Scent (Scomiche)

Stuffed Animals and Eavesdropping

I don't go to the hospital the next day, and by the day after that I'm back at work, driving my black Saturn Aura with about a hundred stuffed animals peeking out the windows of my backseat. It's not like working sounds great or anything, but I finally realized that I'm not a victim of the fire, so I have no reason to be missing so much work. Natalie clicks her way over to my desk in those way-­too­-high heels of hers and slides me a piece of paper with names and phone numbers, explaining that I need to call each one and reschedule my appointments with them. Ever since that fire, though, I've been viewing things like they're in slow motion, so as she talks, I'm looking at her and it's like she's moving so slow I can finally pay attention to what she looks like. Mousy brown, thick, long, curled hair, and I've never noticed that freckle right above her lip.
It seems like she knows my job better than I do with all this rambling she's doing. She ends by telling me I missed quite a few calls and that she'll leave me alone now. I nod distantly and watch her walk out of my office, leaving the door open when she click­-clacks out.

I play my messages, and Scott's voice snaps me back to reality. Our little fight has been the only thing on my mind for the past three days.

"Hey, uh, it's Scott. I didn't have any other number to reach you at besides this one. I don't know when you're going back to work, but I hope you get this relatively soon. I just really need to thank you for all the stuff you bought for me, it'll help out tremendously." There's a pause so long I almost think that's the end, but then he continues with, "I am so sorry for what I said to you. I've just been out of my head. Lindsey and I miss you here. Please come visit." A loud beep signifies the end of the message. I look for the date he left that on. It's been two days. I have to go.

I walk out, not telling Natalie anything this time, get in my car, and drive to the hospital. A stuffed seal falls into the front seat. I chuck it back to the pile, but it ends up tumbling down again. I grunt and pull into the parking lot, quickly making my way to Lindsey's room. I knock, even though the door is open, and suddenly realize I should've brought flowers or something. Her head turns and her eyes widen in excitement. Scott isn't in the room.

I amble over, watching her face change from excitement to curiosity to just a small smile. "Hey."

"Where have you been?" She interrogates.

I sit on the edge of her bed and look her in the eyes to show sincerity. She needs the truth. "Your father and I had a little fight, and I needed some time to cool off."

She pouts, "I missed you," and then reverts her eyes to the doorway.

"You seem to be doing better," I say, taking a glimpse at the doorway myself. There Scott is in the clothes I bought him and a small Dixie cup of water in hand.

"Mitch," he addresses, almost breathlessly. "I thought you weren't going to come. I was about to call again to tell you she's going to be discharged."

I stand and brush off my clothes a little by force of habit. "You are?" I direct at Lindsey, a grin plastered on my face. She nods in response.

"Can we talk in the hall again just for a second?" He asks, and I wonder what the big secret is, but I agree, tell Lindsey I'll be back before she knows it, and make my way to the hall.

"Discharged, huh?" I say as he closes the door. "Where are you two staying?"

Scott shrugs. "The hotel I guess. I've been paying for all the nights even though I haven't been staying there. I'm too worried to leave her side. She's finally off oxygen, though. They're letting her breathe on her own."

"That's great. And," I swallow my pride, "you're always welcome to stay with me."

"No," Scott replies, not harshly, just confident, "no, we couldn't burden you like that."

"It wouldn't be a burden," I say. "I love Lindsey." The words come out of my mouth before I can stop them. Did I really just admit I like a child?

"And what about me?" He half­-teases. I've missed his face, with that scruffy facial hair and sharp jawline, and of course those ocean-blue eyes.

"Still kinda pissed at you, but you're still welcome."

"Give me some time and I'll make it up to you. As long as you're talking to me, that's all I need for now."

I say okay and can't help but smile, and he smiles a little back. The silence gets awkward so he speaks. "I'm worried about Lindsey. She seems sad."

Can he really blame her? "She seemed fine when I got here."

"Well, she idolizes you. It's different."

"I have something that might cheer her up, but it's in my car."

That begins a whole expedition of asking nurses to let us bring her outside and finding a wheelchair and a willing nurse and me having to pull my car up to the front and making sure she doesn't need to bring any oxygen or machines with her. But eventually it all works out and we have Lindsey in a wheelchair, outside the front doors, to the side of my car, with a dark-­skinned nurse named Tabitha observing to make sure I don't kidnap her or something. Honestly, lady, you couldn't pay me to. Scott watches from a little more of a distance.

"Lindsey, your father tells me you've been getting a little depressed lately, so I bought you something to cheer you up. But you have to promise it'll help, okay?" Wind whips around us, blowing strands into my face, and Lindsey's long hair all over hers. She uses her bandaged hand to place it behind her ears.

She nods solemnly to answer my question. I reach over and swing the car door open to reveal the stuffed animals that have been riding around with me.

"Since yours got a little crispy, I'm hoping these will help you out."

The wide, gap­-toothed grin she gives me probably made my whole year.

I heard she was getting released the next day, so I show up to wish her well. Honestly, they could just fire me from work at this point, and I wouldn't care.

When I arrive at her room, flowers in hand this time, I hear her and Scott talking. I don't want to interrupt so I wait outside the door, listening.

"But why can't we stay at Mitch's?" Lindsey whines. My ears perk up.

"He's done so much for us already, we don't need to bother him anymore."

"But I like hanging out with him!"

Scott sighs, "Me too, but I really don't think he needs us taking up his place like that."

"Pleeeaaaassseeeee," she begs, and I smile.

There's moments of silence, then, "Lindsey, don't give me those eyes" and then, "Fine, I'll see what I can do".

I almost laugh, but I don't want him to hear me, so I cover my mouth and wait until they move on to another topic to walk in. I give Lindsey the flowers, her and Scott both thank me, and I leave when they do, after talking to Lindsey about how proud I am of her.

I'm at my apartment, hours later, waiting for work to call and yell at me, when I hear a knock on my door. When I open it, I see Scott with only one Walmart bag and his daughter, who's holding flowers now, because they literally have nothing else.

Scott sighs. "That offer still open?"

I smile and open my door more to allow them inside. "Of course it is."