“Are you okay?”
“Yeah, where’s the fire?” she drones, patting my back awkwardly.
“Your text said done and nothing else.”
“Shit. Damn reception. I finished up early; another surgery was canceled. Wanted to see if you could come early so we could grab some lunch.”
I can only laugh as I hold her that much tighter, breathing her in. Pressing my eyes shut, I memorize how she feels in my arms, willing my fears away.
“Whatever you want, baby.”
Chapter 28
River
Asoftbreezewhipsmyloose curls around my face as I nestle into the pillow on the back porch sofa.
Gray went to take a nap a few hours ago. The fatigue and headaches still get to him. I’m sure the alcohol didn’t help either, but I didn’t say anything.
Not when he seemed so scared. I couldn’t tell him what was actually bothering me.
Later.
Maybe.
It didn’t even occur to me that my messages might not have gone through as I wandered through the hallways and stairwell, sending them. There are so many dead zones throughout the hospital, but it’s one of those things you forget about when it becomes normal everyday life.
I’d done my first two knee scopes no issue. Then the third surgery, a woman with a multitude of chronic medical ailments, proved to be our undoing. We’d only just administered the anesthesia and she damn near coded on the table. Turns out she was, in fact, not aware of all of her allergies.
Anaphylaxis isn’t something I’ve had to witness much over the years, but fuck, I almost peed my pants. She reacted so quickly that we barely had time to counteract her body’s rapid response.
Horror stories of the OR.
In an effort not to call the day a total loss, I’d trekked up to the office. I figured I would just catch up on charting and some paperwork when Gran called.
It’s not unusual for her to call during the day. She has no concept of real time anymore. Why would she? She’s retired, lives alone, and does what she pleases. Her friends are retired too, so when they come to visit, they have nothing but time.
Only the tone in her voice let me know this wasn’t one of her normal chit-chat sessions.
“It’s my birthday next week.”
“I’m aware,”I’d replied.
“Well,might as well rip the band-aid off. Your parents and brothers are coming to celebrate. It’s the big 8-0 after all. I think Kane’s bringing his girlfriend, too. Or maybe they’re married now. Who knows?”Gran rambled.
There was nothing to say. I haven’t seen any of them in years. Only Jaxon came to my graduation from medical school, and the rest all sent me a joint card, which was in fact signed for them by Jaxon.
I have nothing against my family. We just exist in different worlds. It’s not that we don’t get along; it’s just that we don’t mesh. Though I do hold a bit of animosity toward them for abandoning Gran here all alone. They barely visit. Phone calls don’t do shit when she’s living by herself.
Gray and I make sure she’s taken care of now, but for a long time, it was just me and the Crawleys.
Still, that look of anguish on Gray’s face when he’d slammed the breaks in front of the hospital was enough for me not to bring up the nausea building in my gut, knowing they will be here in a matter of days. We’d expected to be her only family for her birthday celebration, and I was fine with that.
Gray isn’t obligated to come to this party, which is sure to be a fucking mess now, but I could use him there. An anchor to ground me against the violent waves their presence will surely bring with them.
Bronc groans at my feet. He’d chosen to come out here with me while Bull stayed with Gray upstairs. I scratch behind his ears, and he stands, moving to drop right in front of my stomach. There’s barely enough room for the both of us, but he squeezes in, a paw draped over my abdomen, before he settles back into a peaceful doggie sleep.
It’s as if his warm body is enough for me to drift off to sleep, too, only to wake to the haze of purple from the setting sun hovering over us.
