Big Tex (14 page)

"What are these?"  Willow asked.

A deep voice came from behind her.  "I believe they call those 'Red-headed sluts'.  I heard they're pretty good."  Willow knew that it was Brody.  He put his arms around her waist from behind and rested his head on her shoulder.

"The last time we came here, the bartender looked at me like I was an alien when I asked for one of these.  Why do they have them now?"  She asked.

"Because someone thought you were special enough for us to learn how to make them.  He even brought in the directions for us."  The bartender explained to Willow.

Willow turned around in Brody's arms.  "You did that for me?"  She asked.

"I told you I'd do anything for you Willow.  I also told you that New York doesn't need to be as far away as you think.  I know that there are parts of New York that we can't bring here, but there are some parts that we can.  I want to do everything I can to make you feel at home while you're here, no matter how big or small it is."

"It’s no wonder I love you so much."  Willow said and brought her lips to his.

When they broke the kiss, Willow asked if Brody had seen her mom.  He said he hadn't seen her since they walked in and they set off to look for her together.  While they were looking, the kept getting stopped by well-wishers.  About half an hour later, they found Lauren sitting at one of the tables in the back room, away from the smoke and noise.

"Mom, are you ok?"  Willow asked as her and Brody sat down with her.

"I'm sorry.  I'm not trying to ruin your special night, I'm just not feeling well."  Lauren said as she tried to smile.

"Mom, you look horrible.  Do you want us to take you home?"  Willow asked.

"No, don't worry about me.  You both have a good time tonight, I'm just going to go home and get to bed.  I'm sure it's just a bug.  Congratulations, both of you.  I really, honestly couldn't be happier for you both.  Take good care of her Brody!  I love you both."  Lauren said as she got up from the table.  She stumbled a little as she got lightheaded.

Brody jumped up and steadied her.  "You aren't driving yourself home.  Willow will drive your car, and I'll follow her."

"No, you're not leaving your party.  I'll be fine.  It's just the flu or something."  Lauren said.

"Mom, we're not letting you drive.  You can barely walk and you look like you're going to pass out any minute!  How long have you felt bad?"  Willow asked.

"I've been feeling like I've had a bug for a few days now, but today I feel the worst."  She said.

"Lauren, I think we need to get you to the hospital.  You really don't look good."  Brody said, still holding onto her arm.

"I think he's right mom.  I'm going to let everyone know we're leaving."  Willow told Lauren.  She turned to Brody and asked, "Do you think you can carry her out?  Maybe let her lay in the back seat of your SUV?"

"Not a problem." Brody said.  He teased Lauren, saying, "I might break my back, but I'll try."  Lauren shot him a look as if to say 'Watch it mister!', and Brody laughed.  "Come on Lauren, you weight what, 90 pounds soaking wet?  Just like your daughter."  He picked her up I his arms and carried her outside.

Willow told everyone that they were sorry and had to get Lauren to the hospital.  Their guests understood and wished Lauren well, especially since most of the people at the party were Lauren's employees.  Micah and Sierra told Willow they would follow them to the hospital, as well as Brody's family.

While Brody drove, he held one of Willow's hands, while her other hand held her mom's hand.  Lauren was scared of what the doctors were going to say.  She knew that she should have gone to see them earlier, but she never went unless it was absolutely necessary.  She hadn't been feeling well for a few weeks, but it just got bad a few days ago, and today was the absolute worst.  She had a bad feeling as the SUV stopped in front of the emergency room.

Brody ran in and got a wheel chair for Lauren, and when he came back to the SUV, he picked her up and sat her in the wheelchair.  Sierra and Micah pulled up behind them, and Sierra took the keys from Brody so that she could park his vehicle in the parking lot.  Brody and Willow wheeled Lauren into the ER, where a nurse took Lauren from them and took her into a room.  She told Willow and Brody where the waiting room was, and as soon as they knew anything, they'd let them know.

Just as Willow was about to collapse, Brody put his arms around her and led her to a chair.  She sat down and put her head in her hands.  Brody sat next to her rubbing her back, whispering words of comfort to her.  Micah and Sierra ran in, followed by Brody's family.  Everyone hugged Willow, reassuring her that everything would be ok.

