"Oh, my God!" Even knowing her dad had had some health issues in the past hadn't prepared her for this moment.
"He's okay for now," Ben said reassuringly. "He's where he needs to be. He's getting help. So just hang tight and try not to worry."
"I'm going to come down there."
"You don't need to do that yet, Kaia."
"From what you've described, I'm sure they're going to admit him. He may have had a small stroke, or something else could be going on. I'll leave now. I'll be there in an hour or so. Don't argue," she added. "You don't need to do this alone."
"Okay, I'll see you soon. We're at the Naval Hospital."
"Got it." She ended the call, her gaze meeting Jax's. "My dad is in the hospital. At the very least, he may have a broken wrist, but there could be other things going on. I'm sorry, but I have to go see him. Ben told me not to rush down there, but I don't have a good feeling after what he told me."
"Of course," Jax said. "Where is your dad exactly?"
"In 29 Palms. It's about an hour from here."
"I'll drive you."
"What?" she asked in surprise. "You want to go with me?"
"Yes."
"But, why?"
"Because it's like what you just told your brother, you don’t need to do this alone."
"It's probably going to be a wasted trip. My dad will be furious that I came. He'll want to send me away immediately."
"None of that matters. If you feel you need to see him, you should go. If it's a wasted trip, then that means everything is okay with your father, and you'll feel better about that."
"It's a generous offer?—"
"Then take it," he said, cutting her off. "Get your things, and we'll go. I'll meet you at the car."
"Okay, thank you." She ran into her room to grab her shoes and her bag, happy to have Jax doing the driving because she was feeling very stressed about the whole situation with her dad, and it would be a long, worrying trip on her own.
Chapter Seventeen
Jax tried to keep Kaia distracted on the way to the hospital, asking her for fun stories about her dad, her mom, and her brothers. While she shared some humorous moments, many of her tales seemed bittersweet.
Clearly, the loss of her mom had affected her deeply, but it wasn't just that loss; it was the disconnect with her dad. There was a yearning about her, a desire to find a way to understand her father and for him to understand her. She buried that desire behind sarcasm and sharp-edged stories, but that was just a defense mechanism that had been sharpened years ago.
She cared deeply about everyone in her family, and he hoped this trip would bring her closer to her dad and not be a cause for more tension. But from what she'd told him about Jim Mercer, he wasn't sure that would be the result.
When the family stories got to be a bit much, he turned the conversation toward books and movies and places they'd traveled to or wanted to travel to. He was continually surprised by how easy it was to talk to her. They'd barely been speaking for more than a week, but he was starting to feel like she was becoming a close friend. Actually, he was starting to feel like he wanted her to be more than a friend, but he was trying not to get ahead of himself. Her life was getting more complicated with her dad in the hospital, and he still had to deal with Clay and Wren and the Silverstone deal, something he wasn't ready to confront just yet.
This trip was a good way to put some distance between himself and all those decisions, and also between himself and Ocean Shores, where his secrets seemed on the verge of being revealed. But he didn't want to think about any of that now. He wanted to be present for Kaia in whatever way he could. She did so much to help other people. She deserved support, too. Not that Ben wouldn't be supportive, but he was probably also concerned about his dad.
When they reached the hospital, they found Ben in the waiting room of the Emergency Department. He had his phone in his hand, and relief ran through his gaze when he saw his sister. "I was just about to text you, Kaia."
"What's happening?"
"Dad had something called a TIA."
"That's a minor stroke."
"Probably what caused his fall. He also fractured a bone in his wrist. They said they can just splint it, not cast it, which will make it easier for him to deal with. But that's not the main issue. They want to admit him. They're concerned about his blood pressure and some other issues. He's being transferred to a room upstairs, and he's pissed off about that. The doctor will meet us there in about ten minutes to explain more."
