breaking? He sure hoped so.
The next day, Chloe was out of bed and walking on her own. Max stayed nearby just in case she needed him. They barely got back to her room before Mark and Chad strode in.
“Well, Chloe,” Mark addressed. “We’re here with information. Do you want the good news first…or the good news?”
Chloe giggled. Max rolled his eyes as he chuckled.
Chad elbowed Mark. “The results from the tests are back. It’s confirmed. You have Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome. I’m writing a prescription for you for a medication that should get your episodes under control and an anti-anxiety medication in case one gets away from you.”
“Get my episodes under control?” Chloe questioned.
“They should stop. You should start feeling normal, be able to live a normal life.”
Chloe’s eyes filled with tears. Max sprung out of his seat and wrapped his arms around her. “Chloe?”
“I don’t know what normal is,” she whimpered. “I’ve been doing this since I can remember.”
Chad rubbed her shoulder as Max hugged her tight. “I want to see you in three months to make sure the medications are working. And you need to get anything that gives you anxiety out of your life. There’s no reason to invite an episode to start.”
“As normal, I’m forgotten,” Mark pouted. “I had good news, too.” Chad gave him a dirty look. Mark continued with his usual grin, “You can go home, Chloe. I have your discharge papers.”
Chloe’s glistening eyes grew wide with excitement. Max breathed a relieved sigh. Mark set the papers on the bedside table. “We’ll get out of your hair so you can change.”
“Wait. Can I talk to you, Chad?” Chloe looked at Max. “Could you go call my Mom and let her know we’re coming home?”
Max glanced from her to Chad as his brow wrinkled in a frown. The thought of leaving her unsettled him. There was nothing she could tell the doctor that he couldn’t hear.“Of course, sweetheart. I’ll be right back.”
The ride home was quiet. Max knew Chloe still wasn’t feeling her best. She was pale. Every once in a while, a small groan escaped her lips.
“What did you talk to Chad about?” he queried quietly.
Chloe took a labored breath. “I’d rather not talk about it.”
“You can tell me anything.”
“Not this.”
He scowled silently as he finished the drive home. Once he parked, he helped her from his car. Liz was elated when they stepped into the house. She had supper warming in the oven. They were directed to the kitchen table to be served.
As they were enjoying forkfuls of homemade chicken pot-pie with a flaky golden crust, there was a knock at the door. Max excused himself to answer it. He frowned at the older gentleman standing on the mat. He was tall and well-built with thinning blond hair. “Can I help you?”
“Is Liz home?” the man asked.
“Yes. Follow me.” Max led him to the dining room.
Liz stared at the man, clearly astounded. “Albert? What are you doing here?”
“It’s Al. Remember?” A not so subtle blush colored her cheeks. Al continued, “I just finished meeting with the lawyer for the trucking company whose driver hit you. They offered a settlement. I have a check for a million dollars in my pocket. I can either give it to you, or tear it up and go back to negotiations.”
Liz and Chloe’s eyes flew open wide with shock at the news. Max knew his had to mirror theirs. “Mom, you can pay off your medical bills,” Chloe breathed. “You don’t have to sell the house.”
“I can pay off the mortgages. And your car, Chloe. I can give Max his money back.” Liz shook herself back to her senses. “I’ll take it. Of course, I’ll take it.”
Al smiled. “Great. I have some papers for you to sign. I’ll go get them out of the car.”
Liz wheeled herself after Al as he strode into the living room. Chloe stood as she picked up her empty plate. She wandered to the sink as she smiled. Max rose and followed her. He wrapped his
The next day, Chloe was out of bed and walking on her own. Max stayed nearby just in case she needed him. They barely got back to her room before Mark and Chad strode in.
“Well, Chloe,” Mark addressed. “We’re here with information. Do you want the good news first…or the good news?”
Chloe giggled. Max rolled his eyes as he chuckled.
Chad elbowed Mark. “The results from the tests are back. It’s confirmed. You have Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome. I’m writing a prescription for you for a medication that should get your episodes under control and an anti-anxiety medication in case one gets away from you.”
“Get my episodes under control?” Chloe questioned.
“They should stop. You should start feeling normal, be able to live a normal life.”
Chloe’s eyes filled with tears. Max sprung out of his seat and wrapped his arms around her. “Chloe?”
“I don’t know what normal is,” she whimpered. “I’ve been doing this since I can remember.”
Chad rubbed her shoulder as Max hugged her tight. “I want to see you in three months to make sure the medications are working. And you need to get anything that gives you anxiety out of your life. There’s no reason to invite an episode to start.”
“As normal, I’m forgotten,” Mark pouted. “I had good news, too.” Chad gave him a dirty look. Mark continued with his usual grin, “You can go home, Chloe. I have your discharge papers.”
Chloe’s glistening eyes grew wide with excitement. Max breathed a relieved sigh. Mark set the papers on the bedside table. “We’ll get out of your hair so you can change.”
“Wait. Can I talk to you, Chad?” Chloe looked at Max. “Could you go call my Mom and let her know we’re coming home?”
Max glanced from her to Chad as his brow wrinkled in a frown. The thought of leaving her unsettled him. There was nothing she could tell the doctor that he couldn’t hear.“Of course, sweetheart. I’ll be right back.”
The ride home was quiet. Max knew Chloe still wasn’t feeling her best. She was pale. Every once in a while, a small groan escaped her lips.
“What did you talk to Chad about?” he queried quietly.
Chloe took a labored breath. “I’d rather not talk about it.”
“You can tell me anything.”
“Not this.”
He scowled silently as he finished the drive home. Once he parked, he helped her from his car. Liz was elated when they stepped into the house. She had supper warming in the oven. They were directed to the kitchen table to be served.
As they were enjoying forkfuls of homemade chicken pot-pie with a flaky golden crust, there was a knock at the door. Max excused himself to answer it. He frowned at the older gentleman standing on the mat. He was tall and well-built with thinning blond hair. “Can I help you?”
“Is Liz home?” the man asked.
“Yes. Follow me.” Max led him to the dining room.
Liz stared at the man, clearly astounded. “Albert? What are you doing here?”
“It’s Al. Remember?” A not so subtle blush colored her cheeks. Al continued, “I just finished meeting with the lawyer for the trucking company whose driver hit you. They offered a settlement. I have a check for a million dollars in my pocket. I can either give it to you, or tear it up and go back to negotiations.”
Liz and Chloe’s eyes flew open wide with shock at the news. Max knew his had to mirror theirs. “Mom, you can pay off your medical bills,” Chloe breathed. “You don’t have to sell the house.”
“I can pay off the mortgages. And your car, Chloe. I can give Max his money back.” Liz shook herself back to her senses. “I’ll take it. Of course, I’ll take it.”
Al smiled. “Great. I have some papers for you to sign. I’ll go get them out of the car.”
Liz wheeled herself after Al as he strode into the living room. Chloe stood as she picked up her empty plate. She wandered to the sink as she smiled. Max rose and followed her. He wrapped his
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