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She finished with a breathy exhale, all the medical details giving way to motherly concern. She felt my head with the back of her hand like I was nine with a fever.
“I’m sorry to have worried you.” I didn’t lie and say I was okay. She was too smart for that.
“Not the first time.” She smiled at me, but there was a tightness there. I’d put her through a lot, both as a kid and in the military, and she’d always come when I needed her, something I didn’t take for granted.
“You’re a better mom than I deserve. And more glamorous too.” Maybe a little tease could bring the warmth back to her expression. “What did I steal you away from? State dinner? Heels. Fresh manicure. Little black dress.”
“I was just coming from a dinner engagement, yes.”
“A date?” I cocked my head, which hurt, then chuckled, which hurt more, and of course, she pounced on my wince.
“Malik. Do not stress yourself over my social life. You need rest, not gossip to share with the aunties. Speaking of, you’re the story of the day on the group chat.” She changed the subject so deftly that all I could do was marvel. “All the aunties want to know what you were doing with a horse?”
We were not an animal family. Way more aunties and cousins than pets, and I doubted my mother or any of her sisters had ever been on a horse. Farms, rural fairs, and zoos were hardly their speed, so I wasn’t surprised at the reaction.
“We were trying to save them. The horses were scared. Don’t blame the horses. They’re actually pretty amazing animals.”
“I’ll take your word for it.” She waved a hand. “And yes, I know you were trying to rescue them from the fire. It sounds utterly terrifying.
“Fire.” More details came rushing back, none of them good. “Oh s—crap. Did the fire crews get it contained?”
“Yes. The fire is out now. Yours was apparently among the worst of the injuries.” She shook her head like I could have avoided that distinction. “Your boss brought me a coffee and an update a bit ago.”
“Duncan’s here?” My head pounded, trying to make sense of everything that had transpired while I’d been out of it.
“Yes. He’s the one who called me last night. Lovely assistant who arranged my plane ticket while I got a car to the airport.”
“Oh.” I had no business being disappointed that Duncan was the one who’d called my mom. He was my boss. That was his job. It wasn’t like Avery even had the number, and he’d been in the thick of the fire last I’d seen. Maybe Duncan could at least tell me if Avery was okay. “Guess it’s good he came.”
“And your friends too. They were all so worried for you, especially your coworker.”
“Avery?” I struggled to raise myself on my elbows, quickly abandoning that attempt. “Avery’s here?”
“Of course.” Making an expansive gesture with her hand, she gave a tired smile. “All your friends. Apparently, you had quite the vigil going in the waiting area last night. You’ve always had a talent for making friends wherever you go. A born diplomat.”
“Mama…” I groaned, which hurt something fierce.
“If I can’t tell you now to get a safer career, when can I tell you? The next hospitalization?”
“Not…ow.” Moving around had been a mistake, and a short Latina nurse bustled in right as the pain made it impossible to keep talking.
“What’s your pain level?” she asked as she took my various vitals, examining my IV and going over my med list. Despite the increased discomfort, I was reluctant to ask for more pain meds mid-conversation with my mom. Also, Avery was here, and I wouldn’t let myself sleep again until I’d seen him. So, I answered the nurse’s questions as best I could until she left, pausing at the door to add, “Your doctor should be around shortly, and we might even get orders for you to start eating.”
“That’s wonderful.” My mother gave a beatific smile, gracious and lovely as ever. No trace of our argument, but I wasn’t about to let it drop.
“Mama,” I said firmly as soon as the nurse vanished, leaving the door cracked. “I love my job. I’m not leaving my job. Not now. And there’s Avery.”
“Avery?” She frowned, well-groomed eyebrows knitting together. “You can find good coworkers anywhere.”
I took another painful breath, trying to calm my suddenly racing pulse. The last thing I needed was to set off some monitor because I was terrified of telling my mother…
What, precisely?
This was it, the crossroads I’d avoided with every call and text message the last few weeks. I didn’t have to tell her anything, and indeed, Avery himself would probably counsel that I shouldn’t. Private. Temporary. Exploration. Fun. Fling. All those justifications bounced around in my aching head, but not one was the truth.
