“Will you be all right if I step out to the hallway? I want to call my parents. Serena, too. I’m sure they’re wondering what’s going on.”
When Colin nodded, she kissed him on the cheek, then left the waiting area, heading down the corridor to a quieter spot where she had a modicum of privacy. On the phone, her parents sounded as worried as everyone in the waiting room and had dozens of questions; toward the end, her mom said that she’d make dinner, and asked that Maria come by the house with Colin, along with Evan and Lily. Her mom asked in a way that made it hard to say no, but that was okay. After all that had happened, she wanted to see her family, too.
Back in the waiting area, Colin was in the same spot where she’d left him. He still wasn’t talking much, but as soon as she sat beside him, he reached for her hand, holding tight. Lily and Evan returned from the cafeteria, and soon after that, the surgeon finally entered.
From where she was sitting, Maria watched as Rachel Margolis walked toward him, Detective Wright by her side. The room went quiet, everyone worried, everyone needing to know, and it was impossible not to hear the doctor, even from a distance.
“He’s survived the surgery,” the doctor announced, “but the damage was even more extensive than we expected. The procedure was also complicated by significant blood loss, and for a while, it was touch and go. But right now, his vitals are stable. On the low side, but stable.”
“When can I see him?” Rachel Margolis asked.
“I want to keep an eye on him for another couple of hours,” the surgeon hedged. “If things keep on like I hope they will, I may be able to let you in for a few minutes later tonight.”
“And he’s going to be okay, right?”
That’s the million-dollar question, Maria thought. The surgeon seemed to have expected it and continued in the same professional tone.
“As I said, he’s stabilized for now, but you need to understand that your husband’s still in critical condition. The next few hours are going to tell us quite a bit, and I’m hoping to give you a more definitive answer tomorrow.”
Rachel Margolis swallowed. “I just want to know what I should tell our boys when I go back home.”
Boys? Maria thought. Margolis has children?
The surgeon’s voice softened. “Tell them the truth. That their father survived surgery and that you’ll know soon.” He kept his focus on her. “Please understand, Mrs. Margolis… there was severe trauma to the trachea and your husband is currently on a ventilator…”
Maria couldn’t watch any longer as the surgeon began to go into the details of Margolis’s injuries. Glancing away, she heard Colin’s voice.
“Come on,” he whispered, no doubt thinking the same thing she was. “The details aren’t our business. Let’s let them have some privacy.”
Maria and Colin stood; Evan and Lily followed suit, and they left the room. When they were outside, Maria stopped and told all of them about the call with her parents and what they’d asked.
“I know you’re all probably exhausted and that you two were just in the cafeteria, but my mom made us dinner, and —”
“Okay,” Colin said. “I still need to get back to my car tonight, but that can wait for a bit.”
“You don’t need to explain,” Evan tossed in. “We get it.”
Maria rode with Colin in Evan’s car; Evan and Lily followed in Lily’s car, and as they pulled to a stop in front of the family’s house, Serena was waiting for them out front, along with her parents. As soon as Maria got out, Serena enveloped her in a hug.
“Mom and Dad have been crazy worried about you all night, you know. Mom hasn’t left the kitchen for hours, and Dad keeps checking the windows and doors. Are you holding up all right?”
“Barely,” Maria admitted.
“I’m thinking that you’re going to need a seriously long vacation after this.”
Despite everything, Maria laughed. “Probably.”
After Serena, Maria hugged her parents, then introduced Evan and Lily. Surprising Maria – as well as her parents and Serena – Lily spoke Spanish, albeit with a Southern accent. Because the front door was still boarded up, they went through the garage and into the kitchen before taking their seats at a table that was soon covered with dishes of food.
As they ate, Maria told her family about their earlier meeting with Margolis, and Colin walked them through all that had happened after that. He paused every couple of sentences so Maria could translate for her mom. Evan added further details, especially when it came to the confrontation with Lester.
“And Lester is still in jail, right?” Felix asked when Colin had finished. “And he won’t get out?”
“Crazy or not, he shot a cop,” Evan said. “I’m not sure he’s ever going to get out.”
Felix nodded. “Good.”
“What about Atkinson?” Serena broke in. “You said he was working with Lester?”
“I don’t know. It was something Margolis was looking into. Supposedly they knew each other, but even so, it just doesn’t add up,” Maria answered.
“Then who slashed your tires?” Serena pressed.
“Maybe Lester paid some kid to do it because he knew the hospital would give him an alibi.”
“And the car at the park?”
“Maybe Lester’s borrowing it.” Maria shrugged. “I don’t know.”
“If Atkinson is out there, what are you going to do?”