Finding Her Family

Mateo groaned in mock horror but then returned her smile with one of his own. Truth was, Page intrigued him. And though she’d left, the memory of her lingered in his mind.

* * *

PAGE LOOKED DOWN at the speedometer and eased her foot off the accelerator. She’d been driving at forty miles an hour in a 25-mile-per-hour zone. Breathe in, breathe out, she reminded herself, trying to calm her racing heart.

Mateo’s words still echoed in her brain. He didn’t date someone who was dying. She tried to shake off the disappointment, but what he’d said still stuck. She’d always thought he was hot, after having seen him at Sherri’s party last year and then again at April’s a couple of months ago. She’d nearly swooned when he’d asked her to dance. Had reveled in the feeling of his strong arms around her, his hand at her waist. Then the song had been over and he’d moved on. But she’d dreamed of that dance ever since.

She pulled up in front of April’s house and let her car idle for a moment before shutting it off. She got out, walked up to the front door and entered without knocking. “Okay, I’m here. The party can begin.”

April glanced up from the box she’d been packing and squinted. “Have you been crying?”

“What? No. I don’t cry.” She peered at her reflection in the mirror on the wall behind her. She appeared a little sad maybe, but no tears. “Where do you want me to start?”

“Knowing your organizational skills, I left the kitchen for you.” They entered the room together and surveyed the empty boxes waiting to be filled. April sighed. “I can’t believe I’m leaving this place. I’m going to miss it.”

“You’re only moving two blocks over. It isn’t the ends of the earth.”

April had recently gotten engaged to Zach Harrison and would be marrying her fiancé in less than a month. Her friend picked up a box and took it to the nearest counter. “He wants to keep his dishes because he grew up using them. Fine, we can donate mine. But I want my coffeemaker and mug collection. Other than that, I’m not sure what else to bring with me.”

“What did he say?”

“He told me to bring whatever makes me happy.” She looked around the kitchen. “But it all makes me happy.”

Page pointed at a spoon that had a slightly bent handle. “Even that old thing?”

April clutched the spoon to her chest. “I eat my morning cereal with it. It’s my favorite.” She chuckled. “Can you believe I’m getting married? Me? Last year at this time I had just finished chemo and was counting down the days to my reconstruction surgery.”

Page put her arm around April’s shoulders. “You deserve all this happiness and more.”

“I am happy with him.” Her eyes got a dreamy look, then she sighed. “Have you decided who you’re bringing to the wedding?”

Page snorted. If there was anything she hadn’t thought about it was a date for the upcoming nuptials. “What’s wrong with coming alone? Besides, as maid of honor, I’ll be too busy taking care of you to think about a date.”

“What about Mateo?” April waggled her eyebrows. “Have you thought about asking him? I’m sure he’d say yes.”

And Page was just as sure he’d refuse. He didn’t date someone dying from cancer. Okay, she had to let that go. But like it or not, the words had hit their mark. “He wouldn’t be interested.”

April crossed her arms over her chest. “I don’t know. I saw the way the two of you were dancing at my party.”

“Just drop it, okay? Me and Mateo are never going to happen.” She opened a cupboard and started to pull out plates.

“But I thought you liked him.”

She paused from wrapping a plate in newspaper and considered her friend’s words. “I think he’s good-looking.”

“And that’s all there is? You just think he’s hot?”

Page put the wrapped plate in a box and leaned against the counter. “No. I think he’s smart. He’s a great lawyer, according to Sherri. And I like him.” She picked up another plate. “But nothing’s going to happen. He doesn’t like me.”

Maybe if she kept repeating that, she’d believe it. And give up the dream of pursuing something with Mateo. She was dying, after all.

CHAPTER TWO

THERE WAS NOTHING like helping bring a baby into the world. Despite the blood and mess and chaos, no moment felt better to Page. She carefully took the newborn from Dr. Angela Achatz and carried her to the new mom, who wept as Page placed the baby on her chest. “Congratulations,” she whispered, as the mom turned her head to share the moment with her husband.

She watched as the couple had eyes only for their infant girl and each other. Page banished the bitter thought of never having that moment herself and returned to aiding the doctor with the afterbirth. Ever since she’d heard about Chad and his girlfriend expecting a baby, the elation Page usually felt at each birth had dimmed a little. She had started to feel hollow, rather than filled with the usual happiness she’d experienced before.

