Chapter 28

The nurse piped up and said, "Oh, no doctor, he had four in the accident, the other three have gone home."

Giving the nurse a confused look he said, "But I just finished operating on his daughter."

Her eyes widened and she said to AJ, "Wow, five children, you sure kept your wife busy."

"Yes, and she is on her honeymoon in Hawaii as we speak," replied the Doctor.

AJ stood there quietly through all of this and finally said, "When Allison is brought to ICU can she and AJ be put near each other so it'll be easier for me to visit."

"I'll see to it Sir."

"Thank you," he said and headed off to his visit with AJ all the while wondering how Harriett would react to him being her children's 'father'.

Knowing that his five minutes had been up several minutes ago AJ wondered why he had not been shooed out of ICU, when the doors opened and they wheeled Allison in. The nurse from earlier smiled kindly at him and he understood why he had not been sent away. He watched as they transferred his tiny daughter to the bed next to AJ's' and he pulled his chair closer to her and took her hand. He looked at her tiny pale form and wondered how he could stand losing her, if he would have the strength to carry on.

The nurse reluctantly came into the room awhile later and AJ knew she had given him as long as she could. He got up and went outside to give Mac a call and check on the other children. As he exited the hospital and turned his cell phone on he saw that he had three messages. They were all from Victor attempting to let him know when they would be arriving. Feeling bad that he hadn't been available to take the calls AJ knew he couldn't contact them while they were on the plane, but made note of their itinerary and knew that he could call them in about forty minutes at their layover in Denver.

He placed a call to Mac and gave her an update on Allison and AJ. Then he told her that Victor and Harriett wouldn't be arriving until twelve thirty. Mac said, "I'll have Clay pick them up at the airport."

"Thank you, I was concerned at how they would get here."

"Don't worry, AJ. I'll take care of it. You give Allison and AJ a kiss from me the next time you see them."

"I will Mac, thank you. I hope taking care of the extra three children hasn't been a problem for you."

"Not at all, they ate dinner and are watching a movie now and will be in bed soon."

"Thank you, Mac."

Forty minutes later he placed the call to Harriett's cell phone. "Hello," she answered franticly.

"Hello, Harriett, its AJ."

"AJ, how are the children?"

"The twins only had scratches and scraps while James had a broken leg, but other than that they are fine. Mac took them home with Mackenzie who had a broken arm. AJ is still in ICU. They did a CAT-scan on him and didn't find any fractures or internal bleeding, so now we are just waiting for him to come around. The doctor assumed that AJ was mine and because I thought they might not let me see him in ICU since I wasn't a relative I'm afraid I let him believe that."

"Thank God the other children weren't hurt any worse. Has AJ come around at all?"

"No, Harriett, he hasn't, I'm sorry. I want you to know that Clay will be picking you up at the airport and bringing you and Victor here, since I didn't feel I could leave."

"Is Mac taking care of Allison too?"

"No, she is in the bed right next to AJ's in ICU."

"How badly is she hurt AJ?"

"They don't know if she will ever walk again, her back is broken."

Seeing Harriett go pale Victor caught the phone as it slipped though her cold fingers. He had tried to keep her from hearing or seeing any of the news reports or the newspapers about the incident, but Victor had heard that two children and the driver of the bus had been killed. Putting the phone to his ear he dreaded that one of those children had been Allison Chegwidden.

"Is Allison still alive AJ?" asked Victor.

"Yes, Victor, but her back is broken and they don't know if she will ever walk again."

"I'm so sorry AJ we'll be there as soon as possible. Hang in there and keep watch over them."

"I will, you take care of Harriett."

To be continued….