The Friends We Keep

“Hayley.”


He breathed her name, then lowered the railing on the side without the IV and slid onto the narrow bed until he was stretched out next to her. He touched her hair, her cheeks, then wiped away her tears.

“You nearly died,” he told her. “You nearly bled out. They wouldn’t let me see you. You nearly died.”

She heard the fear in his voice. The accusation. Because she’d done this to herself. To them. From his point of view, she should have given up. Should have stopped fighting.

She was so happy to see him and at the same time, she knew it didn’t matter. Irony. Now that she’d had the hysterectomy, he would come back. They would be together. But without a baby, she wasn’t going to be whole ever again. She wasn’t going to be who she was. He would love her and she would be gone.

She knew she wasn’t making sense. It was the drugs and maybe what she’d been through. Regardless, she knew the truth. There was a hole inside her. An emptiness that would never be filled.

She pushed those thoughts away and focused on the man next to her.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I shouldn’t have left. I didn’t know what else to do. How else to get your attention.”

“It’s okay.” There was no point in him suffering, too.

“Everyone’s been by,” he told her. “All your friends. Steven and Pam and half the people from work. They all gave blood.” He raised his head. “You had a transfusion. Did Dr. Pearce tell you?”

She shook her head. “Is Steven mad about the carpet?”

“No. He’s happy you’re okay.”

It hurt to talk. She was tired. So very tired. She felt her eyes closing.

Rob got off the bed and replaced the railing, then pulled up a chair. “Go to sleep, Hayley. I’ll be right here. They want you to stay another night. I’ve already moved back home. I’ll be there to take care of you.”

She nodded because there was nothing left to say. He was back in her life. He loved her and he was back. Too bad it was all for nothing. It was too late. For both of them.

*

Let’s Do Tea was quintessentially cute. The building had once been a private home, built in the 1920s. The architecture lent itself to charming retail and Let’s Do Tea took advantage of that. The main floor held the grocery store side of the business, offering everything edible and British from ginger beer to scones. There was also a take-out counter. A restaurant filled the upstairs. The menu was on a spectrum from ploughman’s lunches to high tea.

Nicole saw Gabby had already been seated and waved as she made her way to the table. Gabby rose and they briefly hugged.

“I’m a mess,” Nicole admitted as she took a seat. “Which is really sad because none of this is happening to me.”

“It was scary,” Gabby told her. “Rob was terrified when he called. I haven’t heard all the details, but it sounds like they weren’t sure Hayley was going to pull through.”

“I know.” Nicole shuddered. “Pam said that Steven couldn’t believe how much blood there was. He thought she was going to die right there on the floor of the office. Poor guy. Apparently he’s still in shock. But she pulled through. Did you give blood?”

Gabby nodded. “I’m O negative, so they love me. The universal donor. Rob said she’ll be coming home today. I’m going to wait a bit before visiting.”

“Me, too. I don’t want to tire her. I just wish there was something concrete I could do. You know—babysit, pet sit, regrout her bathroom.”

Gabby smiled. “Regrouting isn’t a traditional get-well gift, but it should be.”

Nicole picked up her menu, then put it down. While Gabby was saying all the right things, something was off. There was a tension in her voice, a strained set to her shoulders.

“Are you okay?”

Their server chose that moment to walk over to their table. “Good afternoon, ladies,” the plump British woman said with a welcoming smile. “Do you know what you’ll be having?”

“Every carb you offer,” Gabby said, then sighed. “Or the high tea lunch. Coronation chicken sandwiches, please.”

Nicole hesitated a second. She generally ordered the salad, but something told her that sugar and gluten were going to be required today. “The same for me.”

They passed over their menus. Their server promised to bring the tea right away, then left. Nicole leaned toward Gabby.

“Tell me.”

“I honestly don’t know if I can talk about it,” she admitted. “What’s beyond stunned, because that’s where I am.”

Nicole waited patiently. She’d known Gabby just over a year. The other woman was smart, capable and caring. She wasn’t overly dramatic. Instead, she saw the problem and came up with solutions. If she was this rattled, it was bad.

“We talked about Makayla being pregnant,” Gabby began.

Nicole nodded. “When we had lunch at Gary’s.”