Chapter 11 #2
“Are you going to be there?”
“Uh…yeah. I already told you I was on my way.”
“Then I’m going to be there,” Truck said with conviction.
His words settled in her stomach and spread throughout her body with a warmth she’d never felt before.
She wanted to tell him that she loved him. That no one had cared about her as much as he did in her entire life, but she couldn’t. She physically couldn’t say the words. Saying them opened herself up to being hurt, and Mary wouldn’t do that. Couldn’t.
Clearing her throat to try to push away the urge to cry, Mary said, “I know you don’t like hospitals. I’ll be okay.”
“I need to jump in the shower real quick,” Truck said, ignoring her attempt at giving him an out. “I was working out when you called, but I’ll be there in half an hour or so. If something happens, call me.”
“I will,” Mary said, happier than she could put into words that he was coming.
“Drive safe, baby. I’ll see you soon.”
“Okay.”
“I’ve missed you.”
Mary smiled. “It’s only been like a day and a half since we’ve seen each other.”
“A day and a half too long. Later.”
“Bye, Truck.”
Mary clicked off the Bluetooth on her steering wheel and shook her head.
She missed Truck too. It was crazy. She was independent, had always lived by herself.
But she’d gotten used to having him around before his accident.
His presence in her life made her feel calmer, less defensive about the world in general.
They used to sit together in the same room and not even talk, which was peaceful, and Mary would catch herself looking up every now and then, just to make sure he was still there.
He was comforting. Generous. Relaxing. But more than that, he made her feel safe.
Growing up, she’d hadn’t felt that way. She never knew if the uncles would try to get in her room and treat her like they did her mama.
Once she was eighteen and kicked out of the house, she didn’t feel safe because she didn’t have a place to live.
And even after finding space of her own, none of her apartments had ever felt completely safe.
Maybe that was a result of her upbringing, maybe it was because she was a single woman. But she’d gotten used to the feeling.
Being with Truck made her feel as though she didn’t need to look over her shoulder.
She didn’t need to get up and check to make sure the door was locked, because he’d already done it.
She didn’t need to worry about pulling the curtains, because Truck closed them as soon as it got dark outside.
He slept on the side of the bed that was closest to the door, putting himself between her and anyone who might enter.
He had his faults. He was too bossy. Too used to getting his way.
He hogged the remote and had a habit of blowing his nose in the shower, which was just disgusting.
But those were all little things. Everything else he did more than made up for his quirks.
Besides, Mary knew she had way more annoying habits than he did… and he put up with all of them.
Ten minutes later, Mary pulled into the hospital lot.
She hurried toward the entrance and took a deep breath before entering.
After all she’d been through, she really didn’t like hospitals.
They brought back so many bad memories, but she pushed through them, knowing Annie was inside and worried about her mom and her little sibling.
Without bothering to ask the receptionist where she should go, Mary headed for the elevator. She remembered where the obstetrics waiting room was from when she’d come here after Kassie had her baby, but this time she was alone in the elevator.
After arriving on the correct floor, Mary strode toward the waiting area. This time it wasn’t filled with happy, laughing people. The second she entered, Annie popped out of the chair she’d been sitting in and ran over to her, throwing her arms around Mary’s waist and burying her face in her belly.
Mary rocked back on a foot, but immediately clamped her arms around the little girl’s shoulders. “Hey, Annie.”
She mumbled something in her belly, but didn’t raise her head.
Looking around, Mary saw Rayne, Beatle, Wendy, and Harley.
“You call Truck?” Beatle asked.
Mary nodded. “He was going to jump in the shower then come over. He said about thirty minutes about fifteen minutes ago.”
Beatle nodded.
“Truck’s comin’?” Annie asked.
Mary ran her hand over the little girl’s mussed hair and nodded. “Yeah, he’s on his way.”
“Good.”
Mary shuffled over to one of the chairs with Annie still holding on to her.
She sat on a chair that didn’t have any arms and lifted Annie so she was sitting sideways on her lap.
It was a little awkward, as Annie wasn’t exactly a tiny thing anymore.
“Any word?” Mary asked Rayne as everyone sat back down.
She shook her head. “They took her back to do a C-section a bit ago. Fletch is in there with her.”
