Family by Design by Callie Endicott

Author:Callie Endicott
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2018-09-11T19:52:32+00:00

* * *

BY THE END of the afternoon, Gemma had trouble thinking straight.

She’d talked to Mr. Kessler, and he’d been so nice she could have cried. He didn’t seem to mind that she’d asked Rachel to babysit; he’d even told her it was the most sensible thing she could have done and that Rachel had offered to take care of Livvie until he got home so she could rest and concentrate on her family.

As for her oldest brother, there was a chance Drake would be unreachable for the better part of two weeks.

“He should have brought a satellite phone,” Helene said resentfully. “Why did he have to go hiking in the wilds of another country in the first place?”

Whoa. It was the first she’d ever said something remotely critical about her eldest son.

“Drake is a doctor, Mom. That’s stressful. He deserves a vacation. And he’d be just as unreachable if he was backpacking here at home in the Cascades or Sierras.”

“I know.” Helene looked apologetic and Gemma squeezed her hand.

They’d only been allowed two brief visits in urgent care and had moved to the nearest waiting room to be available for any updates. Gemma was considering whether she ought to order a pizza or some other take-out meal when Dr. Roth came to see them again. He appeared much wearier than he had that morning.

“Mrs. Paulsen, we’ve given your husband something to help him sleep,” he said. “He’s stable, so you should go home and get some rest. We’ll run more tests tomorrow, and I’ve scheduled an angiogram for later this week.”

“Why can’t it be done right away? Surely it’s better to do it sooner than to put it off.”

“I understand your concern, but we have to wait because of the blood thinner Mr. Paulsen has been taking.”

Gemma had forgotten her father was on a medication to prevent blood clots. “Will you do an angioplasty at the same time?” she asked. “If it’s needed, that is.”

Dr. Roth smiled. “Yes. Have you been looking up treatments for angina on your phone?”

Gemma shook her head. “I had a friend whose grandfather went through it when we were kids. He’s in his nineties now, and still very active.”

“Excellent. I hope you both get some rest tonight. Try not to worry. Mr. Paulsen is in safe hands.”

“Thank you,” Gemma and Helene said in unison.

When they were alone, Gemma turned to her mother. “I’ll drive you home. If you’d like, I can stay the night.”

“Don’t you have to get back?”

“Mr. Kessler told me to stay as long as needed. A neighbor is watching Livvie.”

Helene pursed her lips. “You’ve worked for that family since you were eighteen and you still call him Mr. Kessler?”

“It’s my choice, Mom. He’s okay with it, either way.”

Gemma urged her toward the exit, not wanting to hear what else she might say about the Kesslers or her work situation. It was understandable that Helene wanted her children to make a success of their lives, but success wasn’t necessarily measured by professional status.

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