Page 62 of Jeremy
Nodding,I sniff, and retreat back to one of the chairs. Jeremy does the same, neverletting go of my hand as he sits beside me. “They’re getting x-rays now.Clarissa said she’ll let us know as soon as they know anything.”
Thehands on the clock seem to slow to a crawl as we wait for news on our littleboy.
“They’rein here,” Leah calls back to someone as she enters the room. I was lost inthought, my gaze fixed out the window overlooking the parking lot, and it takesme a moment to focus on her when she enters.
Sherushes over to hug me, and I look up, shocked to see she isn’t alone. Zoe,Landon, Justus, and Dare are right behind her. Landon is dressed in some kindof odd jumpsuit, and my mouth moves before my brain can catch up. “No one iscontagious.”
Justussnorts out a laugh.
Landonsmirks and reminds me, “The sun is still up.”
“Ohright. Sorry, I forgot about that.”
“Noproblem.”
“Youshould’ve seen his old one. It was blue. He looked like a Teletubby,” Justussays, and starts swiping through his phone. “I think I have some pictures.”
Zoeplucks the phone out of his hand and hisses, “Behave yourself or I’m callingSadie.”
Justuslays a hand on his chest, appearing offended. “She ain’t the boss of me. I dowhatev—”
It’sall he gets out before Zoe picks up her phone. Justus plucks it out of herhands. “No need to bother her with any of this. She’s at work, you know, tryingto teach people to walk again and shit. Do you really want to interruptsomeone’s convalescence?”
Zoeglares at him, and he takes a few steps back until his legs hit the chair.Sitting down, he holds up his palms. “See, all good.” He turns to me. “Jeremytexted us what was going on. Has there been any news?”
“Notyet. You didn’t all have to come.”
“We’refamily,” Justus says. “You want Jeremy, you get us all.”
“Forbetter or worse,” Zoe says, and rolls her eyes, snatching her phone back fromJustus.
Asmuch as they tease and bicker, it’s clear how much they all love each other.Everyone has a seat, and when Dr. Hanlon enters a few minutes later, a raresmile breaks across his face.
“I’mhappy to see Calvin has so much support.”
“Howis he?” I jump to my feet.
“Aswe suspected, it is pneumonia, but we caught it fairly early. So far, he hasn’thad any problem handling the antibiotics. We’re just going to have to wait andsee if they are effective in fighting the pneumonia. We’ll know more in a fewhours and reevaluate then.”
Hisvoice softens. “This is very common in premature babies, and most come throughit fine. I’m confident this is a temporary setback, but with such fragilelittle ones, we have to remain vigilant.”
“CanI see him?”
“Weneed to limit his interaction for the next twenty-four hours. He’s vulnerableto any of the myriad of bacteria and viruses all humans carry with them on adaily basis. We’ve moved him to isolation. For the moment, you’ll need to stayon the other side of the glass.”
“Iunderstand.” I manage to wait until the doctor has left before the sobsovertake me.
Jeremywraps his arms around me. “I know it’s hard. He’s fighting, and we have to givehim the space to do it.”
“Mybaby is sick and all alone in there.”
Thenurse, Clarissa, steps into the room and sits beside me, taking my hand. “Hewon’t be alone. I’ll be right there with him. You know I’ve cared for him sincethe first day. He knows me.”
“Thankyou.”
Shenods and gets to her feet. “Give us about thirty minutes or so, and you’ll beable to see him through the glass.”
Imanage to calm down, and Leah brings me a drink from the vending machine.“Where’s Tucker?” Jeremy asks Landon.
