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vicvicvic (@javadivic) posted: istg if i get the fucker who made dr mckay so pissed they’ll…
samira (@sunshinemira) replied: well… you’ll get disappointed soon
vicvicvic (@javadivic) replied: tf does tht means
trinity (@santosytrinidad) replied: she meeeaaans youlll not get in the way of who made dr mckay so angry
vicvicvic (@javadivic) replied: ???????
x
With a wife, two adult daughters, a college student daughter, and a pre-teen son, Dana had known for a long time that she needed to always keep her therapy and meditation up to date. Of course, she had also been working for thirty-four years in the same hospital emergency department, which had caused her burnout and some of the worst days of her life; but even so, it didn't seem so stressful as now. Not when Kailen, her youngest daughter, decided once again to change her college major.
The girls' father and Dana's ex husband was a retired police officer who, although he didn't make much money in that career, was smart enough to always invest his money well and leave a large reserve for all three of their college educations. Jules, her oldest daughter, graduated with excellence in medicine two years ago and Dana was bursting with pride for her, as she was now doing her residency out of state. Her middle daughter, Grace, took a while to leave the nest but managed to find herself in the fashion world and was a great stylist in New York. But Kailen was hard.
Dana always liked to pretend that Kailen was her wife's biological daughter, because Kailen's hair was as dark as Cassandra's, a strange shade for the family. It didn't help that the girl was only twelve years old when Dana's then-girlfriend moved into their house and took on much of the brunette’s personality. The good things, at least.
The conversation that early morning had been difficult, however. Kailen came home the night before and, when confronted by Dana during breakfast, shouted that she no longer wanted to graduate in journalism. She was twenty-two, Dana argued, that was no age to jump from one major to another. That was when Kailen decided it would be a good idea to reply that she was just like mommy Casey and maybe wouldn't know what to do with her life until she reached her thirties.
The comment hit Cassie deeply. Her wife, who had been silent during the argument, cleared her throat and left the table, saying she was late to work. She didn't wait for Dana to go to the hospital, nor she wait for Harrison to wake up, she simply left and there was nothing the nurse could have done. However, Dana fought with her daughter, condemned her comment, tried to make her see reason, but Kailen was irreconcilable.
It was a lost battle and as soon as her son woke up and the nanny arrived, Dana left the house without looking at her daughter once more. She would settle things with Kailen when she was in a good mood, if possible that night, but now it was time to work and forget the fight. However, even that was extremely difficult when her wife decided she wouldn't look at her at all during the shift.
Dana was slightly shocked when Cassie made no eye contact with her when they bumped into each other in the hallway, and made a point of not touching her, walking with her nose high and her jaw clenched. Her attitude only reflected her wife's, who seemed furious even while quiet. Dana was so irritated by those seconds that when she raised her voice at Cassie at the nursing station, she thought she was right. It was what her wife deserved for ignoring her.
A feeling of guilt took over her body as soon as Cassie walked away from her with hurt eyes and Princess asked her if she was angry with the brunette. Dana knew, then, that she had crossed the line. She knew it and swallowed hard as she finally lost sight of Cassie, closing her eyes for an extra second so as not to snap completely. Bad day, she justified to herself, and with another sigh from the depths of her lungs, she went back to work, ignoring her two main nurses and the low conversation in Tagalog.
In the Pitt, things like breaks didn't exist. Most people took a minute or two for themselves every hour, but there was no official lunch hour, let alone a one-hour break. So, it was only when she saw that there were few emergencies that she walked to the locker room, already tired from the bad day she was having, and left Perlah in charge.
She regretted it seconds after opening the locker room door. Two interns were standing near the door, talking in a tone they thought was low – young people were so naive, she thought, until she assimilated the content of the conversation.
“Did you bet on the conflict between McKay and Evans? Mohammad said only Dr. Robby didn't entered, but everyone is saying something, I don't know if it's true,” one of the young doctors whispered to the other and Dana frowned, holding the door so it wouldn't slam. Robby was always in the middle of bets, and apparently was loyal enough not to get involved in something that was too personal for Cassie.
“He’s a close friend of Dana, so it makes sense.” Hearing her name, Dana raised her eyebrows even further. She expected him to reveal what he had bet, as she already felt the anger rising in her chest. She loved being part of the staff's bets, but there was a limit to it. Her personal life was not meant to be in that mix – nor anyone else's. “And Dr. McKay is his protégé, obviously he’s not going to say anything about them. I hope it doesn't reach him, because he’ll fight everyone.”
“But what do you think happened?” The intern murmured, curious. “Did you know McKay used to wear an ankle monitor? I bet she went back to using drugs and Evans found out. They must be fighting because of that, McKay has a total junkie face.”
“Nah, that ankle monitor thing is a lie,” a third voice replied with a mocking laugh. A woman, probably Julien Brian. “I bet it was casual sex gone wrong. McKay is weird, but she's hot as fuck and Evans is scary, the sex between them must have been explosive.”
Enough.
Dana pushed the rest of the door, irritated, and let the sound of the wood hitting the wall startle those three busybodies. They turned in her direction, eyes wide, and she felt the hatred rise in her throat. It had been a long time since she had felt this irritated, and those three idiots finished off her day – which wasn't doing so well already.
“Christian Jordan, Louis Gayle, and Julien Brian. What a surprise to find three interns hidden in the locker room making bets instead of working,” her comment was pure venom and she saw the moment the three of them realized the mess they had made. “I'm going to notify your supervisor. Get back to work. Immediately.”
The “last day of work” was implied only by her tone and the three of them shivered before stumbling and pushing their way out of the locker room. Dana swallowed hard and took a deep breath, heading towards her own locker. Picking up the pack of cigarettes was a habit she had been trying to quit for a long time, and she tried very hard after everything that happened on the day of Pittfest. She was chewing nicotine gum, for God's sake! But, at that moment, only cigarette smoke would calm her down.
She left like a hurricane, bumping into Robby as soon as she got outside. Her friend had his phone to his ear and had a confused look, and when he faced her, he raised his eyebrows at the sight of the cigarette. Dana shrugged before walking away, lighting the poison carefully and sighing quietly after the first drag.
The guilt arrived immediately, but she just focused on the taste of the cigarette and the calm it brought her. She went back to remembering the events from earlier, frustrated at the thought of her wife so upset over something that wasn't entirely her fault. Kailen was difficult to deal with, they both knew that, and it wasn't Dana's fault that she also lacked tact.
