I manage to get through the turnstile and up the stairs to the El platform just as a train pulls up. In about fifteen minutes, the train pulls up at my stop, but the Ann & Robert H. Lurie's Children's Hospital of Chicago is still a fifteen minute walk from the El stop.
I don't even notice the time go by as I maneuver the city streets and make my way in the hospital. I calmly walk in the sliding door and up the escalator to the visitor's desk, clipping my visitor’s pass to the hem of my shirt, and I take the elevator to where Tiffany and David sometimes have their appointment. Occasionally David gets his therapy in the outpatient location in Lincoln Park; however, the majority of David’s appointments are here in the hospital since the doctors like to be present to observe his progress.
I walk back past the receptionist who knows me by now. An elderly Puerto Rican woman who loves to talk about her grandson's job as a car salesman. I think she wants me to buy a car from him, but I can't afford that anymore. Between my soon-to-be business and helping Tiffany out with doctor bills, the last thing I need is a car. I had to sell the one I already had.
Just as I walk into the room, I see a tall, dark haired boy in a batman t-shirt and baggy black shorts taking slow steps, barely lifting his foot off the ground as he moves the metal walker. His disheveled mop of brown hair keeps falling into his eyes as he concentrates on the green rubber matted floor. A large black man with a baldhead and gray t-shirt stands beside him but doesn't help, making the boy do all the work.
"Henrik!" I hear Tiffany's voice and turn to see her seated in a chair in the corner of the room. Her long brown hair pulled back into a ponytail. Her skin glows in the white cotton blouse she wears.
"Uncle Henrik!" My head swivels back to see David's mouth break out into a wide grin that I know in a few years will have all the girls calling him late at night.
I firm my stance and cross my arms over my chest. "Well look at you David. The way you’re progressing, I’m thinking you might take up track when school starts up in the fall."
David blushes and is waiting for me to walk to him but I glance over at Tim, his physical therapist, and we exchange a knowing look.
"Come on David, give me a hug." I hold out my arms waiting for him. He sighs and slowly drags himself over to me. I don't even have to bend anymore to hug him as the boy is at my chin now. I swear, just a week ago his head hit my shoulder.
After I release him from my bear hug, I look around the room and then down at him. “Where’s Doctor Adler?”
David blushes bright red as he stares at the floor. “She already came. She left about five minutes before you got here.” He sighs.
David has the biggest crush on that woman. I can't help but feel pride when I see him growing into a man. No doubt, she’ll break his heart, but he needs that to grow.
I should be taking my own advice.
"Let's get back to work David. You want to impress the doctor at the next appointment don't you?" Tim comes up behind David and puts his hand on the boy’s shoulder. David nods and turns the walker away from me.
I walk over to Tiffany as she puts the magazine she was reading on the floor. I sit in the chair beside her and she pats me on the back, tilting her head to the side.
After studying me for an intense minute, she finally asks, "What's wrong?"
Tiffany can always tell when I'm upset. As much as it irks me at times, I need it right now. She has helped me through so much in my life. The death of my family, any struggle I have had at work, and dealing with the ups and downs of Morgana. I don't think I could have handled all that if she hadn't forced me to talk about it.
"Morgana. I ran into her today." My eyes wearily glance over at her to watch her nod as her eyes fall to the floor.
"Yeah, Aria told me she was coming home. I didn’t think you would see her so soon. Did she get in touch with you?"
The phone call last night runs through my head. I knew if I heard Morgana’s sultry voice, I would want to explain everything to her. Let it all out, so I wanted to wait until we could meet up in person. To show her my work, why I gave her some breathing room and why I needed some time to focus on my life.
"Yes and no. She called last night, only Zooey was there and I think Morgana got the wrong impression. Today, I ran into her on the street. The usual happened, she was beautiful and funny, so I let my heart take over. I brought her back to my apartment and showed her my plans for my business."
Leaning back in the pastel pink plastic chair I follow Tiffany's gaze to David, who is now lying on the floor doing some leg stretches.
"What did she think?"
"She thought it was great. She was surprised, but happy for me. Then I told her I still loved her."
I watched Tiffany flinch as I said the word loved.
"And?"