Ch 12
A few days had passed and Natalie was standing by the bar at the Palace Hotel... her cell phone rang and she quickly looked at the caller Id before answering.
"Okay Grandpa... I understand... I'll tell Mr. Simmons and Mr. Phelps that your running late... yes... I'll be fine... I can handle this...Thanks" Natalie smiled as she closed her phone, Her grandfather and herself were having a lunch meeting with a few of BE's Clients. And Asa was running late... so... .She'd have to run the show for a bit... she smiled... feeling quite confident that she could handle it.
Actually she was quite confident she could handle lots of stuff when it came to working at BE, Asa was showing her the ropes... it had been a week... a very long week of almost 14 hour days with him teaching her everything she needed to know... his hopes that someday she... along with Kevin in London... would run the business... and just as smooth as he had all these years.
John walked into the Palace bar... he was meeting Michael here ... unsure why Michael all of a sudden liked meeting here and not at the Diner...or Rodis but... he was meeting him here... he lifted his eyes as he entered the room and saw her... the beautiful site of her for the first time in almost a week.
John watched her closely as she was dressed in some sort of business suite... one he would see Evangeline wear... one more Evangeline's style... and although... she looked gorgeous it in... in anything... he wondered what it meant... what it was all about. He saw her move towards the bar with a certain confidence he hadn't seen in awhile... not since her pool playing days and he wanted to smile... but ... he couldn't bring himself too.
John continued to watch her order a drink... her smile, bright and this time... he let a small smile pass his face… unsure of why other that the fact that he was happy to see her... look at her... he started to walk towards her...wondering... hoping she'd feel better... than the last time... maybe they could talk... get thru all of this... he had been giving her space this week... he moved closer but stopped suddenly as he saw two men in suites approach her... he turned to the side... not far and listened to what they all said.
"Mrs. Buchanan" the blonde younger gentlemen said with a glimmer in his eye that John didn't like one bit.
"Its Miss" She smiled at he Man as he put his hand out to shake.
"Andrew Phelps... and this is Darren Simmons , we're from S and P." Natalie lent out her hand to shake as the other gentleman spoke.
"Your grandfather said to look for a striking red head but... his words didn't do you justice" the man was flirting with her and she smiled nice and shook his hand this time.
"Thank you...My grandfather called and he's running late... said if it was alright with the two of you... since we know you have a plane to catch that we can go ahead get a table and start talking BE business" Natalie told them and they both smiled giving her there full attention.
John heard her words... as if... as if she worked for Asa... for BE...he watched as one of the suited gentlemen guided her to the table, his hand on her back some and he wanted to punch him... he did... rage... anger at all the flirting and the mans eyes roaming her body some was making him nuts when his cell phone rang... it yet again ... rang.
"McBain...Blair... calm down... what? Todd? Alright... I'll be right there"
A few days later
"Hey little lady... you alright in there?" Natalie was in the bathroom that sat between her office and her grandfathers... she wasn't feeling well, he stomach... queasy and she blamed it on the business lunch they had an hour prior.
'Fine Grandpa... just don't think Lunch is laying on me too good... I'll be out in a few minutes" she called out to him and then a few minutes later she heard his voice again... this time... more concerned but... not about her and her sudden nausea...Vomiting.
"Natalie..."
"What's wrong?" she said noticing his urgent scared tone, she walked out of the bathroom after rinsing her mouth.
"We need to get to the hospital... it's Jessica"
They arrived at the hospital just in time to hear the doctors talking with Antonio... with mom and dad... Natalie walked closer and towards them, putting her arms around her mom, easing her fears some.
"Mrs. Vegas needs a donor...and fast "
Twelve hours later
"Mrs. Davidson... " The Doctors called out as they came from the OR.
All the family was standing around and moved forward as they approached.
"Please... tell me... my girls... that they are alright... tell me"
Chicago
"McBain"
'Johnny... its Michael"
"Mikey... I don't have anytime right now... I'm following up a critical lead to find Todd Manning"
"Johnny... this is more important"
'Michael... let me call you back later alright... I'm meeting an informant in five minutes."
"No Johnny... listen… Its Natalie... we might not have five minutes... you need to get back to Llanview... and now... or you might not get the chance to say good bye"
John started breathing heavy again... nasally... his insides started to rev again... he heard his brothers brief words... jumped on the first airplane that could get him back to Llanview the fastest and he began to now jump from the car as he threw it in park...running into the hospital he was still... yet again playing Michaels words over in his mind... his heart not wanting to believe the tone in them... the way he said the word Good bye... and to her... to Natalie... his Natalie...the one woman... the one...
John could barely see straight, his vision blinded by the unknowns and he continued to run thru the Hospital towards the nurses station as he suddenly stopped upon seeing them... her family... huddled together... talking... speaking with a few doctors.
Finally catching his breath he stayed off to the side as he regained his composure... trying to keep it together... listening... trying to put the few pieces he had together... trying to block out the images of a world... a life without her in it... his life without her in it... permanently.
"Mrs. Davidson... the mild medications we're giving your daughter... they aren't working, they aren't fighting Natalie's infection...your daughters body... its shutting down... we need to increase the strength... try different medicines...it may be her only chance at recovering from this"
John watched as Vicky closed her eyes. As she was silent and for a few minutes...
'Why the hell wasn't she just telling them to give her the stronger meds?' John shouted to himself in his own head... his confusion... it echoed for a few moments in his brain.
"We need your permission," the Dr told Vicky and John was becoming furious at this point… enraged that they weren't just permitting it... and stalling some.
" What the hell are you waiting for? Tell him to up her meds... anything to make her better" John said loud, abrupt as he walked closer to everyone... he didn't care... he didn't, the Dr basically said she would die without giving her stronger medication ... without trying other stuff and she was hesitating??
"John" Vicky said softly and looked at him "There's more to it" she said and He was still upset, agitated. He looked to the Dr.
'Give her the stronger meds" he told them and the two doctors looked at each other and then to him.
"And who exactly are you?" one of the Dr's asked and John closed his eyes... who was he exactly? Her boyfriend? Her fiancée? Her husband? He reopened them quickly as he heard Michaels voice nearing him.
'Johnny... let's go talk... all right?" Michael said and looked at Vicky who nodded her head.
"No Mikey... No... I want to know why they aren't giving her stronger stuff... anything to fight what ever is wrong with her" John wasn't budging.
'John...come on... I'll tell you" John calmed some and he walked John to the side as they were still a bit in hearing distance... as John heard the Dr's words and he stopped walking in spot... and looked back at the Dr... At Vicky and then to Michael's face.
"Ms Davidson... its your call but... your daughter... she only has a few more hours... you need to decide."
'You're asking me to go against my daughters wishes... to decide between her and her unborn child"
John turned quickly to Michael as he heard the words... as he was even more dumbfounded... shocked... he looked into his brothers face... his eyes now watery.
"Pregnant Michael? Natalie's Pregnant?" John spoke in shock, soft and stunned. Michael put his hand on his brothers back and guided him towards the Dr's lounge to tell him the whole story... all of it.
To be continued...
