Warning here: brief mention of a father suffering with a gambling addiction and the impacts on the family during this chapter.
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Hungover and barely conscious, Tatum stormed into the hospital the next morning with a fierce look of determination in her eyes.
God. Her head hurt.
At first, she looked around for Doctor Porter. But she was a hard woman to track down. So, she just turned towards the whiteboard with the surgeries on it for the day. Tatum headed towards it instantly, grabbing one of the dry erase markers. She scanned the schedule, noticing a sufficient amount of time for the surgery in between two other procedures. Hastily scribbling it in, she heard a set of footsteps behind her. Tatum stepped back once she was finished writing, taking in her handiwork.
JAMES PARKER
Atrial Septal Defect Closure
2pm-4pm
Turning around, she saw Doctor Porter watching with an impressed look on her face and crossed arms. Tatum stuck her chin up, really hoping that she wouldn't say she couldn't do the surgery. Doctor Porter tilted her head, like she was analyzing the situation. "Raise the money?"
Tatum nodded once. "We did. Your donation helped... so, thank you."
Doctor Porter grinned, shrugging as her eyes glanced to the board. "Looks like I have a surgery to prep for."
Her body sagged with relief. "Thank you... so much."
The doctor gave her one last smile before heading in the opposite direction. Tatum pulled her phone from her pocket, tapping her fingers madly against the screen. She didn't think twice before starting a group FaceTime. She had to tell them both and didn't want to chose who to tell first. They both needed to know. They could just deal with it.
Kinsley's face popped up on the screen first with her face smushed into her pillows. She gave no indication of life except for letting out a small grunt of acknowledgement. Brady showed a few moments later, eyebrows knitted together in confusion like he had never seen a FaceTime call. His bewilderment only seemed to grow when he noticed his sister in the corner of the screen. Hungover and barely clinging on, Kinsley didn't react.
Tatum spoke up before either of them could ask. "Jamie goes into surgery in two hours. You guys think you can get here?"
Kinsley snapped up, looking considerably more alive. Brady's eyes widened, sitting up a bit straighter. He spoke up first, asking, "What?"
"Jamie is getting the procedure in two hours," Tatum repeated slowly. "Get here."
"I'll be there in ten," the two spoke at the same time before hanging up. Tatum blinked, finally seeing the relation between the two of them.
Tatum allowed herself a brief moment of relief. They raised the money. Jamie was getting the surgery. Jamie was going to be okay. They were all going to be okay. She did it. She could hardly believe that after all this time, Jamie would be healthy. Tatum only hoped she could be there when they told Jamie that if all went well, he would be able to leave the hospital good as new.
She shoved her phone back in her pocket before heading down the hall. She had one more person she wanted to tell about Jamie's surgery. Her eyes scanned the room numbers before turning into the open door, a smile immediately growing on her face. "Hi, Mom."
"Hi, honey," her mother greeted gently from her bed. Tatum paused at the sound of her voice. It was tired. Her eyes were sunken and her skin was pale. The smile on her face was unwavering, however.
"How are you feeling?" Tatum asked carefully.
"I'm okay," Eliza assured her gently.
Tatum narrowed her eyes disbelievingly. She turned to the side and saw her medical chart on the side table. She assumed the doctors had just done their rounds. Snatching if off the table, she ignored the sound of Eliza's protests. Tatum flipped it open, checking the latest updates from her treatments. It felt like someone stabbed her in the chest as she read through her recent progress notes.
The treatments weren't working.
"Tatum..."
"Why didn't you tell me?" Tatum asked stiffly, her fingers curling around the sides of the folder.
Her mother sighed in defeat. "It's nothing something I wanted to worry you with."
"You think I ever don't worry?" Tatum questioned instantly, looking at her incredulously. "Mom, I..."
Tatum trailed off and her Mom put her hand up, saying, "That is why I didn't tell you. Why burden you if there's nothing you can do?"
That was it, wasn't it? That there was nothing she could do. That she didn't do everything she needed to do fast enough. Everything she was doing was to help her Mom. But she wasn't helping. Tatum wasn't at the place yet where she could help. She hadn't become a doctor yet or figured out exactly how to help her Mom to the point where she would never face this struggle again. She just needed more time. That was all.
A bit more time.
Please.
She just needed more time.
She could still help.
"I didn't mean to upset you," her mother said softly, head dipping down to meet Tatum's fallen gaze.
It snapped Tatum out of her thoughts slightly, remembering why she came into her hospital room in the first place. Tatum breathed in shakily. "I just wanted to tell you that Jamie is getting surgery. They're closing the hole that's causing all the issues. So, he should be okay."
"Oh, that's wonderful to hear," Eliza breathed out in a happy voice, her hand over her chest. "Should this be it, then?"
