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Her blue eyes pop with the shadow’s accents, and her lips sparkle with shimmery lip gloss.
“Yes. He did. In fact, I think the ambulance may have brought him here, too. I should probably check on him.”
She takes her cell phone from the rolling tray next to her and then grabs her reading glasses from the pouch lying at its side.
I yawn, and for the first time since getting the phone call last night, it hits me that I haven’t really slept much in the last twenty-four hours. I’m going to need to perk up if I can’t tuck myself in for a snooze anytime soon.
“Hey, Mom, I think I’m going to go get a cup of coffee.”
She nods, but she’s pretty clearly occupied by the happenings of her phone.
“Do you want me to get you anything?”
“No, no, sweetie. I’m fine. The cute little orderly Julian’s been keeping me stocked with all the snacks I can handle.”
I roll my eyes and laugh. “It figures you’ve got some little puppy jumping to do your bidding already.”
She looks up at me and winks. “You know it pays to make friends, Carly.”
I smile and nod while I round the foot of her bed and bedazzle my exit with a wave.
My mom looks back down at her phone, and I take mine out when I get into the hall to do the same. My fingers fly across the keyboard to type out the simple message I know my sister will be waiting for.
Me: You’ll be happy to hear that Mom is fine…and she hasn’t changed a bit.
Tampa, FL, September 8th, Tuesday
Stella
I stare at my phone and listen as intently as possible, so I know when Carly leaves the room. My roommate’s offensively loud log-sawing makes it more difficult than normal, but when I’m confident she’s gone, I type out a message.
Me: My daughter just arrived. I told her we fell taking decorations down
Sal: Are you sure we weren’t putting them up? You’re so good at getting things up ;)
Always the smooth-talking Casanova. I giggle to myself and blush.
Me: Are you still waiting on your son?
Sal: Yes. He’s in Tampa. Called when he arrived. But I’m still waiting for him to get here and take me home. I wish I could come see you before I go.
Me: I know. But I’ll be leaving tomorrow anyway. Plus, it’s better if they don’t know for now, don’t you think?
Sal: Given that my son takes to big change like a fork does to a power outlet? Absolutely.
Me: I’ll see you soon, though. As soon as we’re both home.
Sal: You can count on it, my darling.
Ryan
I smile at the waiting nurse as the double doors open wide to let me in, a buzz sounding from the lock mechanism beside them, and stroll forward to meet her, setting my duffel and carry-on down gently on the ground beside me.
“Hi there,” I greet graciously. I know she has a tough job and has to run a tight ship to make sure everything goes off without a hitch. Protocols are there for a reason—it’s the same in any job—but I know what it feels like to be the one at the helm trying to manage them. “I’m here to see my dad. Sal Miller. Security downstairs said he was in Room 330. I spoke with Jessica last night.”
“Of course.” She picks up a clipboard from behind the desk and slides it over to me so I can sign in.
I take it with a smile and print my name neatly in the space provided, glancing to my watch to make sure I’m noting the correct time.
Everything filled in and double-checked, I hand the clipboard back over and pick up the handles of my bags in one hand.
“Your dad’s room is over there,” she says, pointing to the right. “You’ll go around the corner and follow the hall down. His room will be on the right.”
“Thanks.”
“I’ll just need you to stop back by on your way out and—”
“Sign out?” I supply good-naturedly. She nods with a smile. “You got it.”
I follow her directions around the corner and down the hall to my dad’s room, stepping inside the barely cracked door with a knock and a gentle push.
“Just come in, dammit,” my dad responds agitatedly.
I roll my eyes and push the door open the rest of the way to find him in the first bed, his head down to his phone with his reading glasses on his nose.
He looks over the top of them, annoyed, but when he spots me, his face clears. He yanks the glasses off and tosses them to the table at his side, dropping his phone in his lap.
“About fucking time, kid. What the hell kept you? I’m ready to blow this joint.”
I sigh, using the fresh air I draw into my lungs to reset my gut reaction to snap back. “I got here as quickly as I could. I mean, I did come all the way from New York.”
