“No.”
“Okay. I just… I guess, listen then?” Mae’s eyes went wide. “I don’t know exactly how you feel in this situation, but when everything happened with Embrie… not knowing if my daughter was going to be okay… I understand that feeling. I was so beside myself I made myself sick with worry too. I’m here if you need someone to just sit back and shout at. Someone to give you space to crash out, and then get a hug from.”
Mae wrapped her arms around Lacy and let the pressure of her friend’s arms ground her.
“Thanks. That was just the reminder I needed.”
“Good. Now, the girls and I are taking you back to Silver Springs. We’re going to feed you, then you’re going to take a shower and get into your bed to sleep. We have strict orders from Stone’s mom not to bring you back until tomorrow.”
“I can’t?—”
“No,” she interrupted. “You can. Because if Stone could see you right now, he would be furious that none of us were strong enough to step in and take care of you before now.”
Lacy looped her arm through Mae’s and the two women left the bathroom, Sloane and Lily waiting at the end of the hallway. The walk out of the hospital felt wrong. Every step she took away from Stone’s room felt like more and more of her was unraveling. By the time they made it back to Silver Springs, there wouldn’t be any of her left.
“Call me if you need anything tonight.” Lily smiled as they walked the hallway to their apartments.
“Who’s staying at the hospital?” Mae asked as she cleared her throat. She felt better than she wanted to admit now that she’d eaten some real food and been able to decompress with her friends.
“Your brother. He’ll be with Cheryl tonight. Rhett and Sara are going to stay in the hotel across the street instead of coming back here tonight. They’ll go over first thing in the morning and spend time with Stone before we get back.”
“Okay.” Mae sighed as she turned to put the key in the lock to her apartment with Hawk. “Thank you,” shewhispered. “For seeing I needed a break, but couldn’t get myself to take one.”
Lily sniffled from across the hall as she unlocked her apartment door. “I’m sorry I didn’t do it sooner. I didn’t see you drowning. I should have?—”
“No. I’m not good at asking for help. And I don’t feel like I deserve it. Not after how Stone and I left things. Not when I’m not even sure he would want to wake up and see me there. But I can’t not be there in case…”
“He’s stable. He’s going to improve and wake up. It’s just taking his mind a few extra days to catch up to his body.”
“I know you’re right. I just need…”
“A bath.”
Mae gave a soggy laugh. “Damn, I know I smell bad, but it’s another thing completely for my best friend to call me out about it.”
“No, you goof. You smell fine. I just mean, you deserve to do something relaxing. Don’t just lay in bed and research all the worst case scenarios out there.”
“I wasn’t going to do that.” Yes, she definitely was. There was a reason she’d left her phone in her bag on the other side of Stone’s room the entire time she’d been there. The temptation was there, but being by his side was more important.
Now that she was on her own, and had the long hours of a night alone in front of her, Mae planned on putting the power of the internet to use.
“Sebastian brought in Dr. Anderson to help consult on Stone’s case. I trust him.”
“And yet, you’re still going to spend all night spiraling.”
“I do love a good spiral. Cinnamon buns, galaxies, existential. Those are just some of my favorites.” Mae shrugged and smiled.
Lily sighed as a screech came from inside her apartment. “That’ll be my cue to duck inside. Poor Sage is getting in molars that are testing all of our limits.”
“Go. I’m fine. Thank you for bringing me home.”
“Call me if you need anything.”
Mae waved as Lily stepped into her apartment and closed the door. And then she made a dumb decision.
Because everything in her heart was telling her to go back to her bedroom in her apartment with Hawk. To go to sleep there. To spend whatever time she had to in that place before heading back to the hospital. But her body was on autopilot. It wanted to go home. And home was with Stone.
She needed him. But she would just have to settle for something of his. His body wash. His clothes. A blanket from the bed they shared. Her feet carried her down the stairs and into the apartment.
