Anna reluctantly left Carter's bedside. She didn't want to leave him, but she was still on duty and she didn't want Kerry or Mark thinking that she was shirking her responsibilities. Elizabeth was waiting out in the hallway and she smiled encouragingly at Anna.
"Are you heading home now?"
Anna shook her head. "I'm still on duty. Kerry was just nice enough to let me come up to check on Carter. Are you going to be the one keeping an eye on him?"
"Yes. I'll let you know when he wakes up again," Elizabeth assured her.
"Thanks. Were you able to find out how to reach his family?"
Elizabeth's smile wavered as she nodded. "Yes. The staff at Kenner was very helpful. They even assured me that someone would tell Chase about Carter. Gently of course."
"I hope so. Well, I'll be downstairs."
"I'll page you." Elizabeth watched Anna leave, then she went into the I.C.U. to check on Carter. She was looking over his chart when Peter joined her.
"I thought you went to rest."
"I did rest. His vitals look good," he said, looking over her should to read the information off of the chart.
"Yes. Can I speak with you out in the hallway?"
"Sure."
They stepped into the hallway.
"What's on your mind?"
"Anna suggested that I might try to see if the Kenner Institute might have a number for Carter's grandparents."
"Carter's cousin is there, right?"
"Right. They did have a number."
"So you reached them then?"
"Yes," Elizabeth frowned. "They gave me a number for Carter's parents and it turns out that his grandparents are with them in Europe."
Peter could tell that Elizabeth was upset about something. "So, you still couldn't reach them?"
"I reached them all right. Not that it mattered. His father and grandfather thanked me for calling them, but since Carter is out of danger, they don't see any reason to come back to the states."
"Why did you tell them he was out of danger?"
"I didn't." She resented Peter's accusation. "I tried to explain to them, all of them, that he would remain in critical condition for the next several days and that after that, his condition would still be serious. His grandfather informed me that they would be back in Chicago by this weekend anyway. Carter's father asked me to call if his condition worsened. If that should happen, then they'll fly in from Europe."
Peter was silent for a long time and Elizabeth couldn't recall a time that she had seen him look so angry. She was upset over the attitude of Carter's parents and grandparents, but Peter looked to be way beyond upset.
"If he wakes up and asks, tell him that you couldn't reach his family," he finally said.
"You want me to lie to him?"
"For now. I don't think he needs to know they don't give a damn about him. It will only upset him and make him depressed. That wouldn't be good for him right now."
"Anna knows I obtained a telephone number for his grandparents. What if she says something to him?"
"I'll talk to Anna about this. I think we can count on her to keep this information from him for now." It occurred to Peter that Carter might not be too surprised over the news. That thought bothered him almost as much as the fact that they just didn't think Carter was worth coming home for.
Peter headed downstairs and was lucky enough to catch Anna as she was between patients. They went into the lounge to talk.
"Carter's still doing all right, isn't he?" she anxiously asked.
"Yes. He's fine. I just wanted to talk to you about his family. Have you ever met them?"
"I've met his grandmother a few times. And his cousin Chase, but none of the others. Why?"
They sat down at the table.
"Elizabeth was able to get a telephone number for Carter's parents. It seems as if his grandparents and parents are in the same place in Europe. His grandparents see no sense in rushing back to Chicago because they plan to fly home this weekend. His parents aren't coming here at all, but if his condition worsens, then they want us to call and they'll come then."
Anna sighed, thinking about all the times that Carter had mentioned his parents. She knew he longed for their approval and acceptance. In his mind, he was always lacking as far as they were concerned. When she had accompanied Carol to the Carter mansion, she had been too angry with him to notice how he interacted with his grandmother, but she wasn't angry with him this past Christmas, when Millicent and Chase Carter came to the hospital. She also had not been angry with him when his grandmother took away his trust fund just because he wouldn't give up the practice of medicine for a position in the business world. The Carter family seemed to be a cold family, she reasoned. A very cold family indeed. It was a wonder to her how Carter ended up being such a warm and compassionate person. It certainly wasn't something he learned from his grandparents and now it was looking as if it wasn't something he learned from his parents either.
"Does he know?" she asked.
"Not yet."
"Then don't tell him," she looked up at Peter with tears in her eyes. "Please?"
"I had no intention of telling him. I wanted to let you know about their reactions in order to prevent you from inadvertently letting it slip that they were called."
"I appreciate that."
They talked about Carter for a few more minutes, then Anna returned to work. As the next few days passed she found that she and Peter had worried needlessly about Carter asking for his family. He had developed an infection, and that combined with the painkillers resulted in him never being alert long enough to ask anything of substance. Anna felt that to be a blessing in disguise even though she wished that Peter or one of the other doctors would find the source of the infection and get it cleared up.
By Sunday, she was beginning to think she had her wish granted. Carter's white cell count was approaching normal and his fever was abating. It was also the day that Millicent and Robert Carter arrived. As Anna left Carter's bedside and stepped outside of the ICU, she could hear them in conversation with Peter Benton.
"I don't understand why he's in the Intensive Care Unit. The accident was days ago, shouldn't he be in a regular room by now?" Robert Carter asked.
