Chapter Nine
After two weeks in the rehab facility, Steven was ready to leave, and he didn’t care if it happened to be against medical advice. He’d seen through Lanie’s lame attempts to hide how much his business was flailing without him, and the longer he remained in rehab, the more the firm would suffer.
Marvin and his medical team were sitting around the conference table opposite Steven, his father, Lanie, and Rose. Everyone’s face was grim. Dad was the only one who supported his decision, though Steven suspected that had more to do with how much continuing rehab for another two weeks would hurt his father’s bank account.
“You’ve made such amazing progress,” Marvin protested. “Why leave now? Your cast comes off in three weeks, and in another four, we might have you standing again.”
“Outpatient therapy can do that as well,” Steven countered, keeping his voice cool and detached.
“But these first few months after a spinal cord injury are critical. You’d do better with more therapy than you can receive on an outpatient basis.”
“And my firm will fail,” Steven retorted. “I’ve heard the arguments, but they don’t take into account the impact to my personal life.” With a deep breath, he worked to remain calm. “I need to get back to work.”
“Where will you live?” Rose asked quietly. Her brown eyes were filled with unshed tears. It wasn’t the first time she’d asked him that question. “Your house isn’t equipped for a wheelchair.”
“I visited Steven’s house yesterday. Despite the concerns expressed at the hospital, I found the door to the house and to the bathroom on the first floor are wide enough to accommodate his wheelchair. But even if they weren’t, he’ll need a two-person transfer assist to go to the bathroom or to move from the bed to the chair and vice versa,” Adrian, his physical therapist, responded for him. “But that can be accomplished with home care aides.”
Steven sat up a little straighter. While he hadn’t expected his decision to receive much support from his medical team, he was grateful his progress was at least being acknowledged.
“So you support this decision?” Marvin demanded.
“I wouldn’t go that far.” Adrian sighed. “But determining what’s best for Steven depends on all the facts, and quite frankly, the stress of being here, away from his work, isn’t good for his spinal injury or his heart.” He turned to Rose. “Some adjustments would need to be made, such as placing a hospital bed downstairs until he’s able to climb stairs again. I believe, with some adjustments and Steven remaining mindful of his limitations, he could live there.” His gaze met Steven’s, and his face hardened. “However, there are other things to consider. How will you get to appointments?”
“While I understand being away from the office is stressing you out, how will you maintain a low stress level if you return to work?” Dr. Myers’s voice came through the intercom in the middle of the table. He hadn’t been able to get away to attend the meeting in person. “I don’t need to remind you of the risk of a second heart attack.”
Steven gestured to Lanie to speak. She shot him a withering look but nodded and leaned forward.
“We plan to hire a law clerk to help while Steven recovers. An experienced law student, even if they haven’t passed the bar, could perform most of the tasks Steven does.” Her hazel eyes flashed fire as she glared at him. “But Steven would still have to review the work and sign off on it.”
“And the appointments?” Marvin asked.
“I’ll drive him,” Steven’s father said. “I’m retired and have already rented an accessibility van.”
The medical team exchanged glances, and Dr. Myers heaved a heavy sigh over the phone. Steven held his breath.
“Again, I state for the record, Mr. McAllister is choosing to leave of his own free will and against medical advice.” Dr. Myers’s voice was authoritative but resigned. “Marvin, fill out the discharge paperwork and let me know if Dr. Bhati or I need to sign off on anything.”
“Thanks for calling in.” Marvin pushed back from the table and stood. “We’ll prepare everything for discharge.”
Rose burst into tears beside him and ran out. Lanie chased her, leaving Steven with his father. Without a word, Dad grabbed the wheelchair handles and guided him back to his room for hopefully the last time.
“What’s this?” Steven demanded as his father pulled up in front of his house. Several cars were parked along the street and in the driveway.
“Nate and Lanie wanted to welcome you home,” Rose said a little too brightly. She’d barely spoken on the way back from the rehab facility, though he’d tried to engage her in conversation. While he understood her fears about his health, he wished she would trust him. After all, he was hiring a law clerk and finding ways to manage his workload. Why isn’t that enough for her?
Dad cringed but said nothing as he parked and began the complicated process of removing Steven’s chair from the van.
Steven raised an eyebrow at Rose. “What’s going on?”
“It’s just a small gathering of your favorite people to celebrate your release.” But she wouldn’t meet his eyes.
He leaned back in the seat and crossed his arms. “I’m not leaving this vehicle until you tell me what I’m walking into.”
Dad snorted, and Steven flushed. Even he could hear how empty the threat was. Until he was out of that blasted chair, he didn’t have a lot of say about where he could and couldn’t go. He’d learned to maneuver around in it, but it was easier to be pushed by someone else. They’d recommended a power wheelchair instead of a manual one, but he’d refused. No sense in spending the money if he planned to walk again as soon as possible.
