“Do you want some coffee?” she asked, feeling helpless.
“No.”
A short time later the receptionist opened the glass window. “Mr.Castillo? You can come back now.”
Tanner turned to Anita. “Will you come with me?”
His request surprised her, but she nodded, and they got up at the same time.
“I’ll buzz you in,” the receptionist said, then directed them to Rosa’s room.
As they headed to the back, she saw her father come out of one of the rooms. “Dad,” she said, and they both hurried to him.
“How is she?” Tanner asked.
“She’s going to be all right. She has what’s called unstable angina.”
“That sounds serious.”
“It is, but we have medications that can control it, along with a lifestyle plan. That’s why I’m keeping her under observation. She was supposed to see me last month but canceled the appointment. Twice.”
Tanner grimaced. “I’ll make sure she goes to them from now on.”
“Excellent.” He paused and gave Tanner’s shoulder a gentle squeeze. “I expect her to fully recover once we stabilize the angina. You can go in and talk to her. She’s awake.”
“Thank you.” Tanner shook his hand then went inside the room.
Anita hesitated, unsure whether to follow him inside.
“Let’s let them have some time alone,” her dad said, putting his arm around Anita’s shoulders. “We can get a cup of coffee.”
As her father led her to a small seating area, she looked over her shoulder. She was glad Rosa was okay. She hoped Tanner would be too.
***
“Don’t worry about me, Tanner. I’ll be fine.”
Tanner sat at his mother’s bedside, holding her hand and holding in his anger. He was tired of her standard answer, tired of her not listening to him, and tired in general. She wasn’t fine now. He was thankful she wasn’t worse. “I’m staying here with you until they discharge you.”
She shook her head. “I don’t need a babysitter.”
“Apparently you do. Dr. Bedford said you canceled two appointments.”
She averted her gaze. “I was going to reschedule.”
Yeah. Right.She was seeing a cardiologist, and he’d had no idea.
He looked at their clasped hands and realized his was still shaking. He’d come home from a break at the diner to get the laptop he’d forgotten that morning and found her unconscious on the living room floor. The terror of thinking she was dead was still with him. He’d already lost his father. He couldn’t take it if he lost his mother too.
“Tanner,” she said, looking at him.
“Shh. You need to rest.”
“I will, but I have some things to say to you.”
“Mom, they can wait—”
“No, they can’t.” She sounded more firm than he’d thought she could manage. “First of all, I’m sorry. You’ve been after me to slow down, and I didn’t listen. Now I’m paying for that. So as soon as I get home, I’m quitting the cleaning job.”
