The Billionaire's Final Stand (4 page)

              “That’s enough. Either stop now or you can look for another job.”

              “You don’t have the power to fire me. I’m not backing down. I know this man and there is no way I’m going to let anything happen to him,” Kinsey snapped. She was losing her patience with the arrogant new doctor who was barely out of medical school. She hated dealing with
baby
doctors
, as the nursing staff called them. Some of them were just too damn arrogant to ask for help, even when they knew they were screwing up.

              Maybe in the hospital where he’d done his residency, they didn’t do more thorough checks on patients, but here, the doctors had confidence in the nursing staff and didn’t usually fight them when they knew there was a problem.
He’s new
, she reminded herself, trying to keep calm. She knew Joseph wasn’t even close to being ready to be released.

              “He sustained a head injury, doctor. He needs a CT scan and a Neuro consult,” Kinsey insisted.

              “Look, I’ve lost patience now. I’ve done a thorough evaluation on him and he’s fine. His eyes are responsive. His vitals are good. I’m releasing him.” The doctor walked away and Kinsey wanted to throw her pen at his back. She felt like a child on the verge of a major tantrum. How hard was it to order a CT scan? Joseph had been experiencing headaches since he’d arrived. It was common practice to order the scan.

              She always fought hard for her patients, but this was Joseph, and she’d fight to the point of losing her job for him.

              “You can quit fighting for me now, Kinsey. I feel fine. What I need to do is check on my brother,” Joseph whispered.

              “Now, Joseph,” she gently admonished as she turned around. “I don’t think you’re in any way ready to make that call. You were in a terrible wreck and have been fading in and out of consciousness.” Kinsey rushed back over to his side and immediately picked up his hand and began checking his pulse. He was still hooked up to the monitors, but she felt better double checking the equipment with the good-old-fashioned, hands-on approach.

              “I’m tougher than I look. Right now the only thing I want is to see George,” Joseph repeated.

              Kinsey looked into his pain filled eyes and felt her own tear up. She knew how much he was blaming himself for the accident. She also knew that family was more important to him than anything else. His family couldn’t afford to lose him, though, and she needed to get that through his head.

              “Joseph, I understand that you’re tougher than a freight liner, but I think you’re in shock. I’ve seen this before. I’m very concerned about the headache you’ve had since arriving. I want you to have a CT scan and a consult with a Neuro Surgeon,” Kinsey argued. Now she was fighting with the doctor and her patient. Her job was rarely easy.

              “Kinsey, dear, I’ve been through worse than a little car accident. I’m okay. Now, listen to your doctor, and help me get out of here. I need to check on my brother.”

              “Please, just indulge me for another hour? That’s not asking much. I’ll personally go and check on George and come right back with an update,” Kinsey pleaded.

              “Dad!” Lucas rushed into the room. “How are you feeling? What has the doctor said? Where’s Uncle George? I can’t seem to get answers from anyone,” Lucas fired, not giving Joseph enough time to answer before he fired off another question. Alex and Mark came in right behind him, along with Amy, Jessica and Emily.

              Kinsey smiled at the look of love and worry on their faces. Her best friend was indeed lucky to have married into such a beautiful family. They were good people, inside and out. She quietly slipped from the room so they could visit privately.

              “Did you start the discharge process?”

              Kinsey took a fortifying breath before turning. The same doctor was back, breathing down her neck. She knew now it was just a power-of-wills. He didn’t care about the patient – he cared about his orders being followed.

              “As you can see, Mr. Anderson’s family just arrived. He’ll be busy for a while answering their questions. When he’s finished, I’ll start the discharge process,” Kinsey stalled.

              “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re doing. I
will
be reporting you to your supervisor. Get him discharged, now!”

              “You pompous, son-of-a-b…”

              “Stop right there. I don’t care what it takes. You’ll be escorted out of here within the next hour. It’s either you, or
me
.”

              “Why can’t you just admit to the fact that you may be wrong? It doesn’t hurt you, in the least, to order a CT scan and have a neurosurgeon do a consult.” Kinsey was done dealing with the doctor. She’d go to her supervisor – but she wasn’t backing down.

              “You’re finished here,” he snarled before walking off.

             
Yes,
I
most likely
am
finished
, she thought as she walked over to the nurses’ station and picked up the phone.

              “Yes, Dr. Mason has ordered a Neuro consult on a patient, Joseph Anderson, and it needs to be soon. Also, he’s ordered a CT scan,” Kinsey said.

              Not knowing the difference, they sent out the page, and Kinsey turned toward the room Joseph was in. She felt it in her gut that something was wrong. The doctor would be furious with her, but she didn’t care. If Joseph turned out to be okay, it was worth the doctor’s wrath. She’d already made the decision to sacrifice her job.

              “Kinsey!”

              Kinsey turned just in time to catch Cassie as she threw herself at her. She had to fight her frustrated tears from falling as Cassie broke down in her arms.

              “I’m so glad you’re here, Kins. They won’t tell us anything. We finally got to come see Uncle Joseph, but we still know nothing about my Dad. Do you know anything?” Cassie asked as she leaned back.

              “I’m sorry, Cass. I’ve been with Joseph the whole time but I’ll make some calls and see what I can find out about George,” Kinsey quickly assured her friend.

              “I just don’t understand how something so awful happens to two of the most wonderful men I know,” Cassie said, still holding onto Kinsey.

              “I don’t know, Cass. I see it every single day, and I still don’t get it. So many tragedies, so senseless. But, they’re both alive, Cass. Don’t give up on them.”