Dr. Achatz peered at her. “Are you okay, nurse? You look a little pale.”

Page tried to smile and nodded. “Yep. I’ll take the mother and baby to postnatal. Then I’ll check on the status of the mom’s room.”

“Tiffany can do that.” Dr. Achatz motioned to one of the other nurses, who nodded and walked over to the couple to let them know the next steps. “I was hoping you and I could have a chat.”

Page hated to hear what the OB-GYN doctor would need to talk to her about. She knew Dr. Achatz didn’t like that she’d reduced her working hours, but the chemotherapy left her tired and in a brain fog. She’d spoken to her supervisor, Joann, about her fears that her fatigue and weakness would result in her making a mistake or miss a doctor’s orders. She refused to put her patients in harm’s way when she knew the risks involved for herself. She rearranged the instruments that the doctor had used for the labor on the surgical tray.

Her stalling tactic didn’t work. Dr. Achatz crooked her finger at Page and pointed at the sinks, where she started to remove her gloves and wash her hands. “How are you really feeling, Page?”

She got really bored of hearing that same question from well-meaning friends. And was even more tired of repeating the same answer. “Better than the last few days.”

“When is your next infusion?”

Page counted the days to her next chemo appointment. “Next week. What did you want to talk to me about, Dr. Achatz?” No point in chitchat if the doctor had something important to discuss with her.

Angela removed the surgical cap from her head and shook out her hair. “I have a case coming up that I’d like you to assist with.”

If she had any hair left, her eyebrows would have raised. “Assist?” Nurses may help the doctor in a delivery, but they didn’t assist. Page frowned and tried to figure out what Angela was up to.

The doctor nodded and untied the yellow surgical dress from around her neck and placed the garment in the laundry bag. “I’m going to need a lot more assistance on it than the typical L-and-D nurse. I need someone like you, with more advanced training. You’re still interested in pursuing the midwife program at the college?”

Oh. Before cancer had returned for the third time, Page had talked about taking midwife courses and adding to her nursing skills. She’d even toyed with the idea of going back to medical school for her degree once she was in remission, but she hadn’t had a chance to look at the application before cancer had shown up once more. “Things being what they are right now, I’m not doing anything but concentrating on getting better.”

Angela studied her as if Page was under a microscope. “Has Dr. Frazier mentioned anything about your prognosis?”

Her oncologist had hopes that the particular chemo cocktail she was on would knock the cancer out of her body long-term. But being a three-time loser with the disease didn’t make Page believe in fairy tales of remission. “I’m just trying to get through chemo and eventually make it to the five-year mark of being cancer-free.”

“But what if you could get to that five years with your midwife certification?” She put a hand on Page’s shoulder. “Think about it. You’re a wonderful nurse, but someone with your skills could really advance further. My clinic needs more people like you.”

Dr. Achatz walked out of the delivery room, leaving Page where she stood. She took a deep breath and glanced at her reflection in the window above the sinks. She couldn’t think about anything right now apart from taking care of her body. Improving her skills could wait.

* * *

PAGE SAT ON the empty hospital bed and let her legs dangle. “Can you believe she asked me to apply for the program?”

April stopped filling out paperwork and looked up at her. “And why shouldn’t you? You’d be a great asset to her and the patients.”

“Hey, I don’t want to hear that I need to visualize my future after cancer, or that life continues with or without healing.” She groaned and laid back on the hospital bed, her arm over her eyes. “I must be crazy for even considering it.”

“You’re not crazy. You’re looking ahead with a glimmer of hope.”

She shot upright and April gave her a wide grin and waggled her eyebrows. “You knew I couldn’t resist saying something woo woo.”

“You wouldn’t be you if you didn’t.” Page glanced at her watch. “I’ve got about twenty minutes left on my break. Want to get something to eat?”

“You’re hungry? That’s a good sign.”

“Don’t read too much into it.” She slid off the bed and followed April from the trauma room.

The doors to the emergency room opened suddenly and a gurney being pushed by a paramedic—with a girl on it—sped toward them. April dumped her paperwork by the intake nurse and followed the girl into the just vacated trauma room.

