Counting Down The Days (Counting on Hockey #3)

Chapter 27: Let's Take a Walk

I cry into Cole's shoulder, and his uneven breathing I can feel tells me he's about to cry too. His arms are like a blanket to me right now, saving me from what's going on in Noah's room.

The door to his room opens and the bed, with Noah in it of course, is pushed out, turning to my left down the hall. The doctor quickly stops in front of me. "Miss Adams. Noah has some small internal bleeding that we didn't catch in his first surgery. We will fix it quickly, and I will come to find you when we're done". Doctor Willis runs down the hall after Noah and the nurses.

I bury my face in Cole's shoulder again and cry more. "It's going to be okay. Noah will be fine", Cole's voice cracks. He's crying, too. "Don't cry, Mere. Noah will be okay".

I stop crying after a while, my eyes can't make any more tears.

"Meredith", I hear someone call down the hallway. I look up to see Mr. and Mrs. Smith in the doorway by the Nurses station. "What's going on?" Her and her husband run down the hall towards us.

Cole lets me up from his lap and I stand in front of Noah's parents. "Uh, I guess there was some internal bleeding that was so small the doctors didn't see it in the first surgery. It's near his heart, so it caused his heartrate to sky rocket, and that's how they caught it. The doctors took him in, maybe an hour or so ago".

The Smiths look over at Cole, who sits beside me, looking down at his lap. "Oh my god, Cole. When did you get here?"

"Right before Noah went into surgery".

"Well, I'm sorry you had to come all the way from Minnesota just to see your best friend go into surgery. But, it's good to have you here, both of you", Mrs. Smith says to us. We give her each a small smile.

The four of us sit silently after our greetings to each other. Another hour or so, and Cole gets up. "Meredith, would you mind showing me to the cafeteria. I'm a little hungry".

"Yeah, sure", I get up and walk down the hall with Cole.

"I know where the cafeteria is. I just really wanted to get away from his parents. I could tell you wanted to, too", Cole gives me a half smile.

I shove my hands in my back pockets. "It's always been weird between me and Noah's parents. I mean, I know I've never talked to them that much, but it's been five years, shouldn't we at least be comfortable to talk to each other. Mrs. Smith always seems tense when she's talking to me. Oh, and you wouldn't believe what she asked me about earlier this week".

"What?" Cole asks with a smile on his face.

"She asked me if I had feelings for Noah. Because she's afraid he has some huge crush on me, though he doesn't know it. So, what she was saying was, 'hey I'm comfortable enough with you, will you marry my only son'", I laugh.

"Well, that's.... something", Cole chuckles. "I'm glad she's that comfortable with you", he smirks.

"Oh, stop it", I giggle, hitting Cole on the shoulder. He puts his hand up to it and mocks getting hurt. "You baby".

"You raised me this way", Cole retorts back, giving me another smirk.

We finally make it down to the cafeteria. Cole buys a cup of fruit and bag of chips for later. He offers me something, but I'm not that hungry. I haven't been hungry the past few days. He insists I eat something, because he knows I usually don't eat in these kinds of situations. I choose a bowl of watermelon and cantaloupe. He pays for it, and I thank him. We walk slowly back to the east wing on the third floor. Mr. and Mrs. Smith still sit outside of Noah's room. Mr. Smith's arm is around his wife's shoulders.

"Can we not sit there right now?" I ask Cole, he looks down at me. "It feels like something else is wrong, and I have to walk it off".

"Uh, yeah sure", he smiles.

We turn around and walk out of the east wing. The two of us walk in silence, eating the food we got. Cole and I wonder into the pediatrics wing of the hospital. The nursery window is filled with new parents and families looking at the babies, who are just hours or days old. I walk up and look through the window. I count seven babies, three boys, and four girls. Cole stands to the side of me and watches.

Cole looks content watching the newborns. He has a small smile on his face. His eyes wonder to each baby, but they always seem to go back to a little boy in the far corner. I read his name card. Noah. My heart breaks a little.

Cole notices me looking up at him. He looks down at me and smiles. I turn my torso so I can see him better. I stand on my tiptoes and graze my lips me against his. Cole's hand lays on my hip. He kisses me back. What am I doing? Stop it, Meredith. Only, I can't. Our lips push against each other. I finally find the external strength to move away from him. Cole's hand grips my waist. I stare up at him in shock.

Cole leans down. But, he didn't kiss me again. His lips go to my ear. "Don't think it was a mistake", then, as he moves away, plants a small kiss on my cheek.

I don't say anything. I look up at Cole for a moment, then take a step back. Neither of us say anything.

Then, I run.