Second Chance at the Orchard Inn by Heather McGovern

Author:Heather McGovern
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Published: 2023-06-06T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 21

Traffic lights flew by in a blur.

She and Cece made it to the hospital in mere moments and found part of Jude’s family huddled in the ER waiting room. Jenna sat with their mother as Jude paced.

“Hey.” Aurora rushed to his side. “What happened?”

Jude shrugged. “He was in the kitchen with Mom and just…collapsed.”

“I’m so sorry.” Aurora put her arms around him.

“He’s in surgery now. I don’t know what’s going on,” he said, the agitation rolling off him. “They haven’t told us anything.”

“I’m sure we’ll hear something soon,” his mother said. “He’s in the best place to get help now.”

“I know, Mom. But…”

“Please sit down,” Linda urged him.

Aurora glanced at her sister. What should she say in a moment like this? She wanted to be there for Jude, without overstepping.

Rather than sit, Jude continued pacing.

Bonnie and Meredith arrived a moment later.

“Hey, Aurora.” Bonnie sounded surprised.

“Where’s Wyatt?” Meredith asked Jenna.

“Max kept him at home. Neither of us thought he needed to be in an ER waiting room.”

“Agreed.” Bonnie hugged her.

“I’m just so relieved to have Max home at a time like this. I don’t know what I’d do if he was out on that rig right now.”

Jenna caught Bonnie and Meredith up on what little they knew about their dad. Then the siblings all embraced and sat down, including, finally, Jude.

Aurora and Cece sat next to him, and he leaned forward with his elbows on his knees.

She wanted to comfort him, place a hand on his back, talk to him, but it might be odd with his family right there. They wouldn’t know about her and Jude, how they’d reconnected or where they stood.

If she came across as too familiar, how would they react? Was it strange, her and Cece even being here?

Bonnie studied her closely, Jude’s mom occasionally casting glances her way.

Next to Bonnie, Meredith gave her and Cece a small smile. Meredith wasn’t technically family either, but she appeared at ease. At home. Maybe Aurora was missing something, because she very much felt like an outsider at the moment.

Jude sat back with a sigh.

Aurora leaned closer. “You okay?” she whispered.

“No, I’m not okay,” he said, his voice clipped.

“Can I get you anything?”

He shook his head and dug a hand through his hair. “No. Answers about my dad?”

Aurora shot a glance at Cece, who gave her a slight shrug.

She should be better at this. She consoled her sisters all the time, so why did it feel like she was mucking this up completely?

“I’m sure they’ll come out in a minute and let us know what’s going on,” Aurora tried.

“It’s been minutes already.”

She placed a hand on his shoulder, hoping to offer some comfort. If he felt her, he gave no indication.

They sat silently for a while, Aurora praying for the right words to say.

“Why can’t they tell us what’s going on?” Jude asked no one in particular.

“He’s going to be okay,” Aurora encouraged.

“You don’t know that.”

“Your dad is strong.”

Jude sat back, shrugging off her hand. “I just…I should’ve been there.

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