Chapter 58 Tytus
Chapter fifty-eight
Tytus
Ireach for Sawyer’s hand but miss as she passes by me once again. “Sit down, mon ange. You’re making Noah nervous.”
She’s making me nervous, too, but right now my dislike of hospitals is the last thing on my mind. Mercer went back to triage alone, and Sawyer’s been an anxious mess ever since. Noah is reeling. I’m trying to keep it together myself and be the support they need.
She hits me with a withering scowl, then straightens and continues pacing the length of the small waiting area.
“I should ask what’s taking so long. Mercer shouldn’t be back there alone.” She gnaws on her bottom lip, her steps slowing a fraction.
It takes everything in me not to drag her onto my lap and pull that pouty lip free.
It would be fruitless anyway. She won’t rest until she lays eyes on Mercer.
Sighing, I rest one hand on Noah’s back. He doesn’t shrug me off or bat away my touch, so I drag it back and forth between his shoulder blades the way Sawyer and Atty’s mom used to do for me after a long day of appointments or dealing with custody bullshit.
Across the room, Sawyer checks her phone, then sighs. “Maybe if I tell them I’m family—”
I bark out a laugh. “No one is going to talk to you. You were here a few weeks ago, pretending to be my wife. Please come sit.”
She whips around, glare in place once again, but then homes in on Noah and quietly makes her way over. We lock eyes, and my gaze shifts to the man beside me. I look back to Sawyer and raise one eyebrow, the unspoken suggestion clear: keep it together, because Noah needs us right now.
With a hip, she nudges his shoulder. “Will you hold me?”
He nods, leaning back to give her what she’s asking for, and she promptly parks herself in his lap.
“He won’t be admitted,” I assure them. “Even if he needs surgery, that’s something that will be scheduled.”
Noah clears his throat. “You did well. Getting down there and getting his shoulder back in place like that.”
I swallow down the sarcastic comment that initially leaps to my tongue. It’ll take time and a lot of practice before my first response isn’t defensiveness with these guys. But I’m committed to making it work. I’m done trying. From here on out, I’m just fucking doing it.
“Thanks. That means a lot.”
With a soft smile, Sawyer laces her fingers with mine and squeezes.
Noah runs his free hand through his hair. “I can take you back to campus if you’d like, since we’re already out.”
“No,” I reply instantly. Without even looking at Sawyer, I know what she wants and where we both need to be tonight. “I don’t want to be separated. Once Mercer’s done, we’re all going home together.”
They both stare at me, wide-eyed with shock.
“Home?” Sawyer says, a teasing, hopeful smile on her lips.
I nod and sit straighter. “Home. Together.”
A shadow blocks the fluorescent light overhead, and the three of us turn.
Mercer looms over us, a blue sling fit snugly over his injured arm.
“Scans look okay,” he announces without fanfare.
“I need to come back for another round of imaging next week, once the swelling goes down.” He turns his attention to me.
“The orthopedic resident said it was the best re-location he’d seen in a while. Thank you.”
Nodding, I stand and pull Sawyer up, then help her into her coat. Then I hold Mercer’s for him so he can put his good arm through one sleeve.
Quietly, Mercer says, “Noah?”
The other man is still seated in the hard plastic waiting room chair, but he’s now hunched over with his head in his hands.