Page 24

Another exhale, this one cracks my heart.

“It seems like mother might have fractured her hip. Possibly surgery, still waiting to hear back on that decision.”

“And you?”

“I’ll be better once you get here.”

“I’ll get there as soon as I can. I promise.”

“I know, honey.”

For a few moments, we just sit on the phone in silence, just listening to the other breathe. For me, it’s a reminder that he’s alive. If not totally okay. I’m not okay either, so I guess that makes it okay.

“I should probably give Reese his phone back and get dressed. I want to leave as soon as Mars and Sybil get here.” I don’t want to get off the phone but I don’t want to waste any time getting to York and checking on Bea.

“Okay, honey. I’ll see you soon.”

“See you soon.”

The call ends and I get off the couch, stretching my sore limbs before going to find Reese so I can return his phone. I find him drinking water in front of the kitchen sink.

”Thanks for that. I’m going to get dressed real quick. Are the kids still sleeping?” Reese chokes on his gulp of water, putting his glass on the counter before smacking himself on the chest. As he calms down, his face now pink, he offers a nod.

Trying to clear his throat one last time, “Yeah, no problem. And, yes, they kids are still sleeping. Hopefully Mars and Syb will be back before they wake up.” Another, smaller, cough.

“Oh, good. That would be nice.” I don’t know if it’s the exhaustion but it seems like Reese’s cheeks get a darker shade of pink. We stand facing each other for another moment. “Well, okay. I’m going to change.”

“Oh, yeah, uh, me too.”

We part ways, Reese hurrying up the stairs to his room and me towards the stairs leading to the basement. I’ve taken one step when there is a knock at the front door. I crane my neck to see if Reese is coming back down but it seems like he’s far enough upstairs that he didn’t hear it.

I step back up the one stair and walk to the door. Mars and Sybil must have forgotten their keys this morning in their haste to get to the hospital. “Hey, the kids are still asleep. Perfect timi⁠—”

My words are cut off when I make eye contact with neither Mars or Sybil but a taller woman, hair pulled into a severe bun and what looks like a well practiced frown on her face.

23

YORK

My nerves are completely shot. My eyes burn from being open for so long. It feels like sandpaper rubbing against my retinas every single time I blink. My ass cheeks are throbbing from sitting in this unethically padded hospital chair.

The doctor has come and gone with a gameplan. Mars and Sybil are getting ready to leave so they can go back to my house and explain what’s going on to the kids. As soon as Mars and Sybil arrive home, Reese and Sage are going to come to the hospital and sit with me while Mother goes in for the now confirmed surgery.

Reese has agreed to bring me a change of clothes so I don’t have to stay in my pajamas. Eventually, Mars and Sybil will return with their children and we’ll all wait as a family to hear how surgery went and surround Mother with all the support she’s going to need when she wakes up.

While going over what exactly she was having surgery for, Mother’s recovery plan was briefly touched upon but, thankfully, Sybil took over that part of the conversation. She must have noticed that I had started to get overwhelmed again, everything starting to sound like I was in the middle of a wind tunnel. Sybil was quick to intervene, directing Mars to get me seated before continuing the conversation with the medical team.

Now, Mars gives our mother a hug and kiss, Sybil doing the same as they prepare to leave. Mother isn’t very coherent right now, the pain medication doing its job. “We’ll be back in a little bit.” Mars promises me, gripping my shoulder before exiting the room.

Being alone with my mother is scary. She’s never seemed so fragile before. Beatrice Snyder has always been full of life. I feel like I’m completely on unstable ground. Unmoored, my anchor somehow cut, leaving me completely adrift. I inch my chair as close to the hospital bed as possible and hold her hand, making sure to be careful of the IV.

I’m exhausted.

Maybe I could take this chance and just rest my eyes until Sage and Reese arrive.

“York.”

My gasp is loud as I jolt awake. It takes me a few seconds to wake my brain up enough to realize where I am and who is in front of me. Another beat to get my glasses resituated on my face helps the woman in front of me come into focus.