“What happened and why the whole staff is betting on you and McKay, saying there was a fight?” Robby asked as soon as he ended the call. Out of respect for him, Dana put out the cigarette, snarling to herself in anger.
“God… my daughter came home yesterday and dropped a bombshell on us again. She’s dropping out of college for the third time and took it badly when I confronted her. And then Kailen decided that Cassie was an easy target for her anger and attacked her with her past, to hurt her, and now my own wife is mad at me,” Dana explained, frustrated. Robby raised his eyebrows, nodding as she spoke.
“Don't let it affect your work,” he advised calmly, and both knew that internal conflict was capable of shaking the entire Pitt. They were a team that needed as much concentration as possible, so any disagreement could explode and cause something bigger. “You have to talk calmly when you get home and apologize to each other. I'm not the best to give advice on this, but I know that's how a healthy couple's life works. And... I’m going to shut down this bet now.”
“Always being an angel, Dr. Robby,” Dana replied, sighing and entering the emergency room with him. Both noticed the intense flow of people to be seen and faced it all with resignation. They never got used to so many lives in their hands, especially since it was a huge responsibility. When Gloria refused to cooperate and expand investments in staff and training, everyone was bogged down with the workload. Which was not the fault of any patient, though. It was time to get back to work.
x
vicvicvic (@javadivic) posted: after ten months, mckay finally accepted my request on insta. just now i’m knowing she’s MARRIED. she LIED to me.
samira (@sunshinemira) replied: when did she lie to you
vicvicvic (@javadivic) replied: i made a mistake!!! she DID tell me she didn’t have a husband. never came to my mind because it’s a WIFE.
trinity (@santosytrinidad) replied: well, of course. mckay is a Dyke with capital D.
x
dennis (@nebraska2014) posted: vic is ranting in my ear the entire day. this is fucked up is because I AM GAGGED. MCKAY IS MARRIED TO DANA. THEY’RE BOTH MCKAYS. DANA USES MCKAY ON INSTAGRAM!!! And it’s not my Business. at. all.
vicvicvic (@javadivic) replied: i mentioned it just one time tho
dennis (@nebraska2014) replied: you literally made mohammed start the bet when you talked about their beef.
trinity (@santosytrinidad) replied: whos mohammed
dennis (@nebraska2014) replied: new security from triage
samira (@sunshinemira) replied: we all see now why mckay havent accepted you.
mel (@kiiiiiiingsmel): mckay may not kill her. but dana certainly will.
x
Upon returning to the emergency room, Dana did her best to ignore the pain in her chest and focus on work. Of course, that was much easier said than done, and her mind kept repeating the fight with Kailen that morning and Cassie's hurt eyes, both in their dining room and at the Pitt. Her wife had a lot of difficulty exposing her deepest feelings and what bothers her, and knowing that Cassie left the house without saying anything after being so hurt was killing Dana inside.
When she recorded the video of Mr. Yee for her wife, Dana's heart was shattered. She held herself back so as not to let any tears appear, but felt her throat tightened and had to take several deep breaths at his words. She understood him so perfectly; sometimes she and Cassie fought over minimal things, since working in such a high-stress environment meant always taking work home.
They did therapy to deal with it and during the months Dana managed to get some time away from the hospital, they tried to do different things and have fun. It was so hard to ignore the constant thoughts screaming that they were wasting time seeing Broadway plays when they should be helping their colleagues save lives. And every time her wife didn't come home at seven-thirty, Dana felt anxiety hurting her stomach and making her feel nauseous. It was a paradox, complex and difficult to solve.
“Trauma coming in, skateboard fall! 11-year-old child!” Someone announced, shouting for them to prepare, and Dana let out a sigh, emerging from her difficult thoughts. She looked at the board of available rooms and thought about where she would put the new patient, knowing that beds would soon be scarce. Her chest tightened slightly and she sighed, touching it distractedly. The bad feeling took only half a minute to materialize and she got chills all over her body when the ambulance exit door opened and a scream sounded loudly.
“Mama!”
Dana's body reacted even before her brain could process it all; in seconds she was next to the stretcher that had come through the ED door, staring in a frenzy at her son lying there, with tears streaming down his red and bloody face. He looked much younger than his twelve years and was very hurt, full of scratches and bruises all over his body.
“Harry! Harry, what happened?” The blonde asked, using his nickname, almost hysterical, and the paramedic began to answer her while she examined her son with wide, nervous eyes. Her heart was racing, it hurt, but probably not even half as much as her baby's leg. “Call Dr. McKay!”
Perlah, who had approached in the middle of the chaos, immediately pulled out her cell phone to do it and Dana breathed a sigh of relief at her quickness. Harrison held out his hands to her and she hugged him carefully, kissing his head and trying to calm the tears that were flowing furiously. Dana rocked Harrison a bit, looking at the paramedic with attention now.
“He was with me at the skate park,” the arrogant voice reached her ears and Dana had to do her best not to scream at that moment. She moved slightly away from Harrison, turning to that idiot who pretended to be father of the year. “He took a small fall off a ramp.”
“No helmet again, Chadwick? At the damn skate park?” She snarled, trying to remain calm at that moment. The man stared at her with careful eyes, nervous about her reaction. It was a good thing Chadwick feared her deeply, as if he knew how easy it would be for her to end his life, in a very different way from Cassie. Years ago, she smiled at him talking about when she went sport hunting with her father, and how she never missed an animal, and since then he avoided her like the plague. Not enough to be responsible and at least put the necessary equipment on his son before taking him to a damn skate park. Fucking idiot.
“Harrison?!” Her wife's scream was shrill and Dana shrugged her shoulders, only getting a glimpse of her before Cassie threw herself on top of Harrison, checking the boy from head to toe. Dana sighed quietly at the fury that flashed in her eyes before Cassie shrank slightly. “What happened, my baby?”
“The idi–Chad took him skateboarding,” the blonde revealed and Cassie stared at her with fury before turning her gaze to Chad. She looked livid and the nurse felt afraid of what that could mean. Her wife had a natural talent for getting into trouble, and at that moment, she looked like she was about to start a big fight. Her luck was that Dana would help her.
“Are you an idiot?” Cassie said through gritted teeth, stepping away from Harrison to push Chad with both hands. The man shrugged his shoulders, looking guilty, and Cassie might have screamed at him a bit more because of the enormous anger she felt, if it hadn't been for Harrison's thin voice catching her attention.
