Page 133 of While I’m Still Here

“Hey.”

“You did it.”

“I was unconscious for most of it.”

“Classic Bea. Making everyone else do the work.”

I smile, and Danny smiles back before his face threatens to crumple again. He swears under his breath and wipes beneath his eyes, blaming everything and anything when I point it out. I reach towards him with the hand Colin isn't holding, and Danny takes it immediately, pressing a kiss against my fingers. “I'm glad you're here,” I whisper.

“There was nowhere else I was going to be,” Danny says, and this time he doesn't hide behind a joke.

I turn towards Marcus. He's quieter than usual, watching rather than filling the room simply because silence exists. “Hi.”

Marcus's expression softens. “Hey, sweetheart.”

“Still got your tits?”

“Just the one.”

“Show-off.”

Danny laughs, and even Marcus's mouth twitches. Then Marcus glances towards my chest before asking, “Have you looked yet?”

I shake my head. “No. I keep thinking I should.”

“You don't have to.”

“But I'll have to eventually.”

“Yes. Eventually.”

“What if I can't?”

Marcus leans forward, resting his forearms against his thighs. “Then you don't today.”

I stare at him. “And if I want to?”

“Then you do.”

Danny looks between us. “You two have the most frustrating conversations I've ever heard.”

“That's because Marcus refuses to make my decisions for me.”

“Terrible boyfriend material,” Danny scoffs.

The room goes strangely still. Marcus looks at Danny. Colin looks at Danny. I look at Danny. Danny's eyes widen as he realises what just came out of his mouth. “Potential boyfriend material.”

“That was worse,” I tell him.

“I've had no sleep.”

Colin kisses my knuckles. “Perhaps we could postpone the relationship summit until Bea isn't on hospital-grade pain relief.”

“Coward.”

“Absolutely.”

Maybe it is the anaesthetic. Maybe it's whatever pain relief they've given me. Maybe whatever part of my brain usually prevents thoughts from immediately becoming sentences is still unconscious, because I look between the three of them and announce, “I had sex with all of you last night.”