“Dad. You are being completely unreasonable. If you’ll just let us talk to the doctors—”
“No. I’ve already handled that.”
“Without input from any of us,” Cord said.
“Wasn’t your decision to make.” His gaze swept over his children. “Any of yours.”
“We are here for you—for both of you. Don’t shut us out.”
Carson briefly closed his eyes. This had to be said—no matter how much it hurt them, or hurt him—so they understood he needed their obedience.
“I am shutting you out for a very good reason.” He looked at Keely. “How often have your kids been sick in the last two months? Six, seven times?” He gestured to his sons. “Same with all of you. You have no idea what your kids have been exposed to. When you come here after bein’ around them, you’d be exposin’ her to all of them germs and infections your kids have been exposed to. A simple infection could kill her. Kill her, do you understand me? I will not take that chance with her life.”
“The doctor actually said that?” Kimi asked skeptically. “Because I want to hear that for myself.”
Nurse Lissa stepped forward. “Legally the only person the doctor has to explain the seriousness of the risks to is Carson, Carolyn’s husband. Just because you don’t like what he’s telling you doesn’t mean he’s making it up.”
“So none of us can see her,” Cord stated flatly.
“And it sounds like we won’t be welcome in the ICU waiting room either, since we have contact with our germ-ridden kids,” Colby added hotly.
Carson opened his mouth to tell them that wasn’t true, but Cam cut him off.
“So will we have to hear updates on her condition second hand? Third hand? Just like I had to hear on the goddamned scanner that my mother was in the f**kin’ ambulance on the way to the hospital?”
“Cam,” Colt said sharply. “Shut it.”
“He didn’t call any of us,” Cam snapped. “We’ve all been on the receiving end of his ass-chewing for not informing the family of things going on in our households. And then he doesn’t let any of us know that Ma has had a serious accident? Then we had to sit out here for eight f**kin’ hours before he came out to even talk to us? That’s wrong, Dad. That’s why we’re pissed off.”
“Now you’re just throwing down an edict without discussing it with us. She’s our mother,” Keely said.
“And she is my wife. She’s been everything to me since the moment I met her. So I won’t stand here and argue that you have rights when they directly conflict with mine.”
“This is exactly what we’re talkin’ about,” Cord said. “You’re in shock, you ain’t thinkin’ clearly and you need one of us to help you navigate all of this.”
And he lost it. “Because I’m an idiot rancher who don’t understand plain English. How about this for plain English: get out. All of you.”
Arguing erupted. Kimi with Cal, the kids with each other.
Nurse Lissa pulled him aside. “Are you okay?”
“No. I haven’t been okay since I saw her hit the ground and…” His voice broke and he took a second to compose himself. “Carolyn is the backbone, the heart and soul of this family. It is unimaginable to them that she’s in this state. I know they all want to see it—see her—for themselves; only then will it become real.”
The noise escalated and Keely whistled to get everyone’s attention. “So what’s it gonna be, Dad?”
“He already told you how it’s gonna be,” Vi said, inserting herself between him and his children. “And this is how you support your father? By discounting everything he’s told you? I’m appalled by the selfishness I’m hearing.”
“Vi—”
She held her hand up to Charlie. “None of you have been in this position and I hope none of you ever have to be.” Vi pointed at Carson. “His wife is fighting for her life and you’re fighting with him. Think on that. You all need to take a break. Go home to your families.”
Everyone stared—or rather glared—at Vi but no one contradicted her.
“Ma is our family,” Cord said. “We have a right to be here. We have a right to see her.”
“What is it you want from me, Cord? A fight?” Carson said wearily. “Fine, I’ll give you one. Get out. I don’t need this bullshit or guilt from you—any of you—for doin’ what the doctor ordered.”
“You ready to throw all of us out? It’s the six of us against you. We can have you declared as incapable of making medical decisions.”
Jesus. That gouged deep into the heart of him.
“Whoa, don’t include me in your petty threats,” Colt said. “Dad made a decision, it don’t make me any less worried about Ma, but I will respect it. So suck it up and don’t f**kin’ argue with him for once, Cord.”
“Who’s sucking up now?” Colby snapped. “You’re just hopin’ by takin’ his side that Dad will let you see her and that’s a crock of shit, Colt.”
Carter stepped forward. “Listen to yourselves. This is how you want it to be? We take sides for or against Dad? You’re idiots if you think acting like this is gonna change his mind. He has every right to ban you, especially with your selfish attitudes about what your rights are. His rights, when it comes to Mom, trump ours. Always have, always will, and we’ve always known that.”