“Mommy,” Harrison cried, big heavy tears streaming down his face. “It hurts, mommy, make it stop.” Both their hearts broke at that very instant and tears appeared in Dana's eyes automatically. She stroked her son's hair and leaned in to murmur to him. Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Robby and Mohan approach to help the child.
With Harrison still crying, they pushed the boy's stretcher to an empty bed and it was when they started tearing his pants that Dana saw the extent of the injury. The boy's left leg was mangled, ugly wounds and scratches on various parts of his leg. Harrison screamed when Robby cut his sneaker and everyone saw the boy's foot in a very strange position. Fury rose in Dana's chest again and she promised she would kill Chad as soon as her son was stable.
She didn't hear the questions Perlah made. All she could see was her son's foot, twisted in an abnormal and extremely painful way. On the other side, holding Harrison's hand tightly, Cassie stood with tears streaming down her face and her son's agony reflected in her own. She looked so guilty and Dana promised herself that as soon as her son was stable, she was going to hit Chad. Killing wouldn't be possible, but causing permanent trauma to him, maybe breaking a tooth…
“I can't believe they always refuse to come down here,” Robby complained when Javadi said orthopedics had replied that they would arrive after the X-ray. Langdon appeared in the middle of the confusion and stared at Harrison's foot with anger shining in his face and Dana knew he would also kill Chad if he could – Harry and Taylor, Langdon's son, used to play together several times in the summer. “We're going to need to stabilize his foot and clean the wounds. Apply a dose of morphine to ease the pain.”
As Harrison received care, the boy began to relax little by little. Being around familiar faces was important for the little boy and he kept crying silently while the doctors did their work. Samira was always having dinner with them at their house, Uncle Robby was one of his favorite people in the world, Perlah always made sweet pies and sent pieces to him. Everyone there was a frequent presence in his life, so Dana was relieved by their determination to take away the boy's pain.
“Immediate X-ray of the foot and ankle,” Samira indicated after supporting the boy's foot. She stroked the black strands and stared into the deep blue eyes, giving the little boy a smile. “You're going to be okay, baby.”
When Garcia arrived, it was because she was called for another case. The surgeon raised her eyebrow at the sight of Dana and McKay standing next to Harrison, but asked no questions and only examined him quickly. Robby updated her on his choices and she murmured in agreement, accepting his plan. She asked to be called when they got the result and slowly the group dispersed, leaving only Javadi and Perlah cleaning the boy's wounds. Harrison seemed much calmer at that moment, the small dose of morphine taking effect.
“Mama,” he murmured to Dana, who leaned toward him and kissed his head. “Sorry, I lost control of the skateboard.”
“It wasn't your fault, honey,” she replied in the same tone, kissing his forehead and stepping back only to face him directly. Her fingers stroked her son's face, feeling a pang in her chest seeing him shiver when she touched his bruised cheek. “Mommy and I will make sure you’re okay, right?”
“You just need to focus on getting better now, bug,” Cassie said, kissing her son's head too. She touched her hand to Harrison's forehead and smiled at him calmly, although her wet face betrayed all the stress she was feeling at that moment. The two could barely breathe right, not when their son was lying in the hospital bed with various injuries.
Dana knew she wouldn't be able to go back to the Pitt, wouldn't be able to leave her son's side, so she approached Perlah slowly. Her long time friend stared at her with her eyebrow raised and shook her head, already imagining what Dana would ask. Perlah was perceptive and almost a sister to Dana.
“Take command of the ED, P., I think Javadi can do it with us watching,” she requested. Perlah let out a long sigh, probably thinking about killing Chad, until Javadi did something that drew a groan of pain from Harrison. Perlah nodded with hesitation and left the bedside at a quick pace, ready to activate commander mode.
“Sorry, Harrison,” Javadi seemed even younger at that moment and cast a questioning look at Dana, who shook her head, indicating for her to continue. The young student continued the procedure, meeting Dana's eyes every few minutes and rejecting Cassie's gaze. The blonde raised her eyebrow, staring at her wife, and Cassie also seemed confused by the girl's reaction.
As Javadi continued to delicately clean Harrison's skin, showing several marks that weren't there that morning, the two women beside the boy shook their heads to contain their frustration. Harrison whimpered, but seemed a bit sleepy at that moment. Dana tried to tell her own brain that the doctors and the nurse who attended her son were the best, that they would know if there was a concussion, and tried to relax, but her hands were shaking slightly. Cassie's were too. Javadi soon finished and left with a nod, leaving Dana and Cassie staring at each other with heavy and lost hearts.
Langdon returned with the X-ray machine and the radiologist, both doing their jobs quickly. Dana saw Robby passing by and nodding to her, and she flashed a smile to her friend. He only sent Langdon because, as much as he hated to admit it, he was one of the doctors he trusted most in there. The resident let out a long sigh and shrugged his shoulders and both Dana and Cassie knew it was serious even before having the data. Harrison woke up for the X-ray and stared at them in fear, squeezing Dana's hand every few seconds.
“I'll call Garcia and White as soon as I have the results,” Langdon said when the exam ended, casting a look at the two that was anything but optimistic. Cassie had approached him during the exam and kept an eye on everything, sending a look at her wife that said much more than words.
With slow steps, the brunette approached Dana and hugged her waist lightly, her other hand falling to join the blonde's on their son's arm. Dana almost collapsed at that moment at her wife's such affectionate and loving touch, feeling her vulnerability too. Both were completely destabilized by it all, but tried to stay strong for their son.
Langdon returned with the X-ray result, White, the pediatrician, and Garcia in tow. The woman stared at them with a little smile that for an instant melted the tension in Dana, until she saw Langdon turning the monitor toward her to show the extent of their son's injury. He didn't need to explain, they could see just by the image the seriousness of the injury and Dana could calculate perfectly in her head how long the recovery would take. Jesse entered the room soon after.
“We're going to set his foot and put on the cast,” White said calmly, one eyebrow raised with seriousness and calm. “It's not a case for surgery, although he will need a bit of total rest time. We'll monitor him closely for a few hours, after the procedure, and then he'll be free to go.”
“To start the procedure, we're going to need to give you a little ketamine,” Langdon began, his voice calm, staring at Harrison gently. He cast a look at McKay, who nodded, and Jesse ran to prepare the medication. “It’ll be fast and you won't even remember.”
“Am I going to sleep?” Harrison asked with a slurred and sleepy voice. Everyone in the room melted, completely in love with the deep and gentle blue eyes, so much like McKay's.
