Chapter 177

Joe dropped us at the hospital’s front entrance, and we went inside to find the ICU.

Following directions from a nurse, we found the part of the hospital where Lana was under the 24/7 care of doctors and nurses.

She was in a bed, surrounded by tubes and monitors. Her left leg was in a cast, and she had a bandage wrapped around her head.

Harry was in the room, holding his wife’s hand. “You must get better, dearest, so we can go on that trip you wanted to take,” Harry told Lana even though she was unconscious.

Harry kissed Lana’s fingers before holding them to his cheek. “When you get better, we will do and go anywhere you like, my darling,”

He looked over his wife’s bruised, perfectly still form covered with tubes and wires and burst into tears.

“Please get better, Lana, sweetheart. What would I do without you?” he sobbed.

Victor was in shock. Not just because his mother was severely injured but because he always believed his parent’s marriage was one of convenience—a business arrangement.

Now, Lana’s accident revealed that Harry loved Lana very deeply. Lana probably felt the same way about Harry.

I gently led Victor closer to his parents and put a hand on Harry’s shoulder.

“What have the doctors said?” I asked.

“They don’t know if she is going to live or not,” he replied. “They want to run more tests.”

Harry kissed her hand again. “Someone must go to our house and get her a decent nightgown. If she wakes up in this faded blue rag that opens in the back, she’ll be appalled.”

The reference to Lana’s fashionista tendencies made me smile. Lana had to get better. She couldn’t die.

“You’re right. She will hate wearing that hospital nightgown,” I said. “I’ll go to your house and bring Lana some of her things a little later.”

Harry patted my hand and sobbed again.

Victor stood, frozen in place, looking at his mother. Finally, he moved forward. He squeezed his father’s other shoulder and stood behind him.

“She’s going to be alright, Dad,” he said. “I know she is.”

He moved to the other side of the bed and carefully placed his hand over Lana’s as it lay on the bed with an IV.

“Mom, I’m here,” Victor said.

He brushed a lock of her hair back from her eyes. One eye was beginning to show a nasty bruise.

We stood silently, watching Lana breathe until a doctor entered the room.

“How is she, doctor?” Victor asked. “I’m her son.”

“Her vitals are stable for now,” the doctor replied. “But the next twenty-four hours will tell us more.”

“When do you think she will regain consciousness?” Harry asked.

“There is no way of knowing for sure,” the doctor said. “But the longer she is unconscious, the worse her chance of recovery from this type of injury.”

Victor and I sat with Harry at Lana’s bedside for hours, but there was no change in Lana’s condition.

The doctor stopped in again to check on her. “She’s not any better, but she’s not getting worse either,” he told Victor and Harry. “That’s a good sign.”

“Victor, do you have the key to the house with you?” Harry asked.

Victor nodded after checking for his keys in his jacket pocket.

“Will you two go there and get Lana’s things?” Harry requested. “Bring back a decent nightgown, robe, and slippers, and her hair brush and some cosmetics.”

“Sure,” I agreed. “We will be right back. I’ll call Joe to pick us up.”

“Let’s take a cab back to your office, and I’ll drive us,” Victor said. “I’m okay to drive, and it will be faster.”

“Okay,” I agreed. “He had calmed down enough to drive. I had to insist that someone teach me to drive soon. It would have come in handy today.”

Victor and I took a cab to Alex’s office building, and we went to the parking garage to retrieve Victor’s Lamborghini.

Then we drove to Lana and Harry’s home, where Victor let us in with his key.

Saunders heard us come into the house and hurried to our side. “How is Mrs. Klein?”

“She’s still unconscious, but she’s hanging in there,”

I told the worried butler.

“Mrs. Klein is a strong Luna.” Saunders nodded. “She’ll come through this.”

“My father sent us here for some of my mother's things,” Victor said.

“Her maid is off today,” Saunders said apologetically. “I can send someone else to the master suite to help you.”

“Thank you, Saunders, but I think we can handle it. Miss Wilson will know what mother needs.”

“Very well, sir,” Saunders replied. “But please let me know if I can be of service.”

“Perhaps you could have someone put together a meal for Mr. Klein that we can take to him,” I suggested. “He won’t leave her side, but he should eat something to keep up his strength.”

Saunders nodded. “I’ll have something prepared and packed immediately.”

Saunders walked away as Victor and I started up the staircase to the second floor.

Victor led the way into Lana’s bedroom.

“Help me find a small suitcase or an overnight bag to put her things in,” I said as I pulled open the door to her enormous walk-in closet.

Victor found a designer overnight bag on the top shelf and took it to the bedroom.

“Now, what am I looking for?” he asked as he returned to me.

“I’m looking for a nice nightgown and robe,” I replied.

Victor began searching in drawers built into the wall. He pulled a packet of greeting cards from the bottom drawer.

“Why did she save all these cards? It’s not like her,” he said and began to look through them. “They’re all from my dad!” he exclaimed. “There are birthday cards and anniversary cards and Christmas cards and Valentine’s Day cards.”

Victor’s voice was full of confusion. “I can’t believe this.”

I walked to his side to see what was puzzling him about greeting cards.

I looked through a few of the cards and saw they were all signed, “With all my love, Harry.”

“All my love?” Victor said aloud. “And look at what’s in these envelopes.” He handed me a small white envelope covered with roses.

Inside was a love letter addressed to ‘My Darling Lana.’

I read a few lines and put it back into the envelope. “These letters are personal. We don’t have the right to go through Lana’s personal things.”

“But why didn’t they ever tell me or show me how much they loved each other,” Victor said. “I thought their marriage was nothing but a business arrangement.”

Victor put the letters back into the drawer. “My father even told me once that one of the reasons he married my mother was because she would inherit a piece of land he wanted to develop.”

“You should ask them about it after your mother is better,” I said.

He nodded and helped me find Lana’s slippers. Then we packed the overnight bag and went downstairs. Saunders had a meal packed for Harry. We took it with us and returned to the hospital.

Harry was still sitting by Lana’s side. I put the overnight bag in the closet, and Victor gave him the meal Saunders had packed.

“Thank you, son,” Harry said. “I didn’t want to leave the room in case your mother wakes up.”

“How is she?” Victor asked.

“No better or worse,” Harry replied.

“I’m taking Daisy home and getting something to eat,” Victor said. “Call my cell if you need me before I get back.”

Harry nodded. “Take your time, son. I’ll call if there’s any change.”

“You don’t have to take me home if you’d rather stay with your mother,” I said on our way back to the Lamborghini. “I can call Joe to pick me up.”

“I need to think,” Victor said. “I want to go to Alex’s and go for a run.”

We climbed into the car and drove to my home.

After Victor parked the car outside the front door, I turned to him and asked the question looming in my mind. “Why does it upset you so much that your parents love each other?”

Victor sighed. “I always thought love was a lie … a fairytale for fools. But seeing the emotions my parents have for each other, I don’t know what to think. It changes everything I believed.”

“Let’s go for a run and talk about it,” I suggested.

“Yes,” Victor agreed. “I need to talk to you.”