Page continued walking to the cafeteria when she heard April call her name. She turned and April waved her back over to the trauma room. “I could really use your help on this one.”

“I’m an L-and-D nurse, remember?” But Page followed her inside anyway.

April motioned to the girl. “This is Ruby and she’s in labor.”

Page froze, taken aback at how young the patient seemed. “Sweetie, how far along are you?”

Ruby groaned as she grasped her rounded belly. “I don’t know. Six or seven months? What’s happening?”

Either one was too early for the baby. Page glanced at April. “Has her water broken yet? We might be able to stop labor.”

April put the stirrups into an upright position and Page helped move Ruby, so that the doctor could get a better look. She pushed the dark, kinky hair off the girl’s forehead. “Dr. Sprader is going to examine you to see if the placental sac is still intact. If it is, we can probably get the labor pains to stop. How long have you been having them?”

“Since early this morning, but I thought it was a tummy ache from something I ate.” Ruby’s face withered. “I didn’t think he was coming now.”

“The sac is fine,” April told them. “You’re only dilated to about a three, Ruby, so we can try to reverse this and give the baby more time to grow and develop.”

She glanced at Page, who nodded at the unspoken request and left the room. She retrieved a fetal monitor and returned to the room. “We’re going to get you hooked up to this so we can watch the baby and the contractions.”

April wrote her orders on a small pad and gave it to the other ER nurse, who left to retrieve the meds. She turned back to the girl. “We’re going to give you something to relax your body, which will hopefully stop the labor. Meanwhile...did someone come in with you, Ruby? Your mom or dad?”

Ruby shook her head. “No, it’s just me.”

Page finished hooking up the cords for the fetal monitor and switched it on. The baby’s heartbeat was strong and steady, a good sign. “Who is your OB-GYN?”

“My what?” Ruby moaned again and clutched her belly.

April exchanged a worried look with Page, then focused on the teen. “You haven’t had any prenatal care?”

Ruby laid back on the bed and Page put her hand on the girl’s. “How old are you, sweetie?”

“Nineteen.”

Page would eat April’s stethoscope if the girl was more than fifteen. She narrowed her eyes. “Try again. How old are you?”

The girl sighed. “Okay, I’m eighteen.”

Page looked over at April, who hid her smile. From one of the drawers, she pulled out an IV kit and held it up for Ruby to see. “I’m going to start an IV on you. That means a long needle. So while I’m doing that, I’ll let you think back on when your birthday really is.”

“Why’s it matter how old I am?” Ruby grunted as Page inserted the needle into her vein. “I take care of myself. That’s what matters.”

“I don’t doubt that, but we need to get your parents’ consent after a certain point if you’re under seventeen.” Page taped the needle into place on top of Ruby’s hand then took the saline bag the other nurse handed her. “This is a life-threatening situation, so we can treat you now. But when you’re stabilized, we’re going to need to get that consent.”

Ruby frowned at Page as she hung the saline bag on to the IV stand next to her. “I consent.”

April’s amusement faded. “Do you have any parents?”

Another contraction hit and Ruby doubled over, ending any further questioning. They worked to get the medication injected into the IV so that they could stem labor before it got too far along. Page’s beeper went off and she made a face. “I’ve got to get back upstairs, April. Do you want me to send Dr. Achatz for a consultation?”

“I’ll call her if labor progresses. Thanks for your help.”

“Nursing never really stops.” Page addressed Ruby, “I’ll check on you later. After my shift.”

“Why?”

So much for trying to be nice. “In case you need someone to talk to. That’s why.”

The girl waved her off. “I told you. I take care of myself. I don’t need anybody.”

Page gave a short nod and left the room, but she felt what had just happened would stay with her for the rest of the day.

* * *

THE JUDGE ENTERED the courtroom and Mateo stood, tugging on the shoulder of the young man beside him to do the same. Scotty still refused to name names and the assistant district attorney had refused to make a deal. So here they were, facing a judge.

The Honorable Jeffrey S. Gorges sat, and everyone in the courtroom followed his example. The bailiff called their case, and Judge Gorges opened the file and perused it, even though Mateo knew he’d be prepared already. “Counselors, approach the bench for a moment.”