“It'll be real quick, when you wake up you'll feel much better,” Dana whispered, stroking the messy black strands. The little boy broke into a small smile, nodding sleepily.
“Will you be here when I wake up, mama?” Harrison asked, his doe eyes shining. Dana nodded, kissing his forehead for a second and brushing the strands of black hair away from his eyes. “Promise?”
“Mama and I won't leave your side, buddy,” Cassie replied with a soft and calm tone. The boy agreed, slowly closing his eyes. The medicine was taking effect and he was safe with his mothers watching every part of the procedure closely.
“I feel like I'm flying,” Harrison said with a slurred voice. The doctors in attendance exchanged a look, completely in love with the boy, and Jesse even let out an enchanted giggle, which received raised eyebrows from Dana. “Mommy…”
The last word brought Cassie to tears again, but Harrison finally fell asleep. Both Dana and Cassie moved slightly out of the doctors' way, but when Garcia held Harrison's ankle, the two shivered. Dana looked away, and just swallowed hard when the snap sounded. She dreamed for a second of killing Chad again, before hearing the movement of the doctors.
“I'm going to kill Chad,” she murmured to her wife, who agreed. McKay hadn't looked away, she seemed stoic, but Dana knew she would have to take extra care of her wife.
Cassie had been without an ankle monitor for just over nine months, it was not the time to do anything wrong. Even if both were thinking about how to kill Chad and make it look like an accident, at most what they would do would be to request permanent custody of Harrison and limit Chad's visits.
“He’s going to be okay,” Garcia said with a soft voice that many were not used to hearing, as they finally began to apply the layers of the cast. She cast a look at both Dana and Cassie, but lingered longer on the brunette before flashing a small and mischievous smile. “This type of injury takes a while to recover from, but he’s young and healthy. With a few weeks of physical therapy and follow-up, he’ll be good as new. Langdon, you take over?”
The resident nodded, since the worst had passed. Garcia and White left, talking softly about something that neither of the room bothered to listen to. Upon finishing immobilizing the boy's foot, Langdon cast a look at the two and let out a long and heavy sigh.
“Successful immobilization, from here we'll observe for a few hours and if he progresses well, he can be discharged before nightfall,” Langdon spoke calmly, with a small smile appearing. He stroked Harrison's leg and looked at the boy with affection. “Harry is tough, just like his mothers, I'm sure he'll be fine.”
They sighed and nodded. Langdon and Jesse began to clean things up, looking at the two with hesitation. From that room, only Langdon knew well about their relationship and that they had a well-established family. They had been together for just over ten years and, between hits and misses, they had come very far. Maintaining discretion at work was essential and at the same time, so difficult to do.
As soon as the room was clean and there was no one else but them, they looked at each other and crossed the steps that divided them at the same time. Dana buried her face in her wife's neck, practically inhaling the scent of her slightly masculine cologne to try to calm herself. She felt completely groundless and holding onto her wife was the only thing that made sense at that moment, and Cassie seemed to feel the same.
“I'm so sorry,” Dana whimpered, feeling all the guilt of what happened that morning on her shoulders. Cassie grabbed her with the same force, one hand on her hip and the other on the back of her neck. Dana wanted to merge with her wife and she felt Cassie squeezing her almost to the point of suffocating her, before hearing her wife sniffing quietly. The blonde felt the tears streaming down her eyes again, emotions released in a wild way.
“You aren't guilty of anything,” the brunette replied, her voice trembling. She sobbed quietly against Dana, who squeezed her with all the strength she had. Cassie squeezed her in her arms with the same strength, crying softly. “I left the house without saying goodbye to him, Dan. What if… what if… and…”
The words didn't come out of the woman's mouth, Dana had to pull away from her to grab her face and wipe the tears. She couldn't take it if those words left her wife's mouth, and tried to contain them before it was too late. The mere thought of what could have happened made the blonde's chest ache strongly, and she didn't need Cassie to feel the same way. She leaned in to kiss her cheek affectionately to calm her down.
“Harry is okay. There are no “ifs” here, Casey, our baby is okay and will get better until he’s healed,” Dana said, swallowing her own tears to calm her wife. Cassie sobbed and hid her face in her chest, crying copiously. The blonde didn't tell her to stop, didn't tell her to calm down, just held her tightly and stroked her back, letting Cassie cry for as long as she needed.
Harrison was the light of their lives and the more than perfect son. An injury like that was enough to leave any parent devastated; Dana and Cassie were no exceptions. They needed to let all the feeling out of their chest so they wouldn't collapse later when their son was awake. Therefore, they cried together and thanked the entities that existed in all religions that it hadn't been anything more serious.
After long minutes, Dana left the bedside first. Cassie sat in the chair next to Harrison, her hand firmly held against her son's, staring at him and sniffing quietly. There were no more tears to flow, just soft prayers to a God she wasn't even sure she believed in. Dana didn't want to leave her wife alone, but she needed to make sure Robby was informed of her plans.
She found him near the nursing station, eyes chaotic in all directions as he tried to make sure everything was good with Perlah. The woman was extremely nervous, she could see, but Dana knew she was capable of taking on that burden brilliantly. She approached them, sighing softly.
“Cassie and I can't go back to work today,” she communicated to the two. They looked at her with resignation, both slightly lost, and she saw Dr. Al-Hashimi approaching. “Harrison is stable now, sleeping, but we can't leave him alone, much less one or the other go home with him. We need to be with him right now.”
“What is going on?” Dr. Al-Hashimi asked, in a mix of curiosity and also a slight reprimand. Dana already knew what she would say and tried her best not to react abruptly with someone she would have to deal with for the next three months while Robby was away
“Dr. McKay and I won't be able to return to the shift because our son was seriously injured,” the blonde summarized, slightly embarrassed to say it out loud. The younger residents were around them, pretending not to hear the conversation, but just by their shocked looks, she knew they had lost the bet. She held herself back from saying how ashamed she was of their gossip habits.
“Are you legally married? Doesn't that create a conflict of interest?” Dr. Al-Hashimi questioned, tilting her head to the side, with suspicion in her eyes. Dana hated her for a second, but then let her body relax. Al-Hashimi wasn't an enemy and soon she would be her main attending. It wouldn't be good to fight with her. “Is that why there was a completely unethical bet about the two of you?”
“Oh, I have no idea who started it,” Dana replied, looking at the residents with cynicism. They began to disperse, too embarrassed for having messed up and for her already knowing it. “But it's not a conflict of interest because I'm not her direct boss. And yes, legally married.”
