Chapter 29

Justin was neck deep in work on Tuesday morning when he received a frantic call from Leah, saying that Igor, his stepfather had collapsed. He was in an ambulance and on his way to the community hospital. It took Justin just seconds to shut down his computer and then head out to meet his sister in the emergency room as the EMTs were wheeling his stepdad into triage.

“I stopped by his house this morning,” she explained, distraught and tearful, and he hugged her close. “I found him on the floor in the kitchen. I don’t know what happened or how long he’d been there. I spoke to him yesterday, and he said he still wasn’t feeling well.” She shuddered. “I should have checked on him again last night.”

“You couldn’t know,” Justin said soothingly, trying to hide the panic in his heart.

“I called the medic as soon as I got there and saw him,” she cried. “God, I hope I wasn’t too late.”

“Did the EMTs give you any indication of what could be wrong?” Justin asked and led Leah towards a chair in the waiting area.

She shrugged. “Maybe his heart. I really don’t know.”

They stayed there for over an hour, and finally a doctor emerged. Justin had known him since high school and was pleased Igor was in good medical hands.

The doctor sat down and explained the situation. “Your father has had a series of ischemic strokes, most likely several minor ones, over the last couple of days. This morning, he had a significant incident that caused his collapse. He’s resting now, and you’ll both be able to see him soon.”

“I sense a but in this conversation,” Justin said quietly, trying not to alarm his sister.

The doctor nodded. “He has some paralysis down his left side, and we will be monitoring him over the next few days to see if the strokes continue.”

“He wasn’t feeling well for the last few days,” Leah said tearfully. “He was complaining of sore eyes and dizziness, and he put it down to a migraine. I should have listened and—”

“You did everything right,” the doctor assured her. “You called the medic and he was here well within an hour of being found. You probably saved your dad’s life because you didn’t panic and reacted so responsibly. He’s lucky, and with care and therapy, I believe he’ll recover from this.”

Of course, they were relieved, but they also knew Igor had a long road to recovery ahead. He was a strong and independent man and wouldn’t take easily to being bedridden, infirm, and perhaps in a wheelchair while he endured therapy to help regain the use of his left side. After talking with the doctor some more they were told they could see him within the hour.

Justin hugged his sister and was relieved when his cousins arrived at the hospital. Having them on hand to help support Leah was reassuring.

Leah cried as they headed into triage an hour or so later. Seeing Igor, who was usually so strong and robust, looking so vulnerable, was hard for them all, and he held on to his sister’s shoulder, insisting that their dad would make it. When Mittie arrived, Leah burst into tears and hugged his grandmother. Even though they weren’t related by blood, the older woman was very much a grandparent to his half sister and was exactly the comfort Leah needed. Justin took a few moments outside of triage to contact the new nanny and keep her updated, and then spoke to Tess, asking her to watch the kids once the nanny left for the day.

It was after lunch when he headed for the hospital cafeteria, ordered coffee for everyone, and was waiting by the window for his order when he felt a warm and reassuringly firm hand on his back. He turned and saw Allena in front of him. Seeing her made the tension pressing behind his ribs ease—and way more than he expected. She looked so lovely and so familiar—like a balm for the turmoil swirling through his system.

“Hi,” she said simply.

“Hello.”

“Tess called me,” she explained and reached out, touching his arm. “I’m sorry, Justin.”

He looked to where her hand lay, and heat spiked through his blood. Just a touch, he thought, and he was a goner. “Thank you for coming.”

She nodded. “Is Igor going to be okay?”

“We hope so,” he replied, quickly ordering her the kind of coffee she liked and then telling her about Igor’s collapse and the recuperation ahead.

“Let’s sit down,” she urged, pulling him towards the corner of the room to a small table.

Justin followed and sat down. “I’m so glad you’re here. Leah would—”

“I know what Igor means to you all,” she said swiftly, her hand coming to rest against his on

the table. “This must be difficult for you and your sister.”

He let out a long and painful breath. “I’m so… I’m so…”

“What?” she prompted when his words trailed off.

Justin met her gaze and was drawn deeply into her eyes, and the words spilled from his lips.

Words he’d never uttered before. “I’m so tired of loss.”

She grasped his hand and linked their fingers in a startlingly intimate gesture. “I understand.”

