The Reluctant Romantics

Chapter Three: Wagers and Wonders

A/N: Hi everyone! Hope you're all doing well. I haven't been in great shape lately but don't worry, I'm still writing away. I'm posting this now at 4:37AM because I couldn't sleep and I wanted it up for you to read in case I feel sick later from lack of sleep. I hope you enjoy!

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Tessa

My decision to avoid Jake had to take a backseat because things took a swift downward spiral since that night at the hospital.

Despite her injuries from the attack, Charlotte didn't bow out of the wedding and yesterday, she and Brandon were officially married. The mad scramble to the altar already had everyone on high alert and just when things were about to slow down, Dad served us up one big scare.

After the party, I went home with Dad and Mattie to stay the night at the big house instead of returning to my apartment. I had no doubt Dad was happy to see Brandon happily married but he'd been pensive most of the night that I thought I'd keep him company the next day, and maybe make him and Mattie some chocolate chip pancakes. While Brandon, Anna and I still all lived in the city and often visited, I knew Dad missed having us all under the same roof. Brandon's wedding signified a new chapter in the family. To Dad, it meant that we were all growing up at a rate that probably left him a little wistful even if it did promise grandchildren in the future.

Mattie was already in bed when Dad talked me into warming up some cookies in the kitchen and having a late snack. I was just pouring him a glass of milk when I heard scrape of chair legs on the tiled floor and Dad's loud gasp. He had a hand clutched to his chest as he staggered off the chair.

The rush to the hospital with the ambulance and the frantic phone calls I made to everyone in the family were now mostly just a blur in my head. Dad had been diagnosed with angina two years ago and we knew he'd been in delicate health since then. But money and all it could purchase often gave the illusion of invincibility—something we should've all been careful of considering all of Dad's money and influence couldn't save Mom all those years ago.

We all knew it wouldn't save Dad from the inevitable but at least for now, after this bypass surgery with the best doctors in the country, we'd be able to buy some more time with him.

"You okay?" Jake said as he lowered himself next to me on the bench outside of Dad's operating room. "Are you nervous about the surgery?"

"You know Dad. Nothing ever takes him down," I said with a dismissive wave.

Well, that was a mild exaggeration.

Martin Maxfield had been brought to his knees a couple times in his life. When Mom died from an aneurysm five years ago, we thought he'd follow right behind her.

"He'll pull through," Jake said, bumping my arm with his. "Don't worry."

I glanced at him, noting the light scratch on his chin after jumping into the scuffle earlier, when Brandon had been furiously thrashing our cousin Francis in the hospital lobby.

Those two grew up pretty much together since Francis spent more time with us than his own family, and they've always been competitive. They spent the last couple years in different countries so I never really noticed just how hostile they've become to each other until today. There had been immediate tension when Francis showed up from London unannounced to attend Brandon's wedding and his malicious comments, both about Dad and Charlotte, were all the provocation required for things to escalate into an all-out confrontation.

"I'm fine, I promise." I handed him a clean spare of table napkin I'd gotten from the cafeteria a few minutes ago, when I went to get a cup of coffee. Dad was going into surgery just as the whole fiasco was unfolding and suddenly there'd been no one left but me to sit and wait it out.