“Go fish,” Maeve says, after Clem asks if she has a queen. My friend glances over at us and gives me a reassuring smile. I explained how unnecessary this visit was when I called her.
Wyatt won’t leave me alone about it, I said.Is Shelby’s rhubarb custard enough to make a house visit worthwhile?
Dessert is a bonus, Maeve replied, after conferring quickly with Jenn that they could pop over.We’ll be there in fifteen.
“ ‘Not really’ or ‘no,’ Mom?” Wyatt’s tone is harsh, and I shush him with a quiet “Stop it, Wyatt.”
“She was awake the whole time, Wyatt,” Shelby says. “Confused but awake.”
“Do you have a ten?” Clem asks.
“I do, you lucky girl!” Shelby hands her the card.
“Before everyone else weighed in on my experience”—I roll my eyes for Jenn’s benefit, and she chuckles—“I was about to say, no, I did not lose consciousness.”
“Okay, good,” Jenn says, scrolling through the vitals reflected in her glasses. “Everything looks great to me, Tilly.”
“Did she tell you she passed out yesterday? At work?” Wyatt wipes his hands on a tea towel, then sits at the island across from me. I thinkabout this counter covered in cockroaches and resist the shudder.Easy, Tilly. There were no bugs,remember? It was a hallucination.
Like the tendril. A dehydration-induced hallucination. Nothing more.
Lock the door, lock the door, lock the door…
“Yes, she did,” Jenn says. I didn’t tell her, but I appreciate the little white lie. Besides, I gave Jenn access to my chart, so there was no need to relay yesterday’s incident. “Notes here say it was dehydration related?”
Jenn looks at me over her glasses, and I nod.
“That’s what the PA said,” I reply. “Too much coffee and not enough water.”
“Well, I don’t see anything concerning.” Jenn turns off the MedAlert glasses. “Likely a holdover from yesterday. Sometimes our system takes a couple of days to get back online. You’ve upped your water, had some electrolytes?”
“They sent me home with a few packets, and I got more in my delivery.”
“Anything else we should do?” Wyatt asks.“We” again.
“Relax? That’s my professional opinion.” Jenn stands and puts an arm around Wyatt. “I’ll write her a script for forest bathing. She can even do it VR, if you guys don’t have time to take the day trip.”
Wyatt gives Jenn a look that says he doesn’t appreciate the humor. But it’s mostly put on, and I can tell he’s more at ease after her assessment.
“Seriously. She’s okay, Wyatt. I would send her in if I thought otherwise. I’m more stubborn than she is.” Jenn smiles my way, and I return it.
“See, babe, I’m fine. Dr. Jenn says so.”
He nods, sighs deeply, and offers a half smile. “I really appreciate this, Jenn,” he says. “I just needed to be sure.”
Jenn squeezes Wyatt into a side hug. “I would expect nothing less.”
“Now, how about some sugar? I think we could all use a dopamine hit, and Shelby’s custard and rhubarb is a surefire way to get that flowing.” I wink at Wyatt, and he lets out a small laugh, raising a hand.
“You had me at sugar,” he replies.
“So, who else wants dessert?” I ask the group, and a gleeful Clementine shouts from the living room, “Meeeeeeeeeeeee!”
We all sit down, and Shelby doles out custard and stewed rhubarb while Wyatt makes another pot of coffee, for the “nonpregnant adults.” I dream of sneaking a cup of it later after everyone’s in bed, imagine guzzling it down cold, the lovely lift of caffeine.
Clementine keeps up nonstop chatter with Maeve and Jenn, who indulge her like they always do. I sit, smiling as I listen to Clementine, sipping a barely palatable herbal tea that tastes like bark and blueberries. My other hand rests under the table, unseen, absentmindedly touching the spot on my stomach where the bruise used to be.
—
