Free Wicked Obsession (Bend to My Will #6) by Emily Jane Trent

“Vivie,” he said, and gave her a quick hug. “I’ll see you in the waiting room.”
    “Mom, I’m here.” Vivienne went to the bedside, but her mother really seemed out of it. That was to be expected. She held her hand to reassure her. “I’ll be here when you get out,” she said. “The doctor is going to take good care of you.”
    Vivienne kissed her mother’s cheek, and got a tiny smile in return. “We’ve already given her something to relax her,” a nurse said upon entering the room. “I need to take her back now.” Then she ushered Vivienne from the room.
    In the waiting room, Vivienne went to her father. “I’m so glad you came right away. I got here as fast as I could.”
    “Faster than I thought was possible,” her father said.
    “That’s because of Jacob. We took his jet.”
    “It was the only way,” Jacob said. “And your father and I met while you were in with your mother.”
    Joseph Lake was an anchor in Vivienne’s life, just as a father should be. He was still in his work clothes, and his hair was a mess. But he looked fairly calm, considering.
    “I appreciate you bringing my daughter so promptly,” her dad said.
    Jacob had scored points with her father, always a good thing. “Of course. I didn’t want Vivienne trying to wrestle with flights at a time like this.”
    “I had hoped to meet you under better circumstances, but I’m glad to meet you, anyway.”
    When her father released her from the hug, Vivienne went over to Jacob to take his hand and sit down. “I guess we have some waiting to do,” she said. “What do you know about her condition?”
    Her father sat across from them. “Irene was in pain when I got here, but she could still talk. She missed a step and fell down the porch steps. A neighbor called an ambulance right away, which is fortunate. The doctor told me delaying surgery can lead to complications.”
    “What did he say about the injury?” Jacob said.
    “It’s a displaced hip fracture, which means they have to realign the bone and then affix it internally with screws,” her dad said. “I’m glad it wasn’t a broken hip, because a hip replacement would be worse. This is a break in the upper part of the femur.”
    Vivienne was worried. “But Mom will be okay?”
    “She should be,” her dad said. “I checked with the doctor, and she’ll have to stay in here for a couple of days. Then she’ll be at a rehab facility. I’ll have to call the restaurant to let them know she won’t be able to work for a while.”
    Vivienne decided that the hospital waiting room was a slow form of torture. She drank the bad coffee, but couldn’t stomach eating the food. Jacob was by her side the entire time, while her dad paced the floor. Hours went by with no news, then finally the doctor came out with a status.
    They all stood up, and her dad spoke first. “Doctor Leonard…this is Vivienne, her daughter, and Vivienne’s boyfriend. You can speak in front of them.”
    “The procedure was successfully completed. She’s in the recovery room now,” the doctor said. “You should probably take a break. I’m sure you could use it. It will be a while before she wakes up.”
    “The surgery went okay?” Vivienne said.
    “The surgery went as well as could be expected,” the doctor said. “Your mother will be in the hospital for a couple of days, but she will be moving around by the second day. Getting her mobile will avoid post-surgery issues. We’ll start with light physical therapy to help her build up strength in the hip.”
    “She will be moving around that soon?” Jacob said.
    “Yes, but she will be moving pretty slowly,” the doctor said. “And from here, Ms. Lake will be transferred to rehab, where she can get assistance with daily activities, bathing and such.”
    “But she will fully recover?” Vivienne said, still concerned.
    “Your mother will need a cane or crutches for several months, and full recovery may take up to a year.” The doctor gave