Page 45 of Perfect Chemistry

My breath caught and came out a staggered exhalation as my eyes teared up. “How are you so perfect?” I croaked.

“You make me want to be the best man I can be, Katie. I’m only this amazing for you,” he whispered back.

“I haven’t even met your parents, Ty!” I gasped as the realization set in. Tyson loved his parents more than anyone else. He was a devoted son and still sent his parents money every month to help with their bills, even though they didn’t need it. He was just a good man through and through.

“Don’t worry about them, Katie. They will love you because I love you,” he coaxed.

“Are you sure?” I asked.

“Positive. Annie and Tom Johnson will love you.”

I didn’t need any more convincing. Ty was it for me. He was my world. I didn’t want to wait another week, let alone two more days. “Marry me on Saturday, Tyson Johnson. I don’t want to wait.”

Tyson smiled at me. Tears brimmed his eyes. “Ok, baby girl,” he croaked out before kissing me until I was lost in his arms.

We were going to be late for work.

Chapter 16

Kai’s Point of View

It’s been almost three years since Jenny and I married. The shock of suddenly being a couple, let alone welcoming a child into the family, put strains on us that I never considered. From Heather’s first week of life, Jenny became this obsessive and controlling parent.

She freaked out when I tried to take Heather to her six month appointment alone. I wasn’t allowed to travel with our daughter without Jenny. At first, I chalked it up to first time parent jitters, but it never stopped.

Poor little Heather was prone to upper respiratory infections which had developed into pneumonia on three separate occasions before her second birthday. While other toddlers were starting to run, even if a bit clumsily, Heather was still shaky standing, as if her legs were jelly.

I brought it up to Jenny, and she told me that it was unfair to compare Heather to other kids. The pediatrician wasn’t worried, so I shouldn’t be either.

It wasn’t that Heather wasn’t developing normally. I had done my research, and it didn’t add up to me. We fought, I don’t know how many times, about Heather’s health.

I made an appointment to take Heather to the doctor without Jenny, but Jenny found out and canceled the appointment. She kept assuring me that everything was taken care of, but, in all honesty, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was seriously wrong.

I spoke with my colleagues in the physical therapy office about what we could do at home to strengthen her legs. They had gotten so tired of listening to me worry that one of the doctors offered to give her a look. We did occupational therapy for kids and adults in the clinic. They trusted my gut enough to offer this favor.

Jenny wouldn’t let me bring Heather to work with me. I would be alone with our child, and that could never happen. It finally worked out that Jenny came with Heather to pick me up from work because my car was in the shop.

While Jenny ran into the bathroom, I played with Heather in our pediatric occupational therapy suite. She loved the colors, and tried so hard to move from place to place, but her coordination just wasn’t there. I disguised it as playtime so that Jenny would not suspect or become upset that I was having our daughter assessed.

It didn’t take long. I watched Doctor Lee’s expression change as he observed her. Finally, he came over with a few bright colored sponges and began playing with Heather. Her arms shook with a lack of strength. Her legs were not able to hold her up for more than ten to fifteen seconds before collapsing.

I heard Jenny come out of the bathroom, but before she could reach us, our daughter collapsed entirely in my arms. She wasn’t breathing. Lee called an ambulance and we began attempting to resuscitate her. Jenny ran over and attempted to collect Heather into her arms, but I shoved her away.

Our child was dying. I had seen all of the signs, and let my wife convince me otherwise. I was so disgusted with myself, I couldn’t breathe.

“Kai, what happened?!?!” Jenny screamed.

“Stay back!” I yelled, as I began chest compressions. “You can follow in the car, or you can go home. I don’t care. But if you attempt to touch our child before we get to the hospital, I will have you arrested for endangering her life!” I growled.

Jenny’s face paled. She stumbled back and stared at me in shock. It felt like I was looking at a stranger. How the hell had I let her take it this far?

The ambulance arrived with a quickness I couldn’t believe, and we were enroute to the hospital within fifteen minutes of Heather’s collapse. The emergency medical team had to intubate her to keep her breathing, as her body was no longer doing it, and I couldn’t stop chest compressions or her heart would stop.

Somewhere between my office and the hospital my brain disconnected from my heart. I stopped looking at her as my baby girl in order to focus on helping her live.

The ambulance stopped and a doctor pulled open the back doors. Seeing me doing chest compressions, he jumped in and took over. “Are you the father?” he asked.

“Yes.”

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