I walk back out to the waiting room a few minutes later and stop in front of Nonna. “Margot thinks I should go back and finish the dates.”
Nonna claps her hands together. “Well, of course!”
Uncle Michael pulls out a fresh sheet of paper. “Anyone have a pen? We can start the bets for my date right now.”
Uncle Sal perks up from across the room. “But it’s my day tomorrow.”
“Nonna…” I say.
She holds up her hand. “We’ll figure this out when we get home.”
An hour later, we’re all saying our good-byes. Nonna, Olivia, Charlie, and I pile in Michael’s car. I just have three more dates to get through, I realize. Then Christmas break will be over and everything will be back to normal.
Just what I wanted when all this started.
So why am I dreading it all ending?
The first thing I dowhen I open my eyes is check my phone. I slept with it in my hand in case Mom called with news about Margot or Anna, but obviously I was out of it, because I didn’t hear the notification of the text she sent about an hour ago.
MOM:Margot is so much better this morning! She’s up walking around. Getting ready to go see Anna. Will call you a little later. Love you.
I sink back into the bed and let out a big sigh of relief. Margot is better. Now we just need Anna to get off that vent.
I pull up the conversation with Margot and send her a text.
ME:Mom said you’re feeling better!
Her response is instant.
MARGOT:I’m so much better today! I feel like I could run a marathon
ME:You’ve never even run to the end of the driveway
MARGOT:Ok so clearly I’m exaggerating but you get what I’m saying. I feel really good. Now I just need my baby girl to start breathing on her own and maybe we can get out of this hospital.
ME:I’m coming back to visit as soon as you’re home and I’m going to hold Anna for like ten hours straight
MARGOT:Haha can’t wait
Sometime later Olivia busts in the room and jumps on the bed.
“Why do you have so much energy in the mornings?” I ask her. “We just got home a couple of hours ago.”
She fluffs her pillow, then turns toward me. “It’s a gift, really.” She watches me a few seconds. “So what happened with Griffin?”
I fill her in on our road-trip breakup. She gives me that one-brow-raised look I envy.
“Are you sure you’re okay? I know how much you liked him.”
I let out a deep breath. “I did, but I’m really okay that we’re not together.”
She nods. “Well, today is a new day and Uncle Sal and Uncle Michael are both downstairs.”
I rub my hands across my face. “They’re going to make me pick, aren’t they?”
Olivia pulls me until I’m out of the bed. “No idea, but let’s go see!”
Not only are Uncle Michael and Uncle Sal here, but so is half of the family. Nonna has a full breakfast buffet set out on the counter, and every chair and place at the table is taken.