Well, this was something new. Mateo stood and straightened his suit jacket before walking up to the bench along with ADA Pam Everett. Judge Gorges peered down his long nose at them. “I thought a deal was going to be negotiated in this case.”

Pam glared at Mateo. “Talk to Mr. Lopez. His client won’t divulge the information, so there is no plea bargain, Your Honor.”

“I’ve told my client what he’s facing, but he won’t talk.” Mateo gave a halfhearted shrug. Whether Scotty tried to save his own neck or not, Mateo wouldn’t lose any sleep if the kid did time. Whoa. When had he become so cynical? He cleared his throat. “He wants to go right to sentencing, Your Honor.”

Judge Gorges let out a big sigh. “Third strike, counselor. You know what that means.”

“Yes, sir, and so does my client.” Mateo looked at Scotty, who stared defiantly back at them. “He’s willing to plead guilty and face the consequences.”

“He’s too young to be put in a system that will chew him up and spit him out.” More than a hint of resignation tinged Judge Gorges’s words. “We’ll proceed then.”

Pam smirked at Mateo. He tried to ignore the sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach and walked the few feet to the defendants table. He sat next to Scotty and leaned in to the boy. “Last chance to change your mind about what happens next. The judge is willing to listen if you have some names. Otherwise, we go right to sentencing.”

Scotty faced the judge. “Whatever. Let’s just get this over with.”

“Your friends will forget you while you’re in prison. You know that, right? Once you’re gone, you’re no use to them. They also won’t remember how you kept quiet.” He hoped that the kid would listen to reason and save his own skin, if nothing else.

“But they’ll remember if I squeal. No thanks.”

The judge glared down at them. “Will the defendant please rise?”

Mateo stood and brought Scotty to his feet.

Judge Gorges, his facial features somber, his hands folded before him, spoke with the authority he’d been given. “Scott Arthur Rodriguez, with respect to the six counts of larceny, how do you plead?”

Scotty stared straight ahead, but didn’t say a word. Mateo muttered to him, “It’s either guilty or not guilty, kid.”

The bravado from before seemed to be fading. Scotty took a deep breath, then another. “Guilty.”

“Your Honor.”

“Guilty, Your Honor.”

The kid’s voice cracked on the last word, and Mateo felt his anger and disillusionment melt slightly. Scotty hadn’t even finished going through puberty, yet he faced incarceration for at least a year. It hadn’t been that long ago that Mateo had faced the same pressure of a gang and succumbed to it before getting out. But he had gotten out, while Scotty seemed resigned to a future of courtroom sentences and jail stints.

Judge Gorges closed the file in front of him. “Mr. Rodriguez, you understand that since this is your third conviction and because of your refusal to assist the police that there will be no leniency?”

Scotty nodded until Mateo nudged him. “Yes, Your Honor.”

“Then I see no other choice. Scott Arthur Rodriguez, you are to be remanded to the authorities at the Wayne County jail until a bed is open in the Wayne County juvenile delinquent facility for a term no longer than eighteen months.”

Mrs. Rodriguez shouted and rose to her feet.

Judge Gorges pounded his gavel. “Order, please.” He switched his attention back to Scotty. “You’ll be jailed with the adult male population, men who are hardened criminals. Is that what you want, Mr. Rodriguez?”

Gorges couldn’t be serious about this. Scotty had shoplifted, not hurt or killed anyone. It was a minor crime. Mateo said, “Your Honor, the defendant is only thirteen. There must be another location, another option—”

“With overcrowding in the juvenile facilities, this is our only option. So let me ask again, how do you plead, Scotty?”

The kid seemed on the verge of tears. “Guilty.”

Judge Gorges stood and motioned for the deputy who stood on the edge of the courtroom. “He’s all yours then.”

The deputy approached the defendant’s table with cuffs in his hands. Scotty turned to Mateo, the panic in his eyes evident. “He’s really sending me to the adult jail?”

“He is.”

“I didn’t think...”

Mateo put a hand on Scotty’s shoulder and thrust the kid toward his mother, who wept and clung to her boy.

Eventually the deputy stepped forward to put the cuffs on Scotty’s wrists, even though they hung loosely on him. This wasn’t fair, but the judge was right. There weren’t many options for this to play out.

