Jason nodded, his shoulders relaxing as he leaned back in the chair. “Good. That’s a relief to hear.”
Meredith swept into the room about twenty minutes later, juggling balloons, a bright stuffed yellow duck, and two steaming cups of coffee.
“Okay, who’s ready for some sunshine?” she announced, setting the balloons down and the duck on the chair beside Bebe’s bed.
She handed me one of the coffees, then offered the other to Jason.
“Figured you could use this, too,” she said, winking at him.
Jason took it gratefully. “Thanks, Meredith. I appreciate this.”
Meredith beamed, then turned her attention to Bebe. “How’s my little warrior doing?”
“She’s still sleeping, but she’s doing really well,” I said. “The nurse thinks she’ll be able to go home later today.”
“Good,” Meredith said, settling into the chair. “She’s a tough cookie.”
Jason’s phone buzzed, and he stepped to the corner of the room to answer it. When he hung up, he turned back to me.
“That was my mom,” he said. “James is doing great. She said he had pancakes for breakfast and has been happily playing with his cars all morning.”
I smiled, relieved to hear James was being well cared for.
“She asked if they should stop by the house today or wait until tomorrow,” Jason said. “What do you think? Would it be too much for Bebe today?”
I glanced at Bebe, her little hand curled around the blanket Meredith had brought. “Let’s give her a little space. They can come by tomorrow.”
Jason nodded. “Makes sense. I’ll stop by with them tomorrow morning before I drive my parents to the airport. My mom said she’d keep James at their hotel for another night if you’re okay with that.”
“That’s fine,” I said. “I think Bebe will need some quiet once we’re home.”
Jason’s phone buzzed again. He stepped toward the door to answer it, his voice low. When he came back, he tucked his phone into his pocket.
“That was Brooke,” he said, glancing at me. “She’s bringing me a change of clothes. Is it okay if she stops by for a minute?”
I hesitated, but only for a second. “Of course. That’s fine.”
About a half-hour later, there was a soft knock at the door. Jason stood and opened it, stepping aside to let Brooke in. She entered cautiously, holding a small duffel bag and wearing a polite smile.
“Good morning,” she said, her gaze flicking between me, Meredith, and Jason before landing briefly on Bebe. She handed the bag to Jason. “How’s she doing?” Brooke asked quietly.
“She’s doing well,” I said evenly, keeping my tone polite. “The nurse said she’ll probably be able to go home this afternoon.”
“That’s great news,” Brooke said, offering a warm smile.
Jason gestured toward the recliner. “Do you want to sit for a second?”
Brooke shook her head quickly. “No, I don’t want to intrude. I’ll check in later.”
Jason nodded, “Thanks for bringing this.”
“Of course,” Brooke said, her gaze flickering briefly toward me before she stepped back toward the door.
The door clicked softly shut behind Jason and Brooke, leaving the room noticeably quieter. Meredith stretched out in the chair, sipping her coffee.
“Well, that was… efficient,” she said lightly, shooting me a knowing look.
I didn’t respond, busying myself with smoothing the blanket over Bebe’s legs. But as the quiet settled over the room, I instinctively reached for my phone on the side table.
