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I grab her hand. “She’s doing well. Misses her Emmie, but she’s making cards and drawing pictures, and planning out the next forty-five years of his life.”
A small chuckle comes from Kiara. “She’s really precious. We can all learn a thing about optimism from children.” She gets up, hoists her bag onto her shoulder, and waves as she disappears down the hall.
I’m going through my emails in the waiting room when I spot Mandy. My heart speeds because Kiara isn’t here and I don’t know how much I should say to her. The last time I saw her, she was on a date with Remi that ended early because of me.
“Hey.” Mandy approaches, her face somber. “Kiara messaged me about Remi. How is he?” She takes the seat on my other side.
“He had a rough day yesterday, but he’s been stable since,” I say. “They’re not letting anyone visit yet. It was … tense.”
We sit in awkward silence. How do you tell your boyfriend’s ex, Surprise, we’ve been in love all along? You don’t.
“Listen.” She turns to me. “I just want you to know that I care about him.” Oh fuck. Please don’t plead your case to me. “We only went on a couple of dates, but … he sure knows how to make a lasting impression.”
“That, he does,” I agree, biting the smile that wants to sneak out. “Remi spreads sunshine to everyone he meets. The world is a gloomy place right now.” My chin quivers.
“You’re not just here as a concerned friend, are you?” She levels me with a stare, and I feel like a hot spotlight is burning over my head.
“Uh, well…” What the hell do I say?
She gives me a sardonic smile. “I know, Mae.”
“Know what?” I’m well aware I’m playing dumb.
“I saw something when we came to your house the night of our first date,” she acknowledges. “I didn’t want to believe it, so I blocked it out and agreed to a second date.” Sighing, she runs her fingers through her dark hair. “And that was going well until he saw you.”
“I’m so sorry. You have no idea.”
Mandy holds up her hand. “Don’t be sorry for falling in love with an incredible person. It’s not like we were exclusive.” Picking at a thread on her cuff, she continues, “I knew, though. It wasn’t that he ran to help you and Isabel. Anyone worth anything would.” She catches my stare. “It was the way he held you both in his arms, like you were his whole universe.” Her smile is wistful if not a little sad.
I know this, and for some reason, hearing someone else say it makes me break down. I bury my face in my hands and try to silence audible sobs.
A hand rubs my back, warm and comforting.
“He saved my little girl,” I say through my fingers. “The car was coming for her, and he pushed her out of the way so it hit him instead.”
“Oh no, Mae. I’m so sorry. Do they know who did it?” There’s something strange in the tone of her voice. I can’t quite put my finger on it, though.
“They’re investigating.” It’s all the info I’ll give her. Anyone can be a suspect at this point.
She touches my shoulder, and I turn toward her. “He’ll wake up, Mae. He’ll come back to you. I don’t think there is anything in this world that could keep him away.”
We hug and I cry some more, surprised that I’m being this open with a practical stranger.
That’s how Kiara finds us. “Hey, Mandy.” I can tell by the tone of her voice just how depleted she is.
Mandy stands and embraces her friend, who starts crying like I did. Does this woman have some magical empathic powers to get us to open up so easily? Or is it that our sadness rests just under the surface of our skin, and any abrasion—good or bad—bleeds it out?
“I just stopped at the nurses’ station. The doctor is making his rounds now.” Kiara folds the hospital’s threadbare blanket and sets it on top of a flat pillow before slumping into a seat.
“Okay, I’m going to go, but if either of you need anything, don’t hesitate to ask.” Mandy gives us both a hug before she leaves.
Kiara nudges my side. “How’d that go?”
“She said she already knew. That she saw it before he eluded there was someone else.” Kiara knows about us, so I’m not sure why my belly is flipping at telling her about it. “I apologized.” I catch Kiara’s eye. “We tried to stay away from each other. Really tried. It was just so…” I shake my head.
“Cody is my ex-boyfriend’s best friend,” she cuts in, taking me off guard.
“What?”
