Legal Prejudice 2 - Weather The Storms

Chapter 27

Rose was eighteen months and had recently begun forming more words. To Michael's undisguised delight her first word was "Dada", although Dan teased him he was sure it was "Dan Dan". Her favourite word was actually "Emmie", which she shouted loud and often. She had become quite a little character, and Emmie's attempts to baby her were now met with fierce resistance to everyone else's amusement. Allie had taken her to have her dark blonde baby hair cut into a neat bob which seemed to suit her determined little personality.

The day started no different to any other weekday. Michael was due in court so he left first, and Allie was in charge of dropping Rose off at day care. Allie was in the bathroom finishing getting ready for work, and Rose was at her side pretending to put make up on like her Mommy. Michael stuck his head around the open bathroom door and grinned at the scene saying, "Well don't you both look pretty." He picked up Rose to cuddle and then said, "Daddy has to go." He walked to Allie and kissed her, "See you later Mrs Stevenson." And he was gone.

Max was in his office around eleven when a call came through from Landon. He picked up smiling, but could tell immediately when Landon started talking something was very wrong. "Max, I just got a call from Shelley, she's in court with Michael. She's virtually hysterical. She said he's collapsed and the paramedics are giving him CPR. I think you'd better get Allie down to the hospital." Max gasped and choked out, "Shit, yeah, thanks Landon. Hey, can you do me a favour, can you call John, you've got his number right? Let him and Susan know while I get Allie there." Landon said, "Yeah, I'll call him and I'll see you down at the hospital. I've sent someone to get Shelley."

Max paused, suddenly not sure what to do. He ran out of his office to Dan's and Carly looked up. Robyn was out of town visiting her Mom in Atlanta and she turned to Liam, "Wonder what's on fire?" Liam shrugged. Dan was on the phone to a client, but the look on Max's face made him say, "Hey, I'm really sorry, but do you mind if I call you back. Something's come up I need to deal with right now." He cut the call off, "Max, what's wrong?" Max raked his hand through his hair and told him what Landon had said. Dan got up and grabbed his phone and keys, "Let's get her, I'll drive. Don't mention the CPR Max, we don't know for sure what's happened and hopefully it's not as serious as Shelley thought." Max nodded and they both made their way to Allie.

She was working at the laptop as they came in, and a glance at their faces made all the colour drain from hers. Max just said, "I've had a call from Landon. Michael collapsed at court, we don't know why, but we'll get you to the hospital okay." She just nodded and grabbed her own phone. Daniel drove in grim silence and they parked as close as possible to the emergency room entrance and made their way to reception. Daniel said, "Hey, hi, we were told Michael Stevenson would be brought here, this is his wife." The receptionist checked her screen but something in her face gnawed at Daniel stomach. She came around and showed them into a waiting room which Max was sure was the one they used when Allie was shot. Max had an arm around Allie's waist, and after only a couple of minutes a doctor appeared and a nurse.

The doctor who was in scrubs said his name, which didn't register with any of them, then sat down and bent forward, "Michael had a sudden collapse this morning at work and was in cardiac arrest when the paramedics arrived. They managed to restart his heart, and when he arrived we did a CT scan which showed he'd suffered a ruptured cerebral aneurysm, so a bulge in a weak vessel in his brain. The bleeding was very extensive and as soon as he left the scanner Michael suffered a second cardiac arrest, and this time we were not able to restart his heart. I'm very sorry, but Michael passed about twenty minutes ago." Max drew in a sharp breath, Dan gave a sort of strangled yell, and Allie felt like the rest of the room had disappeared and she was alone just in her head. She'd heard the words but somehow they weren't landing on her brain. She heard herself say, "He was absolutely fine this morning, so he can't just be gone." The doctor looked at her sadly, thinking days and moments like this almost made him want to quit. He added, "I want you to know he wouldn't have known a thing, no pain. It would have been very quick." He paused and said, "Let me take you to him."