Page 65 of Friends Like This

“Come on… you couldn’t have expected anything else,” Mackie says.

“We’ve even got that movie you love ready to go.” Miles gives me a big smile. “And…” he holds up bags from the local café, Marion’s. Marion is known for her ‘food to heal the soul’ combo of homemade chicken soup and her sinfully perfect grilled cheese. Then Mackie wiggles a bag of cookies at me, and tears prickle in my eyes. This is my village. My tribe. The people who rally around me and make sure I’m okay. And I could not be more grateful. I know if they could’ve been, they would’ve been at the hospital with me all day long.

Aaron helps me onto the bed. It feels good to be home. Even though my stomach felt a little weird earlier, the grilled cheese and soup go down easy. And, of course, so do the cookies.

We hang out in my room for hours, watching movies, talking, and me occasionally dozing off because I can’t hang.

“Rae…”

I flash my eyes open to see Miles leaning over me.

“Sorry,” I whisper.

“It’s fine,” he says, kissing my forehead. “But Macks and I are gonna head out. We’ll come see you tomorrow, okay?”

I nod. “Love you guys.”

“Love you too,” Mackie says, waving as she and Miles head out the window.

And then there were four.

We talk some more, and I briefly doze off again. When I wake up, it’s time for pain meds. I’ve never taken anything as strong as these before, so I’m a little nervous about how weird they’re gonna make me feel.

A little while later, Joel lets out a big yawn, stands up, and stretches. “I should probably head home soon or else I might pass out on your trundle bed.”

I shrug. “You can if you want.”

My phone vibrates on the chest under my window. Aaron looks at it, then picks it up and hands it to me. “Davey.”

I grab it and quickly answer. “Hey.”

“Hi. How are you doing?”

“I’m okay. Tired. Feeling a little weird from the pain meds. Still achy. Otherwise, I’m okay. How was the rest of your day?”

“Ah, it was fine. Mostly helped my grandparents with some stuff and then my grandma made a couple of my favorites for dinner. Missed seeing you again, though. Okay if I stop by in the morning?”

“Of course.”

“What have you been doing tonight?”

“Lounging in bed, being waited on hand and foot. The friends were all here when I got home. I’m still hanging with Sarah, Aaron, and Joel.” I include him, though he’s clearly getting ready to leave.

“Doesn’t sound too bad. Well, get some rest.”

“Yeah, I probably should. Have a good night, Davey.”

“You too, baby. Bye.”

“Bye.”

I hang up and Joel is immediately kissing my forehead and saying goodbye, then heading out the window.

Sarah goes to get changed into pajamas.

And I am feeling like I got hit by a semi. These pain meds are something else.

Aaron looks down at me. “You all right?”

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