“I was not,” she mutters, shooting a mean look in Jansen’s direction. “Gladys was just scared, so I was trying to cuddle him,” she explains.
“Who’s Gladys?” I mumble, quickly losing track of this conversation.
“The guy I’ve been telling you about that Green hired on, his pet is named Gladys.”
“So, you’re saying a guy named Rooster has a pet chicken named Gladys?” I ask, and considering my whole family, I don’t know why I think that’s strange, but I do.
“His pet is a rooster, honey,” Bryant whispers in my ear. “That’s how he got his nickname.”
“Oh,” I murmur like I understand—while not being sure I actually do.
“I hate to do this, but we’re going to have to thin the room out,” the nurse says, coming inside.
“Ida Sue?” Parker Huntington says, coming in behind the nurse. Parker is the star baseball player that Green somehow got to play for his new team. He had been recovering from an injury. The pro team he was on before didn’t feel he would be the player he once was and let him go. Parker has somehow proved them all wrong, which I’m really glad about, because he’s a great guy.
“Oh hey, honey. What a sweetie you are for coming to check on me,” Ida Sue says as Parker comes in, Meadow trailing behind him.
“I was taking Meadow downtown because her van died. Petal called and wanted me to come by and pick up Gladys. Are you okay?”
“Jan! You told me Gladys had died!” Mom barks with surprising strength.
“I said if you kept asking me about that damn chicken, I’d wring his neck,” Jansen growls, proving he’s still not happy.
“You didn’t eat breakfast this morning, Jan. When you get hungry the devil can’t stand you,” Mom mutters, proving she’s really brave. I don’t think I’d want to antagonize Jansen right now.
“You’re Parker Huntington!” the nurse cries.
“Yeah,” he says, and I swear I think he blushes.
“Oh my God! My boyfriend will die! Can I have my picture with you, please?” she asks, holding out her cellphone.
Green comes over and takes the phone. “Sure you can,” Green says. Parker stands beside the nurse and my brother snaps the photo. “There you go,” he says. “Plus, if you show that photo at the gate of Rise Communication Field Friday night, you and your boyfriend can get in free to watch Parker and the boys in action,” Green says, handing the phone back to the girl.
“No way? Really? My boyfriend is going to die. I know I’m being extra right now, but can I ask for your autograph?” the nurse practically squeals, really excited.
“Sure,” Parker says easily. The nurse looks around helplessly and then grabs an old menu card off Mom’s bedside table and hands him a pen. “What’s your boyfriend’s name?
“Teresa,” she says, “Teresa Guthrie.” When Parker laughs, she blushes a little.
“So you instead of your boyfriend,” Parker murmurs.
“He’s a Braves fan anyhow. I can give you my phone number if you want,” she adds. Parker finishes signing his name and hands it back to her.
“What would your boyfriend think of that?” Parker asks.
“He doesn’t have to know,” Teresa says.
“Damn, that’s cold,” I hear Bryant say behind us, and I twist my head so that I can kiss his neck because I really like that this bothers him.
“Yeah, well, my girlfriend Meadow is here, and she’d mind,” Parker says, stepping back and putting an arm around Meadow.
My gaze immediately goes to Blue, who is looking a million times more upset than Jansen. He’s staring straight at Meadow, and she’s very carefully not looking at him.
Oh shit.
“Oh yeah,” Teresa says, but she doesn’t look embarrassed. I’m not sure I’d be surprised if she stripped naked.
“I’m sorry, everyone, but I’m sure Teresa explained that we have a strict visitation policy. I’m going to have to ask everyone to leave but two people,” another nurse comes in and announces.
To prove she has no shame, Teresa reaches up and kisses Parker on the cheek and scurries out of the room.
“But I want to see my family. I could actually use a good sponge bath. Titan dear, you’re probably the strongest here, and I have put on a few pounds,” Mom says with a sly grin, making me cringe and want to sock her one, all at the same time.
“Ida Sue!” Faith laughs.
“What? Surely you don’t begrudge a poor, old woman something to help her heal quicker,” Mom rationalizes.
“Good Lord,” I mutter, and I’m pretty sure the rest of my family joins in.
“Maggie and I can stay if everyone else wants to go. We have a sitter for Terry, and we can stay until Jansen gets whatever he needs done and comes back,” Bryant suggests, interrupting the ridiculousness.
I don’t get the chance to agree because Jansen does something that I’ve never seen him do in all my years of knowing him.
“Everyone out,” he growls, and I swear in that moment the room goes completely silent.
“Jan—”
“Don’t you Jan me, woman. I’ve been pushed to my limit. Do you know how long I stayed downstairs wondering if you were alive or dead?”
“What? I don’t understand—” Mom gasps.
“They wouldn’t tell me a damn thing. They wouldn’t let me see you. We’re not married and I’m not family. I was stuck here for a fucking hour waiting on one of the kids to show up so they could get me inside your damn room.”
“Jan…” Mom whispers.
“Couldn’t you have lied? Told them you were common law married? Something?” Blue snaps, sounding almost as angry as Jansen.
“You’d think that. But Ida Sue or whoever was with her at the time of admission wrote down she was fucking single.”
“Oh shit…” I murmur, and Bryant hugs me closer. Jansen rarely curses. When he does, you know that it is bad—as in really bad.
“Jan, I just gave them my license. I didn’t think,” Mom responds, sounding miserable.
“I’ve had enough, Lovey,” he responds, his voice almost cold. “You think I’m going to sit here and pretend to be okay with this shit while the woman I love laughs it all off after I’ve been through hell—”
“Jan, I didn’t know—”
“Not to mention that I’ve had to listen to you ask another man to bathe you. If you think I am going to keep quiet about any of this, then you’re fucking crazy, woman.”
“I was kidding! You know that!” Mom says, getting angry herself.
“All I know is that you either agree to marry me, finally, or I’m gone,” Jansen growls. “I get you’ve got irrational shit tangled up in your head about fate striking you down and showing you who is in charge if you’re too happy, but that’s horse shit.”
I wince because I know that feeling. I had it with Bryant.
Shit, I really am my mother.
“This isn’t how you propose to a woman, Jansen Reed! And it’s not irrational! Fate is cruel.”