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“Miraculously, he’s alive and seemingly unharmed. He’s talking to my parents and the doctors normally but they’re keeping him in the hospital for more tests.”
“Maybe we should just order dinner.”
“I can’t even eat. I can’t take any more worry tonight. I feel completely strung out from anxiety.” I suddenly felt like I didn’t know what to do with my hands. I dropped my phone on the island like it was on fire.
“Let me order something for Marigold and Johnny. Do you want a drink? I know you don’t really do alcohol but a glass of something might not be a bad idea.”
“Yes. Yes, I would.” I reached up and undid my bun. “My hair feels too tight.”
MacKay put his hands on my shoulders. “Hey. Look at me.”
I obeyed and looked up at him. “What?”
“Everything is okay,” he said. His voice was strong and steady. “Conway is fine. Sera and the baby will be fine. Everything is okay.”
He was so calm, it made me feel instantly better. I nodded. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”
I wasn’t even sure what I was apologizing for.
“Come here.” He pulled me into a hug.
I breathed deeply. His arms felt amazing around me. His body was familiar, safe, comforting. It felt selfish to let him support me like this, but I held on for a few seconds, then I took a deep breath and forced myself to step back.
Johnny came down the stairs, his hair wet. “What’s going on?”
He looked curiously back and forth between me and MacKay and I realized he’d seen us hugging.
“Do you want pizza for dinner?” I asked. “Cash took your mom to the hospital. She might be in labor.”
“Oh, damn,” he said. “How long do babies take to be born?”
“Hours and hours.”
“That sucks. Pizza sounds good.” He went to the refrigerator. “MacKay, are you staying for pizza? Want to play golf with me?”
“Yeah, sure. Good game today, buddy,” MacKay said. “That was a hell of a block in the third quarter.”
“Dude, I was like not even inside my body, I swear. It was like someone else was playing for me.”
He went on and on about football with MacKay while I ordered a pizza. Johnny obviously was not the least bit concerned that his mother was potentially in labor. He just assumed everything would be okay.
It must be nice to be thirteen. I remember that age, running around wild, doing whatever I wanted, not a care in the world. So preoccupied with myself and certain the adults had everything under control.
Now I was the adult and so far I had exactly nothing under control.
Not one stinkin’ thing.
MacKay
The smart thing to do would be to go home. But the whole time we ate pizza Faith looked like she was barely holding it together. She kept checking her phone repeatedly and taking deep fortifying breaths. I had pulled a bottle of red wine out of the wine cabinet in the kitchen and had poured both myself and Faith a glass.
I had expected her to sip it slowly but she drank it down before she managed to finish a single slice of pizza. No way was I going home. Faith was very upset and worried and I couldn’t bring myself to leave her alone with the kids. She needed adult company and support. So I’d gone to play golf with Johnny and to keep him preoccupied and she had sat on the couch with Marigold watching a kids’ movie with ponies.
Now Johnny had retreated to his room, Marigold was in bed, and we were left staring at each other over the remainder of the wine in the kitchen.
“You don’t have to stay,” she said, pouring herself a second glass. “Though I appreciate you helping out. You should understand how much I appreciate you.” She choked on the last few words, tears filling her eyes.
Not exactly the sexiest compliment I’d ever been given, but it was obviously heartfelt and it meant more to me that she trusted me, that she knew I would be there for her. Because no matter how she felt, I loved her and I was always going to love her. “I’m glad I was here tonight.”
