Page 149 of Chasing Infinity

I watch her for a moment taking in the dark circles underneath her eyes and how her vision glazes over slightly as she stares at me. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen her look wearier. I make a snap decision and let go of her hand. I shuffle around in the hospital bed, scooting further away from her until I’m close to the opposite edge. She watches me with drowsy eyes but doesn’t move.

“Come here, come lay with me,” I tell her, raising my arm in invitation. When I notice the alarmed look on her face, I grin, “I promise you won’t hurt me.”

Addison hesitates for only a moment but finally gives in. After setting her remaining two granola bars down on the table next to the bed, she crawls on top of the bed, curling into my side and resting her head on my shoulder. My arm falls around her waist, and she snuggles in closer.

“Get some rest,” I whisper, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

“You’re sure this is okay?”

“It’s better than okay,” I mumble into her hair. She presses closer into me as if trying to eliminate any possible space between us and lets out a big sigh.

“I love you, Noah.”

* * *

“Alright, now, you have your discharge papers?” the nurse asks me the following morning as she clicks through my medical record on the computer.

“I do,” Addison says, holding them up. She’s standing behind the wheelchair I’m currently trapped in. Apparently, it’s hospital policy that patients must be wheeled out of the hospital to avoid liability.

I’ve never felt more humiliated.

But it’s okay. I keep reminding myself that this is my ticket out of here. All I have to do is put up with one measly wheelchair ride, and then I get to go home. With Parks. I feel like that’s a pretty decent trade-off.

“Well then, it looks like everything else is in order. You two should be good to go. Noah, if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to call the nurse line, okay? And you’re all scheduled for your follow-up visit in a few weeks.”

I nod my head, itching to get out of here. I’m not sure how much longer I can put up with this.

The nurses all wave as we walk down the hallway to the elevators. They act like I’m some big celebrity, but I have to wonder if it’s because they know who my father is. In a small town, you can never entirely escape the history you’re born into. I might have a different last name, but at the heart of it all, I’m still Declan McCoy’s son, and just about everyone in this town knows it.

Addison holds the wheelchair steady for me once we pass through the front sliding doors of the hospital, and then she puts it off to the side. She reaches for my hand, and we walk together to her car.

“Do you mind stopping at Monty’s so I can pick up your prescriptions? I just got a text that they were ready,” she explains.

I settle in the car and rest my head against the seat. “Could you just take me home? I feel like I could use a nap.” Addison pauses and glances over at me, a smile playing on her lips as she starts the car. I raise an eyebrow at her. “What?”

“I just like the way you said that—home.”

I smile back at her. “It is home. Our home.”

If possible, Addison beams even brighter as she pulls out of the hospital parking lot and drives us away.

She walks me up to the apartment, ensuring I don’t pass out as I take the stairs to our front door. As soon as we’re inside, she sets the folder containing my medical notes down on the counter and then turns to me.

“Do you need anything else while I’m at the store?”

I shake my head and stumble over to the couch. As soon as I fall against the cushions, I look up at her, reconsidering. “Actually, could you get me some blue Gatorade and some Cheetos?”

She wrinkles her nose but nods her head. “Odd request, but of course. Anything else?”

“No, thanks.”

Addison watches my attempt to get comfortable on the couch before she takes pity on me, walking over to help me settle underneath the fluffy plaid blanket. I groan as I lean back, feeling the ache begin in my wrist. She ensures I’m all tucked in before pressing a kiss to my forehead and saying she’ll be back in a few minutes. I close my eyes as soon as she’s gone, falling asleep almost immediately.

I’m awoken when she comes back, her keys jingling as she unlocks the door. I blink a few times and turn my head toward her. She has two white plastic grocery bags that she takes into the kitchen, whispering a quick “sorry” to me for all the noise.

I close my eyes again and turn away from her, willing more sleep to come. She rustles around in the kitchen, and I hear her run the sink. The next thing I know, the couch is dipping under her weight as she settles next to me. I peek at her, and she’s got a glass of water and a few pills sitting in the palm of her hand.

She looks at me with sympathetic eyes and holds them out. Groaning, I remove my good arm from underneath the blanket and take the pills, popping them onto my tongue before taking the water to wash them down.

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