Fresh Temptation

hospital. Now. ”

Chapter Fifteen
     
    Victor arrived on the sixth floor of the hospital to find Colleen Whitt crying as she paced the hall outside her husband’s room. A few people he knew in passing sat in plastic chairs against the wall. They each gave Victor a solemn look.
    “Victor!” Colleen reached out for him. “Thank you. I’m sorry I had to bother you.”
    “It’s no bother.” He put his arms around her, letting her shake as she sobbed against him. “I’m so sorry,” he whispered.
    Colleen stayed in his embrace until she could speak without crying. Then she pulled away and said, “It’s not good. He had a massive stroke.”
    “Oh no. I’m so sorry.”
    “Well…” Her face crumbled in tears, which she quickly wiped away with a tissue before taking a deep breath, steeling herself. Her voice was quiet. “He’s asking for you. There’s been some memory loss. He thinks you and Alexis are still together. She’s in there with him right now.”
    Victor winced as a thin layer of tears covered his eyes. Instantly, he was racked with guilt over doing such a poor job of staying in touch with Douglas. “So I should talk to him?”
    Colleen nodded. “If you don’t mind. He thinks of you as the son he never had.” She sniffled. “I’m so sorry for the way it all turned out.”
    He shook his head and put his arms around her, but she pushed him away.
    “No,” she said. “Hurry. Please.” She motioned toward the closed door behind her.
    Victor was about to open it when a nurse bustled through from inside as she scribbled notes on a chart and hurried down the hall. Alexis stood at the side of the bed with genuine tears flowing across her cheeks. Victor had never seen her so frightened, and his heart filled with sympathy for her. He rushed to her side, placing a gentle hand on her back as he saw Douglas lying in bed. There were tubes all over him. Machines all around the room beeped and made noises. And Douglas looked small and shriveled; a shadow of the husky, jolly man everyone knew him to be.
    Alexis held his hand as her fingers stroked his gray hair. “It’ll be okay, Daddy. It’ll be okay.”
    Douglas could barely open his mouth to speak. “Daughter…sweet daughter…sweet girl.” His eyes, barely focusing, drifted to Victor. “Son. Come here…son.”
    Alexis stepped back to give Victor space, gesturing at him to take her place beside her father.
    Victor moved forward and took Douglas’s hand. “I’m here.”
    “Good.” Douglas spoke just above a whisper. “Victor…take good care…of my girl…”
    Victor’s eyes filled with tears at the thought of losing his dear friend. He didn’t dare correct him. Instead, he squeezed his hand tightly and said, “I will, sir.”
    Douglas inhaled deeply, wheezing until he had enough air to speak. “A legacy…children…many children…”
    Victor took several tissues from the box at the side of the bed and pressed them against his closed eyes. They had this conversation many times while he was still engaged to Alexis. Douglas confided in Victor that one of his biggest regrets was not having more children; Alexis was an only child. But Douglas seemed satisfied that Victor and Alexis could go on to have a large family. Douglas always called it a legacy. But now, there was no hope of that. At least, not for Victor and Alexis. Douglas’s memory loss made this tragic situation much sadder for Victor, who forced a grin and said, “We will, sir.”
    Victor was startled by the door opening and two doctors rushing into the room.
    “Excuse me,” one of the doctors said as he pushed past Victor, who saw Alexis leaving and followed her.
    Colleen was on her phone, talking and crying. Alexis walked to a row of empty chairs.
    Victor sat beside her, his hand on her knee. “I’m so sorry about your father.”
    Alexis shook her head and pushed his hand away. “Don’t.” She reached for tissues from a box that sat in the unoccupied chair beside her.
    “I’m sorry. Didn’t mean to—”
    “Quit saying you’re sorry, Victor.” She blotted her eyes. “That’s all I’ve heard for the past hour. Everyone’s sorry. The nurses are sorry. Mother’s sorry. You’re sorry. Sorry won’t change anything.” Her mouth formed a deep frown. She gasped for air. “He’s not gonna make it. Doesn’t matter how sorry anyone is.”
    “Don’t say that. This is a great hospital. He’s getting the best care. Besides, he was healthy until this.