Chapter 11

“Keith, can you and Rex come in here as well?” Emily needed Keith close to her. She was terrified to hear what the doctor was about to say, but if she asked just for Keith, it would look a little odd.

Emily managed to arrange herself so that she was sat next to Keith. She was also trying to control the urge to take his hand again. What the hell was wrong with her? He wasn’t her boyfriend, but he was the one keeping her calm the entire day.

“First of all, Mrs. Bradshaw is going to be fine.” The doctor must have sensed everyone was expecting the worst. With his words, he eased all the tension in the room. Well, maybe not all of it.

“I know that’s your first concern. However, she’s going to have a bit of a recovery time. She’s severely dehydrated, and apparently hasn’t been fed very much while she was in captivity.” He continued. Emily bit her tongue to keep from firing a million questions at him.

“Dr.Cramer, I hate to ask, but I need to know. Was…. She…. I mean…. was she assaulted... Sexually, I mean.” Her father stammered over his words. Emily wanted to know too, but then again, she didn’t.

“Mrs. Bradshaw assured me that she wasn’t, and we did examine her to verify that as well.”

“Thank God.” Elaine sobbed.

“The bad news is she was treated very poorly, and although the physical injuries will heal, she will probably need help with the psychological ones.” The doctor explained.

“Can we see her?” Her father asked, and it broke her heart that he now had tears in his eyes.

“We did give her a sedative, and are putting fluids into her, so she is resting and will probably be sleeping most of the night. I know you’re all anxious to see her so you may go in two at a time for a few minutes.” Dr. Cramer nodded to her father. “She did ask for you several times, Mr. Bradshaw. She said she would like to talk to you privately, but I doubt she will be alert enough to talk tonight.” Her father jumped to his feet.

“I have to see her. Please.” She’d never seen her dad so unhinged in her life. “I’m not going home.”

“She’s in a private room, as you requested, so we’ll make arrangements for you.” He turned to her and her siblings. “Before any of you go in you need to know that she’s lost weight, and she has several bruises on her body, but she’ll be okay. If there’s anything, you want to know just ask.” He nodded towards her father and they left the room.

“I think maybe we should just let dad be alone with her tonight.” Edward stood up and shoved his hands into his front pockets.

“I just need to see her.” Elaine was still sobbing.

“We can all go in and see her, but just to see for ourselves, she’s really okay.” Emily wrapped her arms around Elaine.

“Let’s give dad a few minutes alone with her first.” Emily felt her brother’s strong arms wrap around her and Elaine. She glanced towards the door. Keith had his shoulder propped against the wall, and he was staring down at his phone. She stepped back from her siblings and went to him.

“Is something wrong?” Emily asked when she saw the look on his face. He held up his phone. The screen showed the sweetest baby she’d ever seen. He had a head full of dark hair and was snuggle against the chest of a very teary eyed Sandy.

“Oh, my goodness.” Emily pulled the phone from Keith’s hand without even asking. “He’s so cute.”

“Meet Alexander Ian O’Connor,” Keith was obviously a very proud uncle.

“Sandy looks so exhausted, but happy.” A pang of jealousy hit her. At the rate she was going, she would never be a mother.

“You’ll be happy to know that Ian’s still alive as well.” Keith chuckled when she handed him back his phone. Sandy had threatened Ian’s life a number of times in the jeep when he’d tried to get Sandy to control her breathing.

“Your father wants all of you to come see your mom. The doctor said it’s okay as long as you only stay a few minutes.” The nurse she’d spoken to earlier peeped into the room.

Emily glanced at Keith, and he nodded. She wanted him to hold her hand when she entered her mother’s room, but that would be pushing it. The doctor was probably bending all kinds of rules to allow all of them in to see her mother at the same time.

She entered the room linked into one of her brother’s arms, and Elaine was clinging to his other hand. The nurse tried to prepare them for what they were about to see, but it didn’t work.

Her mother was asleep, and wires and tubes were running everywhere around the bed. The nurse told them it was to keep an eye on her vital signs. Emily assumed the bags of what looked like water was to make sure her mother got all the fluids she needed. It was a little hard to see her mom like that.

“She’s sleeping.” Her father whispered from next to the bed. He was holding his wife’s hand as if she would disappear.

Emily swallowed the lump in her throat and blinked her eyes to keep tears from spilling out. She had to be strong for her father.

“She looks so skinny.” Elaine slowly moved to the side of the bed.

“She’s still the most beautiful woman in the world.” Her dad gently touched her mom’s cheek.

“We’ll get her a big cheeseburger when we get her home.” Edward tugged Emily towards the foot of the bed.

“She loves dad’s homemade burgers.” Emily forced a smile.

“I’ll make her a burger every day if she wants.” Emily had never seen her dad so shaken. He’d always been a strong and overbearing man, not that Emily doubted his love, but when it came to his wife, he was a pushover.

“Dad, are you sure you’ll be comfortable staying here tonight?” Emily asked.

“Yes, I’ll be fine. They’re bringing in a recliner for me to sleep in, but I doubt I’ll move from here.” He glanced up at her and smiled. “Emily, go home with Keith. Get some rest. Rex will take Elaine and Edward home.”

“Dad, you need Rex here,” Edward said.

“I’ve messaged Keith. He’s got another guy on the way here.” His gaze moved back to her mother.

Emily walked around the bed and wrapped her arms around her dad. When she kissed his cheek, she felt the dampness of the tears he’d been trying to hide.

“I’ll be here tomorrow first thing. I’ll get Kim to take my clients.” Emily whispered. “I hope to see you awake tomorrow, mom.”

Emily leaned over the bed and kissed her mother’s cheek. It was so hard to keep the tears from falling especially with her sister sobbing, but it was what she did.

The drive home was quiet, and Keith didn’t push her to talk.  The only time he did, was when he drove through the Tim Horton’s drive-thru to ask if she wanted anything. She shook her head and continued to gaze out the window. The sun was going down, and by the time they got back to Keith’s house, she knew it would be dark.

As usual, when they walked into the door, Burlap howled and wrapped herself around their legs. She had settled into Keith’s house, and although he hadn’t said anything, Emily was pretty sure Keith liked the little kitten more than he admitted.

“Okay, you weren’t here that long by yourself. Chill out.” Keith reached down and picked up Burlap in his huge hand.

Emily watched as he ran his fingers over the kitten’s tiny head making Burlap purr and snuggle into Keith’s chest. He was such a gentle man.

As if someone had dumped a bucket of cold water over her Emily started to tremble, and she had no idea why. Her heart pounded in her chest, and she felt slightly dizzy. She grabbed onto the counter and took several deep breaths, but she couldn’t stop it. Tears started to spill down her cheeks, and thick heavy sobs escaped.

“Shit, Em, what’s wrong?” Keith put the cat on the floor and was next to her in seconds. He wrapped his arm around her waist.

“I….I…. d….don’t know. I…I…. f….f….feel like I’m falling apart.” She stammered.

Keith pulled her against him and wrapped her tightly in his arms. She fisted his shirt and sobbed. Tears she’d been holding in for hours, days and even weeks flowed like a river. She cried with happiness that her mother was home. She sobbed for what her mother had been through, and she trembled because she was wrapped in the arms of the man that she was quickly falling for. The only man that could break her heart.