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“She’s stillgroggy from the pain meds, but you can go in to see her,” the doctor approached them with Valerie’s chart, after their hours of endless waiting.
“Your daughter is very lucky Mrs. Henry. The bullets missed her vital organs and we were able to retrieve all three successfully and repair any damage it caused. However, there will be lifestyle adjustments that Valerie will have to make because of the wounds. All in due time however.”
“Thank you, Doctor,” Mrs. Henry said, clutching his hand tightly.
“You can stay as long as you like. The nurses will keep her comfortable through the night but she won’t be able to eat right now, and if she does talk it might not make any sense. The medication will probably make her a little loopy.”
“We understand,” Mrs. Henry smiled. The doctor kept hold of her hand and led her towards Vickie’s hospital room.
Dressed in SynTanner’s large T-shirt, Blossom followed behind them, eager to see Valerie. SynTanner was directly behind her. Having his looming height behind her offered her a sense of protection that made her feel invincible. Ever since he arrived at the hospital, all her panic had ceased, and she sat comfortably with him. Even through the long hours of waiting, she couldn’t complain because she was next to SynTanner.
“Oh, my precious little girl,” Mrs. Henry rushed to Valerie’s bedside. Blossom stopped at the door. She clutched at the collar of the t-shirt upon seeing her only friend hooked to beeping machines. Her face was blanched, lacking the normal vibrancy she always radiated.
“I did this to her,” Blossom whispered.
“No. A psychopath did this.” SynTanner leaned down and whispered. He pushed her forward, easing her into the room. Swallowing her fear, she approached Valerie’s bed slowly.
“She’s alive Blossom. And that’s what matters,” Mrs. Henry stated. She gave Blossom a stern look, her steely chocolate eyes giving Blossom a scolding. At 60, Mrs. Henry was tall and regal, her rich skin tone hardly showing signs of wrinkling. Valerie shared the same glowing complexion and chocolate eyes as her mother. Those eyes always tended to go steely in the same manner as well when she was ready to scold or call someone out on their bullshit.
“Our Valerie is a strong woman. You know this. She’ll pull out of this and she’s gonna give hell to get her justice against whoever did this to her.”
“That sounds like our Valerie,” Blossom smiled.
Once again, the three of them were spending more time just waiting. Blossom had lost track of time so much to the point where the very concept fell away from her. Time didn’t even seem to be important anymore. The whole time, Valerie hadn’t opened her eyes or made any movements. After a while, Mrs. Henry left the room to find them some drinks from the cafeteria. SynTanner followed her out, deciding to walk down to the cafeteria with her. Blossom was left at Valerie’s bedside.
“I need you to pull through Valerie. Because who else is going to keep me on my toes? I may have come up with the idea of my company and started running it, but without you I wouldn’t have lasted a month. And I’m so glad that we’ve become friends and break down the barrier between boss and employee. You’re an amazing woman Valerie.” Blossom clutched onto Valerie’s hand.
“Not to mention, if I don’t have you who else am I going to talk about the Deputy with?! We spent only one night together and man. He makes my heart thump differently Valerie. This morning, we kissed. I felt as if I was tumbling through time, my entire body was electric. I’ve never felt anything like it before. And I keep having these thoughts, thoughts about my future and they include him. Can you believe it? Just met the man!” Blossom looked at her friend.
“Even if you’re not talking, I know you’re thinking this so I’m gonna say it anyway. I haven’t seen it but while things got hot and heavy during our kiss, he got very excited. He’s a monster Valerie. A damn monster,” Blossom laughed.
“Who’s a monster?” SynTanner entered the room, carrying a brown paper bag and two bottles of water.
“Oh! No one!” Blossom exclaimed, embarrassed that he may have caught onto the conversation she was having with Valerie. Mrs. Henry entered the room next with a tall Styrofoam coffee cup.
“I got you a donut,” SynTanner said, handing her the paper bag. Needing the sugar, Blossom graciously took it.
“Thank you,” she smiled. Sitting next to her, he opened her bottle of water and laid out napkins on her lap as she ate her donut.
“Blossom, you didn’t tell me you were dating the deputy chief,” Mrs. Henry said coyly.
“Oh, Mrs. Henry we’re not—well—”
“It’s not official to the public. With my line of work, I do value a sense of secrecy,” SynTanner cut her off. Blossom looked at him, her eyes wide.
“What, sweetheart?” he asked. He winked at her.
“You got sprinkles and crumbs all over your damn mouth, look at you,” he said, using a napkin to wipe her mouth for her.
“I’ve been telling Blossom she needs a strong sturdy man to come home to at night. She’s not getting any younger and she’s been having all this baby talk every time we talk,” Mrs. Henry said.
“Oh, has she?” SynTanner asked, looking at her.
“Don’t give me that look,” she grumbled with a smile. SynTanner only chuckled, putting his arm around the back of the chair she was sitting in.
“Well, Blossom knows I want to have children too,” SynTanner said. Mrs. Henry gave them an approving nod.
“That’s a good man Blossom,” she wagged her finger at Blossom.
