“Good to know. Now, do I need to bring somethin’?”
“Nope. We have plenty adult beverages and sugary stuff for kids, including Coke. Sheila can’t wait to meet you, by the way.”
Rebecca cleared her throat. “I haven’t done this before.”
“Done what?”
“Got close to my partner, met his family. You know, the whole nine.”
Mark didn’t say anything for a few minutes. Rebecca went over what they’d discussed so far, finding nothing obviously offensive. She veered to the right, taking their exit, and when she got to a stop light, Rebecca turned her head. “You’ve gone quiet.”
“Yeah, I figured you needed a break after all that talking.” He met her gaze.
Rebecca glared at him this time.
Mark chuckled. “No, but seriously. I heard you. Emmet and Alvin are good guys and good to work with. But, you and me, we’re something different… Something better.”
She nodded. “Yeah, exactly.”
Dani had been in bed less than ten minutes, and she was already falling asleep. Rick had come home and was courteous enough to say goodnight right before she lay down. It was colder tonight, so she piled the bed with an extra blanket. Now, she was snug, warm, and drifting.
Her phone vibrated and danced from the nightstand, but since it didn’t continue, Dani knew it was a text. She stared at her phone. It was the only source of illumination in the room. Then the screen went dark again. Dani pushed away her grogginess, and with that, she became more aware of herself. Her heart rate increased, as did her respiration, but the most disturbing thing was the heat that flooded her, followed by an icy chill trickling down her back. Dani burrowed deeper in the covers. However, that didn’t stop her phone from sounding off a reminder.
Light flashed in front of her face. Dani reached out for it and then shrank back. She’d listened to Becca’s past voice mails and read her texts how many times now? Was she at her weakest when she realized how alone she was? Tired of questioning her strength and confusing feelings, Dani covered her head with the blankets in an attempt to block everything out.
Dani’s phone vibrated again. She could hear it even though the sound was muffled. Through the blankets, the light was still bright enough to see. Dani pushed the covers away and reached for her glasses and her phone. This time, she didn’t back away.
Remember when we went to NOLA first time together and ended up in French quarter? We were on balcony at Oz?
She read the first text twice before moving to the next one.
Those 2 drunk strippers kept tryin to dance 4 us and one of thm tried to show how flexible she was and fell ovr.
Dani bit her lip as memories rushed over her. It was hard not to smile, but somehow, she managed. Even though she was clearly being baited, Dani typed quickly.
That was at Cafe Lafitte’s and you know it.
She found herself staring at ellipses yet again.
Yes it was. Did I wake u up?
Almost. Dani replied.
I didn’t think u’d answer. U didn’t earlier
Does it matter? Dani typed.
Suppose not.
Why are you doing this?
Dani had to ask even if she didn’t like the answer. Maybe it would give her some insight into her own reasoning.
Cuz I want 2.
Shaken by Becca’s response, Dani’s hand trembled as she fired back.
Why are you acting like things were always good between us?
I didn’t forget n e thing.
There were a million things Dani wanted to say to that statement. As she started typing, something else came out.
You’re not angry about how I left you the other night?
I’m pissed at u and myself.
You’re not acting like it. Why are you texting me?
More ellipses. They disappeared and came back again within a few seconds.
Cuz I want u. No matter what happend wit us I still do.
The words were right there in black and white. There was no taking them back. Mesmerized, Dani stared at them. For a moment, she felt nothing, and in the next, she was bombarded by so much that she couldn’t identify it all. Dani drowned in it, and she was afraid that she wouldn’t be able to get her head above water any time soon.
The strangest thing was that through it all she was still able to breathe. This woman was most definitely not out of her system. In fact, maybe she had been there the past few years all along, hibernating. The moment was tantamount to emotional whiplash, especially since she’d been denying this very thing.
Dani’s fingers hovered over her phone as she tried to figure out what to type. A voice in her head screamed at her to ignore it, but that didn’t feel right. Maybe she didn’t know what did. New ellipses popped up.
Goodnite. Talk 2 u 2morrow
Not knowing what else to do, Dani’s thumbs whisked over the phone’s keyboard as she returned the sentiment with one of her own.
Goodnight.
Chapter 17
“So let me make sure I got this straight,” Rick began. “We’ve barely hung out the past week, and now that I have a few hours free on a Saturday, you’re ditchin’ me? Even though I brought Coke?” He hoisted up the six pack of twenty-ounce bottles and jiggled it slightly in Rebecca’s face.
“Thanks for the Coke. I can never have too many, but pretty much, yeah.”
“I was gonna offer to watch A Summer Place with you. I need somethin’ to wash my brain. Went to the three-dollar movie with Jason earlier to see All Eyez on Me. It couldn’t touch Soul Plane, but we still shoulda stuck to reading the reviews first like we usually do.”
“You played basketball after, huh?” Rebecca eyed his outfit. Nike shorts and a tank that was still damp as hell.
“Yeah, why?”
“Y’all win?” Rebecca grinned.
Rick narrowed his eyes at her. “Shut up.”
