Page 102 of All In: The Price We Pay

Finally, he turns to me. “Yes, please.”

He doesn’t seem to recognize me. At least, he doesn’t give the impression. “I’m looking for Parker Watson.”

He taps away at his computer and peers up again. “I’m sorry, I can’t tell you anything about him.”

“Listen, . . .”

He shakes his head. “Since you’re not Ricky Townsend, because he’s already been here and has shown his ID, I can’t tell you anything. He’s the only person who’s supposed to be notified in an emergency.” He pauses and squints. “I’m guessing you’re not his father, either. Or a close family member?”

What do I do? What do I say? I can’t make a scene here. I can’t use my celebrity status or anything else. We’re not even engaged. Would that make me a family member? I’m nothing to Parker. At least in Ted’s eyes.

Just then, Ricky runs toward us. “Evan.”

Ted eyes me more closely when he hears my name. I don’t have time for this right now.

Ricky turns to Ted. “It’s okay. Evan can come with me.”

Ted shakes his head again. “That’s not up to you. As long as the patient is unresponsive, you can’t renegotiate his advance directive.”

“Unresponsive?” I whisper.

Ricky pulls me away. “Ted’s as cold as ice. Come on.”

“What about Parker?”

Ricky runs his fingers through his usually well-styled black hair. “He’s in surgery right now. Open fracture of the arm. And a traumatic brain injury.”

I feel sick. “What . . . a what?”

“The doctors say he’s stable; everything’s okay. But . . . ” He rubs his eyes. As if the realization is overwhelming him, he leans on his thighs and gasps. “The surgery’s taking a while. They told me to leave. It’ll take five hours.” He pauses briefly. “More like four now.”

“He’s going to be in surgery for five hours?” I have to get through that door. I have to get to Parker. To be near him somehow. Wait for five hours? I can’t stand it.

Ricky shakes his head. “No. Two to three hours. But there’s prep and follow-up and who knows what else.”

“And after that, can I see him?”

He glances at me. “I don’t know. Afterward, he’ll be in the ICU. No idea. I can go to the family waiting area behind that barrier. But I doubt . . . ”

Yeah, Ted would rather tackle me to the ground than let me go with Ricky.

Meanwhile, people are stopping in their tracks. Their eyes linger on me a moment longer than is normal for people passing each other.

It won’t be long before someone dares to speak to me.

The sensation of being watched creeps down my spine. It’s like tiny needles pricking my consciousness.

I can’t stay here.

“Ricky, I want to be there when he wakes up.”

“No one will be there when he wakes up. Medical staff, maybe. Parker can’t expect you to be there. It’s not an option.”

Completely out of the blue, tears well up in my eyes. The last thing I said to him was that I didn’t want to see him.

That can’t be the last thing he heard from me.

“Hey.” Ricky takes me by the arm and leads me out of the waiting area. “Let’s go outside.”