Page 41 of Love Resurrected
Tenley
I arrive at the hospital about thirty minutes after Brad’s last text. I stopped and got myself a large cup of coffee on the way. Even though Brad got me a breakfast sandwich, I doubt he got the kind of coffee that I like. I’m one ofthosepeople who has a million things written on the side of their cup for the barista. Between how my name is invariably butchered, and everything they have to write to get my drink right, it takes up the whole cup. It’s got to be the largest size they have, sugar-free vanilla latte, breve, extra shot of espresso, and a dash of cinnamon. And it’s hella yummy. I’ve tried other flavored syrups for coffee, but they just aren’t as good.
I find the maternity ward and see Brad leaning against a wall, staring at the floor. His left leg is bent with his foot against the wall behind him, arms hanging at his sides with a brown paper bag in one hand, and a cup of coffee in the other. I study him for a moment before he realizes I’m here and am reminded how good-looking he is. Which surprises me each time I admit it to myself. Only because I think I’m slightly attracted to him and it’s difficult to be attracted to someone you don’t like.
He looks up as I approach.
“Hey,” I say. “How’s it going? She okay?”
“She will be.” He nods toward the closed door next to him. “They’ve got her on medication and are monitoring her closely. Ethan is a wreck, but she’s in good spirits. I’m sure it’s okay for you to go in. I was mostly just waiting out here to make sure Ethan didn’t need anything else, but I didn’t want to intrude.”
“Well, if you would be intruding, then I would be too,” I say. “Come with me.” I motion for him to follow, and he does. I knock lightly on the door and open it slowly.
Ethan is sitting by the bed, Sadie's hand in one of his, while his other brushes her hair back from her brow. Sadie looks wiped the fuck out. He stands and comes towards us. “Ten, thank you for coming. She’s doing better. We’ve got to monitor her and make sure she’s resting.”
“I can do that,” I tell him. I pull the phone charger out and hand it to him.
“Tenley, you are the best. Thank you so much. I owe you one.” Ethan moves to plug his phone in across the room.
“You owe me nothing except this chair,” I say as I steal his seat and sit with Sadie for a bit.
“Hey,” she says weakly.
“Hey, mama.”
“I’m glad you’re here,” she says, which makes me happy since I felt a little distant from her a lot of the time lately, since I’m not sharing in the baby thing. I’m sure it’s just me being insecure, but that doesn’t change the fact that I am. I can’t relate to her stories; I can’t give her advice on what to do. I’m more clueless than she is with it all. And our other friends, they all get it. They all know what she’s going through. It’s only natural they would all bond over it and I would get pushed to the side.
Pull your big girl panties up and support your friend.
I take Sadie’s hand in mine and give it a squeeze.
“He needs to go home and get some rest. Maybe you can talk him into it?” Sadie asks.
“I’ll do my best.”
“Get Brad to help you. I mean, really, there’s nothing any of you can do for me here, it’s silly. They’ve got me all hooked up and are monitoring everything little thing happening in my body.”
“I’m not leaving, woman. Get that through your pretty little head right now,” Ethan says from behind me. I can sense he wants his chair back, mostly because I can feel the tension radiating off him at not being immediately at her side.
I tuck the surrounding blankets, wishing I knew more of what to do for her, then lean in and kiss her cheek before giving Ethan back his chair. I make my way to the other side of the room where Brad is.
“Do you feel as unnecessary as I do?” I ask him, only half-joking.
“Worse.”
“At least you had a list of things to bring them,” I say.
“True,” he says. “But the phone charger was pretty fucking important, and that was all you.”
“Why, thank you, kind sir.” I bat my eyelashes at him in an exaggerated manner. “I feel much better now.”
He smiles at me and I smile back. It’s nice, almost like we might be friends.
Someday.
We stand there for a while longer, not talking or looking at one another. I notice Sadie has drifted to sleep, which is probably for the best. I should go too, so Ethan can do the same.
I tap him on the shoulder. He turns back to look at me. “I’m going to go,” I whisper.
