I put the leashes on Clyde and Jordan and take them with me to meet my date.
Ethel is sitting on the park bench overlooking the basketball court when I arrive.
I lean down and press a kiss to her cheek. “Miss me?”
“It was rather peaceful, actually.”
I chuckle and sit beside her. She clucks at the chickens and they nuzzle her leg.
“What happened here?” I ask Ethel, indicating the bandage on her hand.
“Stabbed myself with the garden shears.”
“You need to be careful.”
“If it wasn’t for my knees giving out when I tried to stand up, I wouldn’t have hurt myself. But these knees aren’t as sturdy as what they used to be. Once upon a time, I used to be able to drop to my knees like that,” she says, snapping her fingers.
I choke back a laugh. “Tell you what. Save your knees. I’ll come over later in the week and do some work for you.”
She smiles and pats my leg. “Why are you so good to me?”
To be honest, I don’t know. I don’t know what it is about her but I like spending time with her. Maybe because it’s just been me and dad and Em for so long. I don’t have grandparents.
“Because you feed me well,” I tell her.
“Taking advantage of a poor old lady for her food.” She shakes her head.
“I can take advantage of you in other ways.” I wiggle my eyebrows.
“Oh, Colton. You flatter me.” She blinks rapidly. I love that she has a sense of humor and plays along with me.
“There’s more where that came from if you feed me.” I glance at the picnic basket beside her feet. “I’m a sucker for your lasagna.”
“Well, aren’t you in for a treat?” she says, nudging the picnic basket with her foot.
My stomach grumbles and my mouth waters at the thought of the possibilities inside. I’m starving. Reaching for the basket, I maneuver the chickens to the side but my phone rings.
The caller ID shows a number I’ve never seen before. I hesitate before answering. “Hello?”
“Is this Colton James?”
I glance at Ethel and frown. “Yes.”
“You’re listed as Emerson Hayes’s next of kin. Is that correct?”
“Who is this?”
“Nurse Lange from Franksville General.”
My heart stopped and I struggled to breathe. I stood and began pacing. Ethel watched me with worry on her face. “What happened?” I ask.
“There’s been an accident. Emerson…” I didn’t listen to the rest because I ended the call and turned to Ethel.
“Sorry. I’ve to go. Emerson’s… There’s been an accident,” I tell her, pressing a kiss to her cheek before I take off, running.
I bust through the double doors, out of breath, and rush to the nurse’s station.
“Emerson Hayes?” I demand the moment the nurse lifts her head. My stomach rolls and the overwhelming urge to throw up settles in the pit of my stomach.
“Room 204. Are you—?”
But I don’t listen to any more, I’m already running down the hall. My stomach had been uneasy and churning all afternoon, as though it sensed something would happen. I couldn’t shake the bad feeling gnawing away at me, but I thought it was just nerves. I figured she was with Austin and I was about to lose two thousand dollars. It never crossed my mind that she could have been hurt.
“Hey, you can’t take them in there. What are you doing?” The woman from reception chases me down the hall, but I don’t stop. I grip Clyde and Jordan’s leashes tighter as I weave through halls, trying to make sense of the signs on the walls. The birds cluck and flap their wings behind me, flying every few steps to keep up.
Why were hospitals so confusing?
I find room 204 as the severe-looking nurse from the front desk catches up with me.
“You cannot bring chickens into a hospital.”
“Please? My...” I stop. Will they let me see her if I’m a friend? Don’t they usually have rules about visitors? “My fiancée was in an accident. I’ll call someone to pick them up. I need to see her.” I plead and give her my most sincere smile. It’s something I’ve been practicing, so I hope I don’t appear deranged.
“Just get rid of them,” the nurse says, eyeing the birds. Her lips pull up into a grin. “I'll be watching you.”
“Thank you.”
I knock on the wall beside Em’s open door. My heart hammers in my chest, and I’m almost too nervous to walk in, not knowing what condition she’ll be in. But I’m surprised. She’s in a private room and resting in bed when I walk in. She doesn’t appear to be too badly hurt. She’s awake and breathing, so that’s a good sign.
“Fiancée?” She smirks, amusement mixed with pain tainting her voice.
“Wasn’t sure they’d let me visit.”
“You brought Jordan and Clyde in to see me?”
“They’re family.” I grin. “We were out picking up chicks when I got the phone call.”
“Thought you had a date with Jane.”
“Who?”
Em sighs. “Libby.”
“Oh, no. I had a picnic on the beach with Ethel.”
She nods and chuckles softly. Her eyes drift closed and she winces in pain.
“You okay?” I ask, taking in her appearance, the tubes and cords attached to her.
“A little battered and bruised, but nothing bad.”
“You have a bandage around your head, your arm and leg propped up on pillows and an IV. Nothing bad, my ass. What the fuck happened?”
“Fine, I have a small concussion, a broken ankle and a broken arm. A few cuts and bruises but mostly fine.”
“Fuck. You scared the hell out of me. When they called to say there had been an accident, I swear to God, Em, my heart stopped.”
She lifted her hand up for me to grab. “Sorry. I tried to avoid it, but the other car was too out of control. I swerved but he came straight at me. It was unavoidable. How’s the car?”
“Who cares about the car? You sure you’re okay?”
“Yes, just tired.”
I hold the chickens out for her, and she rubs their heads with her good hand. They cluck happily. Looking around the room, I try to find somewhere to tie the birds and decide to hook their leashes around the chair leg. Sitting down, I pull out my phone and text Austin.
* * *
Me: I need you to come to the hospital and pick up Clyde and Jordan.
Austin: Your chickens are in hospital?
Me: No, dipshit. Em is in hospital. I was with Ethel and the birds when they called me and came straight here.
* * *
My phone rings two seconds later.
“Yeah?”
“What happened to Em? Is she okay?” Austin sounds frantic with worry. He’s not the only one.
Rubbing a hand over my face, I sigh and stare at her. She’s tired and in pain. “Car accident. She’s fine.”
“If she was fine, she wouldn’t be in hospital.”
“A few broken bones and concussion. Nothing too serious.”