Medical malpractice case

Chapter 13 Noah

I tap my fingers on my lap, rapidly waiting for Andrew to come back. The awkward silence growing as each second passes by. I notice Jamie fidgeting with her fingers. I can't help but want to ask. But I hold back. I clear my throat and take another sip of the juice. Did Andrew sleep there or something? A couple of minutes pass by, and Andrew finally decides to show up holding a pair of grey sweatpants with a white shirt. He extends it to me. I take it from him thanking him.  He yawns

"Alright, guys, I think I'm out. I'll be in the guest room." He says, walking down the hallway. Once I see him enter, I look around to see that's the only extra bedroom along with Jamie's bedroom.

"I'll be sleeping on the couch." I state.

"No, you won't. You can't, you'll break your back." She says softly. "You take my bedroom. I'll take the couch." I raise an eyebrow at her words.

"Like hell I'll let you." I tell her.

"This is my house." She states.

"I get that, but there's no way I'm letting you sleep on the couch, pregnant too. No, that'll only harm you and the baby." I tell her,"I'll sleep on the couch." I look back at the couch seeing jts like the size of my leg only. Me being 6'0 ft won't be able to fit. But where else would I sleep?

"Suit yourself." She says before walking down the hall to her bedroom. I head to the bathroom and changed into the clothes Andrew had lended. The sweatpants are loose, which is how I like it, and the shirt is a bit tight around my bicep.

_________

I hate the say it, but she's right. I'm gonna end up with a broken back. I keep tossing and turning, and the time I finally get to drift off, I fall to the ground. I sit up and see Jamie in a tank top and sweatpants running out of her room.

"Are you okay?" She kneeling down next to me. I nod.

"Yeah, I'm fine." I say, putting my hand on my hip.

"Noah, you can't sleep here. Come on, get up." She stands up and extends her hand for me to take. I look up at her, slightly confused, but I know she's too stubborn to change her mind. I reluctantly take her hand, pulling myself up. She lets go of my hand as I get on my feet and begins walking. I'm assuming I should follow her. I follow behind her, my steps slow and steady.

She opens the door to her bedroom and steps to the side to let me in. I look at her  hesitantly.

"Come on, Noah. I'm not letting you sleep there, and neither will you let me." She says. She's right.

"I wouldn't let you. Over my dead body." I step in. I look around, taking in my surroundings. I'm in her room. It's like I'm her own world. Where she spends most of the time. Reading. Sleeping... no stop. I snap myself out of these thoughts. "I'll take the floor." I tell her as I'm about to grab an extra pillow. She stops me, her hand on my wrist.

"No. You'll break your back. Noah, this floor we're talking about." She states the obvious. After arguing back and forth. She somehow convinces me to sleep on the bed. Our bed...wait what?! Her bed. It's her bed. Not...what am I thinking?!

I wait until she settles in her bed. Then I decide to crawl behind her. I scoot over to put some space between us.

"Goodnight." I say quietly.

________

The rays of sunlight beams through the window. I stir awake to brightness of the sun. Sunlight flashing in.

"Oh," he clears his throat. I open my eyes fully to see Jamie pressed up against me. Her head resting on my chest. My hand resting around her waist. I clear my throat, letting go of my hands around her waist.

"Andrew it isn't what it looks like." I say my voice raspy from just waking up.

"Didn't mean to interrupt." He says. "I just...wow. I saw it coming, though." A pang of confusion rushes through me.

"Huh? You have?" I loon back at Jamie, taking in her cute petite sleeping form, her hair sprawled across her face. Andrew leaves the room. Without thinking, I gently reach and brush the strand of her hair out of her face. She stirs awake. I quickly retract my hand away from her as she rubs her closed eyes. I sit up, putting some good distance between us.

"Morning judge." Why did I call her that? It just came out. But it felt so...naturally. felt right. This... all of it...felt right. No, no, I can't think that. Jenna just died a couple of months ago.

"Morning." She mutters, still asleep. I chuckle to myself.

________

Andrew and I are chatting with each other on the couch. We got along pretty easily, I liked him from the moment I knew he was Jamie's brother. We chat and talk about life while Jamie cooks breakfast. Andrew leaves to the bathroom, so I decide to make my way to the kitchen.

I lean against the doorway, watching as Jamie does the pancakes. The urge to just go up behind her and wrap my arms around her waist and place my hand on her bump. She's pregnant. The thought of that is
..comforting? Sickening? Sad? I'm happy for her. I really am but can't help but wonder what life would be before my birthday a couple of months ago.

What would happen if Jenna was still alive? Would we have become  the parents we were never prepared to become? I can't help but miss her smile. Her scent. Her laugh. Her freckles. Her sweet, contagious energy. I longed to hold her again. I wish I could've at least told her how much I love her. She was my always.