Home Hunting

Chapter 10: We're Home

Evelyn's POV:

She extended her hand out for me to take, and so I did. I didn't have the energy to fight her. I knew she'd win.

She walked over to the box of tissues sat on the corner table and handed me a bunch, instructing me to wipe off my eyes.

"Is there anything you need to get from the lockers?" she asked me, opening up the door to the room and starting to step out. The light felt blinding to my swollen eyes.

"No," I answered, following her out. "I don't want anyone to see me like this," I told her honestly.

"That's okay honey, we're going out the back," she said comfortingly.

As we walked through the halls of the hospital and to the parking lot, I felt the absence of her comforting hold throughout my body. I kept my gaze down at her hands, observing how lightly they wrinkled, and remembered how lightly she held me. The same hands that performed surgical miracles every day. I want to be like her. Maybe. Maybe I just want to be with her.

We made our way to her car. I already knew which one was hers from the few times she'd driven me to get togethers or to the hospital on rainy days. We were quiet, but that was okay.

I pulled out my phone. I needed to text Jen so she wouldn't worry.

<< Hey, I have to stay at the hospital tonight. Will u be ok?

>> Yea <3  No worries

But I was worried. I always felt guilty leaving her alone there. I sat my phone down and rested my eyes, leaning my head against the window.

***

"Ev," I heard a soft voice say, while tapping lightly on my shoulder. "We're home."

I picked my head up, immediately remembering where I was and how I ended up there. I smiled softly and gazed out the window, observing the large house with bushes of roses lining the porch. My eyes traveled to the bird feeder in front of the oak, and then to the car already parked in the driveway.

Addison opened the driver's side door, and so I did the same.

"Whose car is that?" I asked, as she came around the side of the car to meet me.

"Oh," she sighed, as if she were coming to a realization. "It's Amelia's. I can go ask her to leave if you want me to."

"No, that's okay," I answered, still half asleep and resigning myself to the situation.

"Okay," she said as we walked up the steps. "I'll have Amy make you some tea while I go get you some clothes to wear to bed."

"You don't have to do all that," I replied.

"Let me," she said, putting her arms across my shoulder as she opened the door and walked up into the house.

"Addie!" I heard Amelia's voice call from the kitchen. "Arizona's here!"

"Amy,"  Addison sighed, releasing her arm and beginning to round the corner as Amy met her halfway.

"Oh," Amelia remarked, noticing my presence.

"What's wrong?" I heard Arizona ask. "Oh," she said, coming into the room.

This is fucking fantastic.

"Well, at least we're not naked this time," Amelia said.

"Amelia," Robbins scolded, "We'll leave. Is everything okay?"

"Yea," I replied. "Sorry about this."

"Don't be sorry," Addison said, addressing me. "Everything's fine," she told the others. "Evelyn's gonna spend the night here tonight."

"Okay," Amelia replied with a softer tone. "Well, before we go I wanna put my number in your phone, Bowers, in case you need anything you can call me too. Whenever," she said seriously as I handed her my phone.

"Hand it to me after," Arizona said.

"Evelyn, do you have off tomorrow?" Addison asked.

"No," I sighed.

"Okay" she said. "I'm gonna go call Bailey and get you some clothes."

"No! Please don't get Bailey involved."

"I'll just tell her you're not feeling well. I won't tell her anything more," she assured.

"I can tell her," Amelia said. "I have to head back to the hospital soon anyway."

"Okay, well let's go get you settled upstairs, Ev," Addison said. " Make sure to lock the door if you guys are heading out."

"Of course," Amelia answered.

"I'm so sorry," Addison said as we neared the top of the stairs. "She has a key to my house and she uses it frequently."

"I guess the two of them are a real item now," I smiled.

"I suppose," she answered. "Here, the guest room is to your right. I'll be right back."

I entered the sizable room and sank down onto the quilted bed. My body felt heavy. So did my eyes. I still wanted to disappear, but now I felt like I managed to take up all the space in the room.

A few minutes later, she came back into the room carrying a sweatshirt and a pair of shorts.

"Here," she said, surprising me by taking a seat next to me on the bed. "That pit in your stomach is going to go away. It will."

"How long?" I asked desperately.

"There's no time line," she said, taking my left hand and drawing circles on it with her thumb. "It might be there for a while. But you'll keep going about your work and saving more people. You'll feel it less and eventually it goes away. Do you trust me?"

"Of course," I replied.

"Good," she smiled. "I'm right down the hall if you need anything. I don't have to be into work until noon tomorrow."

"Thank you," I said sincerely.

"Of course. Goodnight," she smiled.

"Goodnight," I said as she left the room.

I slowly got up and changed into the clothes she had sat on the end of the bed.

They smelled like her.

A/N: Here's a little comfort to get you through the week. Love you all!