Love's Magic Collection - Books 1-5

Chapter 3

Mary and Herman Grey were in Daniel’s room. Herman had his arms around Mary in an awkward hug. He was trying to comfort her as she cried softly. They were not a demonstrative couple but he did the best he could to help her. His heart was heavy as he watched his youngest son lying so quietly.

“Katie and Brian will be here tomorrow.” Herman said. Katie was their daughter and she was two years older than Daniel. Her husband, Brian, was some kind of computer whiz. Herman did not understand much about Brian’s profession. He just knew Brian made a good living and he made Katie happy. Katie and Brian had a daughter, Sylvia. She was two years old and Brian’s mother was looking after her. They did not want her waiting around at the hospital. Herman and Mary’s older son, Matt, was serving in the Marines. They sent him a message, but there was no response as yet.

Mary pulled back as the door opened and the doctor came into the room. Mary and Herman both turned toward the doctor.

“Has there been any change?” Mary asked.

The doctor came to the bedside and looked at Daniel’s chart. He then looked at him closely and felt his skin.

“I don’t see any change, but his skin is warm to the touch and he has more color in his face. If I didn’t know better, I would say he has been out in the sun.”

The doctor put up the chart and turned to the anxious couple.

“We think the aneurysm was caused by a blood clot from his leg. It traveled up and blocked an artery. We are giving Daniel blood thinners to try and dissolve the clot. We will give the medicine a couple of days to work.”

“What if it doesn’t work?” Mary asked.

“Then we will have to operate and put in a stint to get the blood flowing again.”

“Will he be able to wake up? Will he be alright?” Herman asked.

“We don’t know. We have to wait and see how much damage was done by the clot. We won’t be able to tell until he wakes up. I’ll leave instructions for the nurse to start the blood thinner and I will check back tomorrow and see how he is doing.”

The doctor left. Herman and Mary were speechless. They hardly knew what to think.

“I wish we could get another doctor. I don’t like that doctor at all. He is too abrupt.” Mary declared.

“At-a-girl-mom,” thought Daniel. His mom was a great one for telling it the way it was.

“At-a-girl-mom,”“Let’s give the blood thinner time to work. If it doesn’t work, we might look into finding another doctor.” Herman reassured Mary. She gave him a grateful smile and hugged him tightly. Herman hugged her back. He was glad to be able to make her feel a little better.

* * *

Daniel flashed back to the beach. He wanted to share the latest developments with Mallie.

Mallie had been listening to the conversation going on in her room. The obnoxious doctor was there filling Dana in on the results of her tests.

“Mrs. Wilson, Mallie’s tests show the swelling has receded slightly. There is still quite a bit of swelling. It looks like a bone fragment may have been lodged in her brain. We will have to wait for the swelling to go down some more before we can be sure, but if it is a bone fragment we will have to operate. I will let you know as soon as I find out anything.” After passing on the results of the tests, the doctor departed.

Dana wrung her hands together. She didn’t know what to think. She pulled out her phone and called Bob Jenkins.

“Hello,” Bob answered.

“Hello, Bob this is Dana. I didn’t know who else to call. I just had some news about Mallie and I needed to talk to someone.”

“I’ll be right there.” Bob hung up the phone and, grabbing his jacket, headed out the door.

Bob entered Mallie’s room and quickly went to Dana. He put his arms around her and held her closely.

“Are you alright?” he asked.

“I don’t know,” said Dana. “The doctor said the swelling had gone down slightly. He then proceeded to tell me that Mallie may have a bone fragment in her brain. They can’t be sure until the swelling goes down some more.” She sighed. “I don’t know where that doctor trained, but they sure didn’t teach him anything about sensitivity.”

“At least the swelling is getting better. We can be thankful for that.” Bob was furious at the doctor for making things harder on Dana. “Do you know the doctor’s name?”

“I really wasn’t paying attention,” said Dana. “I can ask the nurse next time she comes in.”

“Do that,” said Bob. “I would really like to know more about him.”

“Ok,” agreed Dana. She leaned closer to Bob. “I am so glad you are here. I needed to talk to a friend.”

“I’ll always be here for you, Dana.” Bob looked down at Dana. “This might not be the time to tell you this, but I care for you and Mallie. When Mallie gets better I want to see more of you. Maybe we can go out for a meal sometime.”

