Page 94 of Pieces

She chuckles, and it’s that sound I’d hear over and over in my head after I met her.

Just as my eyes begin to close, my phone buzzes on the nightstand. I groan, already tempted to ignore it, but one glance at the screen has me changing my mind.

“It’s my mom,” I say, frowning. We both sit up as I answer. “Hey, Mom. Everything okay?”

Her voice comes through the line. “Hudson, honey,” she says. “I may have had a few glasses of wine tonight,” Mom admits, and I stifle a laugh. I don’t remember the last time that happened. Go coffee guy. “And Rory’s at her friend’s place. She’s not feeling well, though. I was going to get her, but neither of us can drive.”

I throw the covers back. “Text me the address, I’ll go get her.”

When I hang up, Daphne is already sliding on my hoodie and her leggings. “What’s wrong?”

“Rory isn’t feeling well, and Mom’s had a few too many glasses of wine on her date.” I tug on my sweats, already halfway to the door.

Daphne grabs her phone and shoes without missing a beat. “I’m coming with you.”

“No, you should stay, sleep.”

“I want to,” she says firmly. No stalling. Her jumping in like this, like it’s normal, settles under my ribs, and I think I fall a little harder for her.

“Okay,” I exhale. “Let’s go.”

The streets are dark and empty when we pull up to Rory’s friend’s house, but I see Rory and her friend immediately, sitting on the porch together.

I’m out of the car the second I turn off the ignition. “Hey, squirt,” I say, jogging up the porch steps, then crouching down in front of her. “Rough night?”

Her voice is small. “My stomach hurts.”

I reach to help her stand, but Daphne is there before me. “Hey, Rory” she says warmly. “Let’s get you out of the cold, hm?”

Rory’s eyes flick to her, and a smile tugs at her lips. “I didn’t want to puke in Mrs. Stenson’s house, so I thought it was best if I sat out here with Erin.”

Erin looks sheepish and shy as she smiles and waves. “I’ll call you tomorrow to check on you. Night.”

“You know,” Daphne begins, “me and my best friend had a stomach bug on my birthday this year.”

Rory half snorts. “Was it a puke fest?”

“Totally.” Daphne laughs. “I hate being sick, I’m such a baby.”

“Hudson is too,” Rory says without missing a beat.

“Ouch,” I scoff. “But fair.”

And even though Rory looks pale and tired, I see the faintest flicker of a smile, and my girl did that.

***

By the time we get home, it’s late, later than it should be, because we had to stop twice for Rory to throw up. The whole time, Daphne was holding her hair, rubbing her back, talking her through it with a calmness I wasn’t sure I would have managed. I kept a hand on Rory’s back too, but I’ll be honest, I wastwo secondsfrom gagging myself.

So, yeah. I’m incredibly grateful for Daphne stepping up, because if it had been just me and Rory…we’d be two disasters on the side of the road.

Rory’s half-asleep when I pull into the driveway, her face pale and her little groans making my chest tighten. I kill the engine, and Daphne is already moving ahead, hopping out to open the front door.

I unbuckle Rory carefully, cradling her against my chest. She grumbles something, but her head rests on my shoulder, hot and heavy.

“I’ll get her a bucket and some water,” Daphne says, already heading for the kitchen.

“Bucket’s under the sink!” I whisper-shout after her and adjust Rory in my arms.

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