“Yes, sir. Um, Kip, when you hear, let me know,” he asked.
“I will. I’m going to show Julian around.”
“I’ll stay until my relief gets here,” Josh said.
Julian tilted his head. “Ciminelli, tell Stone he can go to bed.”
Matt Ciminelli, Julian’s bodyguard, stepped from the shadows. “I’ve got them.”
“Goodnight, Boss. Matt, thanks.”
The four got in the elevator. Matt, Julian, and Kip got off at the next floor, while Josh continued down.
The medical surgical floor had been returned to function after the bombing. Kip showed Julian where it went off on the floor above and how the blast destroyed the corner stairwell. “It certainly was better than what they did at the nursing home.”
“White phosphorus.” Julian stopped and opened his phone. “Dad, where was that fireworks factory you closed down for also selling crystal meth?” He laughed. “Yes, I’m here. I saw him a few minutes ago. Tell Mom he’s eating.” He rolled his eyes. “Got it.”
He put away his phone. “It’s between here and Slidell. Send a team tomorrow; if it’s still standing, I’d bet that’s where your tangoes got the stuff to blow the nursing home. I read your report; you described it as rockets. A rocket for a show would be enough to destroy a floor.”
“I’ll put the order in for the morning. I’ve got a good group,” Kip said.
They kept walking the floors. “I’m proud of you.” Julian laughed. “Everyone is afraid of you.”
“I guess that’s a good thing. I never realized how much handholding and directing I would need to do,” Kip admitted.
“Holly taught me a lot. Fatherhood does not include being their friend. Your job is to provide consistency, support, discipline and a bit of tenderness and love, but not friendship. That will sink your ship.”
Kip inhaled. “That’s profound.”
“That’s why we need a good woman at our side,” Julian sighed. “Hang on a little longer.”
The next floor held OB, NICU, Pediatrics and PICU. Kip keyed onto the pediatric unit. After introducing everyone, Kip asked to see the Matin girls.
“We have them in the same room. Babette couldn’t sleep until she saw Desirée. Mr. Wentworth has been with them all night,” the nurse said.
Kip slid open the door to find Zayne asleep in the reclining chair, both girls curled against him. He slid it closed. “Like I said, I have good people.”
As he was closing the door, his pager went off. He looked at his phone. “It’s Hunt. He said to meet him in the SICU. Kip reached for his wallet and pulled out a yellow laminated card. “Fourth floor.”
“Still into colors.” Julian explained Kip’s love for color coordination to Matt. Making it to four, Julian smiled. “Matt and I will be here.”
* * *
As Kip keyedinto the unit, memories of every minute he spent with Harper came to mind. He found Hunt sitting at the nurse’s station typing into the computer.
Spotting Kip, he signed off and stood. “Come on; she’s in bed five. She did great. The bullet put a nick into her mesentery, but other than that, nothing that wasn’t easily fixed. Selma and I managed to do it laparoscopically. The one complication is we need to find a way to tell Chantal. Any worry will put stress on her.”
“Kyle can help with Chantal.” He looked toward the door. “I can see her?”
“Of course. I’ll call Kyle.” Hunt headed back to the desk.
Kip stepped into the glass room, washed his hands, put on the gown, and sat beside Harper. His eyes brightened seeing Seth Brady at her bedside. “I see your flight made it in.”
“How are you doing? I heard you caught a blast yesterday.” Seth was seated on a stool by a rolling computer.
“Nothing a year’s worth of sleep won’t cure,” Kip joked.
“I worked it out with Tim Holland. We’ll split the shifts for Harper. Jamie and Tuck will cover Chantal. Logan agreed, in the morning, we will move Harper back to the building before the storm. This way we can be together.”
