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“She’s doing really good. They haven’t had to turn on the light all day and her temperature has gone back to staying regulated on it’s own. She’s not as jaundiced as she has been either. Her color is definitely coming in. Brindley’s eating more and she won’t need the oxygen for much longer either. She’s making such good progress. I just can’t wait until we can bring her home,” I answer her while knowing everyone has been listening to my response.
“That’s great news!” Willow speaks up from the very back. “She’s so strong. Just like her mama.”
“Thank you. I just can’t wait to open the rest of the gifts so we can finish organizing everything in the nursery. Wicked has been great to go along with my crazy idea of waiting until we know so we don’t jinx anything.”
“I get it. How are you feeling? Still in a lot of pain?” Sami asks me, speaking up from the back with Willow.
“I’m still tender and have days that I want to take the pain medicine as it’s instructed. But, I hold off for as long as I can and usually only end up taking it at night. I can make it through most of the day without much pain. The hard times are if I’m holding Brindley and the pain starts. I don’t want to hand my girl over to anyone when I’m spending time with her, but there’s been two times I haven’t had a choice. Wicked or my dad has taken her from me so I could get up and try to ease the pain without taking the medicine.”
We pull into the parking lot of the diner and get out once the guys let us know it’s okay. They surround us as we make our way inside and take a booth at the back away from everyone else and the windows. The guys don’t sit too far from us as we place our orders and wait for our food. While we’re waiting, I head to the bathroom. Just as I enter, a stall door opens and I’m hit with the body of another woman. She’s stumbling on her feet and looks as if she’s about to pass out.
“Hey, are you okay?” I ask the woman as I get a good look at her.
This woman isn’t from Cedar Bay. It’s easy to tell because the town is so small and this woman’s clothing screams money and big city. She might be from close by, but definitely not here. I help her get steady on her feet and push the hair out of her face before she answers me.
“I’m so sorry. I’m sick and don’t know what’s wrong with me. It’s also been a while since I was able to eat anything. I’ve been traveling and ended up with an emergency that depleted my money,” she says, averting her eyes so I know she’s lying about something.
“Okay. Well, my friends and I just sat down to eat. You can join us and get something to eat. I’ll cover your check. Please don’t argue with me. I’m helping out someone new in town who just needs a helping hand. This isn’t charity or anything else. The only thing I ask is that you pay it forward when you’re able to. Until then, let me help you. After you eat, we’ll get you to the hospital so you can find out what’s going on,” I tell her as I help her wash her hands. “I’m Quinn by the way.”
“I’m Autumn. I can’t go to the hospital though. The less I’m seen around town, the better it will be for everyone,” she admits as a blush covers her face and neck. “Thank you for helping me get something to eat though.”
“I know someone who can help. You don’t have to use your insurance or anything. She helps the club and is an amazing woman. She’ll check out what’s going on and make sure you’re taken care of. I promise, everything can be off the books. I’ll call her before we get ready to leave here," I tell Autumn as I help her from the bathroom.
We slowly make our way to the table where I briefly explain what’s going on to the other women. Autumn gives me her permission though because this isn’t my story to tell. Even if I don’t really know anything about this woman. All I see is someone who needs help and I’m able to help her out with a hot meal and seeing Doc. Doc is the one person in town who I know can help Autumn. She’s obviously hiding out from someone and doesn’t want them to know where she is. So, Doc will keep her visit secret and not have anything written down about Autumn being here. That’s one of the main reasons she keeps samples of antibiotics and things on hand at all times. Doc is always willing to help out someone in need.
When our food arrives, we all eat and talk about random shit that doesn’t really mean anything. This way we can include Autumn in the conversation and not make her feel left out because she doesn’t understand what we’re saying. She’s very quiet and reserved, but I have a feeling there’s a reason for that. She nibbles her grilled cheese and sips her soup while also sipping on the tea she ordered. Autumn tries to slump into the booth so she’s not as visible to the other diners. Including the men with us.
By the time we’re done eating, I pull out my phone to call Doc.
“Quinn, is everything okay?” she asks, answering her phone.
“I’m good. Just finished dinner after seeing Brindley. Um, I’m actually calling about someone new in town. She needs to see someone because she’s sick, but can’t afford to have that visit on record,” I tell Doc so she understands what’s going on.
“Okay. I’m at the office so send her right over to me. I’ll make sure everything is kept off the books. I’m the only one here so no one else will even see her at the office. I’ll be waiting at the desk for her,” Doc assures me.
“Thank you so much. Her name is Autumn and she’ll be leaving the diner now,” I say before we hang up.
Turning to face Autumn, I let her know what Doc said before giving her directions to the office. She thanks us all for letting her join us before leaving on her own. I’ll call Doc later to make sure she actually showed up to find out what’s wrong with her. I don’t want any information about what’s wrong with her or anything else. I just want to know she got there and got treatment if that’s what’s needed for her. Autumn looks horrible and I know she’s been battling whatever she has for longer than needed. We’ll get her taken care of.
“Are you ready to shop?” Willow asks me as we pay our bills and leave the diner.
“I’m more than ready. Off to shop for Brindley,” I say as the girls all laugh in response.
The guys check out the SUV before letting us inside. Once we’re all loaded up, the three vehicles take off and we head out of town. While the shops here in Cedar Bay are cute and I could get what we need for the baby here, I want to go to the baby store in the next town over. So, that’s where we head. During the ride, we talk, listen to music, and sing along to the songs we all love. There’s laughter and for a while I forget about everything I’ve been dealing with. Well, everything but Brindley. I will never forget about my daughter and the fact that she isn’t home with us.
We get to the baby store and all head inside. Everyone grabs carts because everyone shopping with me tonight has kids and I’m sure they all need stuff. We split off into pairs or groups of three because we’re not allowed to go off on our own. The guys with us follow along while three remain out with the trucks and SUV. I go up and down each aisle looking at everything for babies. Who knew they needed so much shit.
I’m shopping with Willow as we make our way to the clothing section. I pick out multiple outfits that are so damn cute. Most of them are about her being a ‘Daddy’s girl’. It’s not wrong. Brindley already has her daddy wrapped firmly around her little finger and she doesn’t even know it. My husband is screwed once she realizes how much power she holds over her dad. I can’t wait to see what happens on that day.
I pick out so much shit and hope I’m not buying seconds of things that are sitting in the nursery waiting to be opened. The last thing I look at are the car seats. There are so many different ones available. All the girls join me as we look from one seat to the next and compare the safety features. It takes us a while, but I finally pick what I hope is the safest one there. Adding a second base to the cart, I’m finally ready to check out and head home.
We all make our way to the counter and I unload everything from my cart. One after the other, we cash out before letting the guys lead us back out to the vehicles. Our purchases are split between the trucks because there’s just not enough room in the SUV for everything. While the guys load everything up, we’re all kept in the SUV so we’re not in the open for someone to attack us. I’m exhausted but glad I came out with the girls tonight. It was definitely what I needed. Now I can go back home and spend the rest of the night with my husband until we wake up tomorrow morning to repeat the process all over again.
The only other thing I do is text Doc to make sure Autumn made it to see her. She lets me know she did show up and was taken care of. That’s one less thing for me to worry about. I don’t know what her story is, but I have a feeling Autumn needs a friend and I can be that for her. It’s just a matter of her opening up and letting me in. The other ol’ ladies will accept her too. If they weren’t going to, they wouldn’t have let her eat dinner with us at Haley’s. I’m sure they see what I do in the woman so they aren’t going to push her away.
Chapter Twenty-One
Wicked
