Fear wrapped its icy fingers around her throat and squeezed, but she forced her voice to remain steady. “Is he—” She couldn’t bring herself to finish.
“He’s undergoing tests to determine, but your mother is with him. She asked us to notify you and ask you to come.”
“I’m on my way,” Nena said and disconnected the line.
While the only thing running through her mind was that something was wrong with her dad, she couldn’t just leave without saying anything at all. She went back outside, where they were debating whether to have ice cream or key lime pie. They all looked up when she appeared, their faces falling when they saw her expression.
“What is it?” Cort asked at the same time Georgia asked, “What’s wrong?”
Nena looked from one to the other. “My dad’s in the hospital.”
Cort was out of his seat. “What happened? In London?”
“No, they are here on holiday.”
“Can I take you?” he asked, his eyes full of concern.
“Yeah, I can watch Georgia. Go ahead,” Mack offered, worry lining his face.
Georgia was nothing but worry. “Nena?”
She shook her head. She just had to see about her father. Alone. “No. Thank you, but I’ll call, okay?” She spun on her heel and retreated the way she’d come, barely registering the rush of feet to follow her.
“Nena, wait.” Cort was right behind her. However, she was faster, moving at a near sprint to make it to her car without having to engage in any more conversation. She didn’t want to answer questions or receive any more pitying looks. She only wanted to get to her father’s side and find out what had happened.
Nena rushed into her father’s hospital room. Her mother was fussing with the blankets on his bed. She looked up at Nena and seemed years older, with red-rimmed eyes, hair slightly askew, and worry etched all over her face. Nena allowed Delphine to wrap her in an embrace. It was typical Delphine, always taking care of her family before herself, as most good mothers tended to do.
“What’s wrong with Dad? How is he?” Nena asked, straining to see him around her mom. She extracted herself so she could properly assess him.
The Noble in the bed was not the dad she knew. His pallor was ashen, and he no longer seemed bigger than life. He no longer looked domineering and debonair, like he had all the answers. In that moment he looked vulnerable. Like he could be snatched away from her in an instant. Nearly had been.
“What happened?”
Delphine collapsed into the nearby chair, allowing herself a moment. Her shoulders heaved once as her head dropped in her hands. Panicked, Nena rushed to her and put her hands on her mum’s arms to comfort her.
“Mum,” she said, “what do you need me to do?”
Delphine put a hand up, shaking her head as she got herself together. “I’m fine.” She swallowed her pain. “I don’t know what happened, actually. Your father was at a luncheon, and when he came home, he seemed fine one moment. The next he was vomiting, complaining of dizziness and stomach pains. Then he was foaming at the mouth and passed out. It was horrendous.”
Her mother shuddered, as if trying to shed the images. “One of the men called the paramedics, and here we are awaiting test results.”
“Was Dad feeling ill prior to that?”
“Not really. Maybe a headache or stomachache here and there for the past week.” Her mother stood up, making her way back to the bed, where she held Noble’s limp hand. “I just thought it was fatigue from the meetings he’s had with the Council and Lucien.”
Nena’s stomach plummeted. Her dad had been with Paul.
“He’ll be fine, darling,” her mum assured her when she noticed Nena’s angst. Their mum was always the one with the stiff upper lip. “And while your dad’s recovering, I’ll run the Council. Elin? Is she on her way?”
“Yes, Mum, she and Oliver should be chartering a flight to get back here.”
Delphine nodded. “Good. Because we need to keep a united front. We’re not cracking up in front of that lot, no matter what happens with your dad,” she said.
“Which will be nothing,” Nena added quickly, slipping her hand into the curve of her father’s and feeling its warmth. A warm hand was a good thing, a living thing.
“Nothing at all,” Delphine agreed, offering a thankful smile. “I love you, Nena.”
Nena ducked her head. Those words never ceased to make her a little anxious, although she had no reason to be. She constantly worked to make herself deserving of them, hoping beyond all else it wouldn’t be the last time she heard them from either of her parents.