Surrogate for My Brother-in-law - Chapter 67: Chapter 67
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“Arthur's coming? Now?” I asked, shocked.
How had he known we were here? Had someone on the staff called him? Was it the woman who told us which room my mother was in? Or someone we hadn't noticed?
“Yeah, apparently the security guards at the gate had orders to report any and all visitors. They warned me before they did it, though, so we have a few minutes.”
I nodded, and looked over my mother. She was conscious, yes, but there was no way she was walking out of the hospital. It would be impossible for her to sit up under her own power, let alone stand or walk.
I noticed that my mother was staring at Ethan, visibly confused. Of course she had no idea who he was. He wasn't part of Arthur's pack.
“Mom, this is Alpha Ethan. He's a good friend. He helped me find you,” I explained.
Ethan turned away from the door and gave a formal bow. “It is an honor and a pleasure to meet you at last, ma'am.”
My mother managed another of her faint smiles, and she lifted the hand not full of IV needles to wave. Well, her fingers wiggled. It counted.
“You should know, your daughter is amazing,” Ethan added.
My mother opened her mouth, but no sound came out. I looked around, hoping there were some ice chips I could offer her. Of course, there was nothing.
“Of course you know,” Ethan said, as though he'd been able to hear her answer. “I just felt like I should say something. She's a testament to your hard work as a parent.”
My mother smiled again, and her eyes returned to me. Her eyebrow twitched and she motioned her hand towards Ethan.
“We're, um, we're friends,” I answered the question she didn't have the strength to ask. “Good friends.”
“I'm still working on a proper courtship proposal,” Ethan explained. “I have to do it right, you know.”
My mother blinked slowly, and nodded solemnly. I realized from the glint in her eyes that she was teasing us. Awake barely a minute, unable to so much as raise a hand, and she still managed to tease me about a boy.
“How much time do we have?” I asked Ethan.
It was a long drive from Arthur's manor to the hospital. We should have hours.
“Not long,” Ethan said. “Unfortunately for us, it seems that Alpha Arthur was conducting an inspection tour of his properties. He's maybe an hour out, or less.”
“An hour?” I repeated, feeling faint.
“I don't suppose you can heal her enough to get her on her feet in an hour,” Ethan said.
I shook my head. “It'll be days of work before I can heal her that far.”
“Oh. Well, okay, new plan. I'll talk to that lovely nurse who helped us, and see if we can't get your mother unhooked from all this stuff.”
I nodded, and turned my attention to the IV. I knew how to remove that at least. Mom didn't need intravenous hydration anymore. She could drink on her own, or would be able to soon.
The nurse arrived, and blinked in shock when she saw my mother was awake.
“I need to run cognition tests,” she said, reaching for a clipboard. “This is amazing! How did you do it?” she asked me.
“I'm a healer, and we don't have time, we have to get her out of here,” I said. “Alpha Arthur is coming, and he does not have her best interests at heart I can guarantee that.”
The nurse chewed her lower lip for a moment. “It goes against every policy and medical ethics to let you take this woman out of here,” she said.
“I'll sign an AMA release,” I said, meaning a paper that acknowledged I was acting “against medical advice.” “She can confirm I am her daughter.”
My mother managed a slow but deliberate nod.
“Incredible. Not only are you conscious, you're alert and aware,” the nurse mused. “Do you agree that you are in danger from this Alpha Arthur?”
My mother's eyes closed in pain for a moment, but she nodded again. She glanced at me, and I knew I'd have to explain the situation more thoroughly when there was time.
“And you are willing to go with these people?” the nurse asked.
This nod was firmer. My mother mouthed 'yes' as well.
“I don't like this,” the nurse said, “but I like what I've seen in this hospital less. There are so many inconsistencies with this patient's chart, with her transfer, with everything it's ridiculous. I assume she's been caught up in some kind of wolf politics?”
I nodded.
“Figures. Okay, let's get you unhooked. I'm very sorry, ma'am, but there is no way to make removing that feeding tube anything but unpleasant.”
“I can help,” I said, “I can at least block the pain.”
“How?” The nurse asked, and then shook her head, “Wait, no, I don't want to know. If I'm not fired you can send me an essay after you get out of here.”
“I'd be happy to,” I said.
“If you do get fired, you can come work at my hospital,” Ethan offered.
“You have a hospital? Of course you do. Fine, this job sucks anyways.” She worked quickly, removing tubes and monitors as gently as she could.
I held my mother's hand and used the last dregs of my healing powers to block the pain as a long, thin tube was pulled out of her throat. The nurse sprayed something she said would numb her throat into my mother's open mouth.