“Uh-huh. How is Jason?”
“Same old, some old. He asked about you. Wanted to know if you were ‘down for whatever.’” Rick smirked.
“No, just no. Anyway, sounds like your mornin’ was full. Aren’t you happy I actually have plans?”
Rick threw himself on the couch. “Plans? Is that like a curse word or somethin’?” Suddenly, he sat up and turned to her. “Are you tryin’ to tell me you have a date?”
Rebecca snorted. “No. I’m goin’ for an early dinner at my partner’s house.”
“That could be a date.”
“No, he’s a he.”
“It could still be a date.” Rick set the Coke on the coffee table.
“Well, it’s not. I’m meetin’ his wife and kid.”
Rick blinked. “Wait. So, you and your partner are friends?”
“Tryin’ to be.” Rebecca cleared her throat. All this sounded and felt weird coming out of her mouth.
He smiled. “I can get down with that. It’s a good thing for you.”
Rebecca sat beside him. “I think so too. I’m sure Dani would love to have you all to herself.”
Rick’s forehead scrunched, and he ran a hand over his bald head. “She’s at the hospital workin’ a double, but otherwise, ehh, maybe.”
“What’s wrong?”
He shrugged. “I’m not sure how much I should say.”
Yes, Rebecca was suffering from that same disease. She wanted to tell him everything but didn’t want to drag him right back in the middle of her and Dani’s situation. “If it’s not just her crap and it’s affectin’ you, go for it.”
“That’s what I said.” Rick shook his head and sighed. “The way she treats people just…”
“What do you mean?” Rebecca asked.
“It’s not as bad as how she acts around you.”
“Okayyy.”
“Besides
her patients, she has a handful of people at the hospital, me included, that she actually talks to. She walks around like everybody else stinks.”
“What? It’s that bad?” Rebecca’s voice went up an octave. She found that hard to believe. “I know you said before that she didn’t have a lot of friends, but I can’t see her bein’ cold like that to people.”
“Why not? You experienced it firsthand.”
Remembering all the heat they’d generated, Rebecca swallowed. “I hurt her.”
“That’s no excuse, especially since that cold-shoulder shit has gotten worse.”
Rebecca’s stomach clenched. “Are you tryin’ to say that it’s my fault?”
“I’m just sayin’ that she doesn’t get a pass to treat people any kind of way because she’s hurt.”
She stared at him for a few seconds, and he looked back, unfazed, letting her see everything. A tiny trickle of fear eased its way inside her, displacing a bit of the hope she’d fostered. No matter how many steps Dani had taken backward, Rebecca had to believe that, in her core, fundamentally some of the Dani she knew was still in there. She just had to get to know the new shell that surrounded her. “You’re right.” Rebecca paused. “Are you two okay?”
Rick shrugged. “Sometimes, but then I see the way she is toward people, and I’m not sure I wanna be associated with it. I mean, some of them are my friends, people I care about.”
“I get it. Have you tried talkin’ to her about it?”
“Well, yeah, but she doesn’t listen all the time or let it seep in. I think I’m gonna have to do more showin’ than tellin’…with everythin’.”
“What do you mean?”
He released a long breath. “I’ve been tryin’ to step out of y’alls mess. This week has actually been easy, but here I am wrapped in it again. Didn’t take much. I guess it’s gonna take some time.”
“I’m sorry. I wasn’t tryin’ to—”
“I know. You didn’t know.”
Rebecca looked at him. “Do what you need to do. I don’t blame you. I’ll do my best to hold you to it. There’s a million other things we can talk about.” He didn’t need to know about the hate sex and that they’d been texting no matter how much she needed help to figure things out.
“Yeah, for real.”
For several seconds, they were quiet. Rick snorted.
What the hell? They both had more going on in their lives besides Dani, even if at times it didn’t feel like it. Giving Rick a breather might be harder than Rebecca thought.
A phone chirped.
“That’s me.” Rick leaned back and reached into his pocket. He pressed a couple buttons. “Good thing I brought my clothes. I’m gonna use one of your bathrooms to get a shower. Sandra switched with someone to get off early. I have to go pick her up for our…thing. Guess it doesn’t matter if I move it up a few hours.” He stood.
“Your thing? And what’s with Sandra? That name sounds familiar.”
Rick laughed. “I think I mentioned her about six months back. We had a situationship.”
“Okay yeah, I remember, but what’s this thing?” Rebecca was curious as hell.
“It’s a date. I’m tryin’ to do somethin’ special. Surprise her a little bit and do somethin’ different besides hemmin’ her up in one of the on-call rooms.”’
“Oh, it’s like that?”
He shrugged again. “I don’t know. I told her about Northwestern, and she’s still interested. So, we’ll see.” Rick walked toward the door. “I’m gonna go grab my stuff.”
“Okay.” Something brushed against Rebecca’s ankle, she looked down to see Peyton. “Where were you hidin’?”
Peyton meowed. Then she hissed and ran away when Rebecca tried to pick her up. “Fine. It’s not like I needed a hug or anythin’.”
