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I’ve promised to call her the second I hear anything from the doctor.
A few minutes after I settle in with my iPad, planning to scan the morning headlines, Roni and Derek appear with a tray of coffee and a white bag.
“We brought refreshments,” she says as they sit on either side of me.
“What’re you guys doing here? It’s a workday. The White House won’t be able to function without you.”
“We took the day off to hang with you and help with the kids or anything else that’s needed,” Derek says.
“You guys…”
“We couldn’t let you sit here alone, Gage.” Roni puts her hand on my arm. “Now drink your coffee and eat your scone.”
“You got me a scone?”
“Dude, we know what you love.”
“I love you two.” Their kindness nearly breaks me. My composure has been wavering all morning as I struggled to not show Iris how worried I am for her. “I hope you know that.”
“We do. And we love you and Iris right back. That’s why we’re here.”
“Now eat your scone,” Derek says. “That’ll make everything better.”
He no sooner says that than Joy comes around the corner with another tray of coffee and a white bag.
“Damn, you had the same idea,” she says when she sees Roni and Derek on either side of me. “Let me guess. Scones?”
“You know it, girlfriend,” Roni says. “Our guy is a bit predictable that way.”
“Thanks for coming, Joy.”
“Where else would I be when our girl is in surgery?”
She sits with us, and I eat a second scone because I can’t resist them, and it gives me something to do.
Adrian comes in next, followed by Lexi and Brielle and then Kinsley and Naomi, who seemingly came together. I’m not at all surprised when Christy shows up a few minutes later, bearing yet another bag of scones. Wait until Iris hears they all took the day off to be here for her—and me.
“In case I forget to tell you, the Wild Widows are the best.”
“We know,” Joy says. “Through thick and thin, right?”
“Yeah.” I’m choked up all over again. “For sure.”
They told me to expect the surgery to take an hour, so when the clock goes past that mark, I start to worry. Before I can work myself up, Wynter comes into the waiting room with Xavier strapped to her chest.
“I thought you said you weren’t coming?” Adrian says to her.
“I lied.”
“Nothing like a nanny who lies,” he says as the rest of us laugh.
“I wasn’t sure I could handle being here, to be honest,” Wynter says. “The smell brings it all back.”
“Girl…” Kinsley nods knowingly. “The fucking smell.”
“I hate that smell more than baby poop,” Wynter says, making us laugh, as she does so effortlessly.
When the surgeon appears, he seems taken aback by the gathering. “Am I missing a party?”
