Heather clasped her hands nervously together as her eyes remained fixed on the door of the hospital conference room. Two weeks had elapsed, and Michael still remained in critical care in the hospital. Because of the delicate location of the chest wound, he had been placed in a medically induced coma, and today was the day his doctors were going to tell the family what the next step was.
Michael’s family consisted of his brother Andrew, his mother Eleanor, and his father James. They had been staying at the estate ever since Reagan informed them about the tragic assault. Mr. Reagan had contacted Michael’s parents, and they had immediately left their home to see him at the hospital. His mother and brother had both been very kind to Heather, freely sharing any new information from the doctors. But Michael’s father, James was very much the opposite. It seemed he was purposely giving her the cold shoulder and refused to share any information about Michael. But his wife, Eleanor was the complete opposite. She was a sweet and kind woman who reminded Heather of Mrs. Covington. When she had arrived at the hospital the night Michael had been shot, Heather saw that she was a jumbled mess of tears and questions. Heather’s thoughts returned to how she met his family that tragic night.
She had been standing in the hospital lobby, her shirt stained with Michael’s blood and her eyes swollen from crying. The doctors had already whisked him into emergency surgery, and there was nothing she could do but wait helplessly in the waiting room. She knew nothing about Michael’s family and had no idea how to contact them. Fortunately, Mr. Reagan knew who to contact and informed her that he would make the necessary calls to Michael’s family. Linda stayed home with Evelyn while Heather was away.
Heather had sat anxiously in the crowded waiting room, waiting for news about Michael’s condition. But because she wasn’t family, she knew the hospital couldn’t share anything about Michael’s condition. All she could do was wait patiently until one of his family members chose to share news of his condition. Hours later, a loud commotion at the nurses’ station caught her attention, and Heather turned to see what was going on. It was then that the nurse pointed at Heather, and a mature woman with short platinum blonde hair strode over to her, leaving the other men behind.
“Hello, I’m Eleanor, Michael’s mother. I assume you’re Heather?” The woman held out a hand.
“Yes, I am,” Heather returned her greeting.
“Michael’s told me a lot about you.” She leaned back, and her eyes drifted from the top of Heather’s head to her toes. “Well dear, you’re quite a mess aren’t you?” she said with a kind voice as she clasped Heather’s hand between her own. The two men joined them, and James made the first comment to bring her out of her shock.
“What nonsense has my son been involved in that would get him shot? Do you know anything about this?” His voice was loud and accusing.
“Dad, she just works there. It doesn’t mean she knows everything that goes on with Michael; give her a chance to talk.” Andrew turned to look at Heather, and his eyes grew wide. “Good God, is that Michael’s blood all over you?” He ran a hand through his blond hair.
“Oh, dear; why would anyone want to hurt Michael? I just don’t understand.” Eleanor sat down and rubbed her hands together nervously as Heather joined her.
“Tell me dear, what do you do for Michael?” She looked intently at Heather.
“I’m Evelyn’s nurse.”
Eleanor lowered her brows. “If you’re here, then who’s at home with Evelyn?”
“Oh, Linda came back early and is staying with Evelyn.” Heather gave her a nervous smile. “I didn’t want Michael to be all alone.” She looked up at Eleanor, hoping his mother could see how concerned she was.
“You’re a good woman, Heather. That was very kind of you.” Eleanor patted her hand. “It’s all in God’s hands now.”
Since that day, Heather had visited Michael daily, hoping he would awaken from his coma. Eleanor, James, and Andrew had moved into the house temporarily while Michael was undergoing recovery. It seemed to make the most sense because they would be able to spend time with Evelyn and were close enough to be at the hospital within a few minutes. Otherwise, they would have to get a room in town so they wouldn’t have to make the two-hour trip home to Santa Barbara and then drive all the way back again. Linda and Heather had prepared two rooms for the family across the hall from where Evelyn’s room was.
Heather could recall feeling Linda’s worry in every movement she made as she watched the nanny tidy her room.
“Linda, he’ll be okay.” Heather placed her hand on Linda’s shoulder.
“We don’t know that, Heather.” She forced a sigh from her mouth. “I should’ve been here; I could’ve done something!” She threw herself into an overstuffed chair by the door and buried her face into her hands as she began to sob.
Heather couldn’t help feeling sorry for the woman. She understood exactly what Linda was going through emotionally. They both loved him and were worried whether Michael would pull through this crisis or not. But the two differed in how they expressed their fears.
Heather wouldn’t show her true feelings to anyone. After stepping foot into the hospital, it was as if someone had flipped a switch inside her brain, and the professional nurse Heather took over. Maybe it was the way Heather had trained herself to desensitize her feelings as a way of coping with the future loss of her elderly patients. Whatever it was, it had come in handy, especially during Michael’s crisis.
Linda sobbed for a few minutes more and looked up at Heather. “How do you know he’ll be okay? How do we know if we’re even really safe in this house?”