Dani could have left the hospital a couple of hours ago. Correction. Should have left, but she hadn’t. What was the point?
As she walked toward the nurses station, Dani paused when she saw Sandra had joined them. She wasn’t a consistent visitor, but she obviously had friends all over the hospital. Dani did her best to be polite and not listen or interrupt the conversation between Sandra and the charge nurse, Jennifer. However, she couldn’t help but overhear.
“What are you doing on this floor? Looking all fancy too,” Jennifer said.
“Since Hope and the others were busy, I’m picking with you and Nat while I wait on my ride,” Sandra answered.
“Wait…is something wrong with your car? Nat’s off in thirty. She can give you a ride.”
“I’m sure she can, but this ride is special. He’s already on his way.” Dani could hear the smile in Sandra’s voice.
Jennifer chuckled and it sounded decidedly dirty.
Dani had heard enough. Obviously, they were going to pretend like she wasn’t even here. She cleared her throat.
Jennifer looked Dani’s way. “Yes, Dr. Russell?”
“I’m missing labs.”
“Can you be more specific?” Even though Jennifer’s voice was even, there was a spark of something in her eyes. Maybe irritation?
Dani bit her tongue and swallowed down her equally irritable response. “Yes, Stevens and Roper.”
“Oh, they should be in the system. I got the paperwork some time ago.”
“They’re not. Can I see the hard copy, please?”
Jennifer turned away.
Dani glanced toward Sandra only to see her staring. Their eyes met, but for some reason, Dani had to look away.
“Cab’s here.”
Hearing Rick’s voice wasn’t a surprise to Dani. She’d already assumed that he was Sandra’s ride.
Jennifer handed Dani the paperwork. “She’s not going if she has to pay.”
“No comment.” Rick grinned.
It wasn’t the best of ideas to have such a suggestive conversation out in the open in the middle of the day. Dani frowned but looked on.
Sandra moved toward Rick. “You could have just texted. I would have met you outside.”
“No biggie.” He shrugged as he looked down at her. Rick’s smile was big and warm.
Waiting for some kind of greeting or acknowledgment, Dani stood in front of the nurses station with a collection of papers crumpling in her hand. The longer Rick took, the more it stung, and she was suddenly in total agreement with her best friend. Things were not right between them, no matter how many apologies they’d extended to each other.
Finally, he looked her way. “Hey, havin’ a good one?”
Small talk? He was trying to engage her in small talk like they didn’t know each other at all. “So far, so good.” Dani wasn’t sure why she played along.
Someone called Sandra’s name, and she turned. Sandra touched Rick’s arm. “Give me a sec.” Her hand trailed downward, grasping his lightly before trying to pull away.
Rick held on. “Hurry.” Then he let her go.
The look she gave him was full of affection, as was his.
Dani’s mouth fell open, and her whole body deflated like someone had siphoned the air out of her. Rick cared about Sandra or he was starting to. Dani’s stomach pitted as hollowness filled it, leaving her heavy and with a horrible, sinking feeling. No wonder he was upset with her. Guilt weighed her down even more. God, she needed to do something. She moved toward him. “Can I talk to you for a second?”
He looked at her. His eyes flitted this way and that as if studying her. “I don’t wanna be about drama right now, and you look full of it,” Rick whispered.
She stepped closer. “Please?”
Rick glanced away as he nodded. “Give me a minute then lead the way.” He stepped around her and toward Sandra. Rick put his hand on her back and leaned forward to whisper something in her ear. Sandra glanced at Dani then back at Rick and nodded.
The p
it in her stomach deepened, becoming a cavern. Dani headed toward the lounge and hoped that it was empty and that Rick had followed. The room was occupied. Three residents looked up at her when she opened the door.
“Leave.” A couple seconds later, she added, “Please.”
After they left, Dani turned around.
Rick watched her carefully. “What’s goin’ on?”
Dani crossed her arms over her chest, but the position wasn’t comfortable, so she let them dangle at her side, which wasn’t much better. She settled on putting her hands in her pockets. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”
“What are you talkin’ about?”
“Sandra… The things I said.” She took a step toward him.
Rick’s eyes widened slightly. Then he huffed. “Why are you apologizin’ to me? I still don’t get it.”
“You care about her. I would’ve never—”
“Treated her like shit?”
Dani pressed her lips together and glanced away.
“What? She’s not a nobody to you anymore?”
Rick’s words burned. Dani crossed her arms over her chest again for protection. She didn’t know how to respond to his question.
“Let me ask you somethin’ that’s probably easier for you to answer. Are you sorry you were crappy to her as a person or are you sorry because you were crappy to her as someone I might care about?”
Hadn’t he just asked her that? “I’m not sure. Does it matter? It’s not like I knew anything was going on between you two again.”
“Yeah, well, it’s new, and maybe different this time.” It was Rick’s turn to look away.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Somethin’s off between us, and you’re not yourself. It just didn’t feel right to share.”
Drawing the Line Page 17