Page 104 of My Heart Still Beats
Chapter Thirty-One
Tessa
The jet lands in Boston in the middle of the night, and Ben’s driver meets us at the airport and transports me straight to Mount Sinai, where my father is.
After checking in with the volunteer on duty, Ben also accompanies me up to my father’s room in the ICU.
I haven’t checked in with my mother since we landed. I was afraid to. Afraid I’d get bad news.
We wait in front of the elevator. I tap my foot on the glistening white floor. “For God’s sake!” I curl my hands into fists. “Where’s the fucking elevator?”
Ben looks around. “We can find the stairs. It’s only three floors.”
“Yes, please.” I feel better when I’m moving.
Just standing here doing nothing, waiting for damned—
Ding!
Finally the mirrored elevator doors part, and I rush in, Ben behind me. The doors close, and slowly—so damned slowly—we ascend. When the doors slide open, I rush out—
But a young man in dark blue scrubs walks into the elevator at the same time, carrying a tray of something. He collides with me and—
“Now look what you did!” he exclaims as what look like packages of gauze and bandages thud to the floor.
I stand, mouth agape, unable to form words.
“She did nothing,” Ben says. “Don’t you know it’s courtesy to wait until people get off the elevator before you get on? Come on, Tessa.” He grabs my hand. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, yeah. Except, no. No, I’m not.” Tears spring to my eyes.
“He’s an asshole,” Ben says.
“What if he was trying to get to a surgery?”
“He wasn’t. It’s the middle of the night, and even if he were, he wouldn’t be using the regular elevators. This isn’t your fault.”
I gulp, following him through the hallway, reading the numbers on the plaques by the hospital rooms.
And when I get to—
I gasp.
The room is empty.
I rush out to the nurse’s station. “I’m looking for my father, Daniel Logan. Where is he?”
The nurse widens her eyes. “You’re his daughter? I thought he only had one.”
“I was out of town. I got here as soon as I could. Where is he? Where’s my mother?”
She smiles weakly. “I think you need to talk to your mother, my dear.”
My heart is racing as if I’ve just run a marathon, and my mind… My mind…
The nurse’s face blurs in front of me. Ben’s strong arm steadies me, and my vision clears.
The nurse’s face reveals nothing.
