Shelton Family Saga

Chapter 36

14 Woodland Hills Court

The ceremony had already been delayed by thirty minutes, but Cazee didn't care. Why wasn't Vanessa answering her phone? Cazee decided to call 9-1-1 and request a welfare check at 14 Woodland Hills Court. She needed to locate her mother. She didn't care how long it took, cause there was no way she could go through with the ceremony without her mother being there, especially since her wedding was taking place at The Huntington Estate which was only a thirteen minute drive from her mothers home. Unbeknown to her an anonymous tip had been leaked to the local news station that billionaire racehorse owner Vanessa Shelton had suffered a sudden illness and was in critical condition. It didn't take long for this information to spread leading the local Sheriff, an ambulance and news station camera crew along with a vast number of unsolicited paparazzi to make a welfare check at her estate. This is how Cazee saw it on a television screen in the parlor where her bridesmaids were waiting. It was Elizabeth, her Matron of Honor, that called her into the parlor where there was a television. When Cazee got there, she saw her other bridesmaids standing nearby and silently staring as Elizabeth pointed at the television screen. Right off Cazee recognized her mothers house. There was a sheriffs car along with an ambulance there. There was no volume so she had no clue what was going on. All she knew was the image before her was not what she wanted to see, especially on her wedding day. It wasn't unusual that her mother would be in the news since she had built a billion dollar empire with her racehorses, but the puzzling question was why was this happening on this day at this particular time? She took off running down the hallway and back into the bridal suite to her phone she had left on the lighted vanity. She grabbed it, pushed a button and frantically told the recipient on the other end of the line to bring the car to the front of the chapel. Without wasting any time, she grabbed her clutch, slipped into her fuzzy white wedding slippers, and headed toward the very spot she had told Arman to pick her up. She ran right past her bridesmaids, out the door and into the black Rolls Royce Phantom. She didn't have to say anything to Arman, for he already knew the only thing that could have Cazee this frazzled, so with a subtle glance in the rearview mirror, he asked, "Miss Cazee?"

"Mother's!" Cazee replied short of breath. An in that instant, all 453 horses of the engine were sent forward in motion. By the time they made it to the entrance at Riverside Park, the  ambulance was leaving the gated estate with its bright flashing lights and loud siren wailing full blast as it barreled out of the private enclave. There was more than a moderate amount of traffic on the roads, but it was obvious the ambulance driver was experienced.

Cazee's thoughts were racing. What was happening? Was her mother conscious? Was she still alive? Did she have an accident? She must have had an accident Cazee thought, cause she wasn't aware of her having any illness. Before her thoughts could go any furthere, the phantom came to an abrupt stop at the emergency room entrance. Cazee, still in her silk robe and white fuzzy bridal slippers, jumped out of the back seat of the car as fast as she could, and made her way through the double sliding emergency room doors. Inside she saw a team of paramedics already with a gurney in the corridor as hospital staff were rushing over to meet them. She couldn't see her mother on the gurney, but she knew she was there. By the time she reached them, the hospital staff in their scrubs and surgical masks had fully taken over, swiftly wheeling the gurney further inside the hospital all the while ignoring Cazee. She was asking lots of questions, but the staff acted as if they didn't even notice her. The only time they acknowledged her is when the gurney disappeared behind another set of double doors, and the last surgical technician turned to address her stating, "Miss, you're not allowed back here. The doctor will speak with you as soon as possible. Please return to the waiting area." She looked down at her phone. It had been ringing non stop since she first left the chapel with Arman, but she had purposely rejected all the calls. Now she saw it was Robert calling. She answered, "Robert."

"Cazee where are you," the voice on the other end of the line curiously asked.

"Brian, i'm at the hospital. Something's happened to my mother!"

"Oh, dear Jesus. Is she okay?"

"I don't know. No one will tell me anything," her voice started to crack.

"Well, don't move. I'll be right there."

"Wait! Where's Robert?"

There was no way Brian, Robert's best man, could tell her what was taking place back at The Huntington Estate, so he just said Robert didn't have his vehicle there, and he would use his own vehicle, a McLaren MP4-22 to drive to the very hospital where Dr. Robert Inglish was Chief of Staff over the neurosurgery department.