"John has been battling an infection and running a high fever. We felt it was prudent to keep him in the ICU. John lost his spleen and his kidney as a result of the accident. His remaining kidney was damaged and is not yet healed enough to enable his body to function normally. We've been putting him on dialysis to keep that kidney from having to work harder than it needs to at this point."
Millicent's gaze went from Peter to Anna and she frowned. "You're saying that John was very seriously injured."
"That's right, Mrs. Carter. Doctor Corday did tell John's parents that his condition was critical." Peter kept his eyes on Robert Carter as he said that and he wasn't surprised to see the man look embarrassed.
"Robert? You didn't tell me that," Millicent said to her husband.
"I must have misunderstood what the doctor said, dear."
Anna started to say otherwise, but a stern glance from Peter kept her quiet. He was right, she thought. There was no need to get into an argument out in the hallway.
"May I see him?" Millicent asked.
"Yes, but for only five minutes. Doctor Del Amico, would you please escort Mrs. Carter inside?"
"Of course. Please follow me." Anna had no idea why Peter was asking her to take Millicent into the Unit. They could see Carter through the glass.
"Am I not allowed?" Robert Carter asked.
"We only allow one visitor at a time, Mr. Carter. You'll have a chance to see John in another hour."
"But, we were both allowed in there to see Chase."
"We do make exceptions for the relatives of those patients who won't live or who are brain damaged. John is neither. Now, if you don't have any further questions for me, I need to go."
"I would like to have our family physician come to examine John. Is that a problem?"
"I'll speak with the Chief of Staff about it, but it shouldn't be a problem."
Robert nodded as he watched his wife approach Carter's side. "His name is Ronald Miller."
Peter nodded. He had heard of the man. Doctor Miller had an excellent reputation as a doctor of internal medicine. "I'll speak to the Chief today."
"Thank you."
Peter left and Robert stepped up to the glass to watch his wife and grandson.
"Has he been unconscious the entire time?" Millicent asked Anna. "No, ma'am, he hasn't. But, he hasn't been lucid the times he was awake. The fever from the infection and his painkillers have been keeping him out of it."
"I see." Millicent clasped Carter's hand in one of her own and used her free hand to gently caress his face. "Then he doesn't know that no one has been here?"
"His friends have been here, Mrs. Carter." Anna evenly replied.
Millicent nodded. "I'd like to speak with Doctor Corday. Is that possible?"
"Of course. She's working today."
"Good. Is he waking up?" Millicent felt a pressure against her hand and she looked to Carter's face to see if his eyes were opening.
Anna looked up at the clock, determining that it was around the time that his painkillers wore off. He would awaken every day at those times. From the pain most likely, she thought.
"John? Can you hear me? It's Gamma, John."
Carter's eyes fluttered open, but they remained unfocused. "Gamma?"
"I'm here, John."
"Mom?"
"Your parents can't come in here right now. I see that Anna is giving me a meaningful look, which means that I shouldn't tire you out."
Carter managed a small smile. He had a vague recollection of Anna being there every time he woke up. Well, at least the times he could remember.
"I love you, John." Millicent leaned over and kissed his forehead, then she stepped away from the bed.
"Are you in a lot of pain?" Anna asked.
"A little."
"The nurse will be here soon to give you something for it, okay?"
"'kay," he weakly replied as he drifted back to sleep.
Anna turned and saw the Millicent had not left the room. They walked out together.
"Well?" Robert's voice was anxious as he faced his wife.
"You need to call Roland and tell him to get home now. I told John they were here and I will not be made a liar," she coldly replied.
Robert slowly nodded. "He had no trouble recognizing you?"
"None at all. He isn't brain damaged, Robert, just seriously injured. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some clinic business to attend to while you call our son." Millicent turned to Anna. "Would you mind coming with me?"
"Of course not."
The two women got in an elevator. "I do want to check in with Carol Hathaway, but I'm still interested in speaking with Doctor Corday."
"I'll try to locate her while you're with Carol."
"Thank you. I'm also interested in hearing what happened. I know what my son and husband told me, but I'd like to hear your version of the event."
Anna told her everything, including the argument she and Carter had shortly before the accident. Millicent listened intently, never interrupting the narrative. When Anna finished, she nodded.
"That sounds like something John would do. He always thinks more about the welfare of others than he does of himself."
"The newspapers have finally quit running stories about it, but cards and gifts have been pouring in from all over Chicago for John. Doctor Anspaugh is keeping them in his office until John can be moved to a regular room."
"Is Doctor Rosher here today? I would like to speak with him."
"Max left yesterday to return to Philadelphia."
"I see. So, there's nothing to prevent you and John from becoming an item, as they say."
"There's one thing, Mrs. Carter. One very important thing. My not telling him the truth about my addiction."
"He'll get over that, Anna. He loves you. I noticed that much when you were at the mansion. He's been patient while waiting for you, I think you can be patient while waiting for him."
"I intend to be, Mrs. Carter, you can bet on that."
They headed to the Emergency Room and while Millicent spoke with Carol about the clinic, Anna paged Elizabeth. While she thought that Robert and Roland Carter deserved to be severely upbraided for their attitude regarding Carter's injuries, she was also sure that she would not want to be in Robert Carter's shoes by the time Elizabeth was finished telling Millicent what had been said in the telephone call.