Chapter 56: Mercy
*Breathe, darling. This is just a chapter, not your whole story. – S. C. Lowerie*
Reese knocked on Helen’s door and it was opened almost immediately by JD. Reese nodded at the teen as he entered the apartment. Helen was pulled into his arms and the tears began again.
“I’m here, baby.” Reese murmured as he kissed her hair.
Helen wrapped her arms around his waist and laid her head on his chest. She had missed this, way more than she thought she had. His heart pumped under her ear bringing her comfort.
“Jolene’s being taken to Mercy.” Reese kissed her temple. “Let’s go to her.”
Helen nodded and let herself be guided out to his Impala. After putting her on the bench seat next to him, he drove them to the hospital. Seeing Bunny and Dean in their cars behind him was not a surprise. But as his sisters and nieces began to fill the waiting room, he could only assume his daughter and Dean had something to do with it.
The emergency waiting room was packed with women when the ER doctor walked out and said Jolene’s name. Helen stood up not letting go of Reese’s hand. He walked beside her with a supportive arm around her waist.
“She’s stable, right now. She’s lost a lot of blood. We had to drill a hole in the back of her skull to relieve some of the pressure. She has two broken ribs, some cracked ones and some that are healing. She has a fractured wrist and arm that will require pins for it to be set. Both ankles are twisted, and one kneecap has been shattered. Tomorrow, we’ll start the surgeries to repair everything. She’s heavily sedated, but once she’s in a room, we’ll come get the rest of the family. If mom wants to come back, she can.”
“I do, yes.” Helen whispered.
“I’ll be right here.” Reese said lightly.
“I need you.” She whispered looking up at him with teary eyes.
“Oh honey…” He pulled her to him.
“Are you married?” the doctor suggested.
“I’m her partner.” Reese said over Helen’s head.
“Works for me.” The doctor replied before leading them back to the room Jolene was in.
Helen slipped into the small room and looked at her daughter. An oxygen tube ran to her nose and had an IV in each arm. The nurse checking vital signs smiled at Helen when she gasped.
“You have a fighter, mom.” She said softly. “I’m sure she’ll make it through.”
Helen nodded as she squeezed Jolene’s hand.
“Hang in there, dad.” The nurse said on her way out.
“I didn’t even call Bob.” Helen said as Reese pulled a chair over. “Just you. I wanted you with me during this.”
He sat down and pulled her into his lap, making sure not to break the connection between mother and child. “I’ll be here for you. You and your kids. Now and always.”
She snuggled into his easy embrace. “When the kids were little, she tried so hard to get her dad to notice her. He was always busy with work and his flavor of the month. He introduced her to Hank, said he’s a good guy. At least he put on a good front.”
“But you didn’t buy it.”
She shook her head no. “Maybe it was because he was a friend of Bob’s. I just always assumed that he had a second life. Just like Bob and my father. I wanted to protect her from what I went through. But she had it worse.”
“Did Bob ever hit you?”
“No. Nothing like that. He would insult me. Ignore me. I was never taken on any of the trips. Never attended any of his functions. I was too fat and plain. When Jolene got married in Hawaii, he took his girlfriend, she's now his wife.”
“Did you go to her wedding?” he asked and she shook her head no. Reese did not like Bob, and now he disliked the man even more.
“He had me convinced that I would only embarrass her. I stayed because I was certain that everyone would be talking about how fat Jolene’s mother was. If she gets married again, I’m going to be there.”
“Yes, you will.” He assured her kissing her cheek. “And people are going to talk about how beautiful the bride is. How she looks like her mother. Beautiful and strong.”
Helen smiled. Reese always made her feel special and beautiful. And safe. She always felt safe with him. If this is what it felt like to be with him, she could do this. Maybe even the playroom.
Doubtful.
But maybe.
The nurse stepped back in. “Mom, dad, we’re going to move her now. She’s going up to room 513 in the critical care unit. It’s not like ICU, she can have more than one visitor at a time, but not as many as what’s out in the waiting room.”
Reese chuckled. “Majority of those are my sisters and nieces.”
“Your family have some sort of TLC show?” the nurse smiled.
“No, just lots of divorces and marriages.” He kissed that back of Helen’s head and stood them up. “Let’s go tell the family.”
Helen leaned over and kissed her daughter’s forehead. “I love you.”
Reese gently caressed Jolene’s cheek and brushed her hair back before kissing her forehead. “Keep fighting, princess.”
Reluctantly, Helen let Reese guide her back to the waiting room where the crowd had grown larger. Reese rolled his eyes at his sisters and nieces. Jaxon and JD rushed over to their mom and hugged her. Bunny and Ty squeezed into the hug also. Reese kissed the top of Helen and Bunny’s heads before going over to Cheryl.
“How is she?” she quietly asked hugging her dad.
“Pretty bad.” He admitted as he squeezed her and held his arm out for Dean. “But they think that she’ll make it. The nurse seemed optimistic. They’re moving her to the CCU floor.”
Nicole walked in with several key card envelopes from the hotel across the street from the hospital. “I was able to get seven rooms. Four more will be available tomorrow.”
“Princess, why are you getting hotel rooms?” Reese asked as his sister handed him two envelopes.
“We decided that we would take shifts.” Willow explained. “We need a place to hang out at and they need to be close by.”
“Plus, indoor pool.” Dani said excitedly.
“And Dean doesn’t need to be at the house by herself while you’re here.” Michele pointed out.
“Basically, dad, your queen is in crisis, so we’re all here for her and the newest princess.” Cheryl said.
“She’s not my queen.”
“A king’s bed is only for his queen.” Dean quoted. “The only place that you have slept with her is your bed.”
“Just go take care of your queen.” Victoria told him and kissed her brother on the cheek. “We’re working out a meal schedule. And yes, we know Helen’s eating the Mediterranean diet and Bunny is pregnant. We know. Go.”
“I’m a lucky man. Love you, all.”
He gave his daughter and niece a quick squeeze before walking back over to Helen and her little family. He handed an envelope to Helen and Jaxon.
“My sisters got hotel rooms, so you don’t have to be far from Jolene.”
“For how long?” Bunny asked.
“I didn’t ask that.” He admitted and turned back to his sisters. “Nicole, how long do we have rooms?”
“Bubs, it’s my hotel, you have them for as long as your princess is here.” Nicole replied.
“I can’t…” Helen said trying to hand the key card envelope back.
“Oh, yes you can.” Colleen said. “I’m Dr. Colleen Williams. I’ll be doing the orthopedic surgeries tomorrow.” She held a handout to Helen.
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