“He has to be, Linda, he has to be ...” She trailed off. “I have to have faith in that.”
Linda looked at Heather for a moment longer and sighed.
“We’re a mess, you and I, Heather. We both love him in our own ways.” She hung her head down.
Heather pulled her brows toward her nose. “I don’t love him, Linda ... there’s—”
Linda stuck her palm up at Heather.
“Don’t deny it, Heather. I already know you love him, and I have for a long time. I know you didn’t want to hurt my feelings, but I’ve seen the way you two act around each other and the way Michael looks at you. I’ve known Mr. Robbins for several years, and the only other person he’s looked at that way was Mrs. Robbins.” A gentle sigh escaped her lips. “Plus, there was the garden too ...” Linda rested her gaze on Heather’s face.
So Linda knew about the kiss in the garden. Heather could feel the heat rise up her neck.
“I ... I don’t know what to say, Linda ...” Heather collapsed in the chair next to Linda, making no effort to hide the look of defeat on her face.
“I never planned for anything to happen between us, and I’ve tried over and over again to deny it. But I couldn’t help myself.” Heather gazed outside the living room window. “But now, it doesn’t matter anyway ... he’s getting married to Cynthia.” Heather leaned back in the chair as a feeling of exhaustion set in.
“That is if he wakes up, Heather. Otherwise, I don’t think that wedding is going to happen. But you know what, Heather? I’m really not upset. As a matter of fact, I’ve moved on.” Linda stood and gathered her stuff. “I’m seeing someone now. It’s not like loving Michael, but ... maybe one day.” She smiled. “You shouldn’t give up on him, Heather. He really loves you; I can see it in the way he looks at you.” Linda gave Heather one last smile before exiting the room, leaving Heather with a bewildered look in the chair.
Her thoughts returned to the hospital room.
Was it that obvious to the rest of the household? Did Evelyn suspect something? Worse than that, was the girl upset at her?
The thoughts raced through Heather’s mind. She had tried to keep a professional relationship with Michael, keeping her strong feelings for him to herself. But it seemed the more they interacted, the stronger his power over her, and she was finding it difficult to keep her emotions restrained. She didn’t know how much longer she could hold out before her heart took over and something happened that she would regret.
Heather shook her head. Life at the Robbins household was beginning to get more complicated, and she was having second thoughts about continuing as Evelyn’s nurse. But now that Michael needed her, she needed to stay by his side. Not because it was her duty as a nurse, but because she needed him, maybe even loved him. She bowed her head and whispered a silent prayer, asking God to take away her desires for Michael or show her where to go to escape the emotional torture she was suffering through.
The days had blurred together into weeks, and Heather did her best to be a gracious host to his visiting family, all while caring for Evelyn and spending time praying with her for her father. There had been a flurry of life-threatening events that had happened in such a short period of time, and now Heather couldn’t believe she was standing in the hospital again, waiting for the doctor to update them with news about Michael’s condition. All Heather could think about was how the surgeon, Dr. Hagen had to tell them that he was going to be okay. That he would be able to return to a normal life with his family, with her. She paced the room with lowered head until finally a tall man with thin white hair came out and called for the “Robbins family.”
Eleanor stood to her feet and walked over to Heather. The mature woman hooked her arm around the nurse and together with the doctor; they made the way into the conference room. The room was stark white and had chairs grouped together on one side. Heather made her way to the one furthest away. Andrew smiled as he sat beside her.
“Before I begin, I would like to let you all know that Mr. Robbins is responding well to treatment and that we have decided to gradually take him out of his induced coma. His wound has healed nicely, and I don’t think there will be any reason why he can’t breathe and function on his own. We started the process this morning, and he should be waking up sometime this afternoon. We’ll still keep him sedated, and he’ll be awake and talking, but I’m not sure how much of what he says will be coherent. We will take him off the propofol and keep him on pain medication so he can continue to sleep soundly.”
Andrew was the first to speak. “So does this mean he’s fine? Or at least that he will be? What about brain function and all that? I’m no doctor, but being in this coma for two weeks now, will that hurt him mentally?”
The doctor smiled. “While I can’t guarantee he won’t have permanent brain damage, I’m pretty confident your brother will pull through this without any long-term effects on his brain. He is showing positive brain activity, and I believe he’ll be fine. He just needs time to recuperate, and hopefully he’ll be as good as new. Now if you’ll just follow me to the nurses’ station, I need you to sign the permission form allowing us to stop his medically induced coma.”
“Of course, Dr. Hagen. Thank you for everything you’ve done to save my son.” Eleanor stood and shook his hand.
Dr. Hagen gave her a smile. “You’re very welcome, Mrs. Robbins.”
Everyone followed Dr. Hagen out of the room except for Heather.
Good as new ... He had said “good as new”. Heather felt her shoulders relax, and she prayed silently for Michael as she waited in the corner chair.
Minutes later, Andrew returned to the room, and she watched him quietly slip into the chair beside her.