“I would like that,” said Dana. “I would like that very much.”

The nurse entered the room. She went to check on Mallie. She checked all of the machines and looked at the IV in Mallie’s arm. She seemed to think everything was fine.

“Joyce,” said Dana, after looking at the nurse’s name tag. “Could you tell me what the doctor’s name is? I forgot what he told me.”

“He probably didn’t tell you anything,” sniffed the nurse. “His name is Drake, Marcus Drake.”

“Thank you,” replied Dana.

The nurse left and Dana turned to Bob.

“Well, you have his name. What are you going to do with it?”

“I’m not sure, yet,” replied Bob. “Let me look into it.”

“Ok, agreed Dana. “Thank you for coming so quickly. I was about to lose my cool.”

“Now that is something I would like to see, the unflappable Mrs. Wilson losing her cool.”

“Stop teasing,” said Dana. “I’m serious.”

“So am I,” said Bob grinning down at her.

Dana smiled back at him. “You had better get back to the office. I’ll call you if anything else happens. Thank you so much for coming.”

“Alright, but you call if you need me.”

“I will,” promised Dana.

Dana went over and sat in the chair by Mallie’s bed.

“He is one nice man, Mallie.”

* * *

Mallie would have agreed with her, but she had left to find Daniel. Daniel was waiting for her on the beach. She went straight into his arms. They closed around her tightly. Mallie squeezed him back just as tightly.

Mallie would have agreed with her, but she had left to find Daniel. Daniel was waiting for her on the beach. She went straight into his arms. They closed around her tightly. Mallie squeezed him back just as tightly.“Are you alright, Mallie?” Daniel asked.

“Are you alright, Mallie?” Daniel asked.“Yeah, I’m ok. The doctor told my mom that I may have a bone fragment in my brain. They won’t know for sure until the swelling goes down some more. If there is, they will have to operate.”

“Yeah, I’m ok. The doctor told my mom that I may have a bone fragment in my brain. They won’t know for sure until the swelling goes down some more. If there is, they will have to operate.”Daniel tightened his arms around her again.

Daniel tightened his arms around her again.“He sounds like the same insensitive clod who was in my room. He told my parents my aneurysm was caused by a blood clot which had traveled up from my leg and was causing a blockage. He said they are going to give me some blood thinners and see if they work. If they don’t, then I would have to be operated on to put a stint in. My mother really doesn’t like the doctor’s attitude.”

“He sounds like the same insensitive clod who was in my room. He told my parents my aneurysm was caused by a blood clot which had traveled up from my leg and was causing a blockage. He said they are going to give me some blood thinners and see if they work. If they don’t, then I would have to be operated on to put a stint in. My mother really doesn’t like the doctor’s attitude.”Daniel grinned at the memory of his mother’s response.

Daniel grinned at the memory of his mother’s response.“Bob didn’t like it either. He took the doctor’s name. I don’t know what he is going to do, but I hope it teaches the doctor that patients and their families have feelings.”

“Bob didn’t like it either. He took the doctor’s name. I don’t know what he is going to do, but I hope it teaches the doctor that patients and their families have feelings.”Mallie snuggled back into Daniel’s arms as they sat on the beach. They just sat quietly enjoying being together.

Mallie snuggled back into Daniel’s arms as they sat on the beach. They just sat quietly enjoying being together.* * *

Daniel and Mallie stayed snuggled together most of the night. It didn’t make any difference to them. It was always light where they were, unless they wanted it to be different. Daniel reluctantly sat up and prepared to go back.

Daniel and Mallie stayed snuggled together most of the night. It didn’t make any difference to them. It was always light where they were, unless they wanted it to be different. Daniel reluctantly sat up and prepared to go back.“My sister and her husband are going to be here today and I need to be there. I wish you could be there to meet them, too.”

“My sister and her husband are going to be here today and I need to be there. I wish you could be there to meet them, too.”Mallie patted him on the cheek. “I will meet them all later, after we wake up.”

Mallie patted him on the cheek. “I will meet them all later, after we wake up.”“Ok,” agreed Daniel. With one last hug, he was gone.

