Later in the hospital, at the nurses’ station upstairs, one of the nurses told Cassie that Doctor Emma was in the hospital on rounds and would likely be around before too long.
Samson kissed her cheek and said, “You go visit with your mom and wait. I have some acquaintances here that I want to check on. It shouldn’t take long.”
She nodded and pointed at one of the numbered doors in the hallway. “You know where I’ll be.”
He inquired about the Tarringtons and whether they’d receive a visitor. After confirming they would see him, he was directed to a room on the same floor. He turned down the hallway leading to Sunny’s room and paused. Soft voices emanated from inside so he tapped lightly and a familiar male voice called out, “Come on in.”
He poked his head around the doorway. “I hope I haven’t come at a bad time, sir, ma’am,” he added as he nodded at the frail woman bundled up in blankets on the bed, who was being tucked in further by her husband.
“Now, Casper, don’t fuss. I’m perfectly cozy,” she said to her husband in her proper English accent.
Casper kissed her cheek and came forward to greet Samson with a handshake. His hand, large and probably strong at one point, was now fragile with age, the joints gnarled. “Good to see you, son.”
Sunny clapped her aged hands together once and beamed at Samson. “How delightful to see you, Samson. It was a relief to hear a familiar voice on the line last night, isn’t that right, Casper?”
“I wanted to see if you were doing all right, if there was anything you need or that I could do for you. My…” He hesitated. “Girlfriend” was such a weak word for what Cassie was to him. “The woman I love has a relative in the hospital as well, and I thought I’d take the opportunity to check on you.”
“Well, besides being poked and prodded, and awakened at every hour through the night, I feel fine. This IV wasn’t pleasant but seems to be doing the trick.” She pointed at the IV taped down to her arm. “It seems I was dehydrated, which led to dizziness, and well…I still blame that infernal Oriental rug.”
“We’re replacing it at the first opportunity,” Casper said, “with something less likely to create a tripping hazard. I’m also adding another lamp in the room so she can see a little better.”
Samson nodded and smiled at them. “Let me know if you need help moving the rug or getting a new one into your place.” He took out a pen and small notepad and wrote down his cell phone number and regular office phone number for them, wondering why he’d never done it before. “And I’m glad there were no other complications. That’s not always the case.”
Sunny nodded and patted her chest. “I’m fit as can be, otherwise. At least that’s what the doctor told me a few minutes ago. She concurred with the emergency room doctor who looked at my X-rays that I’m a lucky lady. Just a scraped knee and bruised dignity. So…you have a ladylove visiting someone in the hospital, hmm?”
Samson smiled at her choice of words. Cassie was indeed his ladylove. The thought gave him a light, fizzy feeling in his chest. “Yes, ma’am. She’s visiting her mom, who was brought in yesterday. I know you need your rest. I’m relieved you’re doing well, Mrs. Tarrington.”
“You were a calming voice in our time of need, and you’re a family friend as well as neighbor. You should call me Sunny.” She reached out for his hands, and he ventured forward and gently accepted her frail grasp. “I wish you—and your ladylove—all the very best, young Samson. Life is precious and fragile, as I have been reminded. You take a lesson from me and seize the day, all right?”
“You’re right, Sunny. I will. I promise.” He shook hands with Casper again and then said his goodbyes, backing out of the room with a final wave, smiling as they resumed their conversation, in which Sunny declared her interest in skydiving, which Casper promptly pooh-poohed.
Pausing in the hallway, he stopped, thinking of the love he’d seen in Casper’s eyes while they rested on Sunny. He wanted that. He wanted to give Cassie a lifetime of love, regardless of how late they’d started. And he wanted Ivan at his side also taking care of her. Both of them there for her. It made more sense with every step he took away from Sunny’s hospital room. Had they been reunited long? No. But he knew what he wanted.
Squabbling voices drew his attention as he rounded the last corner before the elevators and leading down to the corridor where Delicia Villalobos’s room was located.
“Crud,” he groaned as he recognized Jorge Villalobos and several of Cassie’s family members standing outside the room, arguing all at once with Cassie. Reluctant to interfere, but also not willing to allow her to be berated as she had been in the past, he took long steps to join their group as one of the nurses rushed over to hush them and herd them to the private waiting room down the hall.