“You have medical facilities you trust?” she asked me.
I nodded. “Alpha Ethan really does have a hospital. I work there as a healer.”
“Great. Get this woman there, she's going to need extensive physical therapy and competent medical monitoring, which she is not going to get in this sad excuse for a hospital.”
“I'll take good care of her,” I promised.
My mother nodded, and tried to pat my hand. She mostly tapped it with one finger, but it was progress.
The nurse studied her for a moment, focusing on the tiny motions of her hand and face.
“There is no way you can sit up in a wheelchair,” she declared.
Something at her hip beeped.
“Damn it,” she muttered. “They're here. We're out of time.”
I felt my heart go cold. I couldn't lose my mother! I wasn't going to leave her.
“What do we do?” I asked Ethan.
“No one panic,” the nurse said. “I'll distract the Alpha. You two get this woman out the back. I hope you had the sense to park out of sight?”
Ethan nodded.
“How do we move her?” I asked.
The nurse shrugged. “I wish I had a good option for you but I don't. We don't even have wheeled beds here. Heaven help us if there's a fire. You could carry her, maybe? Just don't obscure her airway. Her throat is still very delicate. Every part of her is. Think of the most medically fragile patient you've ever treated, and then be even more cautious.”
I nodded my understanding while Ethan stepped outside. He came back in after a moment.
“How do you feel about laundry carts?” he asked my mother.
The nurse snorted a laugh, and then helped us pile every soft thing in the room into the cart.
“Okay, it's not a proper transport bed, but it'll get you down the hall and out the door. I'm off to be distracting, and expect my resume in the mail, Alpha Ethan.”
“It's already approved,” Ethan promised. “Whether you're fired or not, send it in. We could use more people like you on staff.”
Ethan lifted my mother like she was made of spun glass, and lowered her onto the pile of linens. I layered sheets over her so that she looked like a pile of laundry. She managed to give me a quick thumbs up when I asked if she could breathe.
We bolted down the hall, with Ethan pushing the cart and me running ahead to make sure no one was looking. We had a couple of close calls, but no one caught us. We reached Ethan's car and transferred my mother to the back seat.
Ethan and I piled in the front seat, and Ethan tore out of the parking lot like a bat out of Hell. At last, I was taking my mother home.
How had he known we were here? Had someone on the staff called him? Was it the woman who told us which room my mother was in? Or someone we hadn't noticed?
“Yeah, apparently the security guards at the gate had orders to report any and all visitors. They warned me before they did it, though, so we have a few minutes.”
I nodded, and looked over my mother. She was conscious, yes, but there was no way she was walking out of the hospital. It would be impossible for her to sit up under her own power, let alone stand or walk.
I noticed that my mother was staring at Ethan, visibly confused. Of course she had no idea who he was. He wasn't part of Arthur's pack.
“Mom, this is Alpha Ethan. He's a good friend. He helped me find you,” I explained.
Ethan turned away from the door and gave a formal bow. “It is an honor and a pleasure to meet you at last, ma'am.”
My mother managed another of her faint smiles, and she lifted the hand not full of IV needles to wave. Well, her fingers wiggled. It counted.
“You should know, your daughter is amazing,” Ethan added.
My mother opened her mouth, but no sound came out. I looked around, hoping there were some ice chips I could offer her. Of course, there was nothing.
“Of course you know,” Ethan said, as though he'd been able to hear her answer. “I just felt like I should say something. She's a testament to your hard work as a parent.”
My mother smiled again, and her eyes returned to me. Her eyebrow twitched and she motioned her hand towards Ethan.
“We're, um, we're friends,” I answered the question she didn't have the strength to ask. “Good friends.”
“I'm still working on a proper courtship proposal,” Ethan explained. “I have to do it right, you know.”
My mother blinked slowly, and nodded solemnly. I realized from the glint in her eyes that she was teasing us. Awake barely a minute, unable to so much as raise a hand, and she still managed to tease me about a boy.
“How much time do we have?” I asked Ethan.
It was a long drive from Arthur's manor to the hospital. We should have hours.
“Not long,” Ethan said. “Unfortunately for us, it seems that Alpha Arthur was conducting an inspection tour of his properties. He's maybe an hour out, or less.”
“An hour?” I repeated, feeling faint.
“I don't suppose you can heal her enough to get her on her feet in an hour,” Ethan said.
I shook my head. “It'll be days of work before I can heal her that far.”
“Oh. Well, okay, new plan. I'll talk to that lovely nurse who helped us, and see if we can't get your mother unhooked from all this stuff.”
