I grimaced and put my hands over my ears.
“Disgusting! I don’t need to hear this.”
He laughed.
“You asked. Anyways, he didn’t want to go. We argued some because he didn’t want to stay at my place alone. He got in his van, I took his keys and left. I figured I’d go, come, then come back for him. He was just gonna sleep it off.”
“That’s what they said. That he’d been sleeping.”
Dallas shook his head.
“What fucking luck he has.”
Thankfully Cash joined us about fifteen minutes later. Dallas was too fidgety for my liking. My oldest and closest friend came with a backpack over his shoulder. When he came in, I leapt up and ran to him, embracing him tightly.
“Any update on old Ronald?” Cash chuckled, trying to ease the icy silence that kept falling over the room.
“Nothing yet. The doctor said it was going to be a few hours.”
He nodded and dropped the backpack on the floor by the couch.
“I’m going to grab some coffee, I’ll be back.”
Dallas leapt up to join him, and when they returned, warm cups in hand, we sat together and waited for news on Ronny’s situation.
Dallas tried to keep the mood light by regaling us with his night before last. He had a fantastic party at his place. Booze, beer, and bitches galore. His words, not mine. I tuned him out after a while, taking to scrolling my phone rather than conversing.
My thoughts eventually went to Tate, and where I had been just only hours ago. In bed, wrapped in his arms, with baby Cara in her little bed beside us. My heart ached, wishing for that moment back.
I wondered if she had cried yet to eat. Would Tate wake up to feed her? I hoped she’d be loud enough to stir him out of his heavy sleep. Maybe I should call and check in. No, I decided. I had to have faith in him as a father. I knew he was okay taking care of her and calling him in the middle of the night was probably just rousing him from a sleep he was struggling with as is. No sense in waking him up in between Cara feedings. I’d talk to him in the morning.
Finally, the doctor returned and gave the three of us waiting nervously a genuine smile.
“The surgery went perfectly. He’s being wheeled to recovery now and will be down here in an hour or so. You can visit him then, although probably one at a time, and not for long. He’s pretty beaten up.”
We thanked him and suddenly the air in the room took on an excited electricity. He was alive. The surgery went perfect. That’s all we needed to hear.
“Dibs on seeing him first,” Dallas said the moment the doctor was gone.“I need to tell him about all the damage on my front lawn.”
I turned and opened my mouth in protest but shut it tightly. It wasn’t worth the fight he was intentionally picking. Cash looked down at his watch.
“The cafeteria is about to open. I’m going to go grab a sandwich or something. I need to stretch my legs.”
“I’ll join you,” I said, glancing at the clock on the wall. Ronny wouldn’t be down here for an hour. That was plenty of time to get some food. My stomach rumbled, telling me that it was time for some sustenance. Dallas leapt up as well, and together we headed down to the cafeteria.
We all grabbed trays and started down the line of breakfast items. I opted for a bowl of oatmeal, a banana, and some more coffee. Cash grabbed a sandwich wrapped in tin foil and some fruit, while Dallas loaded his plate with eggs, bacon, sausage, potatoes, a bagel, and a few other things I couldn’t quite see under the mountain he had made on his tray. We stared at him as we sat down and he blinked innocently.
“What? I need something to soak up any residual alcohol in my system. Plus, I’m starving. If I’m going to be here a while I might as well eat right.”
“You’re going to be here for a while?” I asked, peeling my banana. He raised an eyebrow at me.
“Someone should be. How are you going to be here all the time when you’ve got a baby at home? And GP. Fuck, Tate I mean. That’s still weird. How did no one know his real fucking name? He’s still GP in my head.” He stabbed his egg pile and shoved a bite into his mouth.
“What do you mean? I mean, I get the baby is here, but Ronny needs me more. Tate can take care of her.”
Dallas blinked his electric blue eyes at me. He waited until he swallowed to speak. What a gentleman.
“You think yourhusbandis going to be cool watching your new baby while you’re off taking care of your ex-boyfriend? Jesus Jim. I may be a little drunk still but even I’m not that stupid.”
