Chapter 7
Tad, Aidan, JR, and Adam continued quickly into the waiting room where Kendall was cowering under Ryan's vicious verbal assault, her head nearly buried in Palmer's chest as Ethan pulled back to punch him.
"Hey anger boy, why don't you take on someone your own speed?" JR asked, causing Ryan to turn.
Ryan laughed at him as Ethan dropped his arm and Aidan crossed behind Ryan to stand next to him. "You're kidding me, right? What is this? The cavalry? Well, ride off in the other direction and save someone else. I'm here to protect my unborn child."
"Yeah, because yelling at the woman who's carrying it while she's waiting for her husband to get out of surgery is such a show of concern."
"I have a right to know what affects my child," Ryan protested as Erin swooped in next to him.
"Let's just leave, Ryan. Our being here isn't helping. And he has a point, upsetting her isn't. . ."
"Shut up, Erin. Let me handle this. You don't know this little twerp like I do."
"Oh, now Ryan. I'm hurt," JR said caustically.
"You keep interfering and you will be."
"Is that a threat?"
"What do you think?" Ryan asked moving to stand toe to toe with the shorter man.
"Ryan. . ." Erin tried again as she tugged on his arm.
Unthinkingly, Ryan flung her off as if she was nothing but an annoying nat, causing her to fall to the floor with a thump and expulsion of breathe. "Nice. Throwing threats and women around in front of witnesses. Didn't think you were that stupid," JR taunted
"Getting involved in things that don't concern you is stupid. Or didn't you get that from what happened to Zach?" Ryan asked.
"Know something about that, do you Mr. Lavery?" Mimi said as she materialized from a corner of the room. "How about you come with me and we have a little chat about it?"
"You might want to talk to him about his threats to," JR added.
"You threaten someone?"
"No."
"Not what I heard," Palmer said from his seat as he handed Kendall over to Simone and rose.
"Mr. Courtland?" Mimi asked surprised as she shifted to address the older, well respected, man.
"He threatened Kendall, and then JR. Not to mention he threw that young woman to the ground," Palmer answered.
"It was an accident. I slipped," Erin said as she looked over Mimi's shoulder, more than used to having make lies like this stick.
"OK, any one else hear these threats?"
"I did," Tad, Adam, Aidan, JR, and Ethan all said at once.
"Well, Mr. Lavery, seems you're a miracle worker after all."
"Excuse me?"
"Never seen anyone get Tad, Adam, and Mr. Courtland to agree on anything before," she answered.
"Now, look here. I have a right to know about things that are affecting my unborn child. Can you blame me for being upset that Kendall didn't alert me to her being in danger and taking it out on the wrong people?" Ryan wondered, hoping his charm could get him through on this one.
"Perhaps not, if the child was yours," David Haywood said as he walked into the room.
"What the hell are you talking about, Haywood?"
"You really think I would let Greenlee mother your demon spawn?" David shot back unphased. "See the good thing about not having privileges at a hospital is not having to worry about losing them, so you can do what all doctors want to--- play good."
"You're lying," Ryan spat.
"Really? You really think that Greenlee would've just walked away from her baby? That she would've just left this town because of you alone? And they say I have an ego problem!" David laughed.
"Why don't you fill us in on whatever illegal thing you've done now, David," Tad taunted.
"It's not exactly illegal when you have the permission from the only person able to give informed consent," David countered.
"Dr. Haywood, please," Mimi sighed in exasperation.
David shrugged as he walked towards where Kendall sat staring at him in confusion. "Shock's wearing off, huh?" he asked as he bent down. "I didn't expect to be the one to tell you this. Or this to be the way. But what the hell! Congratulations, you're pregnant with your and your husband's child."