With a sigh, Rose turned in her seat and faced him. “We’re holding a family meeting.”
His brow furrowed. “Why?”
“Because you’re a stubborn workaholic who won’t listen to reason,” Dad said.
“What he means”—Rose cut in with a glare— “is that we need to discuss how things are going to be now that you’re home.”
Steven’s lips pressed into a thin line. “And if I don’t agree?”
Rose opened her mouth, but his father beat her to it. “Then I’ll turn this van around and take you right back to the rehab facility.”
“You wouldn’t dare.”
Dad stopped fiddling with the belts strapping Steven in and stepped out as if ready to slam the door. “Try me.”
Steven scowled. “Fine. I’ll at least listen, but don’t think for one minute that I’m going to change my mind.”
“Of course not,” Rose muttered as she slipped out of the car and headed into the house.
“Let’s get this over with,” he grumbled as his father pushed him up the sidewalk. His family had had a ramp installed over the stairs. As Adrian had promised, his chair fit easily through the front door.
The scene that greeted him didn’t alleviate any of his frustrations. His sister and her fiancé, Nate, sat on the black love seat on one side of the living room. Rose had claimed a matching recliner near the kitchen. Nobody spoke as Steven came in.
“Well, let’s hear it,” he said, gesturing to Rose. Somehow, he suspected she was the mastermind behind the whole charade.
Dad smirked, raising an eyebrow at Lanie, who simply nodded. Without waiting for an invitation, he sank onto Steven’s black leather couch and made himself comfortable.
Nate had moved closer to Lanie, almost protectively, as if he expected Steven to lash out at her at any moment. It took all of Steven’s willpower not to throw them out of his house. He’d promised Rose he would listen to what they had to say, even if every instinct told him not to.
“I’m sorry to have ambushed you like this,” Rose began, catching him by surprise. “But your decision to leave the rehab center against medical advice left me little choice.”
He struggled to keep his emotions in check. “What’s wrong with my choice?”
She fiddled with her engagement ring, and he half expected someone else to swoop in and take control of the situation. But no one did, and she seemed to steel herself.
“You aren’t taking this seriously,” she said. Her tone was firm, but her beautiful brown eyes swam with tears.
His anger faltered, but he tried not to let it show. Perhaps he was being unreasonable, but he couldn’t help feeling an intervention was over the top and unnecessary.
“You can’t go back to the way things were,” she said. “We have to make some changes to not only allow you time to heal but to reduce the likelihood of another heart attack.”
“But I’m continuing therapy on an outpatient basis.” Quite reluctantly, he wanted to add. With his schedule, those appointments would take up a huge chunk of time. “And I’m adhering to the strict diet the nutritionist put me on.”
“I’m referring to overall lifestyle changes.”
Somehow, he knew the conversation was about his job, and he clenched his jaw to keep from lashing out. Didn’t she understand he needed to work, or he’d lose everything? His business? Their future?Everything was all tied together.
“I’ve already offered to assist with your business over the summer,” Lanie piped up. She glanced at Nate. “And we’re happy to help Rose with the wedding planning, as it’s a good chance to learn the business before we plan our own.”
“But you’re going to need to figure something else out soon,” Nate said. He took Lanie’s hand and fixed Steven with a steely gaze. “Lanie starts teaching on her own in August, so you can’t lean on her for too long.”
Steven pressed his fingers into his temples. “I already promised I would cut back.”
“I’m afraid that’s not enough,” Rose said, her tone gentle. “And that’s what we’re here to discuss. How we can pitch in and help you to alleviate as much of your stress as possible.”
“Lanie and Sandra are helping me hire a law clerk.” He met his sister’s gaze. “I’m truly grateful for your help, both while I was in rehab and now. While my staff can handle daily tasks, there’s benefit in having someone who knows me and is aware of my…” He couldn’t say the words. “Condition.”
Rose looked like she wanted to say more, but he held up his hand. “Before you ask me about a partner again, let me explain why that’s not possible. The fact is, I can’t afford to bring on a full-time attorney right now. There’s not enough profit to support something like that at this point.” He sighed. “At the same time, there’s too much tied into this firm to go belly-up so soon.”
“Then what can we do to make sure that doesn’t happen?” Dad asked.
“Finding a law clerk is the first step.” Steven glanced at Rose. “Though it would be easier if I could go into the office.”
“Absolutely not.” She crossed her arms. “Dr. Myers said you aren’t cleared to return to work yet.”
He released a frustrated sigh. “I appreciate everything. And I am aware of the risk of another…” He choked on the words again. “Incident.” Clearing his throat, he pressed on. “But you also have to understand I have a lot at stake, and there are certain things I’m not willing to compromise on.”
Rose clenched her hands into fists. Steven’s jaw ached from grinding his teeth. They appeared to be at an impasse, and he had no idea where to go from there.