“Perhaps between the two of us, we can really get our message to Him.” He bowed his head and placed a hand on her shoulder. Together they prayed for Michael’s full recovery.
With an “Amen,” Heather smiled over at Andrew. “Thanks for praying with me, Andrew. For the past few weeks, it’s been hard to open up and just talk with God.”
“Michael and I haven’t had the closest relationship, but he’s my brother, and I still love him.”
“I’m sure this is very hard on you, Andrew.” She glanced at the floor and then back up at him. “Everything happened so quickly, I still worry about who and what. Fortunately, security has been tight at the house. I was worried for Evelyn, but I feel better now that you’re all there. It’s good she has all your support.”
“She’s certainly a trooper, and has such a sweet smile. She asked me yesterday if God was watching over her still since the bad guys came. I have to say I’m surprised. Michael made it clear about his religious beliefs the last time I saw him. I’m glad he’s allowed her to talk about God.”
“To be honest, when I first came here, Michael made it clear I couldn’t teach her anything about God while I was working. And I did what he asked, that is until Evelyn asked me one day about God and I had to explain to her why I couldn’t. It was then that she told me there was nothing preventing me from sharing my faith during my off work hours.” Heather tapped a finger to her temple. “She’s a smart girl.”
Andrew laughed out loud. “She’s so much like Michael; it amazes me sometimes. That sounds exactly like something he would say.” Andrew shook his head. “You mentioned you’re Evelyn’s nurse... how is her condition?”
“She’s actually doing great. She’s responding well to therapy, and her health has gotten better. We just went on a trip to Thrill Mountain, and even though she caught a bug, she recovered quickly, which surprised me.”
Andrew leaned back in his chair. “Good, that’s very good.” He sat there, quietly lost in concentration for a few moments before looking past the door. “I suppose Eleanor is going to be in there for a while. Would you care to grab a bite with me? I’m still not familiar with this area, and I sure could use the company.”
He grinned at her, and there was no mistaking the familiar Robbins smile she had grown to love. How could she resist?
“I’d like that. But first, it’s time for Evelyn’s medication now. I think Linda might be with her. She’s been helping a lot since I’ve been up here. Maybe we can ask if she’d like to come along.”
“Of course.”
They both stood and headed toward the parking lot. Andrew drove her back home where she changed into something comfortable before heading to Evelyn’s room. When she entered the room, she found Linda reading from a storybook.
The nanny looked up from her book and flashed an anxious gaze at her. “Hey, Heather, what happened?”
“The doctors feel Michael is doing well with the treatment so they’re going to bring him out of the coma this afternoon.”
Linda forced a breath past her lips. “Will he be okay?”
Heather turned her lips into a hopeful smile. “We’re hoping for the best. The doctors aren’t sure if there will be any permanent brain injury. We can only pray that he’ll be okay.”
Linda pursed her lips tightly together and nodded slowly. “Maybe God will use this situation to bring Michael back to Him.
“I’m praying for that too, Linda.” Heather clasped Linda’s hands between hers. “We have to trust that God will work things out for what is best.”
Linda let out a sigh. “You’re right Heather. It’s all in His hands. I’ve tried to trust that God will take care of him, but it’s hard not to worry.”
“I know it’s been a lot of stress for you. But don’t forget to take some time out for yourself. Hey, Andrew and I are joining the rest of Michael’s family for lunch. Why don’t you come join us?”
Linda shook her head firmly. “Oh no, I wouldn’t fit in with his family, Heather. You know I’m not into high society gatherings. I’m the simple type and wouldn’t even know what to talk to them about.”
“Is that why you haven’t come to dinner lately? I’ve missed having you there, Linda. This is your home as much as anyone else’s.” Linda paused from cleaning a tray as Heather set a hand on top of hers. A weary sigh escaped the nanny’s lips.
“I know, Heather. And I appreciate you asking. I really do. It’s just that I’ve been real busy. That’s why I haven’t been around. I did tell you I’ve been seeing someone, didn’t I? He treats me like a queen, but sometimes he gets a little possessive about who I hang out with.” She went back to straightening up the room.
“I hope you’re being careful, Linda. I’m here if you want to talk you know? I know we had that talk the other day, but I hope it doesn’t change anything between us ...”
“Oh no, not at all, Heather. Everything is fine between us. Don’t worry; I’m being careful. And yes, we will have to have a sit down and talk about it soon. I promise.”
“Maybe I’ll just pass on lunch too. I feel like you’ve had to carry most of the burden at home since all this happened.” Heather emptied the trash by Evelyn’s bed.
“Nonsense, I’m just going to sit here and chat with Evelyn about the next vacation we want to go on. Right Evelyn?” She winked at Evelyn who gave her a thumbs up while listening to her digital player.
Linda rolled her eyes. “Kids.” She chuckled. “Go on and have fun; you deserve it.”
“Okay, Linda, if you’re sure.” She said her good-byes and headed downstairs where Andrew was waiting.