Page 70 of Our Final Encore

“Lancaster family?” We both look over, and a doctor in a white coat is standing in the doorway. My heart stops, and I brace myself to hear the worst news of my life.

“Yes,” Alex answers for us, probably knowing that it’s hard for either of us to speak right now.

“You can come see her now, she’s awake. Immediate family members only.”

My whole body sags with relief, and I let out a deep breath I’d been holding for too long.

“Oh, thank god,” Mom mumbles under her breath as she wipes away more tears.

“I’ll be right here,” Alex says. His hand is still resting on my thigh, and he squeezes it comfortingly.

Our eyes connect and we stare at each other for a brief second. Suddenly the strongest urge comes over me to lean in and press my lips against his. I’m not sure if it’s the rush of so many conflicting emotions or just because I’m thankful that he’s here, that I didn’t have to do this alone.

But I don’t, instead I get up and follow the doctor into the hospital room.

FORTY-FOUR

Alex

I’m relieved that Darlene is alright. She’s always been a sweet lady, even if she is a bit intimidating, and she always made an effort to include me in their family gatherings and such back when Opal and I were dating. Seeing Opal so upset really fucked with me too, I can’t imagine how she’d react if her grandmother had passed away.

“Hey,” she pokes her head into the small waiting room where I’m still sitting.

“How is she?”

“She’s doing good, as good as we could hope for anyway.”

My shoulders sag with relief when I see how much calmer she is now. She sits down next to me. “She’s sleeping now, and my mom is staying here with her. She said I should go home and rest. I tried to argue but she wasn’t having it.”

“Let’s go home then.” I stand up and reach out my hand to help her up.

Surprisingly she takes it without any hesitation. She looks utterly exhausted, she definitely needs to get some rest.

“Do you want to go back to your house?”

Her brow arches. “Yeah. Where else would I go?”

I shrug. “You could come sleep at my place. Just to give your mom and grandma some space.”

She looks like she’s going to tell me no. “She’ll probably be in the hospital for at least a few days. I think I’d rather just be in my bed.”

“Then that’s where we’ll go.” I lead her behind me, through the doors to the parking lot. “I mean, that’s where you’ll go,” I correct awkwardly.

A tiny laugh escapes her, and it’s the most heavenly sound I think I’ve ever heard. Maybe, just maybe, she’s warming up to me.

The short drive back to her house is mostly silent, but thankfully not the tense, anxious silence like the way to the hospital. She rolls the window down, letting the warm breeze flow through her hair. The familiar smell of her apricot shampoo floats through the car.

“Do you want to come in?” She asks after I’ve put the car in park in her driveway. My van is still sitting in the Target parking lot, I’m gonna have to figure out a way to get it, but the last thing I’m gonna do is trouble her with that right now.

“Sure, if you want me to.”

Her lips twitch into a barely there smile before she opens the door and hops out. I follow her through the front door and the smell of this house overwhelms my senses with nostalgia. I haven’t been here since I was nineteen, but not a thing has changed since the first time I came over to her house at age twelve.

She walks straight into her bedroom, which is the only room that’s completely different from the last time I saw it. Her walls used to be filled with photos of us. Now they’re painted blue, and the only thing on them is a large cork bulletin board filled withseveral handwritten notes, and a couple photos of Opal with her mom and her best friend.

Opal slides off her sandals before climbing into bed. I sit down in the chair beside her desk, briefly glancing up at the pieces of paper covered in her handwriting. Poems. My chest warms when I realize that means she’s still writing, I always hoped that was the case.

I flick my eyes back over to her as she wraps the fluffy, white comforter around her body, pulling it up to her chin before she rolls over onto her side and looks at me. Her eyes are soft as she studies my face for a moment.

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