"Yes," Tatum told her with a nod. "If it opens anymore, it shouldn't be for years. It would only be because he grows with age. But for a while, he should be okay."
Her mother let out a short breath, like a weight was lifted off of her. "I'm so glad to hear that."
Tatum nodded once more before she went to leave her mother's hospital room. She was almost out the door before she heard her mother call her name. She paused in her step, tearing her gaze back to her Mom. "Yeah?"
"You okay?" Eliza checked carefully.
She swallowed thickly, offering her mother a watery smile. She had to be okay. "Yeah, don't worry, okay?"
Before her Mom could tell her that it was her job to worry like she always did, Tatum hurried out of her room. She breathed in sharply once she was out of sight, pressing her back against the wall next to the door. She had to get a hold of herself before Kinsley and Brady got here. She couldn't be breaking down. Not now. Once everything was sorted with Jamie, Tatum could focus on her Mom.
Tatum closed her eyes, a shaky breath passing over her lips. She just needed to ground herself. Everything would be fine. Her Mom would be fine. It was her Mom. Of course she would be okay. It was always the two of them together. Tatum didn't have anyone else who had always stuck by her. She didn't have anyone else that was just hers. Her Mom was hers. It was always them. It couldn't ever be anything different. Everything was going to be okay because it had to be.
"Tatum!"
She opened her eyes and turned in the direction of the sound, seeing Kinsley hurrying towards her. Her friend was wearing yoga pants with a velour dark green zip-up hoodie. Her hair was wound into a bun on the back of her head, the braids secured with a clip. Tatum was sure that they had matching sunken eyes and smudged remainders of makeup on their faces. Normally on a day like this, they would spend the day in one of their beds watching movies. But there wasn't any time for that today.
"Hey," Tatum greeted, huffing out once as she calmed herself from the conversation she just left.
Kinsley stopped in front of her, hands on her hips. "How did you even get the surgery for today?"
"Wrote it on the board," Tatum told her simply as if it were obvious, gesturing to the whiteboard.
Kinsley glanced at it before turning back to her roommate. "God, it's like you run this place."
Tatum snorted, throwing her hair over her shoulder. "Tell me about it. They should be calling it Hartley's Hospital. Come on, let's go see Jamie."
She wasn't surprised in the slightest when she saw Brady sitting on the corner of Jamie's bed when the two girls arrived. A resident that Tatum recognized was in the room, scribbling a few things down in a notepad.
"Kinsley! Tatum! Did you hear?" Jamie asked excitedly when he caught sight of the two in the doorway.
"Sure did," Kinsley chirped in a happy tone as she waltzed in, stopping at the end of his bed. "You excited to get out of here?"
He grinned widely. "Hell yeah!"
"Language," Brady scolded as his lips twitched in amusement.
"Okay, grandpa," Tatum teased with a scoff.
"If you're grandpa, I don't even wanna think about what that makes me," a new voice called out and the group turned towards the door. The trio's father stood at the door unsurely, eyes darting around as if expecting something. Tatum glanced at the three in an attempt to see where they were at. She wasn't shocked to see Kinsley's face turn to stone.
"You called him?" Kinsley asked tightly, eyeing Brady.
"No," Brady denied in a rough voice.
The resident lifted her pen, saying, "Hospital policy says to call their legal guardian."
"I'm sorry, I thought you knew," Tatum told them apologetically. The resident left the room, leaving the family and Tatum to deal with the rising tension.
Don Parker took his hat off his head when he walked in, giving a warm smile to Jamie. He switched his focus to Tatum, sticking his hand out. "I'm Don."
"Tatum," she replied, carefully taking his hand.
He dropped it after a moment as he said, "I, uh... I'm glad things worked out the way they did. With Jamie getting the surgery... and all that."
"You have her to thank for that," Brady snapped, nodding towards Tatum who shifted uncomfortably.
Don gave her a tight smile, nodding slowly. The man looked incredibly uneasy, but he seemed to swallow his pride as he said, "Thank you... very much. I can't tell you how much I appreciate what you did for Jamie."
"Of course," Tatum whispered back, unsure of how to act around the man.
He heaved in a deep breath as he looked at Brady and Kinsley, who continued to eye him with unwavering faces. "I know I haven't always done right by you kids—"
Kinsley scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "Understatement of the year."
"—but I want you to know that I'm sorry," Don told them, ignoring Kinsley's comment. "And I love you three. Very much."
Silence fell over the room. Tatum felt like she could hardly breathe or it would cause everything to shatter. Honestly, a part of her wished she wasn't here for this. It just felt like this wasn't something she was supposed to be here for. It wasn't as if she could just leave, though. Besides, part of her felt like she was part of the reason there wasn't security rushing into the room to breakup a fight. But still, she would give anything for something to interrupt this moment considering it didn't feel like it was going in a good direction.
