Accidentally Perfect (19 page)

“So, this Diane character still thinks she can come into your life even after you called things off?”

“She’s a little bat shit crazy like that.”  I laugh at Natalie’s comment.

“She saw dollar signs and diamonds, now she sees
pennies and tin.  She won't stop bugging me. That was something that pulled me to Laney so
strongly; she just radiates natural beauty and grace.”

“You got all of that by spying on me dancing and singing at the top of my lungs?  I would have hauled ass the other way.”   

“Never, Bear.”  He gives me a wink.

“So she just sent the flowers and card to toy with you?” Brad’s brows are furrowed.

“Basically.”
 

“Well, let’s hope she doesn’t come within two feet of my daughters or there will be hell to pay.  Nathan, I may not understand your relationship with Laney, but it’s not my place to continue to say my piece. I have already said what I needed to say to Laney about your marriage, but what I will continue to do is to make sure that my girls are safe.  I’m trusting Laney’s decision to allow you into our children’s lives.  Now I
am trusting
you in making sure that all three of them stay safe.  You may preach to me about how they are your family now.  But they were my family first.  You may think you and Laney have this great love and
connection, but the fact of the matter is, I will always be around. No matter if Laney shares my last name or not, she is half of those girls,
and that will always make her my family.  I hope you and I both have an understanding where Laney, Amanda, and Addie are concerned. And I hope you and I agree when it comes to any other person who tries to harm them, your father, her mother or any other piece of shit who tries anything.”

Nathan’s jaw ticks. “Agreed, Brad.”
  They shake hands.

An older gentleman makes his way up to the four of us,   “Mr. Richards, Mr. and Mrs. Whitmore.  I’m Dr. Basset.”

“Nice to meet you,
doctor.” Brad shakes his hand.  The doctor follows suit and shakes my and Nathan’s hands.  We introduce Natalie to the doctor as well. 

“Is it alright if we go sit and discuss Adele’s injuries and what we can expect?”

“We aren’t leaving the girls unattended doctor,” Nathan states.

“Go ahead.
I’ll take care of my nieces.”  Natalie waves us off and returns to the room closing the door.

We follow the doctor into a conference room; the three of us sitting across the table from Dr. Basset.  “Alright, Mr. Whitmore, you called me over because your daughter has suffered a complex fraction along the growth plate of her femur.”

“My daughter, Mr. Whitmore is her stepfather,” Brad; still staking his claim.

“Alright.”
  Dr. Basset looks at the three of us again.

“Adele has suffered a type two Slater-Harris fracture.” He places a picture of what the fracture looks like.

“Is that her bone?”  I ask.

“No,
” Laney answered.  “This isn’t the film of her
leg; he’s just showing us what the fracture looked like before the surgery.”

 
“Luckily for us.”
  The doctor continued
, “This
is the most common type of fracture.  The emergency room physicians did everything right.  They performed
an open reduction and internal fixation.”

“Can you please tell us in layman's terms? Other than Laney, the two of us have no idea what you are saying.”  Thankfully Brad says what I’m thinking.  The fucking doctor is speaking mandarin. 

“They opened up her leg and reset the bones,
” Laney answers the question, again.  “Then they fixed the bones into place with both wires and screws.”

“Yes,” He agreed, “there isn’t any reason for Adele to not be fitted with a normal cast this morning; this will allow
the hardware to heal.  I feel the best avenue to travel down is for us to remove the external screws and allow the internal screws and wires to set the bones.  Because the fracture was extremely clean, I don’t see any reason why her leg would not grow properly.  There should be no concern of the bone developing a bone bridge, inhibiting the bones to grow at their normal rate. There may be a possibility for the bones to grow faster on the damaged leg, though.  If this were to happen
then, we would have to try to get the other leg to pick up the rate of growth.”

“What is the percentage of that happening?” I ask warning flags are starting to spring up.

“In Adele’s case, not likely.
  Because of her age, her bones are still pliable enough that this damage shouldn’t hinder anything.  The cast will be left in place for several weeks.  Once the bones are healed
properly, then I would like Adele to do several exercises to strengthen the muscles of the bones.”

“So that’s it then?”  Brad asks.

“Yes, that’s it.  This is a simple case, really.  The physicians here did a wonderful job setting the bones and getting them stabilized with the screws and wires.  My involvement in the case really wasn’t necessary.  I honestly feel bad for my fee that is chargeable for my visit since I really didn’t do much but look at the films.”

“Your fee?”
Laney questions.  Shit, I didn’t think this would come up.

“Let’s not worry about it, doctor.  You are well worth it.”

“Wait, how much he is worth, Nathan?”

“Twenty-five thousand is my normal emergency on call visit,
”  r
. Basset said matter of factly.

“Twenty-five thousand dollars?
  Are you fucking kidding me?”

“Brad-”

“Don’t Brad me, Nathan.”

