Page 58 of Lavender Lake
I decided to ignore her statement. “What are you guys talking about?”
“Ridge stuff. Nothing that would interest you.”
It was another reminder that I’d purposefully chosen to separate myself and I tried not to feel the hurt, but it permeated every bit of my chest.
“Hadley wants to stay here for a bit,” Declan said. “But I’ve got to get back.”
“Salem will go with you,” Muddy said. “Hadley’ll keep me company.”
“I can stay,” I said, my voice weak.
“And drive us all insane.” She released me, and then cradled my cheek. “Too much energy in there. Go. With my blessing.”
“If you’re sure,” I murmured.
“Positive,” Muddy said.
Declan reached into his pocket and handed Muddy his keys. “In case Hadley wants to leave separately from you. Are you staying the night again?”
“I’m not leaving this place until my son does,” Muddy said, a glint of determination in her hazel eyes. “Cafeteria food might send me over the edge, though. It’s vile.”
“We should’ve brought the food from Mr. Bixby,” I said. “We’ll bring some when we come back.”
“Don’t make an extra trip, but yeah, I’d love some of his mac and cheese. And after the pastries, I’m sure the nurses won’t mind sharing space in the fridge in the nurses’ lounge.”
Hadley returned to the waiting room and joined us, looking a bit wan.
“Can we bring you anything else?” Bowman asked. “Anything to make you more comfortable?”
Muddy smiled at him. “You’re a sweet boy. I need more yarn from my crochet basket.”
“Consider it done, ma’am,” Bowman said.
“Muddy,” she said.
“Excuse me?” Bowman asked.
“Call me Muddy, everyone else does.” She patted his cheek, and then linked her arm with Hadley and the two of them moved toward the corner of the room.
Bowman looked shell-shocked at my grandmother’s declaration, but that was Muddy.
Declan went to Hadley and bent down to kiss her head. He said something to her and she nodded.
“Ready?” Declan asked as he returned to me and Bowman.
“Yeah, let’s go,” I said.
Before I run into Jane and make another scene.
The shock of the news of my father’s girlfriend was slowly fading, but I still wasn’t happy about it. And even more so, I had no desire to get to know her.
She would be around for his recovery, but would I be? After Hadley’s wedding, wasn’t I going back to New York?
The idea of staying hurt me, in more ways than one. But my family needed me. Especially when Dad got out of the hospital.
“Fuck,” I muttered.
“You okay?” Bowman asked, glancing at me as we got into the elevator.