“I couldn’t believe it, you know, when Jayne and my mom died,” he admitted, swallowing the burning in his throat. “For the first couple of days, I walked around in a daze. It’s like, one moment they were there—my mom was in the kitchen, laughing at some silly joke of Igor’s, and Jayne was beside me, and we were talking about our next vacation, or the kids, or about something at work, or she was explaining how she needed a landing strip on the ranch.”

Allena’s eyes widened. “I didn’t think the ranch was big enough for that.”

“It’s not,” he replied and sighed. “Strange, remember how I said the other day that we never argued—but we used to argue about that all the time? I think I put the arguments out of my memory because I didn’t want to feel guilty, blame her in any way, or hold on to any bad feelings. And then…nothing. It was all over. No warning. No time to prepare. No opportunity to say goodbye. A police officer came to the house and told me the plane had gone down and that there were no survivors. It was like someone had cut my heart out. At first, I was so angry with her for leaving me. I kept thinking, I have a four-year-old son and a newborn baby girl, so how am I supposed to do this alone?”

“And yet, you did,” she said generously.

He half-smiled. “I haven’t been doing it alone these last four years, Allena.” He placed his

other hand over their linked fingers. “And now, I’ve lost you, too.”

“You haven’t lost me,” she said softly. “I’m right here.”

Yes, he thought, but for how long?

The moment Allena heard about Igor’s condition, she’d hightailed it directly to the hospital. She cared about Igor and knew how much pain his family would be in. She knew Leah would be heartbroken. And she also believed Justin would be at his stoic best.

Yet, oddly, sitting with him in the cafeteria, she’d never before witnessed him being so raw and vulnerable. And it made her love for him intensify. Particularly because she knew there was nothing more she could do to comfort him and his family except be there.

The clerk behind the counter said his order was ready, and once it was paid for, they headed back.

Allena waited with the De Neros while Justin headed for triage to be with his grandmother and sister. Mitchael arrived, and Allena felt the incredible familial bond, confirming that the De Nero were a big and robust family, clearly capable of shouldering any tragedy together.

It was nearly four o’clock before Igor was transferred to the ward. She visited him for a brief moment, preferring to let the family be by his side. And then she knew what she needed to do.

“I’ll go back to the ranch and stay with the children,” she said to Justin when they had a moment alone.

He frowned a little. “Tess said she’d—”

“My sister has her own baby to look after,” she insisted. “The nanny clocks off at five thirty, correct?”

He nodded. “Yeah, but—”

“You stay here with Mittie and your sister, and I’ll take care of the kids,” she suggested and squeezed his biceps. “You’re needed here, Justin. Let me know how he is when you can.”

Justin nodded and briefly touched her cheek. “Thank you.”

Allena left the hospital and headed directly for the hotel. She showered, changed into fresh clothes, then called Tess from the road via speakerphone and assured her sister she was fine to watch the children until Justin returns.

“That’s nice of you,” Tess said.

“Don’t read too much into it,” she warned her sister. “I care about Igor and want to do what I can to help.”

“I’m pretty sure that it’s Justin you’re thinking about right now.”

Tess was right, but Allena wasn’t about to admit to anything. She was needed, end of story. He’d called the nanny and told her she was coming, and the new nanny briefly voiced her concern about Igor—although not enough to remain after she clocked off for the day. She was a nice woman, but the role was clearly only a job for her. It made sense, since she had children and grandchildren of her own.

The kids, of course, were delighted to see her, and she was immediately dragged into their rooms in turn to be shown their latest books and artwork.

Cassie grabbed her tiara and waved it. “Allena, do you think Papa Igor would like to wear my tiara? Remember when I had chicken pox and I wore it and got better?”

“I’m sure he’d like that a lot,” Allena replied and took her hand, following Jayden to his room.

Once they were there, Cassie plonked herself in front of the fish tank.

“Is Papa going to be okay?” Jayden asked, biting his lower lip.

Allena sat beside him on the bed. “I think so. Your pop has a lot of people who love him and want him to get better. We just have to keep happy thoughts in our hearts, okay?”

“I’ll try,” he promised and then gave Allena a hug. “I always feel better when I talk to you.”

“I’m glad,” she said, blinking back the heat in her eyes. “You know I love you and Cassie very much.”

“I know,” he said, smiling. “And you love Great-Grandma Mittie and Pop and Aunt Leah,

too?”

“Yes, absolutely.”

Jayden looked at her, his mouth at an angle. “And do you love Daddy?”