Chapter 18
Chapter Eighteen
Ashley
I stepped off the plane into the Chicago terminal, the cool night air seeping through the jetway as we shuffled out, Darryl right beside me, his shoulder brushing mine every few steps.
The flight back from Denver had been smooth, our little food court date still playing in my head, his soft touches and that forehead kiss warming me up more than I’d expected.
We’d kept up the clingy act for the crew, Mike and Kelly tossing jabs the whole way, but it was starting to blur into something real for me.
My flight bag bounced against my hip as we hit the arrivals area, and I glanced at him, his jaw tight but his eyes gentle in that way I was getting used to.
“Hey,” I said, nudging his elbow with mine.
“Want to swing by Mom’s place? It’s not too late yet. ”
“Yeah,” he said, nodding quickly, shifting his bag on his shoulder. “Good call. She's up for a visit?”
“She’s always up for me,” I said, smiling as I looped my arm through his, leaning in a bit. “Let’s grab some food. She’s crazy about burgers.”
“Perfect,” he said, slipping his hand into mine, his fingers wrapping around mine with a light squeeze that made my stomach flip. “That diner by the hospital’s close. Let’s hit it.”
“Love that,” I said, pressing closer as we headed toward the parking lot, his warmth steadying me after the long shift.
His car was parked under a dim streetlight, a black sedan that looked beat-up but reliable, and we tossed our bags in the back, sliding into the front seats.
The drive was quiet, his playlist humming low through the speakers, a mix of old rock I’d started to recognize.
My hand rested on his leg, casual but intentional, and he’d brush his fingers over mine every few minutes, sending little sparks up my arm.
We pulled into the diner lot, a small place with flickering neon signs and a faded awning, and ordered quickly, grabbing a bag stuffed with burgers, fries, and chocolate shakes, the greasy smell flooding the car as we drove the last stretch to the hospital.
“Ready?” I said, stepping out with the food bag, the cool air hitting my face as he locked the car behind me.
“Yep,” he said, falling into step beside me, his hand settling on my lower back, guiding me toward the entrance.
The hospital lobby was hushed, the fluorescent lights buzzing overhead, and that sharp antiseptic smell greeted us as we walked through.
We took the elevator up, my sneakers squeaking on the tile, and headed down the hall to Mom’s room.
I knocked softly, pushing the door open slowly, peeking in.
She was awake, propped up with a stack of pillows, flipping through a worn magazine, her bright scarf a splash of color against the pale hospital gown.
“Hey, Mom,” I said, stepping in with a big grin, holding up the bag. “Brought you a surprise.”
“Ashley!” she said, her face lighting up, the magazine dropping to her lap. “And Darryl! Oh, look at you two.”
“Hey, Carol,” Darryl said, stepping in behind me with a small wave, setting the food bag on her tray table. “Got burgers. Hope you’re in the mood.”
“Always,” she said, laughing softly, patting the bed beside her. “Come on, sit down. What’s this all about?”
“Just wanted to see you,” I said, pulling a chair close to her bedside, Darryl dragging another over to sit next to me. “Long flight today, so we figured we’d drop by with some goodies.”
“You’re too good to me,” she said, reaching into the bag, pulling out a foil-wrapped burger with a grin. “Smells amazing. You two are spoiling me rotten.”
“Got to,” Darryl said, handing her a shake with a straw already poked in. “Ashley said burgers are your thing.”
“She knows me too well,” Mom said, unwrapping the burger, taking a small bite, her eyes closing for a second. “Mmm, perfect. How’s the wedding stuff coming along?”
“Great,” I said, grabbing my burger, settling back in the chair, my knee brushing Darryl’s. “Two weeks from now, backyard at his place. His mom’s all over it, helping with everything.”
“Backyard?” she said, smiling widely, setting her burger down to sip her shake. “That’s so cute. Simple and sweet. I love that.”
“Yeah,” Darryl said, digging into his fries, popping one in his mouth. “Keeping it easy. You’ll be there, right?”
“Wouldn’t miss it for the world,” she said, her eyes warm, crinkling at the corners. “My girl in a white dress, you in a suit. Can’t wait to see it.”
“Good,” I said, nudging Darryl’s leg with mine, grinning at him. “He’s stuck with me now.”
“Stuck,” he said, his hand landing on my knee under the table, giving it a light squeeze, his grin small but real. “She’s a handful.”
“She’s always been a handful,” Mom said, laughing, wiping a bit of ketchup off her chin with a napkin. “Tell me more. What about flowers? Cake?”
“Flowers from the neighbor’s garden,” I said, sipping my shake, the chocolate cold and smooth. “Cake’s chocolate. Jen, his sister, is handling that part.”
“Chocolate,” she said, nodding like it was the best news ever. “Good choice. You two are so sweet together.”
“Thanks,” I said, leaning into Darryl’s side, my shoulder pressing against his. “He’s been amazing.”
“Trying,” he said, his voice low, his hand staying on my knee, warm through my jeans. “She makes it easy.”
“Aw,” Mom said, clasping her hands together, her burger forgotten for a second. “You’re good for her, Darryl. I can see it.”
“Hope so,” he said, his thumb brushing my leg, and I smiled, stealing a fry from his pile, popping it in my mouth with a grin.
