Page 34 of The Weight of Love

“Well, then, you’re definitely on the right path for being more than just friends.”

We head up and check in with the nurses’ station as they told us and head towards the door.

Stella is crouched down in a squat outside the room, her head in her hands. She was curled into the tiniest ball and shaking. Riley sees her and runs to her, sliding to a stop as she gets there. There’s a brief exchange, and I hang back. I don’t want to infringe on this moment.

“Hey, why don’t you and Annie see if you can find me some bad hospital coffee? I’m desperate. Nana went out to pick up some clothes for me and will be back shortly to drop them off for me; then she can take you home.”

Riley and Annie head off down the hall, and quickly, she’s in my arms. Tears are flowing from her eyes, and she’s shaking. I don’t know what to do other than hold her.

Time is standing still, but I’m painfully aware of how small she feels right now. I don’t think I could have ever imagined her like this. She’s this unstoppable force. What the heck has her shaken this hard?

“What happened?”

“It’s a very long story. They have him stable now, though. He just lost a lot of blood. He was vomiting it up.”

The last words come out in a haunted whisper, and another sob racks her body. I just squeeze a little tighter. Trying my hardest to just support her in whatever small way I can.

I look down and can see blood splattered and dried on her clothes.

Jesus.

I pull back for a second, take my hoodie off, and offer it to her. She strips her button-up shirt off and hands it to me with shaking hands before pulling the sweatshirt over her head. I pull her back into a tight hug, balling the button-up shirt in my hands. I wish there was more I could do. I want so badly to fix this for her.

“I’m glad he’s stable. What else do you need? Girls are on the coffee search. You have clothes coming. Do you need anything else?”

“Just this.”

“You got it.”

February 1, 3:30 PMRiley: Hey, Mr. H, can you give me a ride today from practice? Nana and Mom have to take Kyle to the specialist in Fort Worth today.

3:32 PM

For sure, anything to help.

Just make sure it’s clear with the Boss.

“How is everyone hanging in over there after the surgery?”

Riley is quiet, and I’m trying my best to make small talk, but something in her mood is making this ride home even more awkward than I thought it would be.

“Fine, I guess.”

“Want me to turn something different on for music?” I glance from the radio tuned to a playlist of Senses Fail and then to her “The Used” shirt and think I can’t be too far off on her taste in music either.

“Whatever, this is fine.”

Somehow, she turns the word fine into a two-syllable word.

Yikes, teenagers.

“You say fine, but I hear angsty teen. So come on, out with it, Sour Patch Kid. What’s up with you?”

“You’re an ass.”

Well, now…

“Care to expand on that? What exactly have I done to you?”