When a Man Loves a Woman (Indigo) Read Online Free PDF

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    Vic looked between her mother and A.J.’s grandmother, Zamora Rousselle, whom everyone called Mama Z, and began to sob all over again.
    Louise looked over at Mama Z, who was seated across from them, and mouthed, “You try.”
    Mama Z swapped seats with Louise and gently turned Vic by the shoulders to face her. “Ya listen to me here, child. Since I knows ya, ain’t seen ya ’fraid of nothing. This here is no different. That man ya got in there needs ya to be strong. Hear me?”
    Vic blinked back unshed tears and nodded. “Yes, ma’am.”
    A.J.’s brothers, Marcel and Ray, walked up and squatted in front of Vic to lend their comfort.
    “It was an accident.” Marcel reached out and folded Vic’s hand inside of his. “No one is blaming you.”
    Vic was amazed at the understanding, compassion, and forgiveness Baptiste family showed even though they all knew the accident was her fault.
    “Marcel,” Vic’s voice trembled, “w-what if…”
    Ray placed his hand on Vic’s shoulder. “Come on now, Honey. We ain’t even going there. He’ll be up and about in no time. Mon frère has you and the girls—”
    “Oh, my God!” Vic’s gaze darted wildly around the room. “T-One a-and T-Two. Oh, God, where are they?”
    Brie, A.J.’s oldest sister, answered. “Vic, they’re fine. They’re with Mrs. Bradford.”
    Vic collapsed back against the seat, comforted with the knowledge that Taylor and Tyler were safe and being cared for by Marcel and Caitlyn’s nanny.
    Vic wiped her face with both hands, then asked Baptiste’s father, Alcee, “Does Alex know?”
    Alex Robinson, a close friend of the Baptiste family, had grown up with Marcel, A.J., and Ray, and was considered as much a part of the family if he’d been born a Baptiste.
    Alcee Baptiste nodded. “Vic, he knows. Marcel called him as soon as we got here, and he’s on his way.”
    “We got here as soon as we could.” Harrison Bennett, Vic’s oldest brother, rushed inside the waiting room with his younger brother, Lincoln, two steps behind.
    Vic walked over to them, wrapping her arms tightly around their waists. “Thanks for coming.”
    Harrison placed a kiss on his sister’s cheek, then his mother’s. “How’s he doing?”
    “No word so far.” Louise glanced up at the emergency room physician, who worked at Highland Hospital, stroking the side of his face. “You look tired, son.”
    “I am.” Harrison ran his hand across the stubble on his face. “Pulling sixteen hours will do that to you. Cates took over for me when I left, so A.J.’s in good hands.”
    Lincoln, a federal prosecutor who’d just moved back to Oakland from Dallas, gently nudged his brother. “Does this Cates know his stuff?”
    Harrison turned to his brother and nodded with confidence. “Absolutely. He’s one of the best.” He glanced back at Vic. “Have you been in yet?”
    Vic grimaced. “Well…sort of.”
    Puzzled by his sister’s evasive answer, Harrison was silent for a moment until A.J.’s middle sister, Moni, who stood nearby clarified Vic’s statement. “They threw Vic out.”
    Lincoln chuckled. “Figures.” He frowned, rubbing at his chin, and gave his mother a puzzled look. “Wait a minute. Mom, you work in ER. Why aren’t you in there?”
    Harrison wondered the same thing, too, and his gaze settled on their mother. “You’re the head ER nurse. Why aren’t you in there?”
    Vic answered instead. “They threw Mom out first.”
    Embarrassed, Harrison flung his head back and sighed. “Mom…”
    Louise glanced at her children with a sheepish look. “Well, they weren’t moving fast enough for me.”
    “Oh, Harrison,” Vic sobbed. Accepting the tissue Mama Z walked up and handed her, she dabbed at swollen, red eyes. “He’s got to be okay.”
    Harrison took his sister’s hands inside his and squeezed them tightly. “He will, Vic, but you’ve got to pull yourself together and be strong for him, all right?”
    Vic slowly nodded.