“She … she wasn’talways like this, y’know.”
The grit of my teeth has my jaw aching and my face flexing. “Could’ve fooled me.”
Bobbie looks forlorn across the gurney, Charline passed out between us, her body even smaller than it was before.
It’s been days of seizing and outbursts, side effects that Bobbie was warned was a possibility.
She’s brought even more pharmaceuticals and way too much hope for the friend she once knew.
It’s like I can see the guilt etched in every wrinkle forming around her eyes.
“When she was expecting Emmett, she was terrified.” Her shining eyes meet mine, her chin wobbling. “But so damnexcited.”
I hold back my scoff and glance at Charline’s BP evening out.
“Keep talking,” I encourage tightly, though I don’t want to hear any of it.
Seems like it’s helping them both.
Even if it’s tearing me up.
“Did you know that she didn’t even know who the father was? She was so set on it just being the two of them.” My teeth grind hard while Bobbie watches our patient with tears streaming down her cheeks. “Wasn’t even going to bother dating. Swore she wouldn’t.”
I nod and clear my throat, making whatever noise I can to keep from letting my rolling stomach loose all over the gurney.
“Her and Emmett used to go on these walks around the neighborhood. Even when he was just a tiny little thing, just days old and too young to know there was a whole world around him.”
“Hmm,” I huff through the burning in my throat.
“He was the pudgiest little baby, too. Cute little cheeks.”
Acid burns its way up to my tonsils and I cough, swallowing hard, my gaze unfocused on the wall across from me.
“She loved him. I know she did. But parenting by yourself is hard. So, fucking hard.”
A sob leaks out of Bobbie, and I risk a glance at her shaking frame.
“Eric swooped in, and I thought it was just a honeymoon thing when she backed away from me. Life and all, y’know? Sometimes creating a family requires distance from friends outside the home.” She’s full on crying now, her knees weakening enough that she’s clinging to her friend’s bedside to keep from crumbling. “I thought she was creating a life, and I had mine. Nursing school was no joke either.”
“It’s not,” I placate flatly.
“I had no idea,” she wails when Charline’s BP dips by ten points. “I’m so sorry, Char.I’m so sorry.”
The railing digs into my palms with how hard I hold it, my heart in my throat.
She doesn’t deserve an apology.
I don’t say that. Instead, I let Bobbie have her moment. Grieve her passing friend. Feel for the person she may have been.
“I need to get Emmett,” I whisper tightly and leave them.
She may have hours. A day at most.
But if she has another seizure, it could be the end. Her body is just too fucking weak for all the shit it’s been through.
My jaw is stiff when I ask Emmett if he’s still here.
His response is just as quiet.
