Chapter 2

Oliver sat in the waiting room after just disconnecting the call from his dad who had called to get an update on how things were. Shane had gone to the nurse station for an update on her mother's condition while he was on the call with his dad. Her phone dinged in his hands so he glanced over. It was a text message from Rita.

Hey Shane, I hope you and Oliver are okay. Please let me know once you have an update about your mom. I am praying for her. Love you. - Rita x

He smiled and then noticed the wallpaper on her phone was of the POstables team with Mrs. Genzinger at the Christmas pageant for Hannah last year at the Denver Mercy Hospital.

"You take good care of that little letter writer." He heard Jordan's voice in his head and his eyes welled up.

He was lost in thought when Shane came in.

"Oliver, are you crying?"

She quickly plopped down next to him and caressed his arm. Oliver shook his head and blinked away his tears.

"No, just thinking." He replied, giving her a smile.

"What about?"

"How's your mom?"

They asked at the same time.

"They have kept her under observation. Luckily, she didn't need surgery but has been given painkillers and medications. There still is some swelling in her brain so they have kept her in an induced coma. However, that has definitely reduced from yesterday, which is a good sign."

"It is a great sign." He smiled and passed Shane's phone back to her.

"It dinged a few minutes ago. Rita messaged in and I glanced at it. She asked about your mother. I also saw the photo on the screen. That got me thinking of how far we've come." He said, answering her previous question.

"We have, haven't we." Shane smiled and took her phone from him.

Shane typed away on her phone responding to Rita's text and slipped it back into her bag.

"I think we should check into a hotel. I'm sorry that you had to go all night with no rest or sleep. It's gonna be lunch time already. You couldn't even go to church today because of me." She sighed.

"Nothing is because of you Shane. I am here because I wanted to be there for you and with you. I called Dale once I got home last night and left her a voicemail stating that I had to go out of town due to a family emergency." He said, taking her hand in his and running his thumb over her knuckles.

"Family Emergency?"

"We are family, Shane. Don't you remember what I told you last Christmas?" He asked.

Shane nodded and repeated his words from last Christmas, "You asked God for a happy family. You have one. Embrace it."

Oliver smiled giving her a slight nod.

"You are a precious man, Oliver O'Toole. I am grateful every day that I ran into you at that coffee cart." She said and kissed him on his cheek.

Oliver wanted to hug her and hold her close to him. He had never been appreciated and adored the way she did.

"You are a special woman, Shane McInerney. I am truly honoured that you are a part of my life."

He caressed her cheek with his fingers.

"You're so beautiful." He whispered making her blush.

"I'll book us into a hotel and then I can come back here while you get some rest." She said taking out her phone from her bag to make some hotel reservations.

"Why am I staying at the hotel while you come back? We are both going to get some rest and return to the hospital together." He replied.

"But you don't have to come back Oliver! You have already done so much for me. I really don't want to inconvenience you."

He glared at her and raised his brow.

"Really Shane? Inconvenience me? I wouldn't have been here with you if I thought I was being inconvenienced. I am here by choice, because you are important to me. I want to be the person you fall back on."

A tear drop made its way down her cheek.

"Don't cry. I will always be there for you, my dear Shane. You know that, right?" He asked to which she nodded with a smile and teary eyes.

Oliver got up and offered Shane his hand. She got up, picked up her handbag while he got their luggage and they walked out of the waiting room.

####

They checked into the Days Inn Hotel down the road from the hospital, rested up for an hour and went back to the hospital.

"How is my mother?" Shane asked the nurse.

"We do not have an update yet. The doctor should be here around 5 pm so he will be able to tell you if there is any progress." She replied.

Shane turned to look at Oliver and shrugged.

"Why don't we have some lunch and come back. I'm sure the doctor will be around by then." Oliver suggested. She smiled and nodded.

"There is Joe's Pizzeria just a few blocks down." Suggested the Nurse who was listening to their conversation.

Oliver gave a nod and guided Shane out of the hospital. Once they were out, Oliver looked over to Shane who looked exhausted.

"Let's get you fed Ms. McInerney." Oliver said.

"I'm not hungry." She replied.

"But I am. Get your phone and let's find this Joe's Pizzeria the nurse mentioned. I must tell my dad that there is a café with his name on it."

Shane giggled.

####

Shane looked over at Oliver who was looking through the menu with so much concentration.

"What would you like to eat Mr. O'Toole? Have you decided yet?" She asked.

"As a matter of fact, I have. I'll order the Chicken Francese with Lemon Sauce. What about you?" he asked.

"I'm contemplating between the Spaghetti with Mushroom Sauce and the Lobster Ravioli." She sighed in confusion.

"Good choices. I was also thinking we can share a House Salad and some fried Calamari?" he suggested.

"Sounds good."

The server came over and Oliver gave the order for his main, the salad and the appetizer and looked over at Shane.

"Have you decided?" He asked.

"Yup. I'll have the Spaghetti with Mushroom Sauce." She ordered.

The waitress wrote down their orders and went to place the orders.

"We are already on our second date, Ms. McInerney. How do you think it's going so far?" Oliver asked with a glint in his eyes.

"Two dates within two days, isn't that too fast for you Mr. O'Toole?" She teased.

"Not with you." He said with a grin on his face.

"Oh, how so?" She asked curiously.

"Considering the fact that I was attracted to you ever since I saw you at the coffee cart, I guess, it's high time."

"Wow, and here I thought we were just friends." She chuckled.

"You're never going to let me live that down, are you?" He sighed with embarrassment.

"May be for a little while. Eventually I'll let it go." She giggled making Oliver laugh.

"Shall we do some research on Gabe and Hattie's letter?" asked Shane.

"Do you have your laptop with you?" He asked.

"Yes." She turned to remove her laptop from her laptop bag and called Rita to ask for some details about the letter, thanks to her photographic memory.

####

Shane sat next to her mom's bed looking over at all the machines that were attached to her, beeping away. Oliver stood leaning against the wall. The doctor suggested getting her out of the coma since the swelling in her brain had subsided and she was responding to the medication very well.

Shane held her mother's hand and whispered, "I love you mama!"

"Shane." came a whisper from her mom but she still seemed unconscious.

Shane's eyes widened as she looked over at her mother and then back at Oliver who was smiling down at her.

"Did you hear her?" She asked Oliver, not sure whether her mother's voice was a figment of her imagination.

"I did." He replied walking over to her and kept a hand on her shoulder caressing it.

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