Asleep with the pain of the chair in my back, there was a shout in the lobby of the hospital. The surgery had been a success, but now we were forced to wait in the post-op process for the next few hours. Opening my eyes, I strained against my aching bones to listen.
“I don't care.” A voice demanded, “I need to see him. I have a right to see him.”
Someone denied her with soft words and a firm tone, but I heard her kick up again; I knew that voice.
“Not approved?” She shrieked, “We're practically married. I am the mother of his daughter, for Christsake.”
Opening my eyes, I saw Erin slam her hand agaisnt the desk. Glancing over my shoulder, I nudged Benji, and tossed my legs over to the ground. Standing, I stretched my arms.
“Miss Bennet, could you come here for a moment, please?” The receptionist asked, and my body turned, locking eyes with the angry woman.
With her.
Walking toward them, the nurse gestured to Erin, but spoke to me “Do you know this woman? I understand that Miss Adams is his primary emergency contact, and I should be taking this up with her, but she left to attend to the little one. Is she a friend of Mr. Adams?”
My eyes shifted to Erin. She rolled her eyes, turning back to the woman “Don't take orders from her. She has no idea what's going on here. She's the one who caused all this in the first place.”
She was right, but I wasn't going to let that keep her here. I looked at the nurse, and smiled “She's not welcome here. I'm sorry, but I don't think it's safe for her to be around him right now.”
Behind me, Benji and Dev got up. I heard Dev clear his throat, “Erin. This is a surprise. Come to remove the stake you put through Indie's heart, or the knives you put in all of our backs?”
Erin narrowed her eyes with her eyes on me “You selfish, gold-digging little skank! I have as much a right to be here as you do.”
“You lost that right the second you went behind his back.” I corrected her, shaking my head “The minute you gave up on him, you gave up everything that he represented.”
She spat her words, poisonous darts she thought she could stick to me “You think you're so safe and so untouchable because you think he loves you. I have news for you, honey: he loved me first. And besides, it's just a hospital room. It's no big deal.”
I clenched my fist, “If you think it's not a big deal, how about I put you in one?”
AJ walked through the doors to the waiting room, and when she saw Erin, she froze. I didn't press her for information; she'd been the first to see Indie after the operation. I knew this, and I understood that she didn't want to wake me, seeing as I was worrying myself sick over what they were doing in there.
“He's awake.” She said softly, looking at me with a slight hesitation, and ensuring that she wouldn't give Erin any more information than the bare minimum.
Erin started for the double doors, but AJ stood in front of her. Erin stopped and sighed, “AJ, stop acting like a child.” She tried again, Tyler walked to AJ's side, and his eyes met mine with a nod.
He glanced at Erin, then back to me “We okay here? Dawson, Ethan can walk you in if you don't want to go alone.”
I nodded, and looked at Ethan. “Let's go.” He said.
We walked, my hands shaking more the closer we were to the room.
“Just don't attack him, okay?” Ethan smiled, “The stitches are still fresh.”
YOU ARE READING
Hometown Hero
Teen FictionDawson Bennet never had a permanent home. Traveling from restaurant to restaurant with her dads, no town held her in one place long enough to get comfortable with anyone. And signs don't look good, now that she's become acquainted with Indie, the to...