"All right!" Doctor Porter called out obliviously as she walked into the room, a smile on her face. "You ready, Jamie?"
"Oh, thank god," Tatum breathed out, never having been so happy for someone to intervene.
"Yes," Jamie confirmed quietly.
Doctor Porter looked confused by the reaction for a moment before seeming to get the wrong idea. "Don't worry, Jamie. It'll be just like going to sleep for a bit. Maybe you'll even have one of those cool dreams you always have."
"Yeah!" he agreed, his mood perking up a bit.
Tatum cleared her throat, pushing her hair behind her ears. "Okay, I'll leave you guys to it."
Jamie glanced at her with wide eyes. "Bye, Tatum!"
She smiled, giving him a pointed look. "I'll see you in a bit."
"Hey, you owe me ice cream," Jamie reminded her suddenly, looking considerably happier.
Tatum let out a purposely exaggerated groan. "Dude, how do you even remember that? That was months ago I said I'd get you ice cream after your surgery."
He shrugged innocently. "And now I'm getting my surgery."
"Fair enough," she allowed after a beat before shooting him one last grin and leaving the room.
Tatum headed towards the waiting room. She had swapped shifts with another volunteer so that she could stay with Kinsley and Brady during the surgery. Sitting down in one of the uncomfortably stiff chairs, she tried and failed to keep her eyes off of the door to the hospital room. Tatum wasn't entirely sure what she just saw. Neither sibling seemed open to the apology. Not even Jamie seemed like he wanted to see the man.
Their father seemed... interesting. Tatum couldn't quite tell what to make of him. It was unnerving how the three reacted when he walked into the room. Part of her instantly disliked him for that. How could she not? She cared about the three of them, whether she would it admit it or not about one of them. The fact that this man could ruin what should be a celebratory day for them told her what she needed to know.
Her attention perked up when she saw Kinsley storm out of the room, heading the opposite direction of the waiting room. Their father quickly followed her out, going in the same direction as his daughter. Tatum narrowed her eyes, trying to watch where they were going but Kinsley turned a corner and Tatum lost them. After a couple of seconds, Brady left the room. But he didn't go after them. He shook his head as he made his way towards Tatum in the waiting room.
"Hey," Brady breathed out as he flopped into the seat next to her.
Tatum watched him for a moment, eyes scanning him as if looking for some sort of answer as to what just happened. "You okay?"
"Uh, yeah. Sorry you had to be there for that," Brady murmured, eyes on his lap.
"Don't be sorry," she told him instantly. She meant that, truly. The last thing she wanted was for Brady to feel uncomfortable around her again and put his walls back up with her. Tatum finally felt like they were making some sort of progress.
"My Dad..." Brady said, struggling to find the words. "He lost a lot of money, at one point. He was really trying to help. But it just... didn't work out."
Tatum listened carefully. "I'm... I'm really sorry to hear that."
He shrugged, rubbing his hands together. "I have to do a lot. Guess I just got used to that."
"So, that's where the stubbornness came from with letting me help you," Tatum realized in a slow voice. He nodded, still not making eye contact with her. She didn't say anything else, doing her best to be cautious when she spoke up.
"I feel like I always just let life happen to me," Brady went on, rubbing his hands together. "I never really made things happen. But you... you're not like that. I've never met someone like you. You just... you make things happen. I've never seen anyone do what you do."
Tatum softened her gaze at his words. "I'm really not as... strong... as you're making me seem."
He looked at her carefully, a bit of disbelief in his eyes. "You know you made all of this happen, right? Jamie wouldn't be getting the surgery without you."
"You would've made it happen," Tatum said confidently. "I've seen how you are with him, Brady. You would do anything for him."
Something flashed over Brady's face and he swallowed thickly. His voice was gravely as he murmured, "Yeah... I would."
Tatum wasn't sure what the change in tone was about, but she also knew there was an entire decade of history that Tatum was missing. She didn't know what happened with this family to make them so standoffish. But she knew that they all loved Jamie. That was one thing she didn't have a doubt about. All of this must have been a complicated situation for them after all these years of medical issues.
But something on Brady's face told her that this went deeper than that.
She just didn't know why.
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Tatum just writing the surgery on the board because she calls the shots around here and what she says goes, like ma'am give me ONE chance I'll do anything for you please <3
Brady opening the FaceTime call with pure confusion as if he's never seen a phone in his entire life he's an old man actually.
Tatum saying "oh thank god" when Doctor Porter interrupts the family fight, I adore her she's so funny.