A Brother's Honour

* * *

Jace was glad Caden was on his way, because he didn’t want to handle this alone.

* * *

“What happened?”

The sound of Caden’s voice was a welcome relief, and Jace turned and looked into his brother’s concerned face. Dr. Timmons and the nurse assisting him glanced up, as well.

“Jace brought it to our attention that your grandfather’s breathing had changed, so we’re making sure everything is okay,” Sedrick spoke up and said.

“And is it?” Caden asked, walking into the hospital room and placing his sax case against a wall.

“Yes. He’s resting comfortably,” was the doctor’s response.

Jace moved toward his brother and engulfed him in a fierce bear hug. “I’m glad to see you, Caden.”

“Same here.” Caden then glanced over at Dr. Timmons. “Good seeing you again, Sedrick.” Moving across the room, the two shook hands.

Jace raised a brow, surprised Caden had easily recognized Sedrick when he had not.

“Same here,” Sedrick said, smiling. Jace figured it was because Caden was definitely being friendlier toward him than Jace had been.

“Sorry about this situation with your grandfather,” Sedrick added.

“I am, too.” Caden then glanced over at Jace. “Did you reach Dalton?”

“Yes.” Jace pretended to stretch his body and knew Caden intercepted the code they’d developed years ago that meant...we’ll discuss it later.

“He’s back to resting calmly now,” Sedrick said. “If it happens again, let us know.”

He was about to leave the room with the nurse following in his wake when Caden asked, “How’s Shiloh?”

“She’s fine and back in Virginia. She returned six months ago when my father became ill and stayed to help out with Mom after he died.”

“I was sorry to hear about your dad’s passing,” Caden said.

“Thanks.”

Sedrick closed the door behind him, and it was then that Caden glanced back across the room at Jace, who said, “You handled that well.”

“What?”

“News that Shiloh is back in Virginia.”

Caden shrugged and his jaw tightened. “Doesn’t matter to me one way or the other.”

“Yet you asked about her,” Jace couldn’t help pointing out.

“Out of curiosity and nothing more.”

Jace decided not to also point out that curiosity didn’t mean a damn thing unless it mattered.

“So what’s going on with Dalton? Is he coming or not?” Caden asked brusquely.

Jace stretched once again, followed by an incline of his head toward the bed after pointing at his ear.

Caden understood and nodded. “Fine.”

Caden then moved toward the bed and settled down in the same chair that Jace had vacated earlier. Jace studied his brother. Although there was a two-year difference in their ages, Caden was an inch taller but somewhat thinner, especially in his facial features. He looked tired, through-to-the-bone worn, and in need of a lot of rest. Jace figured doing all those concerts and not eating properly in between, in addition to not getting enough rest, was taking its toll.

Caden reached out and took their grandfather’s hand in his. “If this was your idea of getting us all back in one spot, then it worked,” he said. “But just so you know, I don’t like seeing you this way, so knock it off.”

Jace couldn’t help but smile. Years ago, Caden had found a way to bypass the old man’s toughness to deal with him on a more playful level. Very few people could do that. A part of Jace wished Dalton had tried, but there had been too much anger, probably on both sides.

“His hand feels weak,” Caden said, shifting his gaze from their grandfather to Jace.

“I know.” Jace then glanced at his watch. “I know you just got here, but how about us going downstairs and grabbing a cup of coffee while Granddad’s resting? Besides, I need to call Hannah and let her know we’re here.”

Caden nodded. “It’s late.”

Jace chuckled. “Yes, but how much you want to bet she’s still up?”

Caden grinned as he stood to his feet. “You’re probably right.”

“You know I am,” was Jace’s reply as they headed for the door.

At two in the morning, the hospital’s break room was empty, and as Caden settled down in a chair at one of the tables, the only thing on his mind was that Shiloh was back in Virginia.

“Still take yours black?”

He glanced over at Jace, who was standing at the coffee vending machine. “Yes, that’s the only way to fly.”

“Only if you pull all-nighters as you’ve evidently been doing,” Jace tossed back.

Caden wasn’t in the mood to go any rounds with his brother about his late nights. Hell, he knew he needed to do better in the rest department, but doing Vegas was any entertainer’s dream come true. Luckily, it had been his last night, so he didn’t have to cancel any performances. But he did have that gig coming up in New York in a few weeks. It was only two weeks, but the pay and the exposure were awesome, not to mention he was already committed.

“Here,” Jace said, setting the coffee in front of Caden and interrupting his thoughts. Just as well. Caden didn’t want to think about the future until he knew his grandfather was out of the woods.

“Thanks. So what are the doctors saying about Granddad?” Caden asked.

He watched his brother slide into his chair and recognized that someone who knew Jace as well as he did would be sure that whatever he was about to say wasn’t going to be good. The words bad news were written all over Jace’s face.

“Not good. In fact, Sedrick is surprised he’s still here. The heart attack did a lot of damage to his heart muscles.”

Although Caden had inwardly steeled himself as much as possible against what was about to come, Jace’s words were still a devastating punch in the gut. “We’ll get a second opinion,” Caden said after taking a sip of his coffee.

“We got one, Caden. Results are the same.”