“So if I yell McKay, both of you answer?” Al-Hashimi joked and Dana let out a low chuckle, nodding. She relaxed completely with the joke, sighing to herself.
“I'll let Gloria know, Dan, stay relaxed,” Robby said calmly, flashing a smile at his friend who looked at him gratefully. “Focus on my godson, if you need anything, just ask.”
“Where is my son?” Chad's voice reached Dana's ears and she turned to him, staring at the finger pointed in her direction and the man coming. For a second, she thought about pushing it down and breaking it in half, but there were too many witnesses. Not that anyone would testify against her, of course, but the cameras wouldn't lie.
“Let's talk somewhere else,” Dana replied, before walking to the break room. She didn't remember who had kept Chad away from her, but she was glad they did because the moment she had seen the state of her son's foot, she would have turned to Chad and punched him hard.
“I have the right to know where my son is,” Chad practically shouted when he closed the break room door. Dana lunged forward before she could control herself, pushing a finger against his chest to the point of hurting him.
“Hopefully, after today, you won't have the right to anything else, Chadwick,” she growled at him, wanting to punch him very hard. The blonde had to take two steps back, messing with her hair in anger and ruffling it to try to contain the frustration. “Do you understand the danger Harry was in? Do you understand that he could have hit his head and had an even more serious injury?”
“Don't call him that,” Chad said, rolling his eyes at her. Dana hit the table to control herself, completely appalled that that was the only thing he had noticed in the sentence. “He's my son, Dana, I made him with Cassie! You two like to play house, but at the end of the day, he's still Chadwick Harrison Ashcroft IV. He's not Harry Evans-McKay or whatever the hell you like to call him.”
“He hates that name,” the blonde said, flashing a small smile at him. The ironic smile irritated Chad more than her words. “If you took just a little bit of time to know your own son for a second, you'd know he uses Harry McKay at school all the time. But you prefer to ignore his wishes, and just be the reckless father you've always been.”
“Reckless?” He exclaimed, running his hands through his hair with a burning rage. She shook her head, surprised that he was still able to deny it.
“The last time you went out, he got food poisoning! Now, he hurt his foot, Chad!” Dana replied in the same tone, extremely irritated that that damn idiot really didn't understand the gravity of his actions. “His foot is all in a cast, we don't know how much recovery time will be necessary and you are an irresponsible idiot!” She needed to get out of there. It was no use, Chad would never understand what he had done, the bastard. “Go home, we'll send news. Casey won't be as kind as I am.”
Chad let his shoulders drop. Cassie had gotten into physical fights with him over Harrison before and that was how she got an ankle monitor years ago, and the reason was much smaller than this. Dana feared her wife's reaction when she saw the face of that irresponsible man in front of her.
Chad had every right to be near his son, but after such a chaotic episode that was clearly his fault, it was best for him to stay away from them. The son hadn't even focused on him during the entire time he was in the hospital, hadn't even asked for his father. Accusing them of playing house when Dana had been raising Harrison since he was two years old was absurd and showed how much he wanted to attack her much more than see his son.
“I...”
“Chadwick. I'm being kind to you,” Dana warned, eyes flashing with the anger she felt in her gut. “Go home, you've already messed up enough today. Harrison will be fine and we'll send news.”
“It's like I'm just the sperm donate,” the man murmured, shaking his head. He stared at her with contempt and she swallowed hard for a second, remembering the punch she took just over ten months ago. “You two run his life as if I'm nothing. And when I take him to do something he likes and something happens, I'm the worst person in the world. This was bound to happen, Dana. It could happen with you too.”
Dana let out an ironic laugh, shaking her head. She looked at the watch on her wrist, realizing ten minutes had already passed and she needed to get back to her wife and son immediately.
“Maybe, Chad. The only difference is that we wouldn't have forgotten any of the safety equipment, while you forgot all of it.” She knew she was being cruel, but he deserved it. She was too old to be kind to a forty-year-old man who acted like a child. “Cassie needs me, do me the favor of not showing up in front of us today.”
She passed Chad with determination, unable to stand his tantrums anymore. A man that size acting like a child, she growled to herself. That's why her wife's parents hated that idiot, just like anyone over thirty with a fully developed prefrontal cortex.
“I lost $10,” Dana heard Santos commenting to someone. She walked straight past the doctors, but the girl had the bad habit of talking loudly. “I bet McKay messed up something with Dana and she was pissed at her. It's the worst day of my life.”
Her dramatic tone made Dana hold back a laugh. She didn't yelled at Santos like she did before with the interns, because the girl's sentence had no malice. She would let it slide for now, especially since she had other things to worry about. She would give the team a talking-to at the right time. And they really didn't expect what was coming.
x
Harrison woke up after just over an hour, with puffy eyes and a pout on his face. Dana couldn't help herself and kissed his head, stroking the black strands. Cassie repeated the movement, flashing a small smile at her son, who stared at them with blue eyes as bright as sapphires.
“How do you feel?”
“I feel pain,” Harrison replied, yawning. He looked at his mothers and noticed the tension, frowning. “But not like before. Just... pain.”
“That's good, honey,” Dana murmured, stroking the handsome face so similar to her wife's. “Uncle Frank will be here soon to evaluate you and we'll be able to go home.”
The little boy nodded, tired. Cassie nestled the pillows better beside his head and ruffled his hair, looking for something to do with her anxious hands. Dana stroked her wife's back softly and Cassie jumped at the contact.
“Did Daddy go home already?” Harrison asked suddenly, and Dana cast a look at Cassie before nodding. “It wasn't his fault, mama. I asked to go to the skate park and forgot my gear at home.”
Dana's heart ached because her son thought it was his fault. He was a smart young man, but he wasn't an adult. Chad should have known better, but of course, he always did everything wrong. Knowing that their son was blaming himself for something that was the fault of the irresponsible man made Dana crazy; with just a look at Cassie, she saw her wife was the same way.
“Your father is wrong for not paying attention, bug. You should, yes, remember your gear, but the adult at the end of the day is your father. He's the one who has to understand that you must always be safe,” Cassie murmured, a calm smile for her son appearing on her face. She stroked the boy's head carefully.
“And he already went home, kiddo,” Dana added, receiving a confused look from Cassie. “But he's anxious for you to call him and tell him you're better. Do you want to talk to him?”
Dana hated herself for suggesting that, but she didn't want Harrison to notice even more the irritation they felt with Chad, not after what happened when the boy arrived. It was better to pretend and keep the peace for now, even if it cost her mental sanity.
