412 Friends and relationships

Isaac cleared his throat. "I'm here to check on my favorite patient."

"Dad…", Liz called. "I'm sorry to worry you."

Isaac shook his head in disapproval. "Silly girl. Why did you do something so reckless without notifying me?"

"Would you come with me?"

"Hell, no!", Isaac snapped. "I would not let you go."

Liz tilted her head to lean her temple on Max's shoulder. "That is why I didn't tell you."

Isaac waved at Max to step away and give medical professionals space. "I thought that Max is the right man for you, someone who will protect you, but now I see that I was wrong. He supported you being reckless and who knows what else you did without my knowledge? I should find you a more reliable man…", Isaac grumbled, and Max shrunk while trying to merge with the potted plant that was behind him.

Max would do anything for Liz, but going against Isaac is something only Liz dares to do.

"Daddy…", Liz whined. "There is no one more reliable than Max."

"Shush now!", Isaac said with a frown and he put a stethoscope on Liz's back while instructing: "Deep breaths…"

"I know you are worried, but if you were in my position, you would not be able to sit idle.", Liz said when Isaac ended listening to her back, and Isaac snorted in response.

The rest of the checkup passed in silence and Isaac confirmed that Liz is recuperating fine.

"Your blood pressure is on the low side, but with rest and good food, it will be OK within a few days.", Isaac said. "Stay on the pain medications until needed but keep on switching them in order not to develop an addiction."

Liz understood Isaac's words. They are always extra cautious when strong medications are given to medical workers because they are easily accessible and it's not uncommon to catch a doctor prescribing to himself strong narcotics. It starts as a way to manage pain after an injury, but if not careful it becomes an addiction that can endanger the doctor and his (or her) patients.

Liz noticed that Isaac addressed everything except for the obvious. "What about my right shoulder?"

"The bullet cracked your scapula, acromion to be more precise. I extracted the bullet and reconnected the tissue successfully. Now it's up to you to take it easy and allow your body to heal. It will be slow, but you should be able to make a full recovery."

Liz looked at her right hand. Moving her fingers was difficult and Liz knew that she does not feel pain only because of the painkillers. Tight bandages around her right shoulder and elbow are there to limit her movements.

"How long?" Liz asked while observing Isaac's expression keenly.

Liz was grateful that Isaac told her the truth, and months without performing surgeries sounded like forever, and it diminished her chances to be invited to the symposium of neurosurgeons greatly. However, she can still diagnose and treat her patients, so she will not allow herself to dwell on this.

What was done is done and Liz wanted to focus on things that she can change. One of them is related to Max. It's Tuesday which means that he lost two days from work because of her. Liz was aware that Max will not leave her side since she would do the same. She already felt guilty for all this mess and she does not want to increase her burden by keeping Max away from his company for more than necessary.

"When can I be discharged?"

Isaac frowned in disapproval of Liz's question. Why is she so eager to leave? "You just woke up. You need to stay at least forty-eight hours for observation, but I recommend longer."

"If everything looks fine, I want to be discharged in two days.", Liz declared.

Isaac groaned in frustration. "What's the rush?"

"I won't be able to perform surgeries, but I still have patients who are waiting for me."

Isaac could not believe this. "You want to return to Seattle?"

"That is where my work is", Liz said and glanced at Max. "That is where my home is."

Isaac didn't approve. "You should stay in New York. If you don't want to stay in the hospital, that is fine. At home, we have maids that can take care of you when I am at work, and I will rearrange my schedule so that I can spend more time with you. If this is about Max, you know that he is welcome to stay anytime."

Liz rejected. "No, dad. I don't have maids in Seattle, but I have friends. I don't need constant supervision, and if I need more help, I can always hire someone temporarily. Please, don't make this more difficult than it already is."

Before Isaac could respond, the door opened and Mia, Brianna, Sabrina, Ashton, Olivia, and Mike entered.

"You are up!", Mia exclaimed and gave Liz a hug, careful not to disturb Liz's right shoulder.

Brianna approached Liz and looked at her bandaged shoulder that peeked under the hospital gown. "Promise that you will not play Rambo again."

Liz laughed. "Rambo?"

"Yes! I returned from San Francisco to hear that you were playing commando games in some jungle and you got shot. Quentin is sorry that he couldn't come but things are very busy at the company. He sends you his regards and well wishes… and his wife." Brianna ended with a grin while pointing at herself.

"Don't hog the patient…", Sabrina said to Brianna while nudging her to move. "When I heard what happened, I thought that it's a mistake because my bonehead brother is the one who usually ends up in a hospital."

"Bonehead?", Max grumbled from the side, making Liz laugh.

Ashton and Mike greeted Liz before joining Max on the side, and then Liz's eyes fell on Olivia who stood at the end of her bed with eyes that glistened with tears.

Liz lifted her left arm toward Olivia, silently asking her to come for a hug.

Olivia hugged Liz and exhaled a shaky breath. "I was so worried when I heard what happened…"

"It's OK. I am fine and I will be back home in a few days.", Liz responded. "I'm sorry that I troubled you."

"It's not trouble...", Olivia responded and they took turns in telling Liz how their weekend went, how they found out that Liz was hurt, and that they used a private jet from the Alpha group to come to New York.

Max pushed Mia further down the bed so that he can sit next to Liz and hold her hand.

Ashton sat next to Sabrina on the sofa, Mike held onto Olivia, and Mia and Brianna sat at the end of Liz's bed.

Isaac looked at all the youngsters that gathered around Liz and he realized that his baby-girl grew roots in Seattle in less than a year. In New York, she had many acquaintances, but only Mia and Brianna could be called friends. Mia and Brianna traveled frequently and Liz didn't spend much time with them. But in Seattle, she made many more friends and they even came all the way to New York just to see her, not knowing if Liz will be awake for it.

Isaac already suspected that Liz will not return to New York in summer, but now he was confident about it. Suddenly, he was lonely.

Isaac stepped out of the VIP room and stuffed his hands in the pockets of his pants while gazing through the window at the park that was designed to be an oasis for his patients. Isaac always hoped that Liz will spend some time as a neurosurgeon before she joins him in running the Williams Medical corp. but if she stays in Seattle, will that happen?

Isaac's phone vibrated and he checked it. His lips curved into a smile when he saw that it's a message from Foxy.

[Nicole]: "Things are busy at work with Max's absence. When he returns, I will come and visit for a few days when that works for you."

Foxy was with Isaac on Saturday when he got a call that Liz got hurt and she accompanied him to Miami and back. Foxy didn't intrude, but she was there to support him. Foxy returned to Seattle on Sunday because she knew that Max would stay behind and that Hunter will need all the help he can get.

Nathan said that he will be there in case of an emergency, but only as a consultant. Nathan didn't want to step in as the CEO again because he decided to retire and leave the company to Max and Hunter, and if they destroy it, so be it.

Isaac felt guilty while looking at the phone. Foxy was supportive, yet he was selfish. She comes to visit him and compromises her schedule to accommodate his.

Isaac got an idea and texted Foxy back: "Liz is awake and stable. If nothing comes up, she will be discharged in two days. How about at that time I come to your place for a few days?"

Isaac kept the phone back in his pocket and smiled. He didn't need to read the message he received ten seconds later to know that Foxy agreed. Isaac remembered that Valentine's day is in this coming weekend and he should make some arrangements. With that, he felt less lonely.

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