MAVERICK
As we boarded the jet, I barely said a word, flying back home, yet my silence spoke volumes. My pain and tears were deafening. That was hours ago.
“Baby, say something.” Lake never left my side, pulling me in his arms.
I shook my head.
“Baby, please?”
When I couldn’t stand the twinge of pain in his voice, I lifted my gaze. He was worried about my silence. “She’s on medication and watches her diet. Her only guilty pleasure is pecan pie. She can be a handful and complains a lot, but she takes care of her health the moment she’s diagnosed.”
“I’m sorry that you have to go through this heartache, but you’re not alone anymore. Talk to me, Maverick.”
I rested my head on his shoulder as I felt my defeat. “How did she get a heart attack? The doctor said that during our last visit six weeks ago, He said she was drastically improving. Her blood work was better than before.”
“We’ll soon find out.”
“Before we left Italy, I made sure she had her medicine complete.”
“Don’t blame yourself. You did everything you could for her. You’re a good granddaughter.”
“Yet, I am here while she’s suffering.” My words came out harsh. I instantly felt his body stiffen. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it like that.”
“It’s fine. We didn’t know something like that would happen.”
We finally handed and drove directly towards the hospital. Before I could ask the receptionist for Nana, Lake held my hand.
“I know where she is, baby.”
“You do?”
“Yeah.”
We got into the elevator to the fifth floor. I realized this floor was for VIPs.
“Are you sure Nana is here?”
“Yeah. I called someone to care for her while we’re on our way.”
I stared at him for a moment before I hugged him tight. “Thank you.”
We entered the room, and my grandmother was awake with two doctors and a nurse. Apparently, while I was sulking, Lake had arranged a room for my grandmother, and I didn’t thank him enough.
“Oh, my granddaughter is here,” she said delightedly. “So I can go home now.”
“I don’t think so, Nana.” Tons of weight had lifted off my chest as I rushed to her and hugged her tight. “I’m so worried about you.”
“I’m still in the hospital, alive, Ricky.”
“That’s not even funny, and you’re not going anywhere until the doctors release you. Do you understand me?”
“I am your grandmother. You can’t say something like that to me.”
I sighed as I shook my head in both irritation and amusement. I turned to the doctor. “How is she?”
“I’m fine.”
“Nana, let the doctor do their job, please?”
After the doctor explained her condition and that they couldn’t release her after a few tests, I turned to Nana. “Did you hear that?”
“It’s because they want more money.”
I rolled my eyes. “I’ll take care of it. You don’t have to worry about the bills anymore.”
She snorted and shooed me. “I want that pudding. When are they going to bring it here?”
“You don’t have to worry about anything, Mrs. Bates. This room is paid for my family emergency, and Maverick and I will cover your medical expenses. Just get better.”
“That’s my grandson-in-law.” She gestured to the doctors and the nurse. “Lake is a good man.”
The doctors and nurses smiled.
“Can you behave for a moment? I’ll talk to your doctors.”
“You didn’t have to come over here. I’m fine now.”
The doctors took us to the conference room to discuss Nana’s case.
“There was a high dose of a drug in her blood that did not belong to her medicines. Does she take something else?”
“What?” I stared at the female doctor in disbelief. “No, not that I know of. Is that over-the-counter? Because I am the one who refills her medicines.”
“So that’s what causes her heart attack?” Lake asked.
“Considering she already has a cardiac problem, that’s one of the factors that led to cardiac arrest. She’s lucky she knows what to do. She immediately called the ambulance as soon as she experienced an intense chest pain.”
I rose to my feet when I felt my chest constricting. She shouldn’t be alone suffering in pain. My hands shook as I thought of the worst scenarios.
He came to me and said, “Hey, I will hire a private nurse to take care of her.”
“No. I’ll stay with her for a while. My job can wait. I need to take care of her, Lake.”
“Then take her home with us.” His suggestion seemed compelling. “We can stay at the house for a while or permanently. In that case, we can look after her, but it’s best if she has a private nurse to monitor her while one of us is at work.”
I nodded. “We’ll talk about this later.”
“Okay.” He went to the doctor. “What should be done for her? I don’t care how much.”
“For now. No surgical intervention necessary” said the cardiologist. “I already spoke with Dr. Webbs, and he endorsed Mrs. Bates to me, so I’m handling her case from now on. I will revise some treatments. She has already received a thrombolytic drug. Right now, two infusions have been given to her. I will do a bedside echocardiogram later this afternoon.”
“Thank you, doctors.”
I went back to my grandmother’s room. It was big, like a hotel suite. I noticed flowers on the tables with cards attached to them.
She was resting but turned her head when she noticed she wasn’t alone anymore. “I received flowers from your husband and your mother-in-law.”
“Wow. Yet I didn’t even bring something for you.”
“You’re here. That’s all that matters.”
“Can I ask you something?”
She gestured.
“Did you take something else?”
“They asked me already, Ricky. I’m not stupid. You can go check my medicines if you don’t believe me.”
“I believe you, Nana. What about your food?”
“You know me. I can follow a strict diet rather than taking medicines.”
I nodded as I sat on the chair and faced her. Then I held her hand.
“The doctors said you’re going to be okay,” I said.
“I told you I’m feeling fine.”
“I wish I was there for you.”
“You need to get a life. I’m old. You can’t hold your life for me. What you can do is spend time with your husband and give me great-grandchildren.”
I rolled my eyes. “Seriously, Nana?”
“Why? What’s stopping you? He’s a good man. He takes care of you and me. Look, where am I? Bad guys don’t do this. They will take you away from me, but he’s done what a good husband should do. Give him an heir.”
I sighed. “Just rest and no more talking.”
When she closed her eyes, I stood up and kissed her forehead. “I’ll be right back.”
“Go away. I have enough nurses that annoy me.”
I chuckled as I walked outside of the room. I met Lake in the hallway, Homer and Owen tailing him.
“Did you talk to her?” he asked me right away.
“Yes. She would never take something that’s not her medicine. Why?”
“Maybe someone from Conti came to visit her.”
I gasped. “Are you kidding me? Nobody knows about my relationship with my father except those who were dead. Right?”
When he couldn’t respond, I shook my head, but the theory made some sense. “Are you trying to tell me that someone tried to poison my grandmother?”
“I’m not sure, baby, but your Nana isn’t someone who is suicidal by taking non-prescription medicine. I will talk to her about coming with us.”
I snorted. “She would if you promised her to give her grandchildren. She just told me I should go and make babies.”
Lake laughed.
“It’s not funny. I have a lot on my plate right now to think of children. Maybe we should get her a dog or a cat.”
He was still laughing. “Yeah, she told me about it during my last visit.”
“And you did not tell me about this. Why?”
“You were mad at me at that time.” He looked at Homer and nodded.
After spending months with Lake, I learned a few things when they were communicating discreetly. “What’s that all about?”
“I asked him to call Osmium to watch your Nana while she’s in the hospital.”
“Who would take a risk to come and harm her?”
“Do you watch movies, Mrs. Winston?”
I looked at Owen. “Fine, but make sure she won’t see your guy.”