              “I know, I know. I’m just… my hormones… I’m sorry,” Cass shook as her tears fell freely.

              “You haven’t mentioned depression,” Kinsey said with concern.

              “No, it’s just a bit of the post baby blues. I’m okay, and Ariel is amazing, the best three-month-old baby in the world. It’s just that something like this happens and my hormone ridden brain goes a little haywire,” Cassie said.

              “I understand, Cass. If George has to be here a few days, you need to bring Ariel in to visit him. You know that seeing her will heal him faster than any medicine this hospital can provide.”

              “That’s a great idea. I’ll talk to Max about it. I don’t like being away from her very long anyway. She’s still so tiny, plus I’m nursing. I just didn’t want to bring her down here in the middle of the night, especially with not knowing anything,” Cassie explained.

              “That was smart. She can’t be in the emergency room, anyway. Wait until he’s moved to a private room.”

              “How much longer are you on shift?”

              “I have a few hours to go. I can come with you to check on Joseph, though.”

              “Good,” Cassie said as she took Kinsey’s arm and started leading her toward the room.

              “Nurse Stellar, a word.”

              Kinsey turned to see the young doctor again. It really was going to be a long night.

              “I’ll be there in a minute, Cass. Go ahead.”

              “I think I should stay with you, Kins. That doctor seems unstable,” Cassie whispered.

              Kinsey knew it was the stress of the situation, but she suddenly had to fight off a burst of laughter wanting to escape. The look on the doctor’s face, all red with small bubbles of spit in the corner of his far too thin lips, combined with the uncertain look Cassie was sending his way was too much.

              Kinsey turned to reassure her friend that she was okay, when alarms started ringing. Any thoughts of laughter were immediately cut off.

              “Someone help!”

              Kinsey and the doctor ended their standoff and faced the room. Kinsey immediately responded.

              “Code Blue!” Kinsey yelled as she rushed into the room.

              Her fear had just become realized. Joseph had tried to stand up, stubborn man that he was, and instantly collapsed into Lucas’s arms.

              The nurses rushed forward as they took his vitals.

              “His eyes aren’t responding.”

              “Blood pressure’s rapidly dropping.”

              “We’re losing his pulse.”

              “Start CPR, Now!”

              “He’s not breathing.”

              “Start compression.”

              Words. Rapidly fired. A jumble of words, one sentence rushing over the top of the next. Kinsey knew his family was terrified, knew they would only catch pieces, the worst pieces, in the conversation. It almost sounds like a different language to someone not working in the medical industry, but it translated effortlessly to Kinsey’s ears. She knew those words, knew them in her sleep. She moved on autopilot, just as the team around her did the same. They weren’t only trained, but trained well. They’d make sure he survived.

              “I’ve got a good radial pulse.”

              “We’ve got an airway established.”

              “Blood pressure’s still too low.”

              “Get a CT scan, stat, and call Neuro.” The doctor didn’t even look at her as he yelled his command to be overheard in the chaotic room.

              “Yes, Doctor,” a nurse replied as she rushed out.

              Just then the Neuro Surgeon, who Kinsey had called for earlier, stepped into the room. The doctor she’d been fighting with sent a glare her way. She knew their argument was far from over. He wasn’t happy about her being right. She didn’t care about his ego. She would’ve much rather been wrong. However, it looked like her insight might save Joseph’s life. That was all that mattered to her.

              The staff quickly prepared Joseph for transport, and then rushed him out the door. Kinsey walked from the room, down the hall, and then slipped inside a broom closet. She sank down the wall and gripped her head in her hands. It was never easy dealing with a patient you cared about. She knew there were no guarantee’s when a surgeon cut into a patient's brain. She was scared for this family she’d come to know and respect.

◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊

              “Why the hell can’t I get any answers!” Austin roared at the receptionist.

              “I’m sorry, sir. If you’ll please just have a seat, the doctor should be out shortly.” The woman had nerves of steel. He wanted to jump across the desk and strangle her, which was new for him. Normally, he never had an ill thought about a woman – ever.

              “Come on, Austin. You’re not going to get anywhere terrorizing the staff,” Max said as he wrapped his arm around his brother and tugged him away from the desk.

              “Why can’t anyone give us information? It’s been hours. Dad’s still in surgery and Uncle Joseph’s currently getting his head sliced open. You’d think they’d tell us something at this point.”

              “I know. But you have to remain calm. Bree’s falling apart and she needs us to be confident. We have to have faith in the doctors here. Besides, you know how strong our father and uncle are. They will pull through this.”

              Austin grumbled as he started pacing the room. He needed something, anything to get his mind off what was going on. He didn’t know what he’d do if something happened to either of the men.

              He couldn’t stand being in the hospital. He hated everything about the place, the smell, look, feel. He’d spent too many hours in one when his mother had been fighting for her life. A fight she’d lost.

              He ran his hand through his hair as anger, fatigue, confusion and grief poured through him. He needed to get out of there, but he couldn’t leave. He didn’t want to even think about what it would do to his family if they lost their dad. They couldn’t lose both parents.

              No. Just,
no
. He wouldn’t go there. It wouldn’t happen – it couldn’t.

              He paced the room to the point he was sure his footprints would be permanently stamped into the floor. After about the hundredth time across, he turned, then froze in place.

              “Kinsey,” he whispered.

              Austin closed his eyes as he allowed himself a moment to remember his night with Kinsey a year ago at Cassie’s wedding. Thinking of her always sent fire through his veins, and he was grateful to have the distraction. Anything was better than the suffering he was going through while waiting to hear about his father. He shut out the noise around him as he thought back…