“Why don’t we continue with the arrangement we had while you were in the rehab facility?” Lanie asked in a clear attempt to break through the tension. “I can keep you up to date on the goings-on in the office and bring you things to sign.”
Before she finished speaking, Steven was already shaking his head. “I need to start catching up with my clients.” At Rose’s glare, he added, “But I can do that through phone calls and video conferences.”
His sister visibly relaxed and smiled. “That seems fair to me.”
All eyes turned to Rose for her verdict. At first, he thought she was going to keep pushing him to stop working entirely, but then she nodded.
“I won’t stop encouraging you to take it easy,” Rose said, her voice much more tentative than it had been moments ago. “But I understand the need to save your firm.” Her teeth worried her lower lip. “Just… promise me you won’t overexert yourself.”
“I promise.” Steven put his hand over his heart, which felt more than a little overdramatic, but he wanted to assure her of his sincerity.
“But you better believe I’ll be watching you like a hawk,” Lanie said, her hazel eyes darkening.
“I’d expect nothing less,” Steven replied drily. He forced himself not to grin. Against all odds, he’d won. Well, he’d won a battle, but if he knew his family, the war was far from over.
As happy as he was to be out of the rehab facility, Steven had to admit being home wasn’t much better. Despite his pleas, his family refused to allow him to return to the office, not even to visit his staff. And his attempts to convince his sister to bring him work beyond the occasional need for his signature had been met with her threatening to tell Rose. The last thing he needed was another dressing-down from his fiancée. But as the days wore on, his restlessness grew.
To her credit, Lanie was surprisingly lenient with him. She was happy to just sit and talk to him, watch TV together, or play board games. If Rose had stayed, he probably wouldn’t get off so easily. She would play nursemaid and insist he follow every recommendation from the doctor. But as long as he didn’t overexert himself, Lanie didn’t fuss.
“Are you enjoying your summer vacation?” he asked one afternoon while they played Uno.
Lanie shrugged. “I’m not hating it, but since I only got to work a few months before the school year ended, I don’t feel like I’ve earned the break.”
He raised an eyebrow as he considered his next move. “I disagree. After everything you’ve been through this last year, you deserve to relax.”
“What about you? How are you feeling about the forced recovery period?”
For a moment, he didn’t answer, pretending to concentrate on his cards. “It’s nice to be home, but I do worry the work is piling up.”
“I’ve been by the office every day this week to coordinate with Sandra. She said she’s handling your cases just fine, though Mr. Willoughby continues to call daily.”
Steven rolled his eyes. As much as he missed the office, he had to admit he was in no hurry to return to dealing with that particular client. But he kept that to himself.
“I’m glad Sandra is staying on top of things, but it may be too much for her.”
“All the more reason for you to start looking for a law clerk,” Lanie said, laying down a draw-four card.
He scowled, both at the insistence he needed help and the move she’d just played. He’d had only two cards left. But his mind wasn’t on the game at all, and there were some advantages to letting Lanie win.
“How can I advertise for one if no one will let me work?”
“I’ve already discussed placing an ad with the newspaper, and I’ve researched how to advertise at law schools in DC and Baltimore.” She glanced at him quickly before hitting him with another draw-four card. “Of course, we’ll need your help with the wording.”
“Doesn’t that count as work?” He winced at how sullen he sounded. His predicament wasn’t Lanie’s fault, and if he had any hope of convincing her to let him go into the office, even if just for a few hours, biting her head off wasn’t the way to do it. He tried a different tactic. “I appreciate your help.”
She smiled. “Anytime.”
Taking a deep breath, he pushed his shoulders back. “But I’d like to review my files.” When she opened her mouth to respond, he rushed on. “It’ll aid me in writing the ad if I know exactly what I’ll need the law clerk to do.”
Her brow furrowed. Whether that was because she was open to his request or debating her next move, he couldn’t tell.He fidgeted with his cards while he waited for her response.
With a sigh, she shook her head. “You know Rose will never go for that.”
“She’s my fiancée, not my keeper,” he retorted.
Lanie laughed. “Try telling her that.”
“I have,” he muttered. Time to go with plan B. “You know, I have a special calendar where I track my deadlines and upcoming court dates. I should review that as well.”
“Does Sandra not have access to this calendar?”
With a triumphant smile, he shook his head. “It’s locally saved on my computer.”
“Don’t you have a laptop?” Lanie frowned. “Couldn’t I bring that home to you?”
Score!“Would you? That would be helpful.”
“Sure. I’ll swing by the office tomorrow and drop it off next time I stop by.”
Steven smiled. Another battle won, and that one was huge. With his computer there, he would be able to work without anyone being the wiser, especially at night, when no one else was around. He was so excited by the turn of events, he didn’t even react when Lanie yelled “Uno!”