Page 108 of Fierce-Ivan

She was trying to catch up on her work as it was, having been on vacation last week.

Amazing what a difference one week could make.

“No girlfriend. I was seeing someone, but we split a month ago.”

“I’ll do what I can. Just relax. I’ll be here until the surgery is done and talk to the doctor.”

“I appreciate it, Kendra.”

“Yeah,” she said.

33

Waiting For You

Ivan’s phone rang at six and he looked down to see it was Karen Key calling him.

He had a moment of panic and couldn’t figure out what this was about.

“Hi, Karen. What’s wrong?”

“Ivan. I’m sorry to bother you. Have you talked to Kendra today?”

“No,” he said. “I knew she was busy today and I’ve been in trainings all day.”

He and Kendra didn’t talk much during the day. They gave each other space while they worked. He appreciated that.

So many other women he’d dated over the years bugged him nonstop while he worked. Over petty shit too.

“Oh,” Karen said. “You don’t know what is going on?”

“No,” he said. “And you’re scaring me. If something happened to her at work, I’d know. My family would have called me. And I’m talking to you so you’re fine. But something has to be going on.”

“I shouldn’t have called,” Karen said. “But I got thinking she might not tell you and she shouldn’t be alone right now.”

“Tell me what?” he asked.

He listened to what Karen said about Kendra’s father and ground his teeth. “She’s still at the hospital as far as I know,” Karen said. “She said she was staying until he was admitted to his room and then she’d leave.”

“When was the last time you talked to her?” he asked.

“Around four. He was still in surgery at that point. I can’t believe he still is, but she isn’t replying to me either and that isn’t like her.”

“No,” he said. “It’s not. I’ll try to call. If I don’t get an answer then I’ll go see if I can find her or what is going on.”

“Thank you,” Karen said. “I don’t like that she is doing this alone. I know she didn’t want to go and I wonder if I guilted her into it.”

“I don’t think so,” he said. “She’s not the type of person to turn her back right away. Not without knowing all the facts.”

“No,” Karen said. “She’s not. But emotionally, she’s taken enough shots from Kevin in her life. As I told her, if she got hurt, I’d call Kevin to let him know. Not that he’d necessarily do anything about it, but I’d want him to know.”

“She should know,” he said. What more was he going to say? He didn’t know much about her father’s relationship with Kendra other than it sucked and no man should be called a man that did what Kevin did to his wife and kid.

“I’m sorry to bother you with this.”

“It’s not a bother. I’ll try to get a hold of her now and I’ll make sure she checks in with you.”

He hung up and tried to call Kendra. It wasn’t like her to not be available for her mother and that’s what was bothering him the most.