Chapter Fifteen
Cora took the baby out of the car seat, settling Adam in his bassinet. She had dropped off Nick and Oliver to school already and was ready to tackle the dishes plus a few other small chores.
Kelly was supposed to come by in the afternoon so Jackson and Adam could have a playdate. Really, it meant that Kelly and Cora could bond while Kelly had a quick look at Henry. Cora was grateful that Kelly was a nurse and willing to drop in once in a while to be sure Henry was okay.
He seemed to be worse over the past week.
Henry continued to be interested in the boys, asking questions of Nick and Oliver, staying involved with their lives.
Just last night he was helping Oliver with his homework.
The problem was Henry was so very exhausted.
It didn’t take long before he let Nick take over to finish the project with Oliver.
It hurt Cora to see him slowly declining.
He seemed to be taking on too much with trying to figure out how to help Gerrit and who was behind the troubles plaguing the Ramesly family.
When Cora tried to mention he might want to slow down, Henry had given her a weary smile and told her he couldn’t stop.
The only good news was that he was near the top of the heart transplant list. The doctor had let it slip during the last appointment that since Henry’s health markers were worse, he was getting closer to the heart.
He had also suggested home nursing care which was something they had been putting off.
Cora noted the coffee mug in the sink. At least Henry had been up while she had been dropping the boys off. She tried not to hover and give him enough space, but little things like seeing a mug in the sink made her feel relieved.
How was she going to feel if he got well? Cora cleared the breakfast dishes. Would Henry stay or would he leave to live his own life? Somehow she had gotten very used to him being present in her home. Cora found she didn’t want him to go anywhere.
The breakfast she had left out wasn’t touched. Cora frowned. Henry knew he needed to eat. Picking up the plate, she headed to Henry’s room, knocking on the door. When she didn’t hear anything, she gently opened the door.
“Henry?”
He was sitting on the bed, holding a cellphone to his ear. “Are you sure?”
Curious, Cora set down the plate on the top of the tallboy. She waited patiently as he listened to the person on the other end of the call.
“Okay. I will be there as soon as possible. Thanks,” murmured Henry before hanging up. He looked up at Cora with a stunned expression. “I need to go to the hospital.”
“Is something wrong?” questioned Cora with some alarm. She came forward, immediately taking his hand in hers. “Why? What did the doctor say?”
“They say they may have a heart for me,” slowly revealed Henry, mulling over the words with some awe. “I’m supposed to go to Mercy. It could happen. I could have the transplant today if everything goes well.”
Cora sat down on the bed beside Henry, still holding his hand. “Today? Really?”
“Yeah,” said a surprised Henry.
A smile played on Cora’s lips. She turned to look at Henry who still seemed to be in slight disbelief over the news. Letting go of his hand, she reached out and hugged him. After a moment, Henry hugged her back.
“It’s going to go perfectly,” decided Cora. She leaned against Henry. “You are going to get your heart and heal. By this time next year you are going to be as healthy as Nick and Oliver.”
“I doubt I’m going to be a match for a twelve and ten year old,” said Henry, but Cora could hear the smile in his voice.
He backed up, his expression serious again.
“You know that things can still go wrong. We might get there and the heart is nonviable. I just don’t want you to be disappointed if it doesn’t happen. ”
“Henry, you are getting a heart today. I will hope enough for both of us,” gently retorted Cora. “Now make your way to the van while I grab your bag and Adam.”
“Okay,” smiled Henry before he took her hand again. “Thank you, Cora. For being here for me.”
“Always,” replied Cora. Before she could think it through, she gave into the impulse to press her lips swiftly to his.
Pulling her hand out of his, she quickly stood, her words rushing out to cover her sudden embarrassment.
“Now you had better text Ben. Then get to the vehicle. Remember, you are using the walker because I am not strong enough to pick you up off the floor should you fall. I’m going to get Adam ready. ”
Without looking at Henry, she quickly fled the room. Leaning against the wall in the hallway, she pressed a trembling hand to her lips.
What had possessed her to do such a foolhardy thing? Henry was her friend. She wasn’t ready for anything more, she told herself sternly. She didn’t want to hurt him and have him expecting more from her.
Yet an inner voice told her she was lying to herself.
