Page 89 of Sweet Nothings

I look down, laughing. She’s right. My skin is sticky with sweat, and dirt covers my dress. I run my fingers through my loose, tangled, windswept curls.

“I could,” I agree.

Roe lifts her eyebrows, waiting for me to answer her.

“Fine.” I groan, followed by a giggle. “I’ll go home and shower, but I’ll wait until you get transferred to your own room.”

“Sounds good.” She nods once, but then she looks off to the side, her smile fading. Fresh tears line her eyes again when she turns her attention back on me. “Thank you, Laurel.”

I give her a closed mouth smile before texting Lennon.

Me: I’m sure. I’m going to stay until they come in to transfer Roe to her own room.

Lennon: Okay, sweet nothings. I’ll have Ray wait for you out in the waiting room whenever you’re ready.

Me: Thank you xx

When I’m finished texting with Lennon, I drop my phone back into my pocket and pull up the doctor’s stool in the far corner of the small room. I roll it until I reach the side of Roe’s bed and sit down.

My eyes tire, growing heavier with every blink. Roe adjusts in her bed until she’s comfortable. Her hollowed, tired eyes close as she tucks her hands under the side of her face. She’s still wearing her wedding ring. A large, green emerald surrounded by dozens of tiny white diamonds. My heart breaks for her, knowing the one man she truly loved broke her already broken heart. I try not to think on it too long.

Anger for Steven blooms in my chest, but love for Lennon replaces it. I try to imagine if I were in Roe’s shoes. The thought of my marriage to Lennon left in limbo because he decided to disappear leaves a gaping hole where my heart has made its home.

I wrap my hand around Roe’s and lean over the bed, resting my head on our hands. Then I allow myself to fall asleep to the rhythmic sound of Roe’s heartbeat through the machine.

“Ma’am?”

I snap my eyes open to find myself staring at a nurse. He moves beside me, dragging an oxygen tank behind him. I watch as he unplugs the tube to Roe’s cannula from the wall and connects it to the tank.

“Monroe’s room is ready for her up in the oncology room.”

I look over at Roe. Her eyes are still closed, but she’s breathing. The lights above Roe’s bed are dim, and I wonder if one of the nurses came in while we were both sleeping and turned them down.

“Oh.” I rub the sleep from my eyes. “I told her I would stay until she was taken up. I don’t want to wake her.”

“We’d like her to get as much rest as possible,” the nurse says, rearranging tubes and wires. It’s a tangled mess.

“Okay.” I sigh, checking the time. I’ve only been asleep for an hour. “Will you let her know I was here until she was moved?”

“Of course.” He agrees with a smile.

“Thank you.”

Carefully and softly, I unravel my hands from Roe’s and step out of her room. I squint when I step into the hallway. The bright lights of the emergency room stretch from one end of the hall to the other. I head toward the waiting room to find Ray. I tilt my head to the side, stretching the sore muscles in my neck.

When I push through the door, I find him waiting for me in the corner of the room. Dark green chairs line each of the three walls with more rows of chairs scattered in the middle. A children’s table with toys is situated along the far wall. Surprisingly, the waiting room isn’t busy.

Ray eyes me and stands, straightening the lapel of his black suit. He takes a step toward me, but I stop when I see Fred and Kellan walking toward me from the direction of the check in desk.

“Where is she?” Fred desperately asks. His facial expressions are tense and worried. I’ve lost all sympathy and respect for him. It’s incredible how quickly you can look up to someone, and then one day, you don’t even want to look at them at all.

“Why are you here?” I ask.

“What do you mean, why are we here?” he asks in disbelief.

“Well.” I shoot Kellan a look. “Considering what happened back at the party, I didn’t think you’d come all the way here.”

“Enough.” Fred groans. “We’re not going to discuss what happened.”

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