“Not now,” Harrison replied quietly, fiddling with his hands. Dana sighed and looked at her wife, shrinking back at the critical look that flashed in Cassie's eyes. They had a lot to talk about when they got home later.
They nestled their son and after a few minutes Langdon appeared, with a smile on his face and Kiara in tow. He discharged Harrison with some mandatory medications to take, a medical note, and a request for his evaluation in ten days to see how the boy was recovering. The social worker was calm and concise, asking if they needed extra help, which both denied. Dana knew she had several days of accumulated vacation and could take some of those days to stay with her son, while Cassie would have to talk to the residency program director and the hospital administrators. She wouldn't lose her spot, but Dana knew she wouldn't be able to work without being near her son at all.
The brunette then requested a wheelchair to take her son to the car and crutches to take home and soon Jesse appeared with the equipment, flashing a smile at them and disappearing shortly after. The two were ready to put their son in the chair when Robby appeared, flashing a smile and lifting Harrison without saying a single word. The man gave a fist bump to Harrison's shoulder, who laughed at him.
“I'll get our things, will you take him to the car?” Cassie asked and Dana nodded, flashing a soft smile at her wife. The brunette left the bedside for the first time since her son had arrived and Dana forced herself to turn to Robby. The man was already taking Harrison's chair outside and she followed them with an affectionate smile.
Some interns didn't look away from them, while the residents tried their best to pretend they weren't looking. She cast a look at Ahmad's room, believing he had started the bets, but his board was completely empty. It wasn't something he did usually, betting on someone's personal life, so she needed to find out who started this.
“Did you find out who started the bet?” Dana asked in a low voice, looking at Robby with curiosity. He let out a low laugh, walking through the corridors as if he had all the time in the world – Al-Hashimi was probably fully in charge while he left with Dana and Harrison.
“Ahmad said the rookie security guard at reception heard Javadi talking about the tension between you,” Robby commented, laughing again, and Dana thought of the girl's guilty eyes earlier. That explained a lot of things. “I just know the bets were a success and half the building was involved in them, and now it's over. When Al-Hashimi found out, wanted to fight everyone, but I had already told them to end it because it was nobody's business what you did at home. But we had a winner.”
“Oh no,” Dana murmured to herself, stopping beside her car and looking at Robby with resignation. Even when they fought with them, the hospital staff still acted like children.
The blonde unlocked the car and Robby quickly put Harrison inside, with a final squeeze on the shoulder of the boy who smiled at them and their excited conversation. Meanwhile, Cassie approached, putting her bag on her shoulder and casting a curious look at the two.
“To resume, Mel King bet ten dollars that you guys were just having a couple's tiff and that by the end of the day you'd be back to normal, and she's taking home a thousand dollars,” Robby said and both eyes widened, surprised by the high amount of the bets.
“Damn, if I'd known the amount, I would've given a description of this morning's events myself,” Cassie replied, whistling softly, and took a weak punch from her wife, who laughed. A thousand dollars really would make a difference in anyone's life, they both thought. “You should have bet, Robby.”
“As much as it might not seem like it, I still have a love for life and a fear of Dana McKay.” The man shivered, eyes widening, and took a very hard punch from the blonde. He ducked with the force and groaned softly, faking it more than he should. They let out a laugh before walking toward the car.
“Great, the first thing I'll do on my next shift is corner Mohammed,” Dana commented, smiling. Cassie and Robby looked at each other, shaking their heads. She was a lost cause. “And then, he'll learn that he shouldn't meddle in anyone else's life.”
“Poor guy,” Robby murmured and both laughed softly. Dana started the car and waved to her friend, who closed the door on Harrison's side after saying goodbye to the boy. “Call if you need anything, I'll be there in five minutes.”
“Good luck with the rest of the shift, Robs.”
The man waved and finally Dana drove off, casting a look at the back seat. Her son seemed melancholy, looking at the city lights behind the window and a pout on his lips. She turned her gaze back to the street and squeezed the steering wheel, thinking of Chad and his words.
“Do you want ice cream?” Cassie asked suddenly to her son and that made the boy shout excitedly. The brunette let out a low laugh, shaking her head and Dana didn't even need to turn to her to know exactly which direction to follow.
Their favorite ice cream parlor was less than three blocks from there and the blonde quickly parked beside the building. The bright sunlight shone in her hair when Cassie got out of the car and Dana took the opportunity to turn on the radio, putting it on a pop station and turning to her son. Harrison smiled at her, still looking very tired and sore, but the hope of ice cream would cheer up any child.
Dana's phone rang and she pulled it from her pocket, hearing Harrison singing the song that had just started on the radio. She smiled at the sound of her son's voice before answering her wife's call.
“What if I buy Thai food? I'm starving, you haven't eaten anything, our son is tired and hungry...” Cassie suggested, without even greeting her. Dana let out a laugh, seeing her wife already heading toward the Thai restaurant. “I'll take the chance to buy more medicine for Harry too.”
“Jesus, are you going to do the full delivery service then?” Dana mocked her wife, who laughed out loud and shook her head. The blonde turned completely to her son, who raised his eyebrows at her. “Can you wait while Mommy buys food for us? Besides the ice cream?”
“Is it Thai?” He asked with shining eyes and when Dana nodded, he shouted and agreed excitedly. “I don't even feel any pain!”
“Oh, you brat!”
The son let out a giggle at the phrase, but began to relax in the car seat. He finally found the drawing book they always kept nearby and leaned back to paint, smiling, despite the still furrowed brow. He would feel the pain for a few days, but would be fine soon.
Despite the warning, Cassie didn't take more than ten minutes to come back with everything. Dana let out a giggle when she saw her wife propping everything on the car roof to be able to open the door and Cassie grunted with the effort and looked at her with anger before sitting down.
“I think I overdid it with the ice cream, I felt like it was the end of the world and had bought three different flavors,” the brunette said, drawing a surprised laugh from her wife. Dana went back to driving and took less than six minutes to get home. Despite the expensive rent, she thanked the heavens for being able to live near the hospital.
“Kailen was mad when Paulie and I left the house,” Harrison commented distractedly. Dana and Cassie looked at each other, both sharing a worried look. If Kailen was still in that mood, it would be hard to deal with her at that moment.
“Let's take you inside and then we'll think about your sister,” Dana murmured.
