“She would use the damn formula and not tell anyone about it,” Leigh said.
“You think?”
“I mean, what’s the alternative? Letting her baby, like,die?”
“That makes me feel better. It’s so silly, but it does.”
“You said her name, you know. Do you remember?” Leigh asked.
“What? When?”
“When I came to take you to the hospital. You were in and out. It was terrifying, honestly. I put June in the car and came to get you, and you called me Angeni Luna.”
Gwen didn’t remember that, but she remembered the vision of the woman coming toward her.
“You were wearing white?” Gwen said.
“Yeah, this tunic thing. Why?”
“I thought you were an angel,” Gwen said. “I was so out of it.”
“I’m so glad you’re okay,” Leigh said.
“I’m so sorry it was terrifying.”
“Oh, stop. I’m quite sure it was more terrifying for you,” Leigh said. “And look, just use the formula for now. You’ll get back to breastfeeding. This will all be a blip on the radar.”
Gwen started crying more.
“Oh, honey. It’s okay. I promise it’ll be okay. Here’s what we’re going to do. You’re going to come over every day with June so we can hang out and get you through this rough patch. Okay?”
Gwen nodded.
“Thank you,” she managed to say in the midst of her tears.
Leigh came to her bedside, took her hand, squeezed it. She stared into Gwen’s teary eyes with such meaningful compassion that Gwen couldn’t stand it, flicked her eyes downward.
“We should probably get going. Have to get home and do dinner,” Leigh said.
“Okay, yeah. Thank you again,” Gwen said, resuming eye contact.
“I know we’ve only been friends for a short time, but I really care for you,” Leigh said.
Now Leigh’s eyes welled up with tears. Gwen had to look away again. She couldn’t handle such a strong dose of intimacy like this.
“You’re a godsend,” Gwen said.
Leigh squeezed her hand again. “Okay, sweetie. Rest well. Feel better. If they don’t let you out soon, I’ll bust you out.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
“I feel like we have a very Thelma-and-Louise vibe, don’t you?”
Gwen laughed. “Minus the driving off the cliff at the end.”
“Right, minus that.”
Leigh blew her a kiss and then left the room. Gwen felt her absence immediately and acutely. Before she had a chance to analyze the depth of this unexpected ache, Jeff appeared, a brown take-out bag in one hand.
