Chapter 27
"There has been an accident with the daycare bus. The twins and James are alright, but AJ has a head injury and is unconscious."
"We'll be on the next flight out, Sir. I'm sure you have Harriett's cell phone number call if there is any news." Hanging up the phone he turned to his wife and said, "Honey, you need to get packed while I call and get us on the next flight home."
Yanking the receiver out of his hand Harriett threatened, "Oh, no you don't Victor Galendiz you will tell me what's wrong first."
"All right give me the phone," he held out his hand and waited for her to do so. Seeing the sadness in his eyes she slowly did as she was told. Victor took the receiver and hung it up, then pulling her into his arms and onto his lap he said as softly as he could, "Honey, there has been an accident at home. The girls and James are alright, but AJ is in the hospital suffering from head injury."
Burying her head in his neck Harriett whispered, "My baby."
Gently rocking her Victor reached out once again for the phone, "I'll get us home as quickly as I can, Honey."
As Victor talked to the airport Harriett took a deep breath, got up off his lap, dressed quickly in her discarded clothes and began to pack. Hanging up Victor informed her that there was a flight leaving in three hours with two seats available, but they wouldn't be able to sit together.
"That was AJ on the phone wasn't it?" Harriett asked him as she continued to pack as he dressed.
"Yes, he's at the hospital with them now."
"Did he say how Allison was?" she asked.
With a guilty look, he said, "I didn't think to ask, but I'm sure she's alright, or I'm sure he would have said something."
"Let's hope so," she responded quietly.
AJ Roberts' doctor came to the waiting room to look for Admiral Chegwidden just as Mac and Clay were leaving with Mackenzie, James and the twins. Waiting until they were gone the doctor walked up to AJ and held out his hand, "Admiral Chegwidden, I'm Dr. Pearlman, we've taken AJ to Intensive Care. The CAT-scan showed blunt trauma to the head, there were no fractures and no internal bleeding and all we can do now is keep him comfortable and wait for him to come around."
"I've called his mother, she was on her honeymoon in Hawaii and she will be here as soon as possible."
"We can allow you to see your son for five minutes out of the hour and of course your ex-wife will be able to see him when she gets here."
Realizing that he could be kept out of ICU if the doctor knew he wasn't 'family' AJ simply asked, "Thank you doctor, may I see him now?"
"Yes, that is fine."
AJ had had two visits with his young namesake and was just about ready for his third when Allison's surgeon came looking for him. He found AJ standing in front of a window with his arms linked behind his back. Doctor Reed coughed and drew AJ's attention to him. AJ turned to find a man in sweaty scrubs with hat in hand standing before him. "Admiral Chegwidden?" he asked.
"Yes Doctor."
"My name is Dr. Reed and I just left your daughter Allison in recovery."
"How is she Doctor?"
"It was a delicate surgery and I'm afraid we won't know for sure if she is going to be paralyzed until the swelling goes down. I'm sorry, I wish I had better news for you."
Closing his eyes trying to absorb all this could mean for his child AJ stiffened his spine and straightened his shoulders and taking a deep breath said, "Thank you Doctor I'm sure you did all you could. How soon will it be before I can see her?"
"She will be moved into Intensive Care soon and you can see her then."
The surgeon had turned to walk away when the ICU nurse approached them, "Sir, can see your son again now."
Doctor Reed threw AJ a sympathetic look and said, "I'm sorry Sir, I didn't realize you had two children in the accident."
To be continued….
