Part Five

 

Harmony hardly noticed that the phone was ringing. She was practicing the violin when she heard her answering machine go off. She ran to the nearest phone and picked it up.

 

“Hello?”

 

“Harmony, where have you been? I’ve been trying to reach you since last night!”

 

“Tony!” Harmony exclaimed, happy to hear her brother’s voice. “I was on a date.”

 

“No wonder.”

 

“What’s wrong?” she asked, recognizing a tone of worry in Tony’s voice.

 

“That’s why I’ve been trying to get a hold of you. Dad’s had a stroke,” Tony explained.

 

“No!”

 

“Yeah, the doctors say he’s on his last leg now. Mom wants you to come back home.”

 

“Of course. Um, there’s a, uh, one-fifteen flight. I’ll catch that one, and with the layover, um I’ll be there by, er, seven-ish,” Harmony said.

 

“Okay,” Tony said softly. “Give me a call when you’re about to land.”

 

“Got it.” She hung up, and then dialed the number for the Delta ticket desk.

 

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Meanwhile, at County General Hospital, the news of Luka and Harmony’s relationship was spreading like a wildfire. This was mainly due to Doctor Dave.

 

“God, is she lucky,” Chuny said watching Luka during the day.

 

“I would love to be in her shoes,” Abby agreed.

 

Harmony raced by them.

 

“Doctor Morris, I thought you were off today,” Abby said.

 

“I am, but I need to grab something and talk to Kerry,” she explained.

 

“Doctor Weaver is in exam two,” Chuny said.

 

“Thanks.” Harmony ran into the room, where Kerry was finishing her diagnosis. “I don’t mean to bother you, Kerry but I have to talk to you.”

 

Kerry nodded. “What is it?”

 

“Well, my father had a stroke and I need to go to Tucson. I was wondering if…”

 

“Don’t worry Harmony. I’ll take care of it. I hope your father will be all right,” Kerry.

 

“Thanks.” Harmony left.

 

“I was sure you said you didn’t have to come in today,” Luka said, catching sight of Harmony.

 

“I had to talk to Kerry because my father had a stroke and is dying and I’m going into Tucson to be with him,” Harmony explained, losing control of her emotions.

 

“I’m sorry,” Luka said, not really sure what else to say.

 

“I am too.” She sighed looking up at him. “I need to go pack, I’ll see you when I get back.”

 

“Have a safe trip,” Luka said.

 

“Thanks.”

 

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“Last boarding call for Delta Flight 8920 to Salt Lake City.”

 

Harmony ran to the flight desk. “You have a ticket reserved for Harmony Morris, right?”

 

The attendant nodded. “You’re lucky. The flight was about to leave.”

 

Harmony boarded and sat down. She was in a window seat and there was no one in the seat next to her. She moaned quietly as the plane began to taxi down the runway. The flight attendants began to give the instructions on the little screen in front of her. She didn’t care. She felt really bad. I can’t believe this, she thought.  I can’t believe that I didn’t have my cell phone on, I can’t believe I was out enjoying myself when Dad was having a stroke. Oh God, could life get any more complicated. She sighed and ran a hand through her bangs. She really needed someone to talk to right about now.

 

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The trip to Salt Lake City was uneventful, as was the trip to Tucson. As she had promised, Harmony called Tony to tell him that she was arriving in the city. He picked her up and they started to drive to their childhood home.

 

“So you were on a date last night hum?” Tony asked. “What has happened to you? I though you were never going to date.”

 

“I’ve changed.”

 

“Is he another doctor?”

 

“Yup. In the E.R. with me. Luka Kovac.”

 

“Sounds foreign,” Tony commented.

 

“He’s Croatian,” Harmony explained. They sat in silence for a moment. “How’s Dad?”

 

“Not to good. But you’re the doctor. You’d know better than I would.”

 

“Is anybody at home?” Harmony asked.

 

“Krystal and Marian are with the kids,” Tony said. Marian was his wife.

 

“Did everyone bring their kids?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Wow. That will be a full house.”

 

“Here we are,” Tony said, driving into the gravel-topped driveway.

 

Harmony gazed at the house. It was a large brick house, surrounded by many gardens. She could hear the sound of children’s laughter. “Welcome home,” she said, and walked into the house.

 

“Is that you Harmony?” asked a voice from the kitchen.

 

“Aunt Harmony!” yelled a little dark hared boy. He ran to hug his aunt.

 

“Hello Jimmy,” Harmony said, returning the hug. She the favored nice of all of her nephews, mainly because she could tell gory stories and let them get away with just about anything.

 

“Hey sis,” said Krystal, joining her nephew. “Have you been to see dad yet?”

 

“No. I’m probably going to go soon.”

 

“Have you had anything to eat?”

 

“I’m not hungry.”

 

Krystal glared at her sister. “Knowing you, you probably haven’t eaten all day.”

 

“I will, when I get back.”

 

“Dad’s not doing to well. They don’t think he’ll make it through the night.”

 

Harmony nodded solemnly, in understanding. She had seen this played out so many times. But it meant something more when you were an actor.

 

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Harmony peaked into the darkened room. She saw her mother and Cameron sitting by her father’s bedside.

 

“Hi,” Harmony whispered, walking in.

 

“Hi,” Cameron said sadly.

 

“Is he asleep?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Good.” Harmony took a seat next to her sister. Cameron was tall, and graceful. She was created to be an actress. Harmony turned her attention to the sounds in the room. They were so familiar. The beeps, the steady trill of the heart monitor. It was almost like being back in Chicago. But in Chicago, Luka might console her... 

 

“Harmony?” a weak voice cut through her clouded sleep.

 

“Yes,” she hurried to her father’s bedside.

 

“Harmony. I wanted to see you before I died. My baby. They only one of my children not to be married. I love you hunny.”

 

“I love you too Daddy,” Harmony said, holding his hand up to her cheek. “I love you too.

 

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Harmony came home late that night with a heavy heart. She walked quietly into her room and sat down at her desk. A tear rolled down her cheek. She decided to write a letter to Luka.

 

“Aunt Harmony?”

 

Harmony turned around. Cameron’s youngest daughter, Sara, stood in the doorway, clutching her stuffed teddy bear.

 

“You can’t sleep right?” Harmony asked gently.

 

Sara nodded. “Will you tell me a story? And none of the nasty ones you tell the boys.”

 

“Of course. Come on, on the bed.” Harmony sat down on the bed and Sara snuggled next to her. “Lets see. Once upon a time, there was a young woman. She lived among the wild animals, helping them. You see, she could talk to them. Well, one day, she had to come home, because she lived in another county. She had to work like normal people and act like them too. But where she worked was a nice man. He liked the woman and asked her to dinner.”

 

“Did they fall in love?”

 

Harmony considered the question. “Yes. They did.”

 

“And did they get married?”

 

“I don’t know. The end had yet to come.”