I nodded, and turned my attention to the IV. I knew how to remove that at least. Mom didn't need intravenous hydration anymore. She could drink on her own, or would be able to soon.
The nurse arrived, and blinked in shock when she saw my mother was awake.
“I need to run cognition tests,” she said, reaching for a clipboard. “This is amazing! How did you do it?” she asked me.
“I'm a healer, and we don't have time, we have to get her out of here,” I said. “Alpha Arthur is coming, and he does not have her best interests at heart I can guarantee that.”
The nurse chewed her lower lip for a moment. “It goes against every policy and medical ethics to let you take this woman out of here,” she said.
“I'll sign an AMA release,” I said, meaning a paper that acknowledged I was acting “against medical advice.” “She can confirm I am her daughter.”
My mother managed a slow but deliberate nod.
“Incredible. Not only are you conscious, you're alert and aware,” the nurse mused. “Do you agree that you are in danger from this Alpha Arthur?”
My mother's eyes closed in pain for a moment, but she nodded again. She glanced at me, and I knew I'd have to explain the situation more thoroughly when there was time.
“And you are willing to go with these people?” the nurse asked.
This nod was firmer. My mother mouthed 'yes' as well.
“I don't like this,” the nurse said, “but I like what I've seen in this hospital less. There are so many inconsistencies with this patient's chart, with her transfer, with everything it's ridiculous. I assume she's been caught up in some kind of wolf politics?”
I nodded.
“Figures. Okay, let's get you unhooked. I'm very sorry, ma'am, but there is no way to make removing that feeding tube anything but unpleasant.”
“I can help,” I said, “I can at least block the pain.”
“How?” The nurse asked, and then shook her head, “Wait, no, I don't want to know. If I'm not fired you can send me an essay after you get out of here.”
“I'd be happy to,” I said.
“If you do get fired, you can come work at my hospital,” Ethan offered.
“You have a hospital? Of course you do. Fine, this job sucks anyways.” She worked quickly, removing tubes and monitors as gently as she could.
I held my mother's hand and used the last dregs of my healing powers to block the pain as a long, thin tube was pulled out of her throat. The nurse sprayed something she said would numb her throat into my mother's open mouth.
“You have medical facilities you trust?” she asked me.
I nodded. “Alpha Ethan really does have a hospital. I work there as a healer.”
“Great. Get this woman there, she's going to need extensive physical therapy and competent medical monitoring, which she is not going to get in this sad excuse for a hospital.”
“I'll take good care of her,” I promised.
My mother nodded, and tried to pat my hand. She mostly tapped it with one finger, but it was progress.
The nurse studied her for a moment, focusing on the tiny motions of her hand and face.
“There is no way you can sit up in a wheelchair,” she declared.
Something at her hip beeped.
“Damn it,” she muttered. “They're here. We're out of time.”
I felt my heart go cold. I couldn't lose my mother! I wasn't going to leave her.
“What do we do?” I asked Ethan.
“No one panic,” the nurse said. “I'll distract the Alpha. You two get this woman out the back. I hope you had the sense to park out of sight?”
Ethan nodded.
“How do we move her?” I asked.
The nurse shrugged. “I wish I had a good option for you but I don't. We don't even have wheeled beds here. Heaven help us if there's a fire. You could carry her, maybe? Just don't obscure her airway. Her throat is still very delicate. Every part of her is. Think of the most medically fragile patient you've ever treated, and then be even more cautious.”
I nodded my understanding while Ethan stepped outside. He came back in after a moment.
“How do you feel about laundry carts?” he asked my mother.
The nurse snorted a laugh, and then helped us pile every soft thing in the room into the cart.
“Okay, it's not a proper transport bed, but it'll get you down the hall and out the door. I'm off to be distracting, and expect my resume in the mail, Alpha Ethan.”
“It's already approved,” Ethan promised. “Whether you're fired or not, send it in. We could use more people like you on staff.”
Ethan lifted my mother like she was made of spun glass, and lowered her onto the pile of linens. I layered sheets over her so that she looked like a pile of laundry. She managed to give me a quick thumbs up when I asked if she could breathe.
We bolted down the hall, with Ethan pushing the cart and me running ahead to make sure no one was looking. We had a couple of close calls, but no one caught us. We reached Ethan's car and transferred my mother to the back seat.
Ethan and I piled in the front seat, and Ethan tore out of the parking lot like a bat out of Hell. At last, I was taking my mother home.
End of Surrogate for My Brother-in-law Chapter 67. Continue reading Chapter 68 or return to Surrogate for My Brother-in-law book page.