like you.”
I laugh. “You don’t?”
“No. I love you.”
And just like that she wraps me a little tighter than I already was around her little finger. “Love you, Gabby Girl.”
She hangs up, and I fall back against the bricks on the building. What a mess this is. I have to find a way to explain to Gabby that I can’t help move her this weekend. I’m not thrilled with that. The disappointment that I heard in her voice on the phone is going to pale in comparison to hearing that. I can’t possibly leave and take a chance on something changing here and me being four hours away. I decide in that moment that I need to talk to Veronica.
When I walk back into the room Veronica is awake. I watch as relief floods her face. “I thought you had left.”
“No, I needed to make a phone call.” I pull my cell phone out of my pocket as I sit down and place it beside me on the couch. “This thing has zero service in here. I told the nurse I would be right back.”
She smiles. “Oh. She hasn’t been back in here since I woke up.”
I nod. “How do you feel?”
“Physically or mentally?”
I shrug. “Both.”
She swallows. “Physically I feel okay. Just tired. It’s hard to believe there is something wrong because I don’t really feel any different.” She reaches over to the jug of water that is on the tray beside her and takes a swig. “My mouth is super dry.” She puts it back. “Mentally...” She puts her head down and she dabs her fingers on the corners of her eyes. “Scared...” Her voice quivers. “I’m scared,” she whispers through tears as she glances back up to me.
I look down. “I know.” I cross my legs and fidget with the fabric on the hem of my pants. It makes me smile a small smile because it reminds me of how Gabby fidgets when she’s nervous. Maybe she’s rubbing off on me. Am I nervous, or just extremely uncomfortable with the awkwardness of the situation? I’m not sure how long I can avoid the elephant in the room. “I don’t want to upset you.”
She furrows her brows. “You’re not upsetting me. It’s comforting to have you here.” She puts her hand on the side of the bed and I’m pretty sure she’s hoping I’ll take it, but that’s not going to happen. “I appreciate you being here, Bradley.”
“No, I mean I don’t want to upset you with what I am about to ask you.”
“Oh.” She retracts her hand and looks down.
“I don’t want to upset you, but I have to ask. Have you called Ian?” Just the thought of him makes my blood boil. Saying his name repulses me.
She shakes her head and says nothing.
“I know you insist I’m the father, but I insist I’m not, which means that it would have to be him, right?”
She looks up to me and she’s continuously shaking her head. “I don’t know. I promise, I don’t.” A tear trickles down her face. “I know you think that I’m just making this up to try to trap you or something. I know you think I’m a horrible person, but I’m not.”
I glance away. “I don’t know what to think about you.”
“I’ll tell you what happened, but I don’t know that you will believe a word I say at this point.”
I pop my head up and give her an expectant look. “Yeah, I’d love to know what the hell happened.”
She gulps. “You left to go to the wedding.”
“Right.”
“That weekend I wasn’t feeling well, but I went out anyway.”
“Joe’s?”
“Uh huh. I had too much to drink. I met Ian. He was...like I said before. He was kind, caring, compassionate...”
“Ugh. You can spare me those details.” The less I can hear about the prick the better.
“Anyway, we went home together. The next morning I woke up violently ill. He took care of me, took me to the doctor, and made sure I was okay afterwards.” Her eyes wander around the room and then back to mine. “I really felt bad afterwards. I was so confused. I wanted you, but I can’t describe the connection I felt towards him.”
“Keep
I laugh. “You don’t?”
“No. I love you.”
And just like that she wraps me a little tighter than I already was around her little finger. “Love you, Gabby Girl.”
She hangs up, and I fall back against the bricks on the building. What a mess this is. I have to find a way to explain to Gabby that I can’t help move her this weekend. I’m not thrilled with that. The disappointment that I heard in her voice on the phone is going to pale in comparison to hearing that. I can’t possibly leave and take a chance on something changing here and me being four hours away. I decide in that moment that I need to talk to Veronica.
When I walk back into the room Veronica is awake. I watch as relief floods her face. “I thought you had left.”
“No, I needed to make a phone call.” I pull my cell phone out of my pocket as I sit down and place it beside me on the couch. “This thing has zero service in here. I told the nurse I would be right back.”
She smiles. “Oh. She hasn’t been back in here since I woke up.”
I nod. “How do you feel?”
“Physically or mentally?”
I shrug. “Both.”
She swallows. “Physically I feel okay. Just tired. It’s hard to believe there is something wrong because I don’t really feel any different.” She reaches over to the jug of water that is on the tray beside her and takes a swig. “My mouth is super dry.” She puts it back. “Mentally...” She puts her head down and she dabs her fingers on the corners of her eyes. “Scared...” Her voice quivers. “I’m scared,” she whispers through tears as she glances back up to me.
I look down. “I know.” I cross my legs and fidget with the fabric on the hem of my pants. It makes me smile a small smile because it reminds me of how Gabby fidgets when she’s nervous. Maybe she’s rubbing off on me. Am I nervous, or just extremely uncomfortable with the awkwardness of the situation? I’m not sure how long I can avoid the elephant in the room. “I don’t want to upset you.”
She furrows her brows. “You’re not upsetting me. It’s comforting to have you here.” She puts her hand on the side of the bed and I’m pretty sure she’s hoping I’ll take it, but that’s not going to happen. “I appreciate you being here, Bradley.”
“No, I mean I don’t want to upset you with what I am about to ask you.”
“Oh.” She retracts her hand and looks down.
“I don’t want to upset you, but I have to ask. Have you called Ian?” Just the thought of him makes my blood boil. Saying his name repulses me.
She shakes her head and says nothing.
“I know you insist I’m the father, but I insist I’m not, which means that it would have to be him, right?”
She looks up to me and she’s continuously shaking her head. “I don’t know. I promise, I don’t.” A tear trickles down her face. “I know you think that I’m just making this up to try to trap you or something. I know you think I’m a horrible person, but I’m not.”
I glance away. “I don’t know what to think about you.”
“I’ll tell you what happened, but I don’t know that you will believe a word I say at this point.”
I pop my head up and give her an expectant look. “Yeah, I’d love to know what the hell happened.”
She gulps. “You left to go to the wedding.”
“Right.”
“That weekend I wasn’t feeling well, but I went out anyway.”
“Joe’s?”
“Uh huh. I had too much to drink. I met Ian. He was...like I said before. He was kind, caring, compassionate...”
“Ugh. You can spare me those details.” The less I can hear about the prick the better.
“Anyway, we went home together. The next morning I woke up violently ill. He took care of me, took me to the doctor, and made sure I was okay afterwards.” Her eyes wander around the room and then back to mine. “I really felt bad afterwards. I was so confused. I wanted you, but I can’t describe the connection I felt towards him.”
“Keep
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