Page 36 of Remembering You
Kim shrugged. “According to Allison. But she’s also twenty-two years old and probably thinks everyone is hitting on her.”
Jill pointed a finger at each of them. “Yeah, but the tea thing is friendly. Too friendly, you know?”
He had also brought Marty a coffee after surgery a few times. In the moment, she always thought it was so sweet—so special and thoughtful. But was it just his way of wooing women? Was she just one of many he had asked out for tonight… was she the only one stupid enough to say yes to a last-minute date? “I should um… I should probably get back to my family.” Marty picked up her steaming cup of tea and hitched a thumb over her shoulder.
Jill gave her a smile and nodded. “If we hear anything before you do, we’ll let you now.”
Kim leaned across the couch, taking her hand and giving it a squeeze. “Dr. Foster might be a dog, but he and Dr. Fitzgerald are two of the best surgeons we’ve got here in Maple Grove.”
Marty forced a smile as she turned to leave. She had no doubt these girls were trying to be comforting. Thinking the gossip was distracting—helpful even to Marty, taking her mind off of what was happening beyond those double doors on the surgical table with inane gossip. They had no idea the ice pick that had just been figuratively jammed between her breastbone.
It was only another ten minutes or so that they were sitting in the waiting room before Chris exited through the double doors, walking toward them with another surgeon beside him. With a deep breath, Marty ignored the angry flush heating her cheeks and stood as soon as she saw the doctors. She didn't know Dr. Fitzgerald well, he was almost always working in the ER. But she had heard good things.
Her children followed, hopping to their feet as well and they all rushed toward the doctors. Even though every one of them was silent, the quiet in that room was still somehow thunderously loud. Marty rang her hands together, twisting her knuckles as though her hands were an intricate Celtic knot.
Lex was the first to speak. "How is she? Is she okay?"
"She's doing well," Dr. Fitzgerald said. "It was a long surgery, but Ronnie has come out of sedation, and is resting in her room."
Chris's eyes found Marty's and the tension gripping her hands immediately softened against her better judgment. "And the babies?" she asked.
Chris smiled. It was an exhausted smile, but still genuine. "The babies are good. We thought for a moment, we might have to deliver them tonight, but they stabilized and we’d rather they stay in the womb as long as possible." After addressing Marty, his gaze shifted over to Lex. "However, surgery can be traumatic on the fetuses and I want to watch her and the babies closely for the next couple days. Even once she goes home, she is going to need to stay on bed rest until she goes into labor."
Lex swiped his hand down his face, pausing a moment to pinched the bridge of his nose wearily. "Getting Ronnie to stay on bed rest?" He snorted. "You'd have better luck getting the Queen to marry a Catholic."
Marty’s lips kicked up at the corners. She shook her head, as a chuckle made its way through every member of the family standing there in the waiting room.
“How long do you think we have until the babies come?” Cam asked.
Dr. Foster shrugged. “Twins usually come early, but Ronnie is already only two weeks away from her due date. For all we know, they could come tomorrow. Or they might be a week or two late.” He shrugged and gave a small chuckle. “The latter is more rare of course for twins, but it happens.”
"When can we see her?” Marty asked.
"You can visit now," Dr. Fitzgerald said, "but I don't suggest all of you going in at once. And you should probably keep it to a short visit. It's late, and she's groggy."
Marty rested her hand on Lex's back between his shoulder blades. "You should go first," she said, nudging him toward the door. "The rest of us will give you a few minutes before we each pop in separately to say hello."
Lex's brows dipped between his eyes. "Are you sure? You're her mother."
"Yes," Marty said. "I'm her mother. But you’re her husband. And the father of those babies."
Dr. Fitzgerald opened the door, waving Lex through. "You can all follow me. I'll show you where her room is, and you can wait just outside it until it's your turn."
Marty hung back, as the rest of her children enter through the double doors. "I'll catch up with you guys in a minute."
She glanced at Dr. Foster.Chris. “We need to talk,” she said, the words dreaded even coming from her own lips.
His head tilted, a frown marring his face. His eyebrows creased. “Okay…”
Marty’s stomach flipped over on itself and heat rushed to all of her extremities. She felt icy cold and yet flushed all at once. “I’m too old to play games,” she said quietly, glancing around the waiting room to ensure they were alone. “So I’m just going to cut to the chase. It’s a two-part question.”
“Noted,” he said.
Marty swallowed, her throat feeling suddenly dry despite the tea she had gulped down not fifteen minutes ago. “And I’m going to preface these questions with the fact that I know they might make me sound… insecure. Which I’m not. I’m just—”
“Not into games,” Chris repeated, nodding and dipping his hands into his pockets. “I understand. I would much rather a direct question. One that I can give a direct answer to.”
Man, this sucked. They didn’t even get a proper first date. One with a nervous walk to the door and a good night kiss. “Question one: Did you ask Allison out for tonight as well?”