After Scotty left the courtroom, Mateo tried speaking to Mrs. Rodriguez. “A court officer will contact you with information about his transfer to the jail. You’ll be able to visit him there shortly, and he’s going to need to see you.”

“They’re going to eat him alive.”

Mateo tried to think of something comforting to say, but he had nothing. There wasn’t anything good to say about this entire situation. “I’ll work on getting him transferred to a juvenile facility as quickly as possible.”

She nodded and left the courtroom. The assistant DA gathered her files and walked to the defendants table. “Tough break for the kid.”

Mateo gathered his belongings and placed them in his leather briefcase. “Come over here to gloat?”

“Not at all. If you ever get tired of being on that side of the courtroom, let me know. You’re a terrific lawyer, Mateo, even if you do get stuck with guilty clients.”

“Right.” He didn’t look at her as he brushed past her and out of the courtroom. He didn’t stop until he got to his car. He sat inside for a moment, debating where to go. It was Monday, which meant he needed to put in some hours at the office, preparing for his next client’s trial. Another kid caught in the system. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He couldn’t do this anymore. Couldn’t look into a kid’s eyes and wonder how someone so young and innocent could do such horrible things.

He started the car and drove to the office, keeping himself on autopilot so he wouldn’t have to think, to feel. It was hopeless. All of it.

* * *

PAGE PLACED HER dirty scrubs in the bin, took her purse from her locker and punched out. It had been a long day, and her feet ached despite wearing shoes that were made to be comfortable. She slumped onto the nearest bench and debated her options. She felt pretty good, so she supposed that she should do something productive. Her next round of chemo would take the wind out of her sails for a few days, so she could get groceries while she still had an appetite.

Her thoughts turned to Ruby as they had ever since she’d met the girl. Dr. Achatz had been called in to assist with stopping labor, and Page wondered if they had been successful. It wasn’t fair that a girl so young should face this alone, but it seemed like Ruby was determined to do just that.

She pushed off the bench and stood for a moment until the locker room stopped spinning. She should know better than to get up so quickly, but there were times she forgot she had cancer. She caught the elevator to the first floor and found herself at the intake counter. “Hey, Janet, is April around?”

The older woman looked up at her and glanced around the bustling room. “She’s somewhere in this madness.”

“Did they discharge Ruby?”

Janet’s jaw tightened. “You know I can’t disclose that information.”

“C’mon, Jan. We used to be pals when we worked together.”

“Until you left us for upstairs.” She wagged a finger at her. “I don’t think so.”

Page admitted her colleague was right, but still, she needed to know if Ruby was okay. She walked toward the trauma area, but she didn’t find Ruby. She was able to track down April as she left a curtained area. “Your shift over already?”

Page shook off the question. “Where’s Ruby? The girl who came in earlier?”

April gave orders to a nurse, then turned back to Page. “Why are you asking?”

“Because she’s been on my mind all afternoon for some reason. I want to make sure she’s okay.”

April gave a nod. “She was sent upstairs about an hour ago. Dr. Achatz is keeping her overnight just to be safe.” She leaned in close. “I don’t think the girl has anywhere else to go, to be honest. And at least while she’s here, we can monitor her and take care of her and the baby.”

“Good.” Page should have felt relief, but the knowledge left her antsy. “I guess I’ll go home.” The way April watched her made her even more anxious. “What?”

“You should go see her. She was asking about you.”

Really? That didn’t seem possible, since the girl had made it obvious that she wasn’t interested in anything Page had to offer. “What can I do?”

“Talk to her. Maybe get some information that can help her.” April gave a shrug. “Maybe you could reach her where we couldn’t.”

“I don’t see how.”

“Try.” April turned away when another doctor called her name.

After several stops and peeks into patient rooms, she found Ruby sitting up in bed watching a reality court show in the maternity wing. “Hey, Ruby. How are you feeling?”

The girl turned and peered at her. “What are you doing here?”

“I got off work and thought I’d check in on you.” Page entered the room and took a seat, placing her purse in her lap. “So they were able to stop labor for now.”

“Yeah.” Ruby picked up the remote and started to flip through the channels.