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MILO
“That was amazing,” Gianna says after she ends the FaceTime call with Dee.
She got a little misty during the ceremony, discreetly wiping at tears as she held the phone for me.
“Your new brother-in-law is Austin Jacobs! That’s so cool.”
“He’s a good guy.”
“And a great pitcher. I can’t wait to see him in action this year.”
I’ve already decided she’s my dream girl, but if she also loves baseball, I won’t be responsible for my actions. “You’re a baseball fan?”
“Huge baseball fan. I have season tickets to the Marlins and go to as many games as I can. Everyone is super excited about Austin joining the team.”
Is it possible to fall in love when you can barely move? Asking for a friend. No, wait, that’s not true. I’m asking for myself. “Thanks for helping with the call and all that.”
“We couldn’t let you miss your sister’s wedding.”
“I guess they had it all planned before I ended up in here. His brothers were going to be here for only a couple of days.” I’m bummed to be missing the family fun, but being able to talk to Gianna makes it better.
“Your family seems cool,” she says as she cleans the pins that hold the halo in place and then applies antibiotic ointment.
“They are.”
“And big.”
“Don’t make me laugh, but yes, there’re a lot of us. And what you’ve seen here this week is only a fraction. I have other cousins who don’t live here.”
“Jeez. That must make for a heck of a family reunion.”
“It can get pretty crazy. You said you don’t have much family?”
“Just my two younger brothers and me. My parents were only children, so no cousins. They died in an accident about four years ago, and my brothers live in California now, so it’s just me here.”
“I’m so sorry you lost your parents that way.”
“Thanks. It was awful, as you can imagine. And my younger brothers weren’t too keen on having their nineteen-year-old sister telling them what to do. It was a rough few years until they both went away to school, and I sort of got my life back.
“It was good of you to step up for them.”
“It was horrible for all of us, but we survived it. Somehow.”
“I couldn’t help but notice the wedding made you a little teary-eyed.”
“It was so sweet. The two of them are obviously perfect for each other.”
“They are. You ought to hear the story of how they met.”
“Oh, I know about it. I was there for the ceremony honoring Maria when the Marlins played the Orioles. It’s such a great story, the way she saved his little girl, and then they fell in love.” She subtly swipes at a tear again as she checks the catheter tubing.
Nothing says sexy like, Hey, babe, can you fix my catheter? Despite that unsettling thought, I’m undeterred as I try to keep her talking to me. “Are you okay?”
She gives a little shrug. “Weddings are triggering for me.”
“Oh God. I’m sorry. I didn’t know that when I asked you to help with the call.”
“No worries. It’s just that my fiancé sort of jilted me. On our wedding day.”