Sierra sat off to the side, struggling silently.  She was thinking back on the past few years, how Lauren had always been there for her.  She felt like Lauren had become her mother after her parents died, and she was hurting too, to know that Lauren was sick.  She looked up to see Brody crouching in front of her.  "Willow wants you.  She knows how hard this is for you, and she knows Lauren was like a mom to you the past few years.  You two need to be together right now.  Go sit with her, talk to her about how you're feeling."  He said.

"Thanks Brody.  You're right, I guess I was just feeling sorry for myself thinking no one understood how I felt."  Sierra got up and sat next to Willow.  The girls embraced in a tight hug, and both let their tears flow freely.  All they could do was wait.

Chapter 12 Lauren's Big Heart

Two hours later, there was still no word on Lauren's condition.  Brody was pacing in front of the nurse's station, waiting for someone to give him some sort of information.  After another fifteen minutes, a doctor came out to the lobby of the ER.  "Willow Fox?"  He asked as he looked at all of them.

Willow stood up and walked over to him slowly.  Brody stood next to her and held onto her hand.  Sierra held her other hand as they waited for what the doctor was going to say.

"Your mother has a tear in the aorta of her heart, and she is going to require surgery.  She isn't strong enough for the surgery right now, so we're admitting her, and we'll proceed with surgery in a few days after she's regained some strength."  The doctor explained.

"Will she survive?"  Sierra asked.

"I believe so.  I think it's fair to say that the worst-case scenario is that she'll need a heart transplant.  But we believe that she will make a full recovery."  The doctor told them.

"Can we see her?"  Willow asked.

The doctor told Willow that they needed to get her set up in a permanent room, and once they did that, she was allowed one visitor at a time, no longer than 5 minutes each.  He told them to head up to the 4th floor and a nurse would let them know when Lauren was settled.

Half an hour later, a nurse came into the waiting room on the fourth floor and asked for Willow.  "You can go see your mother now, she's in room 423."

Brody walked Willow down the hall to where her mother's room was and stopped outside her door.  He hugged Willow tight and said "I'll be here when you get done.  You can take my 5 minutes too, ok?"  Willow looked up at him and gave him a weak smile before she opened the door to her mother's room.

Willow looked over at her mother laying in the bed.  She had an IV in her arm, with wires connected to her chest to measure her heart rhythms.  Lauren looked over at her as Willow stood by the door.  "Come here and sit near me honey."  Lauren said to Willow.  Willow walked over and sat in the chair next to her mother's bed and reached over to hold her hand.

"Willow, honey, please don't worry about me.  I am so sorry for ruining your night, this is supposed to be a happy time for you."  Lauren said.

"Mom, don't even worry about it.  You are so much more important than a birthday party.  I hope you know that."  Willow said.  "I am so glad Brody realized that you needed to go to the hospital.  I'm such an idiot, I was ready to just take you home and put you to bed."  Willow started crying.  "Nice, if it was left to me, I'd have taken you home and you'd have died.  Great daughter, huh?"  Willow said sarcastically, through tears.

"Honey, don't think like that.  I have no one to blame but myself.  I should have been checked out when I first started feeling sick."  Lauren said.  She squeezed Willow's hand.  "You know how lucky you are to have that young man out there?  He is going to make a wonderful husband and father, I can just tell.  It's so comforting to know that I'll be leaving you in his hands."

"Mom, you're not leaving us, don't even think like that.  You're not allowed to die until after I do.  That's a rule!"  Willow tried to joke, but it made her feel worse.

"Willow, I need you to do a few things for me."  Willow nodded her head at her mother's request.  "I need you to take over the firm while I'm sick.  I know that it's going to put you in a pinch with your job, but maybe they can give you a leave of absence, or take some FMLA time (FMLA is Family Medical Leave Act, where you get time off work to take care of sick family without losing your job, among other things).  I need someone I can trust to run the company, and I trust you above all else.  Also, I need you to contact my lawyer to have him meet with me before my surgery.  His business card is in my desk at home.  For the last request, I need Brody and Sierra in here."  Willow got up and went to the door where Brody was waiting.  She told him to go get Sierra and have them both sneak into the room.  They both came in two minutes later and gathered around Lauren's bed.  "I need you all here as witnesses to tell you that it is my wish, that if something should go wrong in the surgery, I do not want to be put on life support.  I have my reasons behind it, and whether you agree with me or not, please accept my decision.  I will tell my lawyer the same thing, but I just wanted it to be clear to all of you what my stance is on the matter."  Lauren had not shed a single tear, but Sierra and Willow were crying freely.  Brody was trying to stay strong for Willow, but he had grown so fond of Lauren over the past few months, that it was tearing him up to see her laying in that bed looking so fragile.

