Consequences of the Heart

Chapter 38

Quinn's POV

The ride to the hospital with Nick is a blur and the next thing I know the elevator doors open and I see my family all there. "Jared." I say rushing away from Nick and over to my brother who embraces me with a huge hug. "Big brother gotcha." Jared says as I feel tears fall onto my head as Jared tightens his grip on me, and I see Uncle Caspian take a step towards us but Etta stops him shaking her head. 

"Is there any news?" I ask through my crying pulling away from my brother. "He was admitted into surgery and there were a few complications, but the doctor just came out a little bit ago and told as that he is out of surgery and in the ICU." I wipe the tears away from eyes standing there like my feet are frozen to the ground. "ICU?" I ask holding back a fresh waves of tears. 

"It is a serious injury Quinn, and right now the doctors just want to keep him under observation." I take a few deep breaths sitting down on the chair as Etta lightly places her hand over mine. "When can we see him?" I ask and Jared takes a moment to wipe his eyes of his own tears. "Most of us have already been in to see him, but I know that he would love to hear your voice." Etta says as tears fill her eyes and I just nod my head. 

"Before I go in there, I want to know what happened to him? All you told me on the phone was that he was shot while on duty." Jared takes a moment to wipe his eyes of his own tears. "We don't know all the details, but what we do know is that dad was called in to deal with a domestic dispute....." I cut Jared off quickly feeling like he trying to cover up the face that my dad was shot over something that any other cop could have dealt with. 

"You are basically saying that dad got shot for nothing." I snap at Jared who stares at me with surprise. "Dad was just closet to the where the call came in and was first to respond." Jared says in a defensive tone of voice. "And look what happened Jared, dad could die and the two of us could become orphans!" I yell at him and I can see the anger in his eyes that matches my own. "I think we all need a breather." Uncle Caspian says as he and Uncle Evan take Jared for a walk leaving me alone with Etta and Nick. 

"Nick dear could you go get me some coffee from the cafeteria?" Nick nods his head and walks off as I turn to Etta who has a serious look on her face. "I know what you are going through but snapping at your brother is not the way to deal with it." I roll my eyes turning my face away from Etta. "You going to give a free session?" I remark but Etta isn't having it as he grabs my chin and forces me to look at her. 

"You better remember that I am grandmother young lady and you will show me the proper respect." I nod my head seeing the rare side of Etta. "I will not allow you to sit there and take this out on those who are trying to be there for you. You can't blame your father for what happened tonight Quinn, he was doing his job." I scoff at her and start playing with the ends of my hair. 

"His job? That is the very reason why growing up we were all scared of the phone ringing, it is why every night mom would light the candle in the window and quietly pray for his safety." Etta nods her head letting me ramble on. "She begged him over and over again to get a different job, but he didn't because he loved the police force more than his family." Etta eyes go wide hearing those words come out of my mouth. 

"Quinn Ariella Callahan, you know that not true, your father loves you and your brother with his whole heart, and he loved your mom more than life itself." I feel guilty already saying what I said knowing it was out line. "He has made sacrifice after sacrifice for his family. You think it was easy for him dating your mom when all her parents saw was a young man unfit to date their daughter because he wasn't wealthy like them, how about putting his whole future on hold because he was going to be a dad as a teenager, and becoming a single parent because the love of your life was taken far too soon." I nod my head kind of understanding the struggles that my dad went through and when I look at Etta I see tears fall from Etta's eyes, 

"He was a hero tonight and you should be proud of him, he got a baby and teen mother out of an abusive home." I stand up and kneel in front of Etta. "I am sorry Etta, I know that my dad had his whole life turned upside down because of all of us." I feel Etta wipe the tears away from my eyes before wiping away from her own. "He stands by his choices and wouldn't change a thing." Etta takes my hands in hers, 

"All he has ever wanted for Jared and you is a less struggleful life then his own." I nod my head again taking a deep breath before standing up knowing what I need to do even though I don't want to. 

"Which room is he in?" I ask and Etta gives me the room number and this feeling of grief starts washing over me. "I guess there is no time like the present." I say trying to get myself together, "Are you sure you are going to be okay Etta? I feel guilty about leaving you out here alone." In the next second Nick comes back with the coffee. 

"Here you go Mrs. Callahan." Nick smiles at her handing her the cup. "Aren't you a gentlemen." Etta looks at Nick then over to me. "Problem solved, Nick will stay with me and keep me company." I look over at Nick who gives me a I don't care kind of look. "I don't know if that is a good thing or a bad thing." I say before taking one last deep before heading to my dads room.