Sharon’s Wolves(55)
Eventually she must have dozed also because the particular tone of her phone ringing jerked her out of sleep.
Jackson was already leaning across the bed to reach for the nightstand when she turned toward him, trying to rouse herself.
He handed her the phone, and she glanced at the caller ID before connecting. “Melinda?” It was early. The sun barely peeked around the edges of the blinds.
“Sorry to wake you. I’m at Mimi’s. Something’s terribly wrong. She’s unresponsive with a weak pulse. I’ve called an ambulance.”
Sharon bolted to sitting. “Oh no.”
Jackson set a hand on her lower back and stroked it up to her neck as he sat upright next to her.
“Yeah. I had a weird feeling. And usually we can connect to each other. We’ve been able to communicate between the four of us for a while now, even in human form. Me and Mimi and my mom and Laurie I mean.”
“Yeah, I think I might have known that.”
“Anyway, she wasn’t responding. I had a bad feeling. So I came over here right away.”
“Is anyone with you?”
“Yes. My mom and Laurie are here too. We arrived at almost the same time.”
“Okay. I’ll get dressed and meet you at the hospital.”
“No. Don’t do that just yet. You have so much going on. I just wanted you to know. I don’t sense she’s in immediate danger. I’m glad for the connection that allowed me to find her, but I don’t feel an urgency to gather the family. We’ll call you when we know more.”
“Okay. I’m so sorry, Melinda.”
“Can you let Cooper know? Don’t make him feel like he needs to rush to Sojourn either, but someone should tell him.”
“Of course. And please let us know what we can do.”
“I will.” Melinda ended the call.
Sharon lowered the phone to her lap. “Mimi’s unresponsive. They called an ambulance.”
“I could hear Melinda through the phone, sweetheart.” Jackson kissed her shoulder. “You want me to take you to be with them?”
She shook her head. “Not yet. Melinda’s right. We have a lot to concentrate on. Melinda has plenty of support right now. I think our usefulness is better served in Cambridge this morning.”
“You may be right. At the very least, someone has to talk Cooper into taking a nap. The man is going to be dead on his feet soon if he doesn’t slow down.”
She eased herself back down on the bed. “He reminds me of a storm chaser. This isn’t the same as a tornado, but it feels like it the way he runs all over the mountains looking for earthquakes.”
“You have that right. I’m afraid he’s going to make me look bad with his work ethic.”
She turned her face toward Jackson. “You’re both going to put me to shame. You do realize I make money skiing and hiking.”
“I know.” He wiggled his eyebrows. “I watched you in action all winter every chance I got, remember.”
“I remember. I’ll never forget.” She turned to her side, wrapped a leg over his thighs, and tucked her arm around his chest. Just inhaling him was soothing. Her heart pounded with worry for Mimi, but Jackson’s calm frame centered her.
They would each have their roles in this relationship of three, but she was starting to recognize several of their individual traits.
Jackson would be the calm in any storm.
Cooper would undoubtedly chase the storm at a full run.
Sharon closed her eyes and reached out to Cooper. “Hon?”
“Yeah?”
“Melinda just called. Something happened to your grandmother. They’re taking her to the hospital.”
“Shit. In Sojourn?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll head that way.”
“No. Don’t. There’s nothing you can do right now. Melinda didn’t want you to drop everything. You’re in the middle of a crisis. Let’s see what the doctors say first. Maybe she’s dehydrated or hasn’t eaten enough. Melinda didn’t sense any impending urgency.”
Cooper hesitated. “I don’t like it. I should be with my mother and sisters if nothing else.”
“I know. But they’re with each other. All you would be doing is pacing the waiting room while there’s something huge brewing that needs your attention.”
Cooper sounded stressed when he responded. “Okay. I don’t like it, but okay.”
Chapter Twenty-One
By midmorning Sharon had her hand on the door to Cooper’s office space. She turned to face Jackson right behind her before opening it. “I can sense the insanity inside this room. Our calm lazy morning is about to end.”