Page 42 of Dr. Scandal Claus

"If you don't let me do it, he'll die. You know that. Fanning and Chandler are an hour out at best, and if they're away it could be longer. Ethan doesn't have that time."

"Unfortunately," he said with a sinister smile, "you don't get to decide that. As a hospital board member and administrator, I'm telling you to stand down. You will not do this operation, or you will be terminated."

I stepped up closer to him and he squared his shoulders and set his jaw. If I pushed this he'd just call security. But if I let it go, how would I ever look Scarlett in the eye again, especially if Ethan died?

"No, Marvin. You can't stop me," I said, and I meant it. He could take my career, my license to practice medicine, and my entire livelihood. He was not taking my life again. Ethan and Scarlett were everything to me. I wasn't taking no for an answer.

33

SCARLETT

First there was traffic; I got stuck behind a tractor, and when he finally turned off and I was able to get here, there were no parking spaces available. What should've taken me twenty minutes had taken more than thirty and I was freaking out. I ran from the parking lot of the main entrance through the light rain falling across Evergreen Creek, around to the back side of the hospital where the emergency entrance was and burst through the doors, running straight to triage.

"Ethan Moore," I gasped, trying to suck in some air. The nurse saw how frantic I looked and stood up, offering me a towel to wipe off with but I was too panicked. "Please, I'm his mother. He was brought in by an ambulance from school and I can't get his father on the phone." Just blurting it out there made me sound like a lunatic but I was hysterical. I definitely shouldn't have been driving.

When Nick didn't pick up, I got even more scared and laid on my horn a few too many times when I was following the tractor driver. I was crying now, but I'd managed to keep myself mostly together while driving at least.

"Ma'am, you'll have to calm down. Dr. Edwards has been in to see Ethan and he is with him now. They are prepping him for surgery and?—"

"Surgery!" I squealed. "No one said anything about surgery. I need to see my son."

"I'm so sorry," she said with compassion. "We can't allow you to go back right now. Ethan is being prepared for surgery. He's not even in his exam room anymore. Dr. Edwards will be out any minute to walk you through things and have you sign the release forms." As she spoke, she walked me, hands gripping my biceps, toward the waiting area.

This couldn't be happening. Ethan was fine. He had been doing so much better. The symptoms he'd had for the past few days were just a cold. I had thoroughly convinced myself of that after having so many false alarms with Nick telling me I just needed to trust him. Then they switch his medicine and now this happens?

Why had I ever trusted him?

"Wait here, and I'll go tell Dr. Edwards you're here." The nurse parked me in a chair, but I was on my feet as soon as she backed away. I couldn't sit at a time like this. Emergency surgery meant something went very, very wrong.

"How long?" I asked, and my voice was barely understandable.

"Just a few minutes." The nurse backed away, and I stood there sobbing with one hand over my mouth. Never in my wildest dream did I think this was a possibility. I thought Nick was in control. I thought he knew what he was doing. This wasn't at all what we had planned. Ethan was supposed to be okay through Christmas and then we would schedule the surgery.

"Should have known better." I heard the comment, but it took a minute to register that whoever was speaking they were speaking to me.

I turned slowly and caught sight of Fiona. She stood a few strides away with an ugly smirk on her face, looking right at me. Her hair was different yet again, but it was her. I'd always recognize the weaselly face of the woman who tried to flirt with Nick right in front of me multiple times. And just last week she kissed him while she looked me right in the eye.

"What did you say?" I asked her, feeling ready to wrap both of my hands around her throat and squeeze.

"I said, you should've never trusted him. I guess Dr. Scandal Claus strikes again. It's a shame it's a child this time." When her lip quirked up in the corner into a half smirk, half smile, I took a step toward her.

"Take it back," I snarled, and she scoffed at me.

"What are we, twelve? You knew what sort of doctor he was before you slithered back into his life. Your gold digging is going to cost you now. I just hope the surgeon can fix what Scandal Claus screwed up—for your sake, of course."

I couldn't take it anymore. Ever since that reporter tried to corner me on the street to make me give up information about Nick, I had been uneasy and overwhelmed. Then came the rumors and the horrible gossip. Then Fiona started showing up in places Nick and I were visiting and now this? Why was she even here? This was my son, and she wasn't a doctor or even a friend.

My arm had a mind of its own. I reared back and let it fly, slapping her firmly across the cheek with my open palm. Her head snapped to the side and her hand came up to her face as I struck her. I was livid and I wasn't taking anyone's crap anymore.

"Leave," I told her, my chest heaving, and she offered a sideways smirk as she started to walk backward. It was like she planned all of this somehow, but that didn't make sense. Fiona had no way of knowing Ethan would be rushed to the hospital,so her presence here had to be coincidental. Unless she was here seeing Nick, or with Nick when he got the call. But Nick wouldn't do that to me, would he?

I got a sick feeling in my gut as I heard the rumbling baritone of Nick's voice. I turned to see him moving toward me, but every person in this place was staring at me. My tears hadn't stopped, though the anger had made them lessen. Now in seeing him, I felt even more conflicted. I didn't understand a thing that was going on and I was terrified.

"I need to see Ethan," I blurted out, but Nick was there trying to put his arms around me. I pushed him away and swiped at my eyes. "No. You don't get to hug me. You did this. You made this happen. I should've known better than to trust you." Anger seethed from my chest and I spoke through gritted teeth. I knew everyone was staring and I didn't care.

"Woah, what do you mean? Calm down, baby." Nick looked hurt and confused, and I balled up my fists and banged on his chest, letting out my fear and anger.

"You did this. And I should've known when his pills were changed. I should've gotten a second opinion. Ever since last week when I filled his prescription, I knew something was wrong and?—"