Page 16 of After All This Time

Tears flow from her eyes and her breathing is heavy. Celia guides her back to a chair and sits down next to her.

Dani stands there, staring at the wall in front of her. It’s like she’s immobile and frozen in time.

A nurse puts a thumbs up in the air at Dr. Miller, signaling to the doctor that she’s needed back in the surgery room.

I can’t form cohesive thoughts in my head because none of this feels real. I’m living a nightmare. One that I can’t wake up from.

Let me wake up. Please. I’m begging you.

I can see my mom. Celia’s fingers are red from how tight my mom’s grip is on her.

Dani stares off into the distance, her hands intertwining in her lap and her legs are shaking.

I’m sitting in between her and my mom.

I turn my head towards Dani. “Will you cut it out?”

“Am I annoying you?”

She knows that my buttons are incredibly easy to push right now. I hate that she’s trying to pick a fight with me right now after the doctor told us my father is still in surgery.

I huff. “Honestly, you are. Are you just here to screw with me? Because if you are, you can walk out of this hospital right now. My dad is in surgery. My sister is unconscious. My mom is an emotional wreck. I’m not in the mood for this shit!”

Getting up from my chair, I storm off before she can say anything else that will piss me off.

I end up pacing down a small corridor for what feels like forever.

Three hours have passed by since my dad was taken in for surgery.

I can see some of the nurses sitting at the giant desk area in the middle of the fourth floor occasionally glancing at me.

I’m officially losing my mind.

Oh, the irony.

“Noah.” I hear Dani’s voice call my name from the other side of the room.

I glare at her when I walk past her and continue to pace. When I come back to complete another lap, Dani’s standing in front of my pathway.

“Noah, stop pacing. You’re making me dizzy.”

Tough shit. I don’t care about making you dizzy. I care about my dad making it through this surgery.

Just as I turn my back, she grabs my wrist. Her thumb gently rubs the inner skin in a windshield wiper motion.

What the hell is going on?

I stretch out my hand to express my discomfort, but she doesn’t let go.

Her face softens as she meets my gaze. “I’m sorry, okay? You don’t have to accept my apology. I wouldn’t if I was you.” She takes a deep breath. “I’m not here to be a thorn in your side. I’m here because I love your mom. I love your dad. And I love Lizzie. They’re like family to me. Your mom means the world to my mom. I’m hoping you know all this.” She takes a deep breath. “I can tell how much you don’t want me here and I don’t want to cause you any more stress. And yes, I know I said you couldn’t make me leave, but things change. If you really want me to go, I’ll go.”

Why do I feel like I just got punched in the face without actually getting punched in the face?

She waits for a response, but nothing comes out of my mouth.

“Okay, then…Well, I’d say it’s been nice to see you, but we both know that’s bullshit.” She heads back to the chair she was sitting in to grab her bag.

Just as Dani is about to reach the elevators, Dr. Miller walks by her. She’s walking towards my mom with a surgical mask slung around her neck. Sweat is dripping from her forehead down to her temples.

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