What You're Not | ✔

9. Starless Night

The inside of the Westbrook Hospital was freezing cold, but I was breaking out into a sweat as I waited for the receptionist to give me information about my mom.

"She's in room 207," the woman finally told me. "Just take the elevator—"

"I know how to get there," Miles cut in.

The two of us walked over to the elevators and Miles hit the button for the second floor.

"Your mom's fine," he said, his eyes watching the numbers light up above the doors.

"How do you know that?"

He glanced down at me. "If it was serious she'd be in intensive care or in surgery. The second floor is a good floor to be on."

Hearing that made me feel a little better. A little. The second floor might've been a good floor to be on, but anywhere besides a hospital would've been even better.

The elevator dinged and after a few people stepped off, we got on. Two minutes later we were walking down a long corridor on the second floor, searching for room 207.

We located my mom's room and I went in while Miles hung out in the hall.

When I saw her, propped up in the hospital bed with her left arm in a sling, tears threatened my eyes again.

"Oh, baby, I'm fine," she assured me, her signature smile on her face. "I told them not to call and scare you."

"Well, they did," I said, sitting on the edge of her bed. I wanted to hug her, but she seemed so fragile with all the wires and IVs. "Are you okay? What happened?"

"I was on my way to pick up dinner and somebody rear ended me. I'm fine, though," she told me, patting the back of my hand. "I dislocated my shoulder and my neck and back is a little sore, but I'm okay."

I believed her. However, that didn't completely ease my anxiety. I wouldn't feel at peace until she was home in her own bed watching her soap operas.

"How long are they keeping you in here?"

"Just overnight for observation," she told me just as a nurse walked. Mom playfully glared at the woman. "They're holding me hostage."

"We both know how stubborn you are," the woman said as she checked he monitor next to Mom's bed. "If you weren't forced to be on bedrest you'd be trying to work."

Knowing my mom, that was true. She wasn't one to sit still, unless it was to watch her shows.

"Well, do you need anything?" I asked.

"Food, and not this hospital stuff," she said, pointing at an untouched tray of meatloaf and mashed potatoes. "There's a deli across the street. Get me a sandwich, please."

"Alright, I'll be right back," I told her as I stood. Ignoring my previous restraints, I hugged her, savoring the moment I came so close to not having. "I love you." 

"I love you, too," she said, smiling as I pulled away. "But I'll you love even more when you bring me my sandwich."

"Okay," I laughed. "What kind?"

"Edible."

With that, I left the room. I was feeling a lot better now that I knew Mom was fine and acting like her usual self. When I got out to the hallway, Miles was no longer standing there. Maybe he left?

Once I made it out of the hospital, I realized he hadn't gone too far. He was sitting on a bench outside, looking up at the night sky. It was a deep blue color, not a star in sight because of all the lights.