MEARA
I was super worried about Millie when she went into the hospital. It was a big scare for the entire family. I spent the night in the waiting room pacing and drinking bad coffee. Vlad and Caleb were quick with a joke to lighten the mood, and Warren was worrying enough for all four of us. Not that I wasn’t worried.
The first doctor came out to tell us that the surgery would soon be underway. He said it would take about twenty minutes and he would be back with news of the success. After an hour, we were climbing the walls.
Vlad marched right up to the nurse’s station and demanded answers. “We’ve been waiting for an hour. They said the surgery would take twenty minutes. Somebody better come out here and tell us what’s going on.”
The doctor finally arrived and gave us some story about how there had been too much bleeding and he’d had to call in an expert. Luckily for Millie, there was just such a surgeon who was about to rotate off. They called him in, and he saved the day. Millie was resting peacefully in the recovery room.
We demanded entrance, but none of the guys were allowed to pass.
“I’m sorry, only family members,” the doctor said apologetically.
“We’re family,” Warren asserted.
“Are any of you the husband?” the doctor asked.
They all looked at each other, wondering how to answer.
“I am,” Caleb said finally.
The doctor seemed to take that at face value, and neither Vlad nor Warren argued. Caleb and I were allowed to go back into the recovery room and found Millie sleeping. I reached down to squeeze her hand, and I thought I saw a slight smile tug at her lips.
After that, I went home. Caleb stayed the rest of the night, and Warren and Vlad camped out in the waiting room, receiving regular updates via text. When Millie was finally moved into a separate room and was able to receive guests, we all went to visit.
I brought flowers to lighten up the place and had to fit them in next to Vlad and Warren’s roses. Millie had quite a support network, and I was pleased to see that she was none the worse for wear.
“We’re going to sue the hospital,” Vlad said matter-of-factly.
“Let’s take things one step at a time,” I cautioned.
Vlad shook his head. “I’ve already started the paperwork.”
I thought it was best to leave that stone unturned. He didn’t need me poking my head into the matter. Because I was grateful to have Millie alive, I didn’t care what Vlad did as far as punitive actions. He could storm the castle and kidnap the attending surgeon for all I cared. I wasn’t going to help, but I wasn’t going to be a hindrance, either.
Going back to work, it was wonderful to lose myself to my own relationships. Millie wasn’t the only lucky one in the family. She had her three guys, and I had mine. Of course, I was just starting out.
Now that I had successfully seduced Kent, the only missing link was Sean. I couldn’t wait to get my hands on him. Of all my bosses, he seemed like the most rebellious. Damien was sweet beneath the professional surface. Kent was an animal and had a difficult attitude to boot. But Sean…he had the tattooed body of a biker and the muscles to prove it. Whatever he’d done in his misspent youth, I knew it could fill several adventure novels. I longed to listen to him tell the tale of his sordid past, to really understand what made him tick. On top of that, I wanted to see how he could make me feel, what hidden G-spots he might uncover.
The day after I made love to Kent, I almost asked Sean if I could go home with him, but I held my tongue. It was too soon. I didn’t want to diminish what Kent and I had, or what Damien and I had together. The point of a polyamorous relationship was to have more love and more connections than you could have with just one partner, not to supplant one man for the other. I would get to Sean in time. And it would be perfect when I did, just like it had been with Damien and Kent.
I wished I could talk to Millie, but she was still recuperating. After leaving the hospital, she went home with Caleb, and all of her guys moved into the one house for a few weeks. They were hovering, each one eager to make sure that she was doing well. I knew I couldn’t barricade the door and keep them out of the bedroom. And I didn’t want to bring any additional stress on my sister. She needed all her energy to recover.
I considered my options and decided to impose on Petra. She was fast becoming my best friend because she was very good at listening. Apart from that, she also had a whole store full of sweet treats. The combination of sugar and a friendly ear was next to unbeatable.
I drove over to the bakery after work and found Petra alone in the kitchen. I had to bang on the door because the café was closed. She came to the door with a dishrag draped over her shoulder. There were oven mitts on her hands, and she looked like she was ready to read me the riot act. I could just imagine some nosey customer demanding entrance at this time of day. She probably had her hands full, turning people away who thought they needed a donut fix.
“Oh,” she said with a smile, pulling one mitten off to unlock the door. “I thought you were a customer.”
“Would you hate me if I asked for a cupcake?” I said.
“Of course not.” She let me in and locked the door behind me. “You know some of these grumpy old men.”
“Boy do I ever,” I replied.
“They think the world revolves around them, and they just can’t fathom that someone might have other things to do besides wait on them hand and foot.”
“Uh oh.” I sensed there was more to the story. “What happened?”