Twenty-two #2
“It’s not too late to change your mind, you know,” I whisper my last-ditch attempt at getting her to stay with me rather than go to work.
“As much as I’d love to stay in our little bubble and be with you all day, we need to get back to reality, and reality is I have a job. A job that I’m going to be late for if I don’t leave now.”
“It was worth a try, and you know you don’t actually have to work, right?
I have enough money that neither of us would have to actually work another day in our lives.
We could just move to a deserted island and continue to exist in our little bubble, just the two of us.
” As the idea runs through my head, I’m liking it more and more.
“Zac, do not buy a bloody island retreat anywhere. We are not leaving our family. Now walk me to the door and kiss me goodbye.”
With that, she turns and walks out of the room. I’m left there smiling like a fool. She said our family. It’s the first time she’s referred to my family as her own, as ours and not just mine.
“Zac, I’m leaving,” I hear Alyssa call from down the hall. I meet her in the living room just as Bray comes running down the hall at the same time.
“Lyssa, sis, thank god you haven’t left yet. I need you to give me a ride.” His words rush out like he’s in a hurry to get somewhere. I work hard to hide the smirk that’s trying to form on my lips. He really does go all-in when he’s on a roll.
“What’s wrong?” Alyssa questions as she pats Bray down with her hands, inspecting for an injury of some sort.
Pulling her back into my chest, I stop her inspection of my brother’s body.
“He’s not hurt, Alyssa. He’s just a fucking idiot,” I inform her while sending Bray a death glare.
“Your concern for my wellbeing means everything to me, brother. I’m fine. I just need to visit someone who’s laid up in the very same hospital you’re driving to. So, can you give me a lift?” Bray asks.
Alyssa looks sceptical, glancing back and forward between Bray and myself. Shit, she is too damn smart for us. She already knows he’s full of shit.
“Bray, visiting hours don’t start until eight. It’s only six now. What are you planning on doing, sitting around the door for two hours to visit a friend?”
I look at Bray pleadingly. I know he’ll come up with something; he’s always been able to talk his way out of anything.
“Okay, well, I didn’t want to tell you this because, well, just because… But you see, there’s this nurse I just met, and she wants me to meet her before her shift at the hospital. A before work hook-up, some might call it. It’s the next Tinder.”
Alyssa shakes her head and screws her face up. “First, gross. Second, I think you’re full of shit. You’ve been moping around for the last four weeks, trying to get Reilly to pay you some attention and now, all of a sudden, you’ve moved on to someone else? Really, Bray?” she questions him.
Bray looks almost pained when he says, “Reilly won’t give me the time of day, so yes, I’m moving on. Let’s go. I can’t keep a lady waiting—it’s not polite.” We both watch Bray as he presses the button, opening the doors on the lift.
Alyssa turns to me and whispers, “I can’t wait to see what excuse he comes up with tomorrow when he needs a lift to the hospital.” Reaching up and laying a quick kiss on my lips, she says into my mouth, “I love you so damn much. I’ll see you tonight.”
Holding her tighter, I tell her, “I love you more than I thought it was possible to love someone. Text me when you get there. Also, I’ll meet you on your lunch break.”
Biting onto her bottom lip, she looks at me like she’s unsure of what she’s about to say.
“Umm, well… lunch… I kind of already told Sarah I’d meet her in the hospital café.
It’s just that I haven’t seen her since before she went to her parents for Christmas and, well, I’ve been a shitty friend lately and haven’t really spent any time with my friends.
The only one I see is Reilly, and that’s only because she works for you and is always dropping stuff off here. ”
I lean down and kiss her. She’s rambling; she does that when she’s nervous.
“Sunshine, you can see your friends whenever you want, you know that, right? I’m not going to ever stop you from meeting up with your friends.
Have fun with Sarah and I’ll see you at the club tonight.
Also, you are not a shitty friend. Anyone who can call you their friend should thank their lucky stars. ”
She nods at me. “Thank you. I don’t know how I got so lucky to have you.”
“Come on, lovebirds, I have somewhere I need to be. I can’t hold this button forever, you know,” Bray calls out from inside the lift.
Laughing at him, Alyssa pulls away and walks into the lift.
As the doors close, an unsettling feeling returns to my gut.
I try to shake it off as separation anxiety.
That’s all it is… I haven’t been separated from her for over three weeks now.
She’s safe at the hospital; there is security everywhere to protect the staff and patients.