AllFreeNovel
Share Us
What Happens Now?
Vince
Iwalkbacktothe waiting room in a mixture of relief and shock.Thank God he’s awake.But also, what happens now? We’ve all been running on adrenaline for days. What happens when it all settles and we actually deal with what’s happened? The situations that got us here?
“He’s awake,” I say, as soon as I enter the waiting room.
Everyone jumps up as Meredith and Hank hurry over to me. “He’s awake?” Meredith asks through tears.
“Yes. That’s why Maia asked me to take Harper back. He wanted to see her first. Maia’s staying with him until you get in there.”
Meredith lets out a little sigh, then starts crying as Brent rubs her back, and Hank takes her hand. He kisses her cheek and whispers something to her, showing a rare display of affection between the two. It’s not that they don’t seem to love each other, but physical affection is uncommon for them.
“Thank you,” Meredith says before walking down the hall with Hank. I head over and drop into a chair next to my brother, Leigh has her fingers twisted in the back of his hair and is whispering to him.
“He’s really awake? And… okay?” Nick asks, his pain evident in his eyes.
“Okay is a generous word, but he’s… Braden. He’s talking, seems to be clear-headed. He held Harper. He’s still in rough shape, but he’s coming through it. You should go in—”
He quickly shakes his head. “No, Meredith and Hank need to be in there with him right now. I can wait.” He leans forward, elbows resting on his knees and head dropping as he rubs his eyes.
“Baby, this is hard for you, I know that, but the longer you put it off, the harder it will be. Sure, give Hank and Meredith their time with him, but when they’re finished… I’ll go in with you,” Leigh says.
He nods, then drops his head lower. Part of me wants to push him to go in, but I know I have no right to. I went in alone once and a couple of other times with Maia, but I don’t know what to do with any of this either. And, honestly, I’m still just trying to keep my shit together.
Maia walks into the waiting room, holding Harper. And for the first time in days, she’s smiling. I rise from my chair and walk over to her, pulling her into my arms and giving her a deep kiss. Just enough to let her know how much I love her. Maybe it’s stupid, but it felt wrong to show our normal level of affection in the midst of all this, but it’s what I’ve wanted to do. More than ever, I need her to know how much she means to me. Her strength is profound and inspiring and I couldn’t be more proud of her, but I also need her to know that I’m here to bolster that strength when it wavers.
As she pulls her lips from mine, she exhales like she’s shedding a mountain of weight from her shoulders. She probably is.
“I need fresh air. And food.”
Wrapping an arm around her back, I lead her toward the elevator. “Harper’s stroller is in my truck, and there’s a diner around the corner. Let’s get both.”
Resting her head against my shoulder, she murmurs, “I love you.”
I softly kiss her temple, and her body melts a little more against mine. My stomach warms at that, knowing that when everything else is a wreck, I’m the place she finds peace.
With takeout containers of pancakes, bacon, hash browns, and breakfast sandwiches, we sit down at a picnic table in the hospital courtyard.
Maia flips the lid open and stares wide-eyed at the massive breakfast sandwich surrounded by homemade hash browns. She licks her lips and dives in as I stifle a laugh. Before I dig into mine, I cut up some pancake for Harper and separate out some hash browns and set them on the tray of her stroller.
“Thanks. Sorry. I’m not thinking,” Maia says, mouth full.
“You don’t have to thank me. Everything’s been insane. I’m just doing what I always do.” I give a little shrug, and she pauses with her fork halfway to her mouth.
She sets it down and wipes her hands and mouth before reaching across the table and threading her fingers through mine. “How are you doing?”
“Fine.”
She makes a little growly noise, then narrows her eyes at me and gives a little headshake.
She always sees right through me.
“Talk to me,” she whispers, voice calming and eyes vulnerable.
I glance at Harper, then set my fork down. “I don’t want to do this here.”
She gets up and comes around to my side of the table. Straddling the bench, she sits next to me and sweeps my hair away from my face. “You’ve been strong for me and Nick, but I need you to tell me how you’re feeling.”