“Thief,” he said, nudging me back, and Mom laughed, her eyes bright, watching us.
We ate slowly, chatting about little things, Mom telling us about a nurse who’d snuck her an extra cup of pudding that morning, Darryl joking about a kid on a flight who’d asked if he could fly to Mars.
I stayed close to him, my leg pressed to his, my hand brushing his arm whenever I reached for fries, loving how natural it felt with her there.
She finished her burger, sipping her shake slowly, and leaned back against the pillows, her smile soft.
“This is so nice,” she said, her voice quieter now, a little tired. “You two make me happy.”
“Glad,” I said, reaching over to squeeze her hand, her skin cool but steady under mine. “We’ll keep coming by, okay?”
“Please,” she said, squeezing back, her grip weaker than I wanted. “Keeps me going.”
We lingered, talking more, Mom asking about my last flight, me telling her about a lady who’d spilled coffee all over her tray table, Darryl chiming in with a story about dodging turbulence last week.
The fries disappeared, the shakes drained, wrappers piling up on the tray, until a nurse poked her head in, her voice gentle.
“Visiting hours are wrapping up,” she said, nodding at us. “Time to let her rest.”
“Alright,” I said, standing slow, leaning over to kiss Mom’s forehead, my lips lingering a moment, breathing her in. “Love you. Rest up, okay?”
“Love you too,” she said, patting my cheek, her hand shaky but warm. “You too, Darryl. Take care of her.”
“Always,” he said, standing, giving her a nod and a small smile. “Night, Carol.”
“Night,” she said, waving us off with a tired grin, and we grabbed our bags, stepping out into the hall. The door clicked shut behind us, and we walked a few steps, the quiet hitting hard. My chest tightened, tears welling up fast, and I stopped, my breath catching in a sob.
“Hey,” Darryl said, turning quickly, pulling me into a tight hug, his arms wrapping around me solid and warm. “You okay?”
“No,” I said, burying my face in his chest, crying softly, my hands clutching his jacket. “Three months. It’s too soon.”
“I know,” he said, his hand rubbing my back slowly, his voice steady. “I’ve got you.”
He tilted my chin up with his fingers, his eyes soft and deep, and kissed me, hard and passionately, his lips crashing against mine, warm and urgent.
I kissed him back, desperate, my hands sliding up to his neck, pulling him closer, his tongue brushing mine, hot and needy.
His hands gripped my waist, tugging me flush against him, holding me up as my knees wobbled, the tears mixing with the heat of his mouth.
He pulled back slowly, his breath ragged, his forehead pressed to mine.
“Take care,” he said, his voice low and rough, kissing me once more, quick but deep. “I’m here.”
“Thanks,” I said, giggling through the tears, wiping my eyes with my sleeve, my lips still tingling. “You’re good at that.”
“Yeah,” he said, a grin tugging at his mouth, stepping back slowly. “Go rest. I’ll see you soon.”
“See you,” I said, watching him head to his car, his broad frame disappearing into the dim lot.
I stood there a minute, the kiss buzzing through me, then grabbed my bag, heading to my car.
The drive to Riva’s was short, the streets empty under the streetlights, and I pulled up smiling, the ache still there but lighter, his warmth carrying me.
I climbed the stairs to her apartment, knocking softly, and she opened the door, pajamas on, her hair a wild mess.
“Hey,” she said, stepping aside, yawning. “You’re late. Good shift?”
“Yeah,” I said, dropping my bag by the door, kicking off my shoes, my smile sticking wide. “Stopped by Mom’s with Darryl after.”
“Aw,” she said, flopping onto the couch, patting the cushion next to her. “How’s she doing?”
“Okay,” I said, sitting down, pulling my knees up. “We brought burgers. She loved it.”
“Sweet,” she said, grabbing a soda from the table, popping it open. “You’re grinning like crazy, though. What’s up?”
“Darryl,” I said, my smile growing, leaning back into the cushions. “He’s just, I don’t know, amazing.”
“Amazing,” she said, smirking, sipping her drink. “You’re all gooey. Falling for him already?”
“Yeah,” I said, laughing softly, nodding quickly. “I think I am.”
“No way,” she said, sitting up fast, grinning big. “For real? Fake boyfriend’s got you hooked?”
“For real,” I said, hugging my knees, still smiling. “He’s sweet, Riva. Held me when I cried outside Mom’s room, kissed me like, wow. I’m in deep.”
“Deep,” she said, laughing loudly, nudging my leg with her foot. “Oh, you’re toast. Does he know?”
“No,” I said, shaking my head, my grin softening. “It’s still fake for him, I think. For Mom. But I’m falling hard.”
“Girl,” she said, tossing a pillow at me, smirking. “You’re a goner. What’s the move?”
“No move,” I said, catching it, giggling. “Wedding’s in two weeks. I’ll figure it out after.”
“After,” she said, leaning back with a grin. “Good luck hiding that smile.”
“Shut up,” I said, tossing the pillow back, laughing as she dodged. “I’m happy, okay?”
“Happy,” she said, catching it, hugging it to her chest. “You’re screwed. I’m here for it.”
“Yeah,” I said, settling in, the night sinking in. Airport to Mom to here, Darryl’s kiss still on my lips, and I was falling, fast and real, fake or not.