"Dr. August, you have a call."
"I believe you can see me wiling away my time, right?" She said with a hiss.
"I'm sorry ma'am, but it's your husband. He has already called four times, and left you a message. It looks urgent."
Louisa paused and looked up at the theatre nurse that held the phone.
"You'll have to excuse me. Proceed as I have instructed, and if there's any confusion which I do not expect, I'm certain Dr. Morrissey would be able to handle it." She said, looking at the young resident doctor.
He nodded in response as he assumed charge of the surgery.
She turned and collected her phone from the nurse before exiting the theatre.
Her mind raced, wondering what was so urgent. She wasn't sure of the nature of the call yet. The text her husband left hadn't let on anything. He just said to call back immediately.
She dialed him back and he picked on the first ring.
"Hey, baby. Are you done with the surgery?"
"Not yet. Actually, we were just about to start. But I have someone else taking charge for now. Is there a problem? Your text sounded emergent."
Henry confirmed her fears. "I'm afraid so. Stacey was attacked. She needs medical attention urgently."
"Attacked? By who? How?"
"The details are not confirmed yet honey, but she has the mark. It appeared right after the attack."
"I will be there in a heartbeat." She let out a breath, she didn't know she had been holding in.
***
Louisa hurriedly grabbed a few supplies from the hospital clinic and shoved them into a small bag. She double checked her office to ensure she didn't forget anything of importance that she wanted to take with her, before leaving. When Henry had called to tell her about Stacey's situation, she knew it wasn't time to stall or delay. She suspended every other thing and drove down to the Brown's villa.
James and Henry were standing at the entrance of the house, with their arms folded across their chests and brows creased in contemplation. Their attention only shifted when Louisa swerved into the driveway in her red Bentley. She could tell from their visage that the matter on ground was a dire one. Little wonder, she doubled her steps to meet them.
"Hey Honey." She acknowledged her husband. "I came as soon as I could." Henry nodded in approval, before she moved her attention to face James.
"Thanks for coming on such short notice. Henry mentioned earlier that you had an emergency surgery." James said calmly. He seemed unruffled; a great contrast to the storm that raged within him.
"I was just overseeing the surgery, but they didn't really need me. I've left the surgery in very capable hands."
"I appreciate that, honestly."
"Anything for the kids." Louisa remarked with a smile. "Where is Stacey?"
"Upstairs…in her room." Henry supplied, pointing up.
"I will leave the both of you to your deliberation. Let me go and check on her."
Louisa was already walking into the house before ending her statement. Her tender hands clutching the sling bag that was hanging from her shoulder.
Once she entered Stacey's room, Frederick spared her no second. "Mum, thank God you are here. Probably you would be in a better place to explain to dad and Mr. Brown the need to take Stacey to the hospital. The hit was a big one."
"Young man, is that a way to welcome your mother?" Louisa retorted disapprovingly.
"So sorry, Mum." Frederick looked defeated as he adjusted his sleeves and moved back. "I didn't mean it that way."
"Go easy on him, Louisa. I think he is just as worried." Susan smiled sweetly, softening her features all the more. You are welcome."
"Thank you, Susan." Louisa made her way closer to Stacey's bed. She was sleeping like a rock, peacefully as Frederick kept peering down at her like a mother hen inspecting her chick, with so much pity.
"She was awake some minutes ago, but fell back asleep after taking some aspirin for the headache. She needs to be at the hospital, right?"
"No." Came the vehement response from Louisa. "She will be catered to, here. We can't risk taking her to the hospital."
"Risk?" Susan asked, astounded. "How so?"
Louisa rolled her eyes. It didn't come out right. Now she was about to be barraged with questions. As she was still trying to figure out the best response to wriggle herself out of the situation, the men walked in.
Saved by the bell.
"What's the update? How affected is she?"
James in all his sternness and high handedness betimes, loved his daughter to his bones and always made sure that no harm came to her. So seeing her assaulted really dealt a blow to his heart.
"She will be fine, though it might likely take a couple of days, but the impact of the hit wasn't that deep."