She got out of the car and opened the kitchen door, hearing the sound of the TV in the distance. She left the door open and went back to help Cassie with her son, who soon put the crutches under his arms. They stared at him fixedly while he took his first steps and frowned, totally irritated with the feeling. He managed, with Dana's hand at the base of his back, to enter the house alone. While Cassie came behind with the bags, Dana managed to guide her son to the living room, where they found Kailen lying on the sofa watching The Office.
“What happened?” The girl exclaimed as soon as Harrison threw himself on the sofa in front of her, the boy groaning softly with the effort he had made. “What the f—”
“No swearing,” Dana reprimanded her before she finished the sentence. The blonde pulled a kitchen chair and placed it in front of Harrison, supporting her son's foot and helping him put pillows behind his back. She ignored her daughter for a moment, while concentrating totally on the injured boy. “Harry went out skateboarding with his father and got hurt.”
“Did he break his foot?” Kailen asked, eyes wide.
“No, he just had a dislocation. He was treated at the Pitt and soon, soon he'll be good as new,” Dana explained, turning her gaze back to the kitchen. Cassie was rummaging through the cabinets, she could hear, and her heart tightened for a second thinking of her wife hesitating to walk in her own house. “We brought food, have you had lunch yet?”
“Yes, a few minutes ago,” Kailen replied with a fake smile. Dana nodded, going to find her wife and help her with the dishes.
She found Cassie setting the table for two on the kitchen counter, looking completely lost in thought. Her hair was messier than ever, her bangs tossed every which way, and she was now just in a tank top. Dana leaned her hip against the kitchen doorway, admiring her beautiful wife. She really had one-in-a-million luck, she thought to herself as she began to approach Cassie.
The brunette heard her footsteps and turned toward her, with a food box in her hands and a resigned look. Dana held the box and placed it on the counter before pressing her hands on her wife's hips, who stared at her like a deer in headlights. Cassie quickly looked away toward her mouth, before holding onto her shoulders carefully.
“A penny for your thoughts,” Dana whispered, smiling at Cassie. The brunette rolled her eyes before letting out a long sigh, looking away from the blonde to look at the kitchen doorway. Dana squeezed her hips harder, pulling her toward her and making Cassie's body collide directly against hers. “Casey.”
“I'm thinking about this morning's argument,” the brunette replied in the same tone. She swallowed hard and closed her eyes, and Dana saw the solitary tear descending her cheek. She breathed heavily before touching her lips to that piece of skin, feeling Cassie take a deep breath.
“She will apologize to you soon, baby,” Dana said. She met her wife's eyes with affection, tilting her head to the side so Cassie wouldn't be able to look away. “What she said was wrong, Cass. She doesn't know what you went through, she doesn't know what happened with us up to this point. And, honestly, she also knows she can't live with us if she maintains this behavior.”
“Dana, she hates staying at her father's house,” Cassie replied, always thinking more of others than herself. “I'm not going to do that to her, send her away just because...”
“Just because she is immature and makes decisions impulsively, thinks she's right and still dares to say absurd things to you? Kailen is being spoiled, Casey, and I'm not going to let her do that to you.” The words were concrete and Dana let out a long sigh when her wife rested her head on her shoulder, sighing softly to contain herself.
“I feel silly thinking about this when our son had an accident,” Cassie confided, grabbing Dana's shirt tightly. The nurse murmured in agreement, showing she was listening. “It seems silly when I put my pain side-by-side with his.”
“Just because he is physically hurt doesn't mean you can't feel emotionally hurt, Casey. It doesn't work that way,” she quickly retorted, and the brunette sighed, clinging even more tightly against her. A soft kiss was placed on her shoulder and Dana smiled, stroking the entire length of her wife's back before pulling away.
“Let's go before Harrison eats the pillow foam,” she requested and Cassie let out a giggle. “He eats on the sofa and we eat here?”
“Right, let me just pour some juice for him and a bit of ice cream.”
Cassie ran to the fridge and filled a glass of orange juice and the ice cream while Dana put food on the plate. The blonde grabbed the silverware and the two headed toward the living room, where Harrison was now alone, watching The Lion King for the tenth time this month. The boy smiled at them and thanked them when he received the food. He was starving, they noticed immediately, and Dana put her own cellphone beside him for anything.
The blonde returned with Cassie to the kitchen and the two sat at the counter. Dana let her foot wrap around Cassie's ankle, letting out a giggle for her wife when she shivered all over. With small random comments, they ate the Thai food. Cassie kissed her head when they finished, pulling away with the dishes and laughing quietly when Dana squeezed her waist tightly.
“Go take a shower so we can watch Grey’s,” Cassie ordered, a bigger smile than when they got home, though much smaller than her usual. Dana rolled her eyes, very angry at the mere suggestion of watching that show.
“You know I hate that show, Cassandra McKay,” the blonde exclaimed, staring at her wife with irritation. Cassie let out a loud laugh at her pretense, before murmuring.
“Addison appeared in this episode.”
“Oh, so now you're speaking my language!” Dana turned her back and her wife roared with laughter, the laughter filling the nurse's chest with warmth and the love she felt for that woman. She pretended to tolerate the series, but she loved being snuggled up with her wife while they watched the Seattle doctors' drama.
When the blonde entered the living room, she came across her son leaning on the sofa with his head thrown back, snoring softly. Her cellphone was beside him, almost falling on top of the completely clean food plate, and Dana let out a giggle before taking the dishes to the kitchen.
“How is Harry?” Cassie asked, holding the plate for herself and putting it with the rest of the dishes. Dana looked at the braid in her dark strands, remembering when she did the hairstyle before everything exploded that morning.
“Sleeping again. I'm going to tuck him in on the sofa for now, I think it'll have to be his improvised room for a few days,” Dana said and Cassie agreed with a small sound from her throat.
The blonde went back to the living room, waking her son softly just to tuck him in correctly on the sofa. Harrison murmured, complaining of pain for a few seconds, but she stroked his messy hair and gave a light kiss on his forehead before pulling away. She went up the stairs, still thinking about the day's events, until she entered her and her wife's bedroom.
The shower was longer than she predicted it would be, with more tears streaming from her eyes than she would have liked, but when she came out of the shower, with the smell of spices and vanilla taking over the bathroom, she felt a little better. The weight of the day was still on her shoulders, and there was a list of the many things they would have to do in the coming days to adapt Harrison to the reality with a cast, but those were things Dana could think about later. She was almost approaching the stairs when she heard the conversation in her daughter's room.
