His "Emergency" Was Her Father

Chapter 4

After my mother was moved to the observation unit, the doctor called me out into the hallway. If her condition stayed stable, he told me, she could go home after further observation.

Just then, Daniel called.

"Are you still at the hospital?"

I could hear noisy station announcements and Megan's soft laughter in the background as he spoke.

"Yes."

I tucked the phone between my ear and shoulder so I could sort my mother's medication packets into morning, noon, and evening doses.

"How's Mom?"

"She's stable. The doctor said they'd keep watching her. If there are no more problems, she can go home."

"That's good."

He paused as though waiting for me to say something, or perhaps choosing his next words.

"Laura, I'll be back on the 4th."

"Today is the 4th."

For a moment, he said nothing.

"Megan's father is being discharged today. I have to help with the paperwork. I'll definitely be at the hospital this afternoon."

I put the last packet in the drawer. My fingers rested on its edge for 2 seconds before I closed it.

"Daniel."

"Yes?"

"You don't need to come."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Exactly what I said."

I picked up the car key from the bedside table. The old wooden tag on the keychain looked dull under the fluorescent lights. Mercer and Bennett were engraved on the front. On the back was the date he'd written himself on our wedding day.

Back then, he'd told me that as long as we had that keychain, we'd always have a home together.

"Laura, stop this. I really can't leave right now. Megan's father..."

"Daniel," I interrupted, my voice so calm it surprised even me. "Why do you have to handle Megan's father's discharge? Doesn't he have children? Doesn't he have any other relatives? Why are you the one person who has to be there?"

He said nothing.

"Answer me."

"She can't handle everything alone."

"She can't handle everything alone, so you go to her. My mother's been in the hospital for 5 days. I can't handle everything alone either. Where have you been?"

"Laura Bennett, why do you keep comparing the two? Megan only just graduated. Her dad suddenly needed surgery. She was so panicked she couldn't even figure out how to check him in."

"She couldn't figure it out, but you could. What about me? I didn't know what to do either. When my mother lay in that bed asking when Danny would get here, I didn't know what to do. When I had to sign off on her treatment plan for the first time, I didn't know what to do."

"You managed just fine, didn't you?"

Impatience crept into his voice.

"You've always been independent. You know your way around a hospital. Megan's different. She..."

"She's different," I repeated, then suddenly laughed. "Yes, she is. She needs you. I don't. So you go to her, and I handle everything here on my own. Is that how it works, Daniel?"

"That's not what I meant."

"Then what did you mean?"

He went quiet again. In the background, I heard Megan call, "Danny!"

He answered without thinking, then came back to me.

"Laura, we'll talk when I get home. This isn't a good time."

"There's no need."

"What?"

I tightened my grip on the car key. The wooden tag pressed into my palm, leaving a faint mark.

"Daniel, I want a divorce."