"That's a relief."
"James, do you really think that going to the hospital is a bad idea? I mean we can never be so sure."
Susan really sounded worried but James wasn't having it, as he answered between gritted teeth. "Are you a doctor?"
"No, but…"
"Then, allow the medical professional treat her. If Louisa hasn't insisted on hospitalisation, then Stacey will receive all the attention she needs here and that's final." His voice was a little louder than he intended it to be.
Few minutes later, Stacey's eyes fluttered open. A couple of seconds passed before she tried sitting up but winced in pain again.
"I'm guessing that means the aspirin didn't do much good." Frederick said exasperatedly. He didn't understand why their parents were so insistent on treating her at home.
"Just don't move too much. Relax."
Frederick tried to prop the pillows for her. Much to his surprise he was being really sweet probably because she was a damsel in distress, and as a gentle man, he rose to the occasion.
Stacey wanted to tell him, not to bother helping her, but all she ended up muttering was, "thank you."
She hated any form of pity party and the fact that Frederick has been acting all nice, since the incident at the garden, sickened her.
"Stacey how do you feel?" James enquired, looking fixatedly at his girl.
"Still sore and my head throbs like some construction work is going on in it." Stacey squinted, cupping her palm over her forehead. "Ouch."
Louisa interjected, "Since you've already taken some aspirin, I'll just set up an IV infusion. The drug shoul kick in soon. You will be fine." She sounded really confident and reassuring.
Stacey nodded slightly. She was being really careful not to aggravate the pain.
"Meanwhile, Freddy shuts the blinds. The dimmer the light, the better." Louisa instructed, and Frederick got to it immediately.
Stacey followed Fred's movement with her gaze, waiting for the corners of his lips to twitch in a smile. When they didn't, she looked away.
Fred assumed his initial posture. "Mum, please I have to ask once again."
Henry shot him a cold glare. "What could that be?"
"I know you are the expert here, but then are you sure we shouldn't run some CT scans and X-ray, to ascertain the extent of the damages." He continued, ignoring the darts Henry was shooting at him.
Louisa took in a deep breath, "Like I said earlier, she is in the best hands. I will make sure of that."
It was now Stacey's turn to chip in something. "Dad, why are you so against the idea of taking me to the hospital?" In her mind, it would have been a great escape from the marriage topic, that was brought up earlier. She dreaded 'the talk'.
James closed in on the space between them, as he sat on her bed and held one of her hands in his'. "Baby girl, I don't want to risk that?"
"Sorry to butt in, Mr. Brown. What exactly is risky? The assailant can't possible find her there, can they?" Fred asked defiantly.
Stacey scanned her dad's face for some clue but she got nothing, till James finally responded. "It's not about finding her there. It's more complicated than that. I can't give you the full details now, but in time you will understand that I am only trying to protect you."
"Protect me from what? This?" Stacey asked, lifting her sleeve to expose the mark again. "You and Mr. August looked like you saw a ghost the second you saw this weird tattoo on my arm. How the hell did it even get there? What does it mean? And is there more to what happened today? You are really getting me scared." She looked to her mum, "Mum? What's going on?"
"Princess, I am as lost as you are." Susan shrugged in resignation. "I believe your dad has an explanation for us all."
Frederick probed further, "Dad, what's going on?"
James refused to respond. He looked away, avoiding Stacey's eyes. Her steady gaze was drilling into his soul.
"James, I think we have to tell the kids." Henry submitted.
"I totally agree with Henry. We can't keep it any much longer." Louisa concurred.
"Tell us what?" He corked his brows in askance. "Mum?"
Louisa looked at Henry, as if asking for permission to proceed. He nodded in agreement.
"Freddy, I am not your biological mother."
"What?!" Blood drained from Henry's face in a split second.
Susan looked at her husband , a question in her eyes. He nodded, then she turned to face Stacey, but words were failing her.
"What is it, Mum?" She was visibly shaking.
When Stacey thought that she had heard it all, Susan finally dropped the bomb, as slowly as she could. "Baby, I am equally not your biological mum."