AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She says something about precautions. About bleeding, no matter how light, being taken seriously. More tests to run—invasive, she says.
“What kind of tests?”
Dr. Murphy’s smile is placating. “I understand this is a stressful situation, sir, but I promise your wife is in good hands.”
Neither of us correct her. We’re too busy doing other things.
I’m trying to get Sunday’s attention; she’s intent on ignoring me.
“Now, her insurance doesn’t cover—”
“She’s on my insurance.”
Finally, Sunday’s head snaps my way. “Since when?”
“I added you and August a couple months ago.” Right after I found out she was pregnant.
“What?”
Ignoring her stunned question, I address Dr. Murphy. “We’ll need a private room, please. With two cots, her son is in the waiting room and he’s gonna wanna stay too.”
“Of course, sir.”
“Thank you.”
Dr. Murphy leaves, and I get the distinct feeling that Sunday wishes I would too. I try to talk to her again, try to touch her, but she dismisses me with a quick, jerky shake of her head, resilient in her cold-shoulder.
When I mumble something about going to get August, she shrugs. I hover in case she cares to elaborate on that and when she doesn’t, I leave our tiny cubicle, the relief flooding me warring with the distinct feeling that I’ve fucked up. Knuckling the aching spot in my chest, I make a beeline for the kid chewing the hell out of his thumbnail who springs to his feet at the sight of me.
“She’s fine,” I reassure him quickly. “They’re gonna keep her overnight but they say she’s fine.”
The panic August has been working so hard to hide—and doing a hell of a lot better a job than I have—only ebbs slightly. “Can I see her?” As soon as I point out his mother’s bed, August takes off in her direction, pausing when he notices I’m not following. “You coming?”
My smile is as shaky as the hand I use to wave him off. “I’ll be right there.”
Only when he continues do I turn around and walk the other way. Around the corner, out of sight of the busy waiting room and reception, not quite private but enough that I feel some of my careful control start to slip. My hands go to my knees, my head hanging forward, my breath leaving me in short pants that make my head dizzy.
“Cass?”
Weakly lifting my head, I almost sob at the sight of the woman hovering nearby, a white lab coat covering her pantsuit—she must be on shift tonight. Concern pulling at her dark brows, Kate rushes closer. “What’re you doing here?”
“Sunday,” is all I manage to croak, and it’s all that’s necessary.
One word and she snaps into action. Momentarily disappearing around the corner, I hear her talking to my dear friend, the receptionist, lying about being paged for a psych consult before she returns with a file. Flipping it open, she scans quickly, her relief tangible. “Okay.” She exhales loudly. “Cass, it’s okay.”
Is it? I'm not sure. My gut says no. “I don’t wanna be here, Kate.”
“I know.” Kate glances around, noting our spectators the same way I did with a tight-lipped grimace. She curls a hand around my bicep and then we’re moving, I’m gently urged towards a door that Kate pushes open to reveal a supply closet. She doesn’t turn on the light as she shoves me inside before following, locking the door behind her. “You get fifteen minutes to freak out in private before you suck it up and march your pretty ass back to Sunday, okay?”
As soon she voices aloud that we’re alone, confirms no one is watching, I lose it. I sink to my haunches before falling on my ass, the heels of my hands digging into my eyes as every ounce of panic and relief and fucking horror leave me through tears and sobs and gasps.
“Oh, Cass,” I hear before a warm body tucks itself against my side, drags me into her. I go willingly, slumping against Kate, my head tucked beneath her chin as she shushes me quietly, rubs my back, murmurs, “It’s okay, she’s okay, everything’s okay,” again and again and again.
* * *
It takes a lot more than fifteen minutes to get my shit together.
By the time I do, Sunday’s been moved to a room, and the momentary panic at finding her bed in the E.R empty sets me back another quarter of an hour, minimum. After some sleuthing on Kate’s part, she leads me through a maze of hallways, holding my hand like she’s my fucking mother. She keeps a hold on it as she pushes into a room, the other waving at the woman and boy reclined on a hospital bed. “Hey, mama. Heard you were here.”
