True Blue - A Second Chance Romance (Complete)

Chapter 37

Finn was pacing the small waiting room. Having already made one nurse mad with his constant requests for an update on Emily's condition, he was afraid of getting kicked out if he asked again.

Emily's father sat in one of the chairs, refusing to acknowledge his presence. Upon his arrival, Phillip had threatened to have him arrested for harassment. The same nurse who now probably regretted her actions intervened and scolded both men, threatening to have them both removed if they didn't keep it down.

"Why is this taking so long!" Finn spewed in frustration.

"Somewhere you have to be?" retorted Philip.

Finn stared at him, trying to keep his temper. The knitted eyebrows clung to Emily's father's face making him look like a petulant little boy in the midst of a temper tantrum. Finn growled, "I'm not going anywhere."

Phillip jumped to his feet, perhaps wanting a fight. "For how long this time?" he spat out. "How long till your 'feelings' get hurt and you run away with your tail between your legs again?"

"I didn't run-"

"I watched my wife waste away to nothing before she died. Then I had to live that hell again when you abandoned my daughter." Emily's father's eyes burned with a hatred Finn himself knew only too well. 

Finn ached to protest, trying to rub away the all too familiar ache in his heart, "I didn't aban-"

The other man barreled on, vomiting his feelings on Finn.

"Emily barely survived. It took years to get her back to..." A boney finger poked Finn in the chest. "If you think I'll let you stroll into her life and stomp on her heart again, you're sorely mistaken. I may have been ... absent last time. But I'm here to protect her now."

Phillip's chest was heaving as he stuffed both hands in his pockets. Finn was confused. He knew Emily's father never liked him, but this level of loathing was intense. Why was everyone acting like she was the injured party? He hadn't abandoned Emily. It was the other way around.

Finn opened his mouth to protest when a man in green scrubs called, "Mr. Montgomery?"

Both men turned to the doctor. Finn's stomach clenched.

"Your daughter is out of surgery. We removed shards from the bullet. This most likely caused the infection. She's being moved to a room now. If you'd like to follow Thandy here, she'll take you to her."

Finn and Philip moved at the same time. Not wanting to start another flare-up, Finn acquiesced to Emily's father. The man silently followed the nurse. Finn trailed after him. He had to see Emily. See she was alright with his own two eyes. Then he would leave. If they made him.

And they would have to make him.

At the entrance to the room, Mr. Montgomery stopped and blocked Finn. "You're not wanted here."

Rage flared within Finn, burning up his spine heading towards his clenched fists. He tamped it down. Emily was on the other side of this wall and she needed him. He had to be smart. Had to channel her. Blowing up was not going to get him in that room.

"Sir, I respect your perspective here." Philip's eyes narrowed at Finn's declaration. "But I'm asking you, for Emily's sake, to let me in. I made her a promise and despite what you think of me, I intend on keeping it. If she wants me to leave, I'll go. I'll do whatever is best for her."

The older man's mouth formed a thin tense line as his throat bobbed. Philip spun away and moved into the room without saying a word. It wasn't exactly an invitation nor a denial. Finn took the opportunity and followed.

Machines beeped, sounding out the life of the woman he loved as she lay in the hospital bed before him. Emily looked peaceful, the furrow on her brow which had been a permanent fixture since Colombia, gone. Her skin was pale, paler than normal, the flush of fever seeming to have receded.

The nurse checked some of the readings on the screen behind Emily and with a flick of a switch, the chirping stopped. Lines of blue still ebbed and flowed, monitoring her vitals, but now in silence. The nurse quietly explained Emily would be in and out of consciousness as the anesthesia wore off. She disappeared, leaving Finn and her father standing on either side of the sickbed.

They ignored each other, concentrating on the one thing they had in common, Emily. Pulling up a chair, Phillip sat on the edge and leaned in towards his daughter.

The woman they watched made a small moaning noise like she might be in pain. Finn found it hard to breathe. Should he call the nurse? Her eyelids fluttered, exposing her grey irises briefly and hiding them again.

"Emily," her father whispered, concern cracking his voice.

She turned her head in his direction. A pang of jealousy stabbed at Finn's gut. He longed to call out her name himself so she would respond to him. His mouth dry, he couldn't make any sound come out.

Emily moaned again. Her eyebrows furrowed. Then a single word escaped her chapped lips.

"Finn."

It was the sweetest sound he'd ever heard. Clutching her hand in both of his, Finn leaned over her. "I'm right here." She turned to face him. He couldn't resist kissing her forehead. Her skin was warm, perhaps too warm, but not flaming as it had been in the plane. "Em, I'm here."

"I'm sorry."

"Shhh. It's okay. Everything is okay. You're home, safe. Your father is here." Finn glanced at the man. His face was expressionless as he watched the couple. "And I'm here."

Emily swallowed, licking her lips. "Stay...please."

"Of course. I'll never leave."

Finn heard the other man shuffle beside them. "But your father needs some time with you. He's been so worried Em. We all have." Emily squeezed his hand. "So I'm going-"

"No," she moaned.

Finn reached out and stroked her cheek. Emily leaned into it, still not opening her eyes. "Em, I'll be just outside the door. You say my name and I'll be right back here." Her grip slackened on his hand. He carefully untangled her fingers from his and placed her hand on the bed. After a quick glance at her father, Finn moved towards the door.

"Finn," Emily called.

"Yes, Em."

A faint smile graced her lips. "Just testing," she answered, her words slightly slurred. The pain in Finn's chest eased a little. If Emily could tease, she was going to be okay.

"Did I pass?" He tried to tease back, not quite matching her tone.

Emily nodded.

"Good." He answered Emily but was looking at her father. The man's scowl softened and Phillip gave Finn a curt nod. It held less hatred and what Finn hoped was more respect. He turned and stepped through the door into the corridor.

Finn pressed his forehead against the cool hospital wall and tried to grapple with the events of the past few hours and the revelations they revealed. In the room beyond, Finn could hear Emily's father talking to his daughter in a soft tone unlike what he had received in the waiting room.

Philip Montgomery's words rattled around in Finn's head. Her father blamed Finn for leaving, for hurting his daughter. No, for devastating her. Like she was the injured party. But it was the other way around. Emily abandoned him. It made no sense.

There was only one person Finn could think of who could clear things up. Give him the truth. Finn pulled out his phone and searched his contacts.