"Now, I also want to tell you what I will be telling my lawyer.  I am leaving the firm to you three, with a clause that if Sierra marries Micah, then he will also become an owner.  He is not to know about that clause, because if he chooses to marry Sierra, then I want him to do it on his own free will, not because of what he could gain by marrying her.  I know that he wouldn't be that shallow, but I still feel a need to protect Sierra.  Also, I want my house to be sold, with the assets split evenly between Sierra and Willow.  All of the contents of the house can be split between the two of you as you see fit.  All of the investments that I have, along with the proceeds of my life insurance, minus the cost of my funeral and medical expenses, will go into a trust for my grandchildren.  Sierra, your children are included in this because I have always seen you as a daughter.  Now, any questions?"  Lauren asked.  No one said anything.

"Willow and Sierra, you two do understand that if you take over the business, you will need to move to Texas and give up your jobs in New York?"  Lauren clarified.

"Yes Mom, I think we do.  But I don't know why we're talking about all of this anyways.  The doctors say you're going to be just fine."  Willow said.

"Well, it can't hurt to be prepared.  Now, I want you all to leave the hospital.  Go home and get a good night's sleep.  Just because I have to be here, doesn't mean the rest of you have to.  Besides, Brody and Willow need to celebrate their engagement still."  Lauren said with a wink.  Sierra kissed Lauren's forehead and told her she loved her before walking out of the room.

Willow leaned over and kissed her mom's cheek and ran her hand from her mom's forehead to her cheek.  "I love you mom, we'll be back tomorrow to see you.  Get some rest, ok?"

"I love you too honey.  Will you give me a minute with Brody?"  Lauren asked.  Willow nodded and kissed her mom's cheek again before leaving the two of them alone.

Lauren looked to Brody and grabbed his hand.  "For some reason, I know that I'm not going to make it through this.  I need you to be strong for my daughter, and don't let her push you away.  She loves you with all her heart, don't ever forget that.  Please take care of her.  She is so special to me, and it breaks my heart to have to leave her."  Lauren finally let the tears spill out of her eyes.  "I know that I won't be here physically for your wedding, but I will be there in spirit.  I couldn't have picked a better son-in-law myself.  As a boss I am proud of the work that you do.  As a mother-in-law, I am proud of the man my daughter has chosen to marry.  Thank you for giving her your love."

Brody didn't know what to say as the tears rolled down his eyes too.  "I love your daughter more than anything.  I will keep her safe and will never do anything to hurt her.  She is everything to me, and I will do all I can to make her life happy and full."  Brody choked on a sob.  "I want to thank you for everything that you've done for me since I've met you.  You have been such an inspiration at work, and I wouldn't be where I am now if it wasn't for you.  You have really made an impact in this world, and especially on all of us.  If you do go, you better watch over us all and make sure we stay on the right path, ok?"

Lauren nodded.  "You better go.  Thank you Brody."

"Thank you, Mom.  Get some rest now."  Brody said and kissed Lauren's forehead.  He wiped his eyes and walked out of the room.

Lauren laid in her bed and prayed, for the first time in a long time, then slowly drifted off to sleep.

Back at Brody's house, Willow and Sierra were trying to relax, with the help of Micah and Brody.  They knew that there was nothing they could do but wait this all out over the next few days, so they were trying to take their minds off it.  The girls were in the game room watching the movie "Old School", and the guys were in the kitchen getting drinks.

Brody was explaining to Micah what had happened, how Lauren was telling them that she wanted her will changed and that she didn't want to be kept alive on life support.  He told him how brave Lauren was being about everything, even though she had confided in Brody that she knew she wasn't going to make it.  Brody knew that he had to tell Micah so that he'd be prepared to help Sierra if Lauren didn't come out of the surgery ok.