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Taking a deep breath, I gently pried her hand off of my arm and wrapped it around her body, cradling her against me. The least I could do was provide her some comfort.
She took a shaky breath and then buried her face against my bare torso. I remained still, simply staring at the cream doors in front of me.
Tenley sat beside me, her head resting in my lap. Frank held Irene, who was clutching Rosemary’s hand. After a nurse brought Tenley’s mom some information to fill out, we’d made our way to the brown, uncomfortable chairs and were simply waiting. I ran my fingers back and forth through Tenley’s hair as the glass doors rushed open and in came two people I hadn’t seen in a while. Followed by a throng of kids.
“Mom?” Maddie cried out, wearing sweats but looking about as haggard as the rest of us. She rushed to Rosemary who rose from her seat as her other daughter wrapped her in a hug.
“Any news yet?” Luke asked, reaching his mom. Tenley remained still in my lap, barely moving.
“Not yet,” Rosemary muttered as Luke kissed her forehead. Their spouses gave her quick, comforting greetings and then filled the chairs around us. The youngest kids crawled into their parents' laps, curling into balls, and then we were once again waiting.
My problem with my mom had suddenly become so minuscule compared to this. Watching Tenley possibly lose her dad was harder than anything I’d ever experienced, and that said something. She was a ghost of herself at the moment, barely moving.
The silence that was around us, hardly broken by the chattering of other people that were also in the hospital tonight, felt dense.
It was heavy. Not even Christmas magic could rectify this situation. Whatever belief I had in holiday miracles no longer existed. First how my mom treated me, then disinviting Tenley, all to have it end with Charlie collapsing in the middle of the night.
What a fool I was.
But I had to remain strong for Tenley, she needed that right now as she grieved whatever was to come.
The heavy staff doors swung open, every pair of eyes snapping to the doctor that walked out. Hoping beyond hope that he was coming our way.
And he was.
Rosemary’s eyes lit up with simple pleading as the balding man with half-moon glasses stopped in front of our small group.
“Mrs. Mayn?” He looked at her as she shook in anticipation. “I’m Doctor Jones.”
“Is he alright?” she immediately blurted out.
His eyes softened; the news that he was about to share obviously not as good as he was hoping. “We have him stabilized for the moment. He’s awake, but we want to send him up for another chest x-ray and a few more scans. I’ll come back once I have more news, and then you can see him.”
She nodded as I breathed out slightly. At least he was awake and stable. For who knows how long, but at least he wasn’t gone yet. Though no definitive answer to her question left a weight in my heart, muted tones clanged around us. That playfulness that Christmas usually brought was absent.
“Thank you, Doctor Jones,” Rosemary said, her body relaxing a little. Only a little. He turned around and walked back through the doors.
She collapsed, tears sliding down her cheeks.
“Dad’s awake, Mom. And he’s stable.” Maddie placed an arm around her shoulders to try and help her focus on the positive. Weight shifted off of my lap and Tenley gently sat up.
Rosemary looked directly at me. “Thank you. I don’t know what we would’ve done if you hadn't been there. I mean, he’s been able to walk by himself, and had no issue going to the bathroom on his own until now. He wakes up more than once during the night to take care of his business, but I guess—” Suddenly, she paused.
Glancing around, she searched the walls, scanning past the posters and cheap paintings, until her eyes locked onto what she was trying to find. “Wait a moment. Weston, it’s nearly three in the morning.”
Tenley’s hand clamped down on my arm.
Rosemary lifted her brows. “What were you doing at my house at this time of the night?”
I clenched my jaw and glanced at Tenley. Her cheeks were bright red. What was I supposed to say?
“Uh, you know. I… Uh…,” I stammered. I had no idea what I was going to say. Since when could I not figure out something to say? But I also had never been in a situation like this.
Running my hand across the back of my neck, I opened my mouth again. “Well, it’s almost Christmas Eve and…. I mean, there’s a party…. After…,” I continued to stutter out different excuses as Tenley’s entire face was turning bright red.
Rosemary bit back a knowing smile. “Go on,” she urged and I took a deep breath, trying to think of something.
Anything.
