Page 18 of Big Balls
So why am I left standing there in my heavy-walled office, watching the sway of Zoe’s hips as she heads toward the kitchen?
I stare after her until she turns the corner, but she never looks back at me.
Not once.
6
Zoe
His phone rings and rings.Not just four rings or five. I count eleven rings, and there’s still no voicemail. What kind of monster doesn’t have voicemail?
Although this isn’t voicemail news. This is an in-person, trying-not-to-snivel phone call. And while I am well beyond sniveling, it’s not the right time for me to cry yet. I have to hold it together because I’m the adult, and if I start crying, then it’s going to be too difficult to stop.
I’m sitting in the flimsy hospital chair, my knee wriggling up and down. I finally hang up and look over at Katy.
She is so tiny in the hospital bed, even though it’s a pediatric hospital bed. I’m holding her hand as gently as possible, but she’s still so small and absolutely pale and sweating in the bed. She is also trying not to cry, but it’s not going as well for her.
The little tear stains on her face make my stomach turn.
Ethan Alexander is going to be so angry. I don’t even mean in the normal amount, where he acts like he’s going to pick a fight with you at any moment.
Nope. This is going to be the screaming I-told-you-so about the treehouse we already disagreed about. He said it was too dangerous, and I told him that Katy needed to be free to try things on her own.
And now I’m calling him from the emergency room, and of course he isn’t answering.
I push my fingers against my lips and try to figure out another way to get ahold of him. Oh, I’ve got it.
The front office gives me the number for the team’s manager, but of course it goes to voicemail because the game is still going on. At least I get to leave a message, so that’s something in the right direction.
I call Ethan again, but as it’s ringing for the eighth time, the doctor and a nurse come in. I stand up, and the chair makes a hideous screeching noise when I move.
Everyone turns to stare at me, and I manage an awkward fingertip wave then I look back over at Katy.
I manage not to cry when I am unable to answer the majority of the doctor’s questions. Katy can answer most of the questions herself, so that’s something good at least.
I take a few deep breaths and call Ethan again. The phone keeps ringing, and I know he is going to panic when he sees the three missed calls from me. I don’t want him to panic. But I also can’t leave him a voicemail, for whatever reason, and I don’t want him thinking I wasn’t trying to get word to him as quickly as possible.
Unfortunately, I am not tech support, so figuring out the giant voicemail fail is above my paygrade. I take a deep breath and dial the club’s main number again. This time I ask where the team is playing, and the lady on the phone gives me a silence that is heavy with skepticism.
“Look, I’m his nanny. I need to reach him about his daughter. I am at the hospital with her.” I’m trying not to panic but I can feel the fear clogging up my throat, giving my eyes a pinched feeling.
Somehow I convince her to give me the number to the stadium. When I end the call, I look over at Katy. Her mouth is a tight little line across her face.
“You could have just asked me.” She squeezes my hand a little bit, and at this little sign of life, I get almost dizzy with relief. “Also, you could have used Google. That’s what I do when I forget where he is.”
I sigh. “You’re right. I’m sorry, but I am so deep into panic mode right now. I really needed to talk to another person, not just a voicemail.” I run my thumb across the back of her hand then gently squeeze her hand. “I’m going to call him again.”
She chuckles, and it ends in a hiccup. “He’s going to be so mad.”
I could say something to reassure her, but she knows him better than I do. Also, I absolutely guarantee that Ethan Alexander is going to lose his composure and start yelling. I can deal with him yelling at me. But I’m not going to sit here quietly if he takes even a sideways dig at Katy.
Instead I give her the weakest smile of my entire lifetime. “It’s going to be fine, Katydid. I’ve got this.”
And now I’m listening to the hold music at the stadium. I keep pushing zero and the pound key, but the music keeps on blaring away in my ear. I hold it away from my face and put it on speaker while the tinny sound continues.
Katy nods, making a satisfied sound in the back of her throat. “It’s Queen’s “We Will Rock You.” That’s perfect.”
My irritation must be showing because she huffs over at the look I’ve been giving her. “Don’t give me that look. Your face is going to freeze that way.”
