Page 79 of Dearly Unbeloved
“Yeah. Just sore. Does Sierra know what happened?” I try not to ask. It’s masochism at best, but I have to know.
“She knows,” Jazz confirms. “She’s here. I tried to convince her to come in, but she didn’t think she should.”
“Oh.” I don’t know if it’s better or worse, knowing she’s here. It means she still cares, but I knew that already.
“She was really worried about you, though,” Xan says, like it’s supposed to be reassuring. I don’t want her to worry. I just want her.
“It’s… It’s all good, thanks. Did the doctor mention to any of you when I might get to go home? I need to be with the bunnies.”
“Don’t worry, Liam will check on the bunnies. They want to keep you overnight for observation, but, assuming you’re doing okay, you’ll be discharged tomorrow,” Jazz tells me, and I breathe a sigh of relief. “You can’t be on your own for a few days, though. You can stay with me and Liam.”
“What? No, I can’t. I need to be home with the bunnies.” There’s an irrational panic in my voice. I know Liam can be trusted with my babies—he’s already a dog-dad, and he’s about to be a human-dad—but they’re all I have left.
“Okay, okay.” Jazz holds up her hands. “I’ll come and stay with you. It’s all good, Rosie.”
“Jazz! You can’t be away from Liam in your current condition,” my mom practically shouts.
“What the hell are you talking about? I’m pregnant, not dying.”
My dad frowns at her. “Don’t speak to your mother like that.”
“I’ll speak to her however?—”
“Stop,” Xan interjects, sounding almost as tired as I feel. “We’re not going to fight over this. I’ll stay with Rose. Jazz can stay home with Liam.”
“You have an important presentation on Tuesday, Xan. You need to be focused,” my dad chides, and both Xan and Jazz glare at him.
“Are you seriously implying that the presentation is more important than Rose?”
Oh, how I love to be fought over like I’m not even in the room.
My dad splutters, but he doesn’t get the chance to defend himself before my mom cuts in.
“I’ll stay with Rose. She’smybaby, and I’ll be taking care of her.”
No one says anything for a moment, because my mom has never once taken care of us when we’ve been sick. And I would really rather she didn’t start now.
I wrack my brain, looking for a way to turn her down gently. “Umm…”
“Actually, I’ll be taking care of her. If it’s okay with you.”
My gaze jumps to the doorway, to Sierra standing there, and my heart races. Literally. The monitor beeps, and when I look up, my heart rate has jumped to 128. I draw in a deep, steadying breath to settle it.
Xan snorts. “Oh, I’m going to give you so much shit for thatwhen you’re better.”
“Shut up.”
My mom crosses her arms and glares at Sierra. “I’m not okay with that at all.”
“I wasn’t talking to you,” Sierra replies, sounding genuinely confused why my mom thought she was. “I don’t care what you think. I meant if it’s okay with Rose.”
She turns, and our eyes meet for the first time in two weeks. It’s ridiculous how much better I instantly feel. Like the feeling of finally eating after the longest day, when you’re starving and the first bite of food is the best thing you’ve ever tasted.
Sierra is as beautiful as ever, but she looks tired—weary. There are purple bruises and mascara smudges below her eyes, and her radiating sunshine I’ve become so accustomed to is gone.
The sensible thing would be to ask Sierra to look after the bunnies for a few days while I stay with Jazz. It’s the perfect solution, absolving me of any worry for them, allowing Jazz to stay with Liam while she keeps an eye on me, and not prolonging the heartache between me and Sierra. Taking her up on her offer to take care of me, knowing she’s probably just going to leave again, is the definition of a bad bet.
But Sierra and I are opposites in so many ways, including this one: I’m willing to risk getting hurt again, even if there’s only a minute chance of things working out between us.
