Rock and a Hard Place

chapter 13

“Excuse me, are you Peter Jamieson?”

“Yeah, I’m Peter Jamieson. What’s up?” A bad feeling struck him.

“I’m sorry to tel you this, but there’s been a medical emergency back in Los Angeles. Your mother caled and asked us to locate you. You need to return to L.A. as quickly as possible.”

“What happened? Who is it?” Panic hit him ful on. He searched Roger’s face for information neither of them had.

“Is it my mom? Is she okay? Please tel me.” Peter stood oblivious to the dozens of curious passengers in the terminal. The only reason his mom would make him come home was if something terrible happened.

“I’m sorry to tel you that your father suffered a heart attack. I believe he’s in Emergency at Cedars-Sinai.”

Peter’s world fel away. His dad. The pilar of their family.

The man who pushed him to be his best. He couldn’t be sick. He couldn’t die. Peter looked to Roger for support, terrified for his father’s life.

“How soon can we get out of here?” Roger took control, alowing Peter to be scared.

“We’re holding a plane, it’s headed to Denver. Then you’l transfer to L.A. You can board now.”

“Let’s go,” Peter responded. “I’m caling Garrett.” Stiff jawed, he pressed the buttons on his phone as he folowed the officials through the terminal to the waiting plane.

Garrett answered on the first ring. “Where the hel are you?”

“I’m on my way now. We just landed in Madison, but they’re holding a plane. How is he? What happened?” Peter didn’t recognize the flat tone of his own voice. He fought tears as they rushed down the concourse. His invincible dad had always been healthy. This was al wrong.

“He was walking across the yard and colapsed. Mom gave him an aspirin right away. The paramedics said it probably saved his life.”

Peter held the phone with one hand and pushed his hair out of his face with the other. He struggled to believe Garrett’s words, yet knew they were true. “Is he okay? Where is he now?” They arrived at a gate where airline agents waited. One agent handed him a boarding pass and cleared him through without delay. Peter nodded his gratitude as he listened to Garrett.

“They’re doing a lot of tests. He’s hooked up to a bunch of machines. Mom’s with him.”

“Is he going to be okay? Is he going to pul through?” Peter couldn’t believe he needed to ask this.

“I don’t know Pete, I just don’t know.” The worry in his voice scared Peter even more.

“Where’s Adam? Is he there?” Peter stepped onto the crowded plane. Impatient passengers watched. He and Roger were guided to seats near the front.

“Yeah, he’s right here. How long ‘til you land? Dammit, Peter. You should be here.”

“I know. I’m on my way. A couple hours to Denver and a couple more to L.A. Hopefuly by midnight.” He checked his watch and dreaded the idea of being stuck on a plane for the rest of the night helpless to do anything. He needed to be there. Now.

“Just get your ass home. You never should have left. She isn’t worth it.”

Peter ignored the barb. Garrett was scared and angry. So was he. “I’l be there soon. I’l cal when we land in Denver.” The door closed and the plane taxied the short distance to the runway.

“Garrett, don’t let him die. Keep him alive.” He spoke softly, not wanting to hang up. There was no reply for the longest time as the two brothers shared a frightened silence.

“Just hurry.” The tone of Garrett’s voice told Peter al he needed to know.

Peter closed the phone, and sniffed back his emotions. His throat tightened and eyes burned from fighting back tears.

Helplessness tore at him. Roger squeezed his arm in support. In private, Peter might have hugged the big man and cried like a baby.

Instead he put on a brave face as the flight attendants finished the safety talk and did their final check for takeoff.

“Libby!”

Dammit, he’d forgotten al about her. He opened the phone again, about to press dial, when the flight attendant stopped him.

“I’m sorry, you need to turn that off. We’re about to take off and it interferes with in-flight communications.”

“But it’l only take a second, it’s important.” He had to get a cal to Libby. He couldn’t leave her standing at the dance alone wondering where he was. They’d worked so hard to make this happen. She suffered so much the past year, he wanted to bring her happiness. Instead she’d be devastated.

“I’m sorry, it’s airline policy. No exceptions.” She said.

“Put it away, Pete. She’l understand.” Roger’s voice, a calm in the storm, helped ground him, but Peter didn’t like the advice.

He turned the phone off and slid it into his pocket. He slammed his head against the cushioned first class seat.