Always: Broken Series Book Four Read Online Free PDF Page B

room, and I saw that her laptop was on the desk. It appeared that she had spent a lot of time in front of her laptop, as there was a dinner plate next to the computer with a half-eaten sandwich on it, along with a glass that was almost empty.
    “Addy, what’s going on?”
    “Mom, there’s something really wrong with me.” She shook her head. “I never wanted to worry you, so I just didn’t say anything. But I’ve had a pain in my right knee for the past six months, and I went to the hospital. That doctor took X-Rays, and he told me that he had to speak to me when you guys are with me. That sounds really serious.”
    I nodded my head, trying to be as calm as I could. I looked over at Nick, who was standing to the side. I knew Nick like I knew myself, and I could see that he was trying to cover up what he was really feeling. I could see inside his soul, really, and I saw that he was scared. His fist was on his chin and his other hand was fingering through his thick hair. I knew his tell-tale signs anywhere. He definitely had a change of attitude.
    I thought immediately about Michelle, his sister who died of cancer when Nick was only 12. I shook my head. You’re getting ahead of yourself, Scotty. Addison simply said that she had a pain and she got an X-Ray and the doctor needs to speak with Nick and me. That’s it. It’s nothing more. Nothing more until we get into that doctor’s office and speak with him.
    “Addy, honey, why didn’t you tell me before about your pain?”
    “I didn’t want to worry you. You have enough going on without…this.”
    “You have to tell us when there’s something wrong. Always, always, always.” I took a deep breath. “Well, give me this doctor’s card. I’ll call him and hopefully I can line up an appointment with him sometime soon.”
    With shaking hands, she handed me the doctor’s card. It was in the back pocket of her jeans, crumpled up. This concerned me just a little bit. "Addy, when did you go and see that doctor?”
    “It was early yesterday morning. Why?”
    “Tell me that you’ve changed your clothes since then.” Addison was always so good about not sleeping in her clothes and wearing the same thing for days in a row. Olivia, not so much. But I knew that if Addison was still wearing her clothes from the previous day, she must have been completely distraught. I felt my own heart being ripped out as I realized what kind of depression she was fighting right at that moment.
    She shook her head. “I’ve been doing nothing but sitting in front of my computer, just freaking out. I really wish that stupid doctor could have talked to me about what’s going on.”
    “Well, okay.” I tried hard to keep a façade of calm, but it was very difficult. “Let me call Dr. Michaels.”
    I dialed the number and got the receptionist. “Yes, hello, this is Scotty O’Hara. I’m the mother of Addison O’Hara, and I need to make an appointment with Dr. Michaels if I could. Preferably sometime this month, but I’ll take whatever you have open.” I knew how busy these Connecticut doctors always were, so I figured that it would be a wait before we could talk to him.
    “Just a second.” She put me on hold, and I just stared out the window while I listened to the hold music. I didn't want to see the eyes of my husband and my beloved daughter. I didn’t want to concentrate on their fear. I needed to stay as calm as I could, at least until I knew exactly what was going on.
    The receptionist came back on a few minutes later. “Can you make it in this office today at 3? Dr. Michaels has a short opening.”
    “That would be fine.” Those were my words, but inside, I was panicking. The doctor was getting us in that day. That couldn’t be a good sign. If it was a minor issue, I would have been waiting a month or more to see him.
    I hung up the phone and turned to Addison and Nick. “Well, Addy, we’re going to see the doctor today. So we can get the answers we need.