Runaway to Africa

Mom's Call

Jackson and I get back to the hotel room and get ready for bed, both of us showering due to the sand and the fact we went swimming after he proposed. The two of us quickly fall asleep when we get into bed. A couple hours later my phone starts to go off, since Jackson and I have our phones on the table in the room I get up and take my phone into the bathroom so I don't wake Jackson. "Hello?" I rub my eyes.

"Katherine. Baby..." I hear my Mother on the other end.

"Mom? What's going on? It's two in the morning here." If it's two here it should be about 7 in the evening there, but Mom is aware of the time difference.

"I know, I know, baby, and I'm sorry..." I hear my Mother's voice crack.

"Mom, what's wrong?"

"Your Dad, he... he is in the hospital."

"What?" I sit on the side of the tub. "Is he okay?"

"He's fine. The doctors think he needs his Gallbladder removed so they are taking him into surgery now. They think it burst. But they say he'll be up and moving again in a few weeks." She takes a deep breath, "I know you and Jackson can't come up here, but your Dad really wants to see you."

"I know he does. But we can't just up and leave."

"I know. I know, baby, I didn't mean it like that. I just meant...."

"I know, what you meant, Mom." I take a deep breath.

"I love you, baby girl, I'm sorry I wake you up."

"I love you too. Tell Dad I love him."

"I will. Bye."

"Bye." I wait a few minutes letting the shock wear off before I walk back into the main room.

When I do I see Jackson looking over to me, propping himself up with his elbow and the lamp beside the bed is on. "Hey, what's up?" Jackson calls out softly.

I shake my head as I sit on the bed next to him, "My Dad is in the hospital. He's fine, but he has to have his Gallbladder removed."

"I'm sorry, baby, what happened?"

"They think his Gallbladder burst." I look down, "My mom wants me up there."

"I can imagine why. I would too." Jackson leans forward toward me, "Do you want to go back."

I look over to him and nod, "Yeah, I do and I have enough to go on my own, but I don't want to leave you."

Jackson chuckles, "Who said you were going without me? The camp gets discounts all over down here so this trip was cheaper then you think. Plus, I'd love to see Hank and Margot again."

I chuckle, "really? They didn't scare you off when they were at the camp?"

"Nah," Jackson shakes his head, "Besides if they weren't there you wouldn't have been there either."

"That is very true."

"So when we have what two weeks until Hank will be up and moving again, so we get back to the camp in a few days and we can plan a quick couple day trip up there and then we can come back before we get busy."

"Really?"

Jackson nods, "Of course, this is important to you so it's important to me. Plus it'll give us a chance to tell them the news in person."