! Bye Miss Keelee."

Keelee tapped the side of the vehicle twice and turned away. Sky put the truck in gear and headed south. They had a long way to go.

"She's gone?" Zane glared across the desk at Adam Cassidy.

"Yes."

"Why did you let her go?"

"Right. I'm supposed to make her stay when she obviously believes this guy has been actively avoiding her. The man hasn't even told her that he loves her. What would your woman do if you fucked up and treated her like she was a convenient hole? I know what Keelee would do. She'd pick up, take off and make a life for herself. And I'd be lucky if she didn't castrate me first. Sky is protecting herself. This guy is someone you used to work with, you deal with it." Adam got up and stormed out of the small office that Zane was occupying.

He rubbed his hands over his face. Damn it, Ani, you really fucked up. He grabbed the secure line and dialed Asp's number. Since Anubis had gone silent, Zane had communicated through Asp, who wasn't supposed to be out of the country on a mission without going through his psych eval. The line rang and rang… and rang. Fuck!

Zane got up and walked to the next office where Jewell was working. Her hands flew over the keyboard as she looked up. She continued typing as she smiled at him. He had no idea how she did that. He'd end up typing in hieroglyphics if he tried.

"Babe, I need you to do something for me… off the books."

Jewell's hands stilled, and she cocked her head at him. "What?"

"I need you to find an asset that has gone silent."

"Kaeden?"

"Yeah."

"Well, it just so happens when he didn't answer your call when you told Sky you'd talk to him, I started working on that."

"Have I told you how much I love you?" Zane bent down and laid a long, needy kiss on his woman.

"Many times, but please, by all means, tell me again."

Zane moved around her desk and sat on the edge. He lowered and brushed his lips against hers.

"Oh, if going off the books gets me kisses, how about I break a few more protocols and then maybe we can make love in this office?" She waggled her eyebrows at him.

"Anytime, babe… well, after Jacob gets here, because I'd hate for him to walk in on that."

Jewell scrunched her nose. "Mood officially ruined. So, why do you all of a sudden need to know where your asset is?"

"Sky left this morning." Zane watched Jewell process the information.

"No."

"Yep."

"Fuck me." Jewell leaned back in her chair.

Zane chuckled. "Again, I will, but not here."

Jewell popped forward and punched him on the arm. "Be serious."

He rubbed the spot where she'd hit him. The woman had some strength in her. He'd make her kiss it better… later. "From what I got from Doc, she was pretty damn sure he wasn't coming back for her. He fucked up and didn't bother to tell the mother of his child that he loved her."

"Does he?" Jewell leaned back in her chair and looked up at him. "You told me that the men in your old profession were wounded, that some were too fucked up to walk in the light again. We all know Joseph's wickedly fucked up, but he's adapting." Jewell's brother was a Shadow that had portrayed his own death on a world stage. The assassin known as Fury was officially dead, yet very much alive. His wife and son were the tethers that kept that loose cannon from exploding. Everyone, including Joseph, understood that fact.

Zane grabbed Jewell's hand and held it while he examined her fingers. He'd like to believe Ani had the capacity to care for his family, but the truth was he wasn't sure. Ani had been in the dark for so long that maybe the woman and child were better off without him. He brought his eyes up to look at his fiancée. Thank God, he'd been able to make the transition back into the light. "I don't know."

"You can't save everyone, Zane. If Kaeden wants this life with Sky and Kadey, then he's going to have to fight for it, like you did." Jewell stood up and scooted between his legs before she looped her arms around his neck. "Maybe your friend needs a wake-up call. Sounds to me like Sky is giving him his critical moment."

Zane smiled and moved in for a kiss. Jewell leaned away from him. "You need to let him figure this out for himself. You can't force him to become a family man."

"I know, but God, I hope Anubis finally catches a break."