Page 64 of Friends Like This

“How ya feeling?” Aaron asks.

I shrug. “Tired. Loopy. Cranky. I wanna go home.”

Aaron nods.

My parents had to fill out some more insurance paperwork and get a complete set of discharge instructions. Sarah and Aaron set to work trying to cheer me up, but they’re entertaining each other more than me.

Aaron pokes my shoulder.

“What?” I grumble.

He smiles and sits down on the edge of my bed. “I’m sorry you feel like this.” He gently brushes the hair from my face. “I hate seeing you sad. Or sick. Both.”

At that, I give a little and smile. “I don’t love it either. But hopefully, I’m well on my way to recovering. I’ll feel better once I’m home. Thanks for being here.”

“Always, Beautiful.” He gives my thigh a squeeze and rises from the bed. “Now, I wanna see that smile.”

He lifts his phone up and Sarah steps into the frame.

Aaron turns to me and makes a goofy face and I laugh. He manages to snap a picture.

“Oh! Got one. Come on, make a silly face.”

We take a few shots, and finally, I’m laughing for real.

Satisfied, Aaron shoves his phone in his pocket. He sits back down next to me, and I smile and rest my head on his shoulder. Eventually, my eyes drift closed. I’m awakened a few minutes later by him shifting. I glance up at Aaron. “You make me too cozy.”

He chuckles. “I’m just glad to see you looking more relaxed.”

The door swings open as Mom and Dad walk in, andfinally,it’s time to go.

Apparently, it’s hospital policy for me to be taken out to the car by wheelchair. And it goes at the pace ofvery slow. Aaron and Sarah walk next to me, joking around, while I sit awkwardly in the wheelchair being pushed by some random hospital staff member.

When we get out front, he stops it next to my dad’s car. “Do you need any help getting in?”

I look up at Aaron, who grins back at me and says, “I’ll be fine.”

Aaron loops one arm under mine and around my waist and helps me up.

“I swear I can walk now,” I say.

He shakes his head. “I’m not taking any chances.”

I laugh a little as he helps me into the car.

The car ride home feels incredibly long. I’m tight and uncomfortable and achy.

It’s just after four when we finally get home. Mom and Dad let Aaron and Sarah take me upstairs, which surprises me because they were checking in with me every minute and a half in the car. But when we get to my bedroom, I realize why.

Joel is sitting on my bed, Mackie is on my trundle bed, and Miles is sitting in my desk chair.

“Surprise,” Aaron whispers in my ear.

“What are you guys doing here?”

Joel climbs off the bed and looks at me with big puppy dog eyes. “We were worried about you.” He delicately wraps his arms around me in a hug.

“Aww, you guys…”

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