For a second, she tensed up, until she saw her wife's back in the bedroom doorway. Cassie had her hands in her pockets, and the tension in her shoulders was too beautiful for the blonde to let pass. She let her gaze fall to the well-defined muscles and bit her lip, until Kailen's voice caught her attention.
“I heard Mom saying I should go live with Dad,” her daughter said, an acidic tone unusual for her. Dana swallowed hard, leaning against the wall for a second, even though she knew it was wrong. “It's ironic that she says so much that she loves us, but always puts you above us. Have you noticed that? No wonder she paid for your college and...”
“You're an adult, Kai,” Cassie interrupted, her voice soft and calm. Dana noticed the tension increasing and swallowed hard, knowing that soon Cassie would break. “You're adult enough to understand that nothing your father has ever told you about Dana and me is true. It wasn't she who lent me money to go back to college, my father had money saved, just like yours. Have you ever wondered why your mother calls me Casey?”
“It was your old nickname.”
“At thirty-two, shortly after having Harrison, I had a medication overdose. I arrived at the Pitt almost dead, and when your mother asked what my name was, I didn't answer correctly. She heard Casey. She fought for several hours so that Casey could live, more than anyone else at the Pitt, and that was how I survived,” Cassie told, her voice slightly choked. Dana closed her eyes, with a sore heart, and tried to erase the memories of that day. “Since then, I have the honor of living because Dana fought for her Casey.”
“I didn't know...” Kailen's voice was weak and Dana noticed the soft sob coming from her mouth. Her heart ached for her daughter, for discovering their story that way.
“Your mother helped me with everything, suggested rehabs, hobbies, movies; she was visiting me when she had day offs, and swapped her cigarette breaks to check on me; she treated me like a person when everyone thought I had attempted suicide and shouldn't be seen like this,” Cassie continued, leaning her head on the door before sighing. “Your mother saved me, Kailen. She gave me a name to be proud of, a house to return to and even loving me every day, she still would never choose me over any of you three.”
Dana heard the rustle of a chair dragging and only heard Cassie's exclamation when Kailen threw herself into her arms. She bit her lip, trying not to cry at the scene, but the memories came back with full force. Cassie, so weak on the stretcher, murmuring incomprehensible things, trying to write something on her arm and failing desperately. The fear in her eyes and the desperation from being unable to react.
Dana spent nights thinking about her until she decided to be unethical and go visit the woman on the upper floors. She met Cassie's father that day and he cried in her arms when she said who she was, murmuring that she was the only person Cassie remembered from the treatment. When the then-redhead woke up, she had tired eyes that shone when they saw Dana—who knew immediately that she was screwed forever.
Friendship came first. Touches deepened, eyes connected longer, lips were stared at, and then romance emerged. Benji noticed, and Dana couldn't deny it when he confronted her. That same night, he asked for a divorce and she accepted. That same night, Dana and Cassie kissed and made love for the first time.
Love deepened, dating emerged naturally. The marriage proposal on a clear summer morning, after a dinner at the McKays' house. Unexpected, without a ring, and yet so right. They married on a beautiful autumn day, surrounded by people they loved, and that same week Cassie went back to college. Marriage gave Cassie the ability to dream, Dana knew, because it gave her the opportunity to live the truth of her life.
Seeing that the hug was about to end, Dana began to approach with firm steps. Kailen came out of Cassie's arms and turned to her mother with eyes full of tears, making her swallow hard to hold back the crying. The girl threw herself into her arms and for a moment, all Dana could remember was when she was tiny, after her birth. So small it was scary to hold her.
“I'm sorry, Mom,” Kailen murmured in her arms and Dana squeezed her tightly, her heart aching. She freed herself so much after being able to live her life the way she wanted, and now she couldn't support her daughter completely.
“Sorry, pumpkin, Mom was very hard on you this morning,” the blonde said, pulling away from her daughter to wipe the tears from her face. Kailen's blue eyes stared at her and Dana saw the truth in her daughter.
“You're right, I need to figure out what I want for my life,” Kailen replied, before sighing. “But can I figure it out on Monday?”
“Of course,” Cassie said, letting out a giggle. She cast a look at Dana and the two talked briefly with their eyes. “Go get the popcorn ready, we'll be starting our Veep marathon in ten minutes.”
“You can just say you're obsessed with Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Mom, no one's going to judge you,” Kailen teased before pulling away and running down the stairs—exactly as she had done since she was fifteen. Dana felt the pang of melancholy and nostalgia in her chest before turning to Cassie.
Her wife already had her hand extended and pulled her into the room as soon as their hands connected. Cassie closed the door slowly so as not to draw attention and Dana let out a giggle at the care before finding herself completely pinned against the wood. The blue eyes had a different shade and the blonde felt her heart skip a beat, closing her eyes to enjoy the feeling of the strong body against hers.
“I haven't said how much I love you today,” Cassie murmured, her mouth almost touching Dana's, who sighed softly. She murmured, before feeling the soft lips touching her cheek. “I love you so much, Dan.”
“I love you so much too, Cass,” Dana replied in the same tone, before raising her hands and grabbing her wife's hair. She took Cassie's lips for herself strongly and her wife pushed her body completely against the door; the kiss was like being home, like summer rain, like a reunion of souls. They groaned softly with the contact, and Dana tilted her head to the side, seeking more from Cassie.
Cassie opened her mouth and Dana didn't hesitate before exploring her wife's mouth, feeling the brunette's anxious hands wandering all over her body. Tongues fought for dominance, bodies moved, hair was pulled and in the end, Cassie gained control of the kiss by pressing her thumb against the base of her wife's breast. Dana pulled away, feeling short of breath and the excitement consuming her, and stared at Cassie with cloudy eyes.
“Veep in ten minutes.” Dana let out a loud groan when the brunette pulled away after a final bite on her lip. Cassie let out a laugh, going to take her own shower and leaving her wife standing against the door.
“Good thing you're more obsessed with Julia than Grey’s,” the blonde teased, hearing Cassie's laughter in the bathroom. She broke into her own smile and allowed herself to lie on the bed for a moment, relaxing after such a chaotic day.
The day hadn't been ideal, but it would end like all the McKays' days, with them snuggled on the sofa and the snores of their son sounding from the sofa next to them. And it had been a long time—too long—since Dana had prayed, but at that moment, with eyes closed, she whispered a small prayer thanking the heavens for having her family with her after so many bad things during the day. At the end of the day, she still had an incredible wife to come back home and four amazing children whom she loved very much. At the end of the day, it was what really matters.