Racing Hearts

Chapter 1

"April?" Connor Rhodes asked as he brushed passed his friend on the hallway. He looked as if he'd seen a ghost. "Have you seen Sarah?"

"No, not since this morning. Why? Is everything okay?" She asked.

"I... I just really need to find her. If you see her, tell her to come and see me in the lounge?" Connor said rushing away.

"Oh, okay." Just as he disapered, Maggie seemed to notice his odd behavior.

What's wrong? Luke didn't put something up his nose again, did he?"

"No...I don't think so." April said. "He's looking for Sarah, apparently it's important."

"Maybe he just wants to... you know?" Maggie said suggestively.

"Well, if I was married to Connor Rhodes I would too. Just don't tell Ethan."

Connor clicked over his password to access patients records just as Sarah came into the room. "Hey, there you are. April said you were looking for me."

Connor sighed as he turned around to face her. "Yeah." He held on a tablet, fidgeting with it. "Come here, let's sit."

"Babe, really you are not nervous about that bypass Dr. Latham is making you do, because if you are..."

"Sarah, I need you to sit." He told her firmly. She shot him a look. "Please."

"Alright." And so she did what she was told and Connor knelt in front of her. "Connor, please tell me it's not the kids or my mother."

"No." He said tenderly. "Your father walked into Med today. He came in as a referral for a consult and..."

Sarah froze. She hadn't spoken to her father in almost 30 years. Her heart began racing as she saw Connor's glance turn to worry. "He asked to speak with Dr. Charles and he told me. I didn't even recognize the man."

"No...I mean why would you he's never been there." She said absentmindedly.

"Baby, listen to me. I didn't want you to hear it from someone else okay? Tell me what you need, I'll do it."

"You said he came from a referral, with you?" Connor nodded. "Why?"

She knew that look. "Connor."

"Chronic cardiomyopathy, from chronic ischemia." Connor said clearing his throat. "He's in class 3 heart failure."

"Oh Sarah, Hi." Noreen said with a smile as she saw the young doctor by the doorway. "Nobody told me you were coming up, they're sleeping."

"Oh that's okay. I just needed to see them, is it okay if I come in?" Noreen took a minute to read into her face that she was struggling with something and seeing her children would make her feel better.

"Of course, come in." Noreen led Sarah into the small room where the children were taking their naps. She spotted hers rather quickly. Three cuddled together. "Rough case?"

It took Sarah a minute to respond. "Yeah... something like that. Hey do you mind paging me once they're awake. I might get off early."

"Sure, no problem." Noreen said sweetly. Sarah took once last glance at her kids and walked away just as a text from Connor appeared on her phone.

"Hey." She said clicking on his name.

"Hi. Where are you? You sort of ran off on me." He told her. "Where are you?"

"Daycare." She said simply. "I don't know, I needed to see them, you know?"

"Yeah, I get it. Wait there, I'll meet you."

"Connor, you have to get ready for surgery." She told him firmly. "I'll just grab a coffee and wait for naptime to be over. Go home."

"I really wish you wouldn't just go on your own." Connor said.

"It's hardly being on my own babe." She told him.

"You know what I mean. Let me take you. I'll come right back."

"I don't really want to wake them." She said.

"You don't have to. Please Sarah I really don't want you to go like this."

"Like what?" She inquired. Sarah could picture him rolling his eyes.

"Like I just told you your father is dying." He said softly.

"That man is not my father Connor. He's never been."

"Baby.." He begged. "Come on, you and I know that's not how it works." Sarah took a deep breath. "Sarah?"

"I'm almost at Med. Where are you?"

"Robert Haywood? Why is that name familiar?" Maggie asked as she and April walked away from assisting Dr. Charles.

"Maybe an old patient?" April said.

"No, that's not it." The older woman told her. "Hey Nat, do you know a David Heywood?"

"Heywood? No, doesn't ring a bell." Dr. Manning said. "Why?"

"It's Dr. Charles patient. He just asked me to fill in a prescription but I can't put my finger on why I know that name from somewhere." Maggie explained.

"Oh hey Sarah, did Connor find you?" Natalie asked as Reese had just walked in.

"Yeah, thanks." She said dryly.

"Everything okay?" Manning asked.

"Yeah, I just have to get upstairs."

"Hey maybe Sarah knows your mystery patient Maggie. Sarah, do you know a David Heywood?"

"It's Haywood actually." Sarah said.

"What?"

"That's how you pronounce it." She told Maggie, walking away.

"Okay... what's going on with that girl today?" April asked glancing at the other two who shrugged.

Sarah was no stranger to the surgical floor or the effect her husband had on the staff. They gave her looks because at first they didn't know she was his wife as she hadn't changed her last name to practice.

"Guess who?" She wrapped her arms around Connor's waist.

He held on to her hands for a moment. "There you are. I was starting to worry."

"I just went across the street Connor, I didn't run away." She said breaking the contact. "But maybe I should have, would that make me more predictable?"

"Okay, okay... that was out of line. Sorry." He said leaning to touch her face and placing a sweet kiss on her lips. "I just want to make sure..."

"I'm fine. That man has no effect on me." She told him breaking the kiss. "But you on the other hand.."

She kissed him again. "Babe, I have to get ready..."

"So... get ready." She told him between kisses. "I can just watch."

"Dr. Latham is going to walk in at any second..." Connor told her. "Sorry."

"You're fun anymore." She pouted. "Remember when you used to sneak me up here?"

"Oh, I do..." Connor blushed. "Come on, I am fun... I just don't want to be caught before major surgery."

"Sure." She huffed. "I'll go then. I might just get an Uber."

"Sarah... wait I can drive you and be back on time." Connor said quickly.

"You just said you don't have time." She said. "I'll be fine."

Connor sighed. "Text me as soon as you get home, alright?"

Sarah turned around to kiss him again. "I love you."

"I love you too. kiss the kids for me okay?" She broke the kiss again, letting his lips linger for a bit more.

But Connor knew Sarah and that wasn't being fine. That was just her avoiding the subject. God help him he'd had his share with crappy fathers to know.

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