The Friends We Keep

“Of course she’ll have responsibilities,” he said, his voice annoyingly soothing.

“Will she? Really? Because you don’t even make her do her own laundry. She has virtually no chores in this house. None. She lives here full-time and we treat her like an honored guest. Now you’re telling me that I’m expected to raise her baby? To give up my career, everything I’ve been waiting to get back to, so she can go off and have a good rest of her childhood?”

Her voice rose with each word until she was shrieking. Andrew’s phone chirped.

They stared at each other. She was breathing as if she’d just run a mile and he still looked more confused than upset.

“Obviously we have to talk about this more,” he said as he pulled his phone out of his shirt pocket. “My car is here. I have to go.”

She nodded. Right. Because he had a business trip and life went on.

She wanted to throw something at him. Like a shoe. Or a building. What on earth had he been thinking? No way she was giving up her life for Makayla’s baby. A baby that would be adopted soon enough.

He crossed to her. “I’ll call you tonight,” he said and kissed her cheek.

She nodded without speaking.

He walked toward the bedroom, then paused and turned back to her. “Are we all right?”

She nodded. They weren’t, but what was the point in saying that now? He had to leave. Better that things be reasonably pleasant. They would talk again when he got home. There was time for her to get him to understand that there was absolutely no way on this planet she was giving up her career to take care of Makayla’s baby. Not now, not ever.

*

Hayley was aware of movement around her long before she opened her eyes. There was an annoying steady beeping, along with low conversation and the occasional sensation of warmth. Drugs, she thought hazily. Someone was giving her drugs.

She surrendered to them as much as she could. A voice—no, that was too strong—a feeling told her not to wake up until she had to. That surfacing, having to face whatever had happened, would be bad. So she didn’t stir, didn’t open her eyes until finally she couldn’t keep them closed anymore.

The room was unfamiliar, as was the bed. She closed her eyes, then opened them again as pain settled on her. The kind of pain that could only be dulled, not deadened.

She inhaled slowly. She was breathing on her own. That was good. She moved her arm, then winced as she realized there was an IV attached. The beeping was her heartbeat.

“How are you feeling?”

The voice was familiar, but not the one she wanted to hear. She turned and saw Dr. Pearce standing beside her bed, watching her with an awkward combination of relief and concern.

“Sore.”

“You’re on an IV for the pain. Can you push the button yourself or do you want me to?”

“I can do it.”

Hayley found the button and pressed it. Relief was almost instant. Drugs, she thought hazily. She’d never done them as a kid, but they were magical.

“Do you know where you are?”

“The hospital.”

“Do you remember what happened?”

Hayley fought against the swirling sensation she recalled. The blood. There’d been so much blood.

“I made a mess at work on the floor.”

Dr. Pearce smiled. “I think they’ll be okay with that.”

Hayley nodded slightly. “You’re right. Steven’s good that way.”

The doctor’s smile faded. “Hayley, you were hemorrhaging. I’m sorry. I wish there had been something else I could do to save you from—”

“Stop,” Hayley whispered. “Don’t say it.”

Not that the words would make it any more or less real. She already knew the truth. Could feel it in the tightness in her insides, the pain from the incisions. She simply didn’t want it spoken out loud.

“If there’d been another way...”

“I know.” Hayley felt tears on her cheeks, although she wasn’t aware of crying. It was done. There was no going back now. She was done. Totally and completely done. She closed her eyes.

“How close did I come to dying?”

“Close enough. You lost a lot of blood.”

There hadn’t been a decision to make. She understood that. At least in her head. Her heart was different. Her heart screamed out at the unfairness of it all. Her heart sobbed and cried and began building walls that would never be scaled.

“I’m going to let Rob know you’re awake.”

Hayley opened her eyes. “He’s here?”

“Of course. He just went to get more coffee. Steven called him after he called 911. Rob got here within a few minutes of the ambulance.” Dr. Pearce squeezed her hand. “It’s been nearly forty-eight hours. We were all starting to wonder when you’d wake up. Let me go get him.” Dr. Pearce left the room.

Rob was here. Hayley hung on to the thought, then forced herself to fight the drugs and stay awake until she saw him walk into her room.

“You look awful,” she told him, her voice scratchy.

There were dark circles under his eyes and two days’ growth on his jaw. His clothes were wrinkled and his glasses dirty.