“Ok,” agreed Daniel. With one last hug, he was gone.Mallie sighed. It was lonely here without Daniel. She flashed back to her room. Her mom was asleep on the sofa bed that the nurse had fixed for her. Mallie looked at all of the machines she was hooked to. There was surely a lot of them. Sighing softly to herself, Mallie entered her body and settled into sleep.

Mallie sighed. It was lonely here without Daniel. She flashed back to her room. Her mom was asleep on the sofa bed that the nurse had fixed for her. Mallie looked at all of the machines she was hooked to. There was surely a lot of them. Sighing softly to herself, Mallie entered her body and settled into sleep.* * *

Bob entered the real estate office early, but his assistant was already there. His assistant, Billy, was young but he was a whiz with the computer. There was nothing he couldn’t do with it when he set his mind to it.

“Good morning, Billy.” Bob said as he greeted him.

“Hi boss,” replied Billy. “How is Mallie doing?” Mallie practically grew up around the real estate office. She was a favorite with everyone there.

“Mallie is about the same. The swelling has gone down a little, but she is still in a coma. The doctor seemed to think that she may have a bone fragment in her brain. He is waiting for the swelling to go down some more to be sure.”

“Wow,” said Billy. “The poor kid just can’t catch a break.”

“I know,” said Bob. “I want you to find out all you can about Dr. Marcus Drake. He is Mallie’s doctor. There is something about him that I just don’t like.”

“OK, I’ll get right onto it boss.” Billy turned to his computer ready to get to work.

Bob went into his private office to try and do some work. His mind was so full of Dana and Mallie, it was hard to concentrate.

* * *

Katie hurried into Daniel’s room. After a fearful look at Daniel, lying so quietly in his hospital bed, she rushed into her mother’s arms.

“Oh, Mom, has there been any change?” Katie looked back at Daniel. Brian followed her into the room. He quickly went and gave Mary a reassuring hug. He handed Mary a handkerchief as tears flooded her eyes.

“I don’t know,” responded Mary. “They are giving him blood thinners to try dissolving the clot. The doctor hasn’t been by this morning. It may be too soon to tell if they are working.”

“He has good color. He doesn’t look as though he has been in this hospital bed for almost a week. Are the nurses keeping his legs and arms moving? They will get stiff, just lying there.”

“Yes, they have a nurse come in once a day to give him a bath and massage his arms and legs.” Mary replied. “He is very nice to us. He explains what he is doing and why. Not like that doctor. He can hardly take time to answer my questions.”

“It sounds like you don’t care much for the doctor,” Brian said. He smiled slightly at the thought of Mary tangling with the doctor.

Mary sighed. “I know the doctor is probably doing the best he can. It is just that his attitude needs adjustment. He should take a sensitivity class. People who are hurting don’t need the extra stress.”

Brian looked at his usually quiet mother-in-law in surprise. It was odd to hear her talk about feelings. She always seemed to have trouble expressing her feelings, except when it came to her children. Then she could be a regular tigress. That doctor must have really rubbed her the wrong way.

“Where’s Dad?” asked Katie.

“He had to go to the store for a while. He had a shipment coming in. He wanted to check on it. He’ll be back soon.” Mary went over to the bed and took Daniel’s hand and gave it a squeeze. “Would you like to go down to the cafeteria and get lunch before the rush starts?” Mary asked. “I can introduce you to Dana. She’s two doors up from us. Her daughter is in a coma, also. She was in an accident. Dana and I have been meeting in the cafeteria. It helps to have someone to talk to, who understands.”

“I would love to go down with you and meet Dana,” said Katie. “Would you like Brian to stay with Daniel?”

“No, the nurse will be here in a few minutes to give him his bath and take care of him. Now is a good time to go.”

The nurse entered as they turned to go.

“We are going to the cafeteria. Have me paged if there is any change,” said Mary.

“I will,” the nurse promised. “Have a nice lunch.”

“Thank you,” replied Mary as they left.

* * *

Meanwhile, Mallie’s nurse arrived to give her a bath and massage her limbs. Dana gave her Mallie’s gown and hair brush. She left instructions to call her in the cafeteria if there was any change before leaving to join Mary. The nurse smiled and assured her she would call. Then she ushered her from the room.