I was O-positive, so I was out.
“We’ve had to request more from a hospital in Meridian City,” she told us. “It’ll hopefully be here soon.”
“Banks?” Will spoke up. “You’re O-negative, right? We all did that blood drive last summer. He can get blood from you.”
Oh, good. I started to breathe a little easier, but she didn’t say anything for a moment, and I starting worrying again.
“Um…yeah,” she finally stuttered, “but I, uh…I can’t donate blood, I don’t think.”
“Why?” Will prodded.
She laughed nervously under her breath. “I’m, um… I’m pregnant.”
Everyone fell silent, but I couldn’t help but smile a little at the irony.
Uncle Damon. That would be fun.
“I was trying to find a way to tell you,” she said to her husband, I assumed. “Something special. Sorry it happened like this.”
“Yeah, sorry,” Will added, clearing his throat and realizing the sudden announcement was sort of his fault.
There was movement, some kissing, and a few whispered words I couldn’t make out.
“Okay, well…” the nurse chimed in again. “We’ll get the blood we need. Don’t worry.”
“I’m B-negative,” someone spoke up, and I realized it was Rika.
Her tone sounded like mine did when I had to agree to something I wasn’t entirely sure I wanted to do.
“Oh, wonderful,” the nurse chirped. “Come with me, then.”
“Thanks, Rika,” Banks called out as they left.
I drew in a deep breath, relaxing a little, but still not moving from my spot.
“I’m sorry,” I heard Banks say.
“Why are you apologizing?” Kai asked, a smile in his voice. “This is the best surprise. My parents will be ecstatic.”
“I didn’t want you to find out like this,” she explained.
“Well, are you okay with it? Are you ready?”
“I didn’t think I would be,” she replied. “I wasn’t sure I wanted kids, but since I found out on Monday, I’m just…”
She giggled, and then I heard jumping and a barely audible little squeal.
“No wonder you’ve been smiling so much,” Kai commented. “And I thought it was because of me.”
“Well, technically it is.”
He snorted. “We’ve got a lot to look forward to.”
“Let’s go sit,” she whispered.
I rubbed my eyes, forgetting my hands were covered in blood. Shit. I needed to go wash up.
I started to move, but then I heard Kai’s voice.
“What are you doing?” he asked, and I stopped, thinking he was talking to me.
But it was Will who answered, “She said B-negative was a rare blood type. It’s actually the second rarest in the country, according to this website. Only 2% of the population has it.”
He must be looking at the stats on his phone.
“So?” Kai said.
“So isn’t it a little convenient that Damon and Rika both share the same, exact, rare blood type?”
My eyes rounded.
Oh, geez.
But I just made my way down the wall, reading the braille signs to find the restroom Banks told me was a couple doors down from here.
It was one thing after another with this group, and for now, I was just fine without any more drama than I had on my own plate to deal with.
They could have that one.
Damon
Present
“Winter?” I mumbled, feeling her and smelling her everywhere as I searched in the black.
I couldn’t see anything, and I couldn’t open my eyes as I shifted on the bed under me.
Jesus. Everything was so fucking heavy.
“Shhh…” a voice said. “You’re going to be okay. Just close your eyes and rest. You’re safe.”
Hands touched my face and forehead, like checking my temperature, and the warmth of her skin was like a dream. It felt like being in the shower with Winter the first time. Peaceful.
“Your hands are warm,” I said, so weak I couldn’t even swallow as I put my hand over hers, keeping it on my face. “I’m really fucking lightheaded. Don’t move, okay? Just stay.” I breathed shallow. “Just stay.”
A kiss touched my forehead. “I’ve always been here,” she whispered.
When I woke up again, it took several minutes, but I got my eyes open, the drowsiness taking forever to wear off.
Was that a dream? Where was Winter?
I put hands under me and scooted up in bed, using every ounce of strength I had and feeling a sharp pain in my side.
Ah, fuck. I coughed, touching the bandages on the side of my torso, noticing my hospital gown was down around my waist. An IV stuck in my hand, and two heart monitors were attached to my chest.
My neck ached, my head hurt, and I was groggy as fuck. What the hell did they give me?
I saw someone shift out of the corner of my eye and looked up, noticing everyone was in the room, either passed out on chairs or waking up.
Will rose from his seat, heading over to me, while Kai was passed out on a recliner with Banks curled up on top of him, and Michael and Rika were asleep on the couch.
“How long have I been out?” I asked him, looking for a clock.
He poured me a cup of water, and I downed the whole thing, handing it back for more.
“A few hours,” he said. “You never sleep long.”
“I want to leave.”
The other started to stir, Banks rubbing her eyes and sitting up, while Rika stretched on the couch.
“Yeah, it’s not happening.” Will handed me another water. “You need to stay put.”
“Fuck that.” I ignored the cup he held out and tried to remove the sheet on top of me.
But then Michael was on the other side of me; he and Will both pushing me back down.
“Lie down or we’ll lie you down,” Michael threatened.
“Aw, you care?”
“With you bed-ridden, you can’t cause trouble,” he pointed out. “It’s nice.”
Whatever. I wasn’t fucking staying. I’d rather pierce my eyeballs than lie here, resting.
I’d rather chug a gallon of piss warm milk than stay in bed, doing nothing.
I’d rather get a third degree burn on my dick.
Or develop a peanut allergy.
“Where’s Winter?” I demanded, taking the water and downing it.
Both of them remained silent but exchanged looks.
What? My heart began to hammer.
Will cleared his throat. “Okay, I don’t want you to freak out,” he started. “We will all handle this. But you need to stay calm, okay?”
Stay calm? She was in the fucking car on the way to the hospital. What happened?
“What?” I barked, noticing Kai jump awake to my left.
Rika and Banks approached the bed, too.
“She’s, um…” Will paused, struggling for words.
What the fuck?
And then he broke out in a smile, pulling back the curtain that hid the other bed in the room.
“Right here,” he teased.
I looked over, seeing Winter curled up on top of the made bed, still wearing jeans and sneakers, but with Will’s sweatshirt on now, it looked like.
“Want me to wake her up?” he asked.
I shook my head, seeing her mouth twitch a little. “No, leave her.”
I sighed as everyone surrounded my bed, and I wished they’d all go away. This felt so pathetic, and I wanted to leave now. Why were they even still here? Banks, I could understand, but the rest of them?
Reaching down, I peeled away the surgical tape and gauze on the right side of my abdomen, trying to gauge how bad the injury was.
Peering under the bandage, I spotted a small incision, examining it.
“Three stitches?” I said out loud.
Three?
“Don’t worry, there’s more on the inside,” Banks informed me. “Ten whole stitches. Super manly.”
I let my head fall back on the pillows, tightening my abs a few times to gauge the pain.
“The injury wasn’t that serious,” Will said, folding his arms over his chest. “But ignoring it was. You lost a lot of blood.”
“Luckily Rika had the same blood type,” Michael stated.
“Yeah, luckily,” Kai mumbled.
I almost laughed. Rika gave me blood? Like really?
I shot my eyes over to her, dropping my gaze to the Band-Aid on her arm where they’d drawn the blood.
Interesting.
“You going to say ‘thank you’?” Michael prodded.
“Someday.”
Rika let out a snort. “Well, now that he’s fine, I need to go lock up the dojo.”