"I'm gonna go," I said, pointing to the door as Froggie's cries intensified. "We'll talk. Later, or…whatever."
Shannon said something, but I couldn't determine whether she was speaking to me or Froggie or the cadre of women helping her, and I didn't stop to clarify. I marched out of the room without a backward glance, stopping only when a pair of hands closed around my shoulders.
"Skip, hey, slow down," Nick murmured, setting my backpack on the ground. "Are you all right?"
I stared at my hands while I blew out a breath. I was wrung out, physically and mentally exhausted from this conversation, but I'd survived. It wasn't the screaming match I'd expected, and now that it was over, I couldn't remember why I'd expected that to begin with. "Yeah," I said, bringing my fingertips to my forehead. There was a headache blooming there, the kind borne of sleep-deprivation and sobbing. "It was good."
"That's a fucking relief," Will said from beside Nick.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Nick asked. "You were in there for a long time, and you've been crying, darlin'."
The lights were too bright, the sounds too sharp, and the hospital scents too oppressive. A jerky nod was the only response I could offer.
"Come home with me," he said, running his knuckles down my back. He reached for my wrist and moved the diamond band to my ring finger. It was still loose, but not falling off. He leaned closer, his breath passing over my cheekbone as he spoke. "I thought I made my position on this ring, and several other things, clear in Cozumel."
"You said an awful lot in Cozumel." I stepped back and crossed my arms over my torso, scowling. "You can't have it both ways. You can't love me while I'm here and then resent me while I'm gone. Until you get that fact straight, none of those things are up for discussion."
Nick edged back and mirrored my stance. "Erin. Darlin'. You're saying meaningful words and I'm really trying to listen, but all I can think about is getting you home," he said. "We have a lot of issues to discuss. I'm not disputing that. But I'm not going to be able to do that until after I've—"
"Oh, for fuck's sake. The foreplay can wait," Will yelled. "Come on. Your brothers and the girls are all here, and they're going to redecorate the waiting room if we don't give them an update soon."
Before I could object, Will herded us down the hall and through a set of doors armed with a specialized security system that Nick explained was meant to prevent kidnapping. Will grumbled about it being "really fucking inadequate."
Then the sliding glass door whooshed shut behind us, and we found the entire Walsh tribe. Everyone fell silent, and they were all watching us. Their gazes moved as a synchronized unit, starting with Will, quickly bouncing to me, then Nick and back to me again, only to linger on the hand he had resting between my shoulder blades.
"Okay, I'll ask what we're all thinking," Matt said after the longest stare-off in human history. "Where did Erin come from and why did she come withyou,Nick?"
"Should I tell them that you always come when you're with me?" he whispered into my hair.
"Oh, that's delightful," I murmured. Sweet, cherubic Jesus, this might've been a terrible plan. I spared Nick a glance that saidYou're amusing no one. He offered a lopsided smile in response, and dug his thumb into the knots in my neck. "Please, Matt, continue. Talk about me as if I'm not here. It's wonderful to see you as well."
Matt approached us, glancing back and forth between me and Nick. I shoved my hand—the one with the sparkly wedding ring—in my pocket. I'd been through the emotional meat grinder today, and needed some baby steps here.
"Someone explain to me what the fuck is going on," Matt said, and that was all the invitation this group required to talk at once.
Riley: Rip the bandage, doc. Put it all out there.
Matt: There's something toput out there?
Sam: I emailed you last night. You could've responded, and said you were coming home.
Patrick: I don't like any of this.
Matt: When did you get here, Erin?Howdid you get here? Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't anyone tell me? And why the fuck are you wearing a Harvard Medical School hoodie? Is anyone else seeing this?
Tiel: Okay, so I'm the only one who has no idea what's going on?
Lauren: We're going to leave this poor girl alone. She's traveled very far to be here, and we're not grilling her now.
Sam: No one's grilling her. We just want to know why Acevedo's got his hands all over her.
Patrick: I really don't like this.
Andy: Guys, it'sNick. He's good people.
Nick: Thanks, Andy.
Patrick: I'm not comfortable with any of this.