Cora knew she had feelings for Henry. Deciding it wasn’t the time to think about it, Cora headed for her son, getting him ready for the trip to the hospital.
Baby in the car seat, purse over her shoulder, and Henry’s hospital bag in hand, Cora locked up the house.
Henry was slowly settling himself in the passenger seat of the van.
It didn’t take long for them to drive to the hospital.
Cora was resolutely silent during the ride and Henry didn’t seem to be in a talking mood either which suited her.
At the lobby, they were directed which way to go.
Cora insisted that someone assist Henry with a wheelchair.
She was not going to have him walking across the entire hospital when he wasn’t fit.
Henry tried to quietly protest but Cora cut him off with a single look.
She would brook no argument on it. FInally, a porter was found who helped them with a wheelchair.
The man cheerfully chatted about the weather, baby Adam, and how the construction was coming along in the new wing of the hospital while they walked the halls.
Coming to the cardiac unit, the porter wheeled Henry into the waiting area.
“I hope your husband does well with the heart transplant,” he merrily said as he left.
“Oh we aren’t…” Cora’s voice trailed away. She bit her lip and set Adam’s carseat on the chair beside Henry. “I will get you registered.”
Not looking at Henry, Cora approached the desk, telling the nurse why Henry was there. She was given paperwork and told the doctor would be advised Henry was waiting.
Fishing through her purse for a pen, Cora had a seat, immersing herself in the hospital forms.
“Ben is coming. I texted Addison as well,” softly said Henry.
“That’s good,” responded Cora with a neutral voice as she wrote down basic information.
They were silent as Cora finished the forms, handing them over to Henry to sign before giving them to the nurse at the desk. Cora sat down again, nervously waiting. Adam fussed a little so she gently rocked the car seat to put him back to sleep.
“Mr. Ramesly?” the nurse at the desk called out. “The doctor will see you now.”
Ben arrived just as they were going in to see the doctor.
The surgeon was pleased to see them, noting that the heart was on its way to Mercy.
They would do a few simple tests on Henry and provided everything was good, he would indeed be getting his transplant within just a few hours.
The surgeon didn’t see any reason why things wouldn’t go smoothly.
While doing the heart transplant, they would fix Henry’s aneurysm.
The doctor’s words flowed over Cora like she was living in a dream. She barely processed what was being said other than Henry was going to have his transplant. Cora watched as the doctor gave them a smile and left the room.
Henry reached out a hand to cover Cora’s but she jerked it away. Her heart was racing from the unexpected contact and she felt foolish and off kilter. She knew pulling her hand away had hurt Henry’s feelings, yet he didn’t say anything about it.
“Ben, could you take Adam a moment and go on a little walk?” she blurted out, stomach clenching in anxiety. “I would like to speak to Henry privately for just a bit.”
“Okay,” Ben readily agreed. He gave them an odd look, probably fully aware of the tension between Henry and Cora. Carefully taking Adam out of the carseat for a cuddle, he left the room, letting the door shut behind him.
“Cora,” began Henry but she cut him off, leaning forward Cora brought both her hands to cup his face before kissing him.
It was wonderful. Henry tasted like coffee.
He kissed her back and Cora fuzzily thought she might have been stupid not to kiss him sooner.
He made her feel loved, cherished, and desirable.
Cora felt his hand on her ribs at the other at the nape of her neck.
Reluctantly, she drew back, breaking the kiss.
“You are not allowed to die,” she fiercely told him, trying hard not to cry. “Promise me you are going to live.”
She knew he couldn’t promise any such thing, but she needed him to say the words, to reassure her in this moment.
“I promise,” repeated Henry, always knowing what she needed. He watched her with concern.
Cora had a nod then pressed her lips to his for another quick kiss before she got up and left the room.
Heading to the waiting area, she sat in one of the chairs. She wouldn’t be happy he was getting the heart transplant. She couldn’t be happy that they had just kissed. There was no way she might find any joy in the fact that she loved Henry.
If she were happy, he might just die.
So she held herself still in her fear like a talisman, wrapping her arms around herself tightly, and felt the tears fall.
Cora didn’t know how long she sat like that before Ben found her. Long enough for the tears to dry but not long enough for her to become unparalyzed. If he had just stayed away a little longer, she might have been able to find her composure back.