“Maybe I didn’t make myself clear last night
when I said that those girls in there are my family and partly my responsibility. I will always take care of them and give them whatever they may need.  Maybe now,
you’ll actually believe the damn words that come out of my mouth.”

“I’ll pay for it out of my father’s money.”

“You will do no such thing, Laney.”

“Okay, well, I’m done here.”  The doctor stands taking his files with him.  “Make sure Adele sees an orthopedic surgeon for exercises and
checks
up on her bone growth.  Good day.”  The doctor leaves the room.

“That is bullshit, Nathan.”

“Brad, don’t start with me.  I did what I felt was needed to make sure Adele was properly cared for.  I did it for Laney, Adele and my own piece of mind.  There comes a point when
doctors just go with the flow,
and they don’t truly care about the patient they have laid out in front of them.  They’re just a number, another paycheck.  Sometimes money talks and sometimes you have to pay for quality.  That’s all I did.”

“Twenty-five thousand dollars Nathan, and the schmuck didn’t do anything.”

“Brad, just leave it, alright. What’s done is done.  Nathan did what he felt was right.  You can’t fault him for following his instincts.”

“I may not be able to fault him, but I sure as hell can question them.”

“Would you not do the same fucking thing?”  My patience is now gone when it comes to Brad.

“I’m their father; of course,
I would do it, without question.  Would I do it for a child I just laid my eyes on, fuck no.”

“You really need to get over yourself Brad;
I don’t give a fuck if I knew her for ten minutes or the entire four almost five years of her life.  I don’t give a fuck if it’s your blood flowing through her veins or mine.”

“Nathan.-”

“No Laney, I am mentally exhausted listening to Brad drum into my head the fact that he’s their father and I’m not.  I fucking get
it, Brad; they’re your daughters, but guess what buddy? They are
my
step-daughters,
and I’m going to be the one tucking them in at night while you sit in your lonely apartment. Seriously, though, is that what’s bothering you or is it the fact that I have the power to make those costly decisions when it comes to your daughter when you don’t!”  

“Nathan stop
it, now.”  Natalie comes bursting through the door of the conference room. 

I look to Laney, and she looks mortified, her
hands cover her mouth.  I’m so past the point of being reasonable.  I’m
tired,
and I’m worn out.  I just married this
woman,
and I feel like we’ve been through hell and back, I haven’t even properly made love to her to show her how much she means to me.  Two days into marriage and my resolve
has
been tested over and over again.  “What in the hell do you think you’re doing?”

“Nothing.”

“Do you think your temper and shooting your mouth off like that is going to solve anything.”  I don’t respond.  There’s no point to, she’s right.

“Fuck, I’m sorry Brad.  I really am.  I didn’t mean that shit. I mean, I meant what I would do.  I would bring Dr. Basset in again in a
heartbeat
.  Even if it were you lying in that bed and needing a
specialist,
I would bring him in.  If it
makes Laney and the girls happy, I will do it for them.”

He doesn’t say anything, he just nods his head.  “Laney, I want some time alone with the girls.  Why don’t you take a
break?”

“Brad-”

“Please, Street.”

“Laney, why don’t you and Nathan take a break?
  I’ll sit with Brad and the girls.  You can come back when they release Amanda and get her settled in at home.”

“Natalie, don’t forget I need to to work on what we discussed.”

“Nathan, I’ve got it handled.  Let me make this clear, I’m not doing anything we discussed for you.  You are so far down my shit list right
now;
I would kick your ass if I could manage it.  Just go.”   

“I really am sorry, Laney.” 

“I know you are, Nathan.  The whole situation is stressful.  It’s been one thing after another since we got back.  It’s not bad enough the girls are in pain and suffering but then we have the rest of the shit storm to contend with.” 

Nathan drives through the streets heading back to my house.  There isn’t anything that I need to get ready for Amanda coming home.  Maybe I’ll make her a makeshift bed on the couch in my
room,
so she doesn’t have to sleep alone tonight.  We have enough rooms for each of the girls to have their own rooms, but still being so little I like knowing they have each other to lean against before they come to me.  I like knowing they are in their room together, being close building a foundation to their relationship as sisters, and hopefully as best friends. 

There may come a time when I’m no longer around, and as much as that thought pains me, I’m at peace knowing they have each other.  Having Stella in my life has helped a lot since I lost my father, but it isn’t the same as having the blood relation of a sibling.  The short time I’ve spent with Natalie and Nathan I can tell their bond is unbreakable.  Even though we left the
hospital, and she was pissed as all get
out, I know it’s out of love.  I’m not familiar with how their father is, but I’m sure her reaction to the things Nathan said was more about her reaction to the past with her father than it is with Nathan.  I know what it’s like to live with the fear of turning into a parent you despise.  I am not fearful of being a loving parent like my father was.  I’m only fearful of turning into a heartless hag like my mother.  She may be beautifully put together on the outside, but inside, she is as ugly as they come.  “I don’t like that side of
me,
Laney.  I had hoped that you would never have to see it, or at least not so soon.”