Mary wanted to ask more. Wanted all the details. But wouldn’t while Annie was there. The last thing she wanted was for the little girl to hear something scary about her mom.
As the minutes went by, the room filled up. Ghost and the other guys got there, obviously having finished with their meeting on post. Hollywood was there, even though Kassie was still at home. When Truck entered the room, he made a beeline for Mary and Annie.
Crouching down in front of them, he put one hand behind Annie’s back and he palmed the side of Mary’s neck with the other.
Mary felt surrounded by him. His fresh, clean scent wafted up to her nostrils and she inhaled deeply.
“How’re my girls?” he asked softly.
He’d come straight to them. Hadn’t said hello to his teammates first. Hadn’t stopped to greet anyone else. His gaze had swept the room looking for her and he had come straight over when he’d found her.
“Hangin’ in there,” Mary said in a shaky voice.
“Why’s it takin’ so long?” Annie asked, her lower lip trembling.
Truck stood then reached down and took Mary’s hand in his.
He helped her stand, and sat down on the seat where she’d been.
Then he tugged Mary down onto his lap. She was still holding Annie, and she wobbled a bit trying to get situated.
But she wasn’t going to fall, no way. Not while Truck was near.
He held her steady and Mary leaned back against him, trusting him to keep both her and Annie safe. Annie curled into a little ball in Mary’s lap.
“Having babies is a long process,” Truck said softly. “And the doctors are taking the best care they can with your mom and your new baby sibling.”
“Brother,” Annie said defiantly. “Baby brother.”
Truck chuckled and Mary felt it rumble through her.
“Sorry. Brother.”
Annie fell silent, and Mary couldn’t think of anything to say to Truck that wouldn’t upset the girl. So the three of them sat curled up together in silence. Ten minutes later, Annie was snoring slightly in Mary’s lap.
“Is she heavy? Do you need me to take her?” Truck asked quietly in her ear.
Mary shook her head. “She’s okay.”
“What’s going on? Any new news?”
“No.”
“This feels familiar, but not,” Truck said out of the blue.
Mary lifted her head and stared at him. They were practically nose to nose now. “How so?” she asked.
“Being here in this room with all the guys…and even the women too. But it’s different somehow.”
“You were here when Kassie had her baby,” Mary said softly, not sure she was doing the right thing, but forging ahead anyway.
She’d been sharing little things like this with Truck over the last two weeks, and he hadn’t seemed to be any worse for the wear as a result.
“But everyone was laughing and happy that Kate was born healthy. Hollywood was passing out cigars, and even Annie was here.”
“Hmmmm,” Truck mused. “I’m not sure that’s what seems familiar.”
“Then what?”
“I think it’s the smell of this place. It doesn’t bring back good feelings. It’s as if I’ve spent a lot of time here, and the second I walked into the hospital I felt a sense of dread.”
Mary’s stomach lurched. Could he be remembering the times he came with her to get chemo and radiation? She bit her lip.
“Mary?”
“Yeah?”
“What aren’t you telling me?”
“Now isn’t really the time or place.”
“This isn’t because of my amnesia, is it?” Truck asked with crazy insight.
Mary opened her mouth to answer, but was interrupted by a doctor appearing in the doorway. “Are you all here for Emily Fletcher?”
Choruses of “yes” responded and the doctor held up his hand. Mary wanted to wake Annie up, but didn’t want her to hear bad news from a doctor…if it was bad news. She’d break it to the little girl later if she had to.
“Emily is fine.”
“And her baby?” Rayne asked, wringing her hands.
“Also fine. He’s a bit premature, so we’re keeping him in the NICU for monitoring for now as a precaution. But he’s big, which was part of the issue, so we think he’ll be all right.”
“I knew it was a boy,” Mary said, smiling up at Truck.
As everyone began talking at once around them, Truck didn’t take his eyes from Mary’s. “A boy,” he said softly.
Mary could only nod.
Then Truck leaned toward her slowly. Mary licked her lips in anticipation. When his lips touched hers, Mary melted.
She leaned toward him, trusting him to keep her safe on his lap, as she couldn’t hold on because her hands were full with a sleeping Annie. She felt the arm around her back tighten as he tilted his head and deepened the kiss.