Page 106 of Unlikely to Stay
Brant wrinkled his nose.“That sounds disgusting.”
“Don’t knock it until you try it.”
“If you say so.”Brant placed their order and was soon given a gigantic bag of popcorn, their drinks, and a box of Junior Mints.“Let’s go watch someAvengeraction, shall we?”
“We shall.”
Brant and CC had just settled into their seats at the top of the stadium seating when his cell phone rang.“Don’t you know to silence your phone when you’re at a theater, Snaps?It’s bad movie etiquette,” she said with a wink.“We can’t get kicked out of our first movie date.”
“I had my hands full.”Brant pulled his phone out of his pocket.Betty was calling.“It’s my mom,” he said.“She knew I was taking you on a date.Something must be up.Give me just a second.”
“Make it quick.The movie is about to start.And tell her I said hi.”
Brant gave CC a thumbs up before making his way down the stairs.
“Mom, what’s going on?”he asked.Surprisingly, a voice that was definitelynothis mom’s came over the line.
“Is this Mr.Billings?”the voice asked.
Brant got a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach.“It is.Who is this?”
“This is Georgette.I’m calling from Memorial Hospital.Your mom listed you as her emergency contact.”
“I am.What’s going on?”
“Sir, your mom has had a heart attack.”
Brant swore.“Is she okay?”
“She’s in surgery right now.You need to get to the hospital as quickly as you can.”
“I’m on my way.”Brant pressed end on his phone and took the stairs two at a time.CC’s eyes widened at the look on his face.
“Brant?What’s going on?”
“It’s my mom.She had a heart attack.”
CC gasped.“Oh, my god.Is she okay?”
“She’s in surgery.Freckles, we have to go now.”
CC nodded her head.Leaving their concession stand purchases in the empty seat, she grabbed her purse and followed him down the stairs.Brant prayed that his mom was okay.He didn’t know what he’d do without her.
The rideto the hospital was made in silence.CC couldn’t do anything but squeeze Brant’s hand in comfort.She couldn’t imagine what he must be feeling.Betty was his entire world.CC didn’t know what would happen if he lost her.
She glanced at the speedometer once and tried not to gasp as it reached eighty-five.She sent up a silent prayer that no highway patrols were out.That was the last thing they needed.
After what seemed like an eternity, they finally arrived at the hospital.Brant flew into the first parking spot he saw, hopped out of the car, leaving the driver’s side door open, and ran to the doors.CC turned the car off and took the keys out of the ignition.Putting his wallet in her pocket, she locked the car before going around to his side and shutting the door.Hopefully she could find her way around.This wasn’t a hospital she was familiar with.She also hoped she wouldn’t have a panic attack after entering the double doors.That was the last thing Brant needed.
Taking a deep breath, she walked through the automatic doors that whooshed open as she approached.Following the signs leading to the emergency room, CC found Brant pacing back and forth in front of a nurse’s station.
“Did you find out anything?”she asked.
“She’s in recovery but they won’t let me see her,” he said.“They said the anesthesia hasn’t worn off yet.”
“Did they say how the surgery went?”
“They told me her arteries in the right side of her heart were completely blocked.They had to put…I can’t remember how many stents they said…and remove all the plaque.”