I’m wearing Jane’s clothes, actually.Imighthave borrowed them while she was in the shower and then left a gushing note on her table about how she’s the world’s greatest sister.Shemightbe annoyed with me right now.
Life’s just full of possibilities.I drive to the hospital and get there at five ’til eight, fully determined to stare down some nurses until they let me see Hunter.
When you walk through a hospital with a large box of donuts, heads turn.People watch you.
Perfect, I think, hitting the fourth floor button in the elevator.Operation ‘please like me’ is already going great.Sure, Hunter has one of those charming personalities that wins people over in minutes, but I’ve gotdonuts.
I push through the double doors to his wing, expecting the nurses to be crowded around their station, but there’s only one woman there, and she looks up at me through half-moon reading glasses.I smile at her anyway and put the box on the counter, opening it.
“Who are you here to see?”she asks, her expression not changing.
“Hunter Casden,” I say.“And I brought donuts for all the nurses, as a thank you for working so hard...”
It seems like there should be more to say, but I can’t think of it.
She looks at me.She looks at the box.
“Where are they from?”she asks.
Come the fuck on, they’re donuts, I think.
“Aunt Mae’s,” I say, trying to keep up the forced cheer.“I’d never bring you donuts from anywhere else.”
She considers this for a moment, then stands, slowly, her hands on the desk, and peers into the open box.I swear she’sexaminingthe donuts like she’s a jeweler and they’re cut diamonds.
“Ooh, maple nut,” she says at last.“My favorite.No one ever brings these.”
The nurse grabs one and finally cracks a smile.
“Thanks, sweetheart,” she says.“Hunter’s in his room.”
Practically on cue, I hear a burst of female laughter come from his door.The nurse and I share a look.
“I hope you’re his sister, because otherwise you’re not gonna be too popular around here,” she says.“I’ve never seen a group of women so interested in checking a patient’s vitals.”
I look down at the box.
“Well, that’s why I brought these,” I say.
“Good thinking,” she says, and takes a bite of hers.
I swallow, smile, and walk into Hunter’s room with the box of donuts.
“Hi,” I say.
Three women in scrubs and Hunter all turn toward me.They’re standing and he’s sitting up on the bed.When he sees me, he smiles, and the nurses all pause for a moment.
I hold up the box, almost like a shield.
“Donuts?”I ask.
The nurses swarm me, ooh-ing, and I lift the lid off the box.Behind them, Hunter swings his legs off the bed and stands, a little more slowly than normal.
“Guys, this is Clementine,” he says, walking toward me a little gingerly.
All three nurses stop and look at me, donuts in hand.They’re clearly not thrilled, but the one on the right, wearing floral scrubs, manages to smile first.
“We’ve been hearingallabout you,” she says.
