Chapter 53 - Persistent Shadow

Bella

Someone was calling me, so I turned towards the sound of their voice for a second, and then I looked back to find Poppa, but he was gone. Someone called my name again, and I awoke to the sound of Edward's voice whispering gently next to my ear.

"Bella, wake up. Bella?" Edward was stroking my hair and kissing my cheek, waking me from my dream, but I was still groggy and looking for Poppa.

"Where's Poppa?" I asked.

"Bella, we're still at the hospital. I have news on your dad," he smiled, as I opened my eyes, confused.

"Dad's going to be fine," I told him. "Poppa said so." Edward looked at me funny, like he wasn't sure if he had woken me up all the way. I looked around and found I was alone. "Where is everyone?"

"They all went home to freshen up and check in with their jobs, but they'll be back in a little while. Bella, your dad's asking for you. Your mom is back with him now, but he wants to see you."

Edward led me through the automatic doors and back into the Cardiac ICU. Dad was in a small room with glass panels that overlooked the central nurses' station. I could see my mom was holding my dad's hand, and she looked so lost and worried. She saw me approach and stepped out of the room and into Edward's arms, nodding for me to go in. Dad was awake and was hooked up to a myriad of tubes, wires, and machines. He smiled weakly at me, as I came to his bedside, barely lifting his hand to take mine. He was deathly pale, almost bluish, but his grip on my hand was firm.

"Shoveling snow is now officially off your 'stupid things for old guys to do' list," I smiled at him through my tears. He barely nodded in agreement.

"They say I need surgery, blocked arteries," he whispered dryly. "Sounds like fun."

"Don't worry, Dad. You'll be fine. Poppa told me you would." He looked up at me, and his smile widened.

"Yeah, I know. Grammy paid me a visit during the night, too. She said Poppa was with you. Seems little Andrew's gonna give me a run for my money in the biggest fish contest," he said with a twinkle in his eyes. "I can't wait to see it."

Dad and I looked at each other in silence for a moment, sharing a bond we knew would carry both of us through anything, here or hereafter. The nurse came in to remind us visiting hours would resume this evening, so I kissed dad's forehead and promised I would be back later. He called to me as I was leaving.

"Bella, wait," he motioned me to him. "Grammy said to tell you to stay out of the stairwells, whatever that means." Poppa had said that as well, so I was sure it was significant. I would avoid stairwells everywhere at all cost if it were so important that they both had mentioned it.

Dad's surgery was scheduled for tomorrow morning to bypass the blocked arteries in his chest. Mom was a nervous wreck, but I had it on good authority that dad would be fine, so I was able to relax and lose myself in thoughts of motherhood. The idea scared me a bit. I wanted to have some time with Edward as a couple before we became a family, but the idea of two little ones crawling around made me smile.

The surgery went well, and dad spent the next few days in the ICU, before being moved to a private room. I hadn't planned on ringing in the New Year this way, but I was happy to have a reason to celebrate. Dad was doing well enough to go home in a few days, and he was more than ready to be out of the hospital.

After a long discussion, and after watching mom flit about in a constant state of shot nerves, Edward and I decided to ask her and dad to stay with us for a while. I wasn't sure if they were ready to give up their home permanently, but the offer would be there if or when they needed it. The prospect of not having to take care of dad by herself, and having Edward close by, calmed mom down considerably, and she finally started smiling again.

When dad was finally released from the hospital, he wanted to walk out on his own power, but hospital policy had him planted firmly in a wheelchair, grumbling about not being crippled, just maimed a little. Mom was receiving discharge instructions from dad's cardiologist, and I was listening as well, until I got that tingle that stood the hairs up on the back of my neck. I spun around quickly to see the door to the stairwell closing. It was bad enough that I had been getting freaked out at Children's, but I was fuming to think they had followed me to Valley Medical Center as well, and I'd had enough. I went charging towards the stairwell door, when Poppa's voice in my ear rang sharply, stopping me in my tracks. I stood there, fighting the urge to chase down the nutjob who was driving me crazy and lay into him, but I turned around and went back to my very confused parents.

"What was that all about?" mom asked after the doctor had left. "You looked absolutely furious, Bella." She was looking at me now, and I tried to calm myself, so as not to alarm dad and put him under any added stress.

"Oh, it's nothing. I thought I saw someone cutting up and acting dangerously going into the stairwell, that's all." I hated lying, but I didn't want to worry her, either. My explanation seemed to satisfy her, and so we left, but I was looking back over my shoulder, annoyed and unnerved. They would have to come out of that stairwell sometime, and hopefully, it would not be when I was alone.