SHELTER

Chapter 28

Barb was strong. It had to be hard to acknowledge the difficulties she now faced, the body parts that refused to work the way they once had. If that morning showed anything, it was that she wouldn't be taken down long. There would be no extended pity sessions for Barb Hancock. She appeared defiant and ready to start working toward her new reality.

A nurse appeared and announced the family would have to leave for a while so they could run more tests.

Hal and the boys went to the terrace for some air and male bonding. Sue and Jolie had retreated to the cafeteria where Sue found solace in bobbing a tea bag.

Jolie added another little plastic cup of flavored creamer to her cup of dark coffee. It wasn't bad as far as hospital coffee went. A giant, gooey sticky bun sat on a white porcelain plate between them. It's warm, cloyingly sweet cinnamon aroma drew her back to ravage a piece off the pastry between sips.

"How are the girls?" Jolie broke the silence after licking frosting from her thumb.

"Ok. Kate keeps asking if gran is ok, but I don't thinks she really understands. My parents have been distracting them with toys and candy." Sue leaned back and rubbed her swollen tummy. "This one is just content to kick my bladder."

"How are you doing?"

Sue sighed. "I'm sad it happened, but confident. Barb is the strongest woman I know. If she wants to recover she will." She glanced toward the hallway searching for her husband's return. "It's the men I'm most worried about. They all adore Barb, as they should; this is going to be hardest on them."

Jolie thought of Warren and his stoic face all morning. He'd already lost so much. She nodded in agreement.

"So when are you going to tell me what the heck happened last night?" Sue pierced her with a sharp stare.

She'd given little thought to last night since they'd left the truck. The hospital, Barb, and all they'd learned had taken control of her thoughts.

Jolie took a deep breath. "Well the summary would be that my friend Jake," She made air quotes as she spoke the word friend. "He's apparently had a thing for me. Warren saw it. He warned me and I didn't take it seriously. Jake ambushed me with some information he thought would drive a rift between Warren and I."

"And it worked?" Sue sounded incredulous.

"Only because I let it. Deep down I was freaking out about falling in love with Warren. Jake just provided me with ammo to self sabotage. Don't get me wrong, he's a punk and I sent him packing, but really, I was the problem." Jolie leaned back in her chair with a deep, frustrated sigh. "I finally figured that out at dawn, rushed back to apologize, only to find Tommy there breaking this bad news.

"So you guys still haven't really talked it out yet?" Sue took a sip of her tepid tea.

"Nope." Jolie picked another piece of glazed pastry off the bun and popped it in her mouth.

"But you figured it out? What you want?" Sue reached across and plucked a bit of the pastry off for herself and placed the gooey bite in her mouth.

"Yes. I want Warren. I want us." She stared across the table at the other woman. "If he'll still have me."  She took a long drink from her tall paper cup.

"I don't think that is concern you should be having." Sue stared down the hall behind Jolie. Her smile became soft. Jolie turned just in time to see the guys enter the cafeteria in a pack of tall, broad shouldered, strapping men.

Warren and Hal walked abreast of each other. The older man had a hand on Warren's shoulder. They looked to have just finished up a deep conversation. Warren looked up and found Jolie. The corners of his mouth pulled into a wide grin.

Jolie felt her heart stutter in her chest. How in the world did he manage to do that with just a smile?

The men crossed the cafeteria.

Beau made a beeline for Sue. "How you doin babe? No more contractions?"

"What!?" Jolie coughed up the drink of coffee she'd just taken as she exclaimed. "Contractions? You never said anything to me this whole time!"

"She had a few last night, but they stopped." Beau looked amused as Jolie wiped coffee off the table with her knapkin.

Warren had pulled a chair in close to her. He brushed her hair back from her face and kissed her temple. "It's not like we're not in the perfect place for her to have a baby. Aunt Barb would be tickled pink to get a new granddaughter today."

Jolie had been distracted by the feel of his lips on her skin. How had she ever missed it? How had she not realized this man was it for her?

"Well, keep me informed on any developments in that arena," Hal, who was still standing by the table, pointed at Sue's stomach. "I'm going to head back up to check on Barb."

Beau promised to let him know any pertinet news. The older man turned and headed back toward the bank of elevators.

"I'm starving. Tommy, I know you're hungry. You were born hungry. Let's go see what kind of grub this place has." Tommy followed Caleb toward the sound of clanging pans and the smell of breakfast food.

Jolie leaned into Warren's warm chest. He placed his arm around her and gave a squeeze.

"Go for a walk?" Warren suggested.

"I'd love to." She stood.

Warren stood and offered her his hand. They promised to meet the others back upstairs in a short while.

The boys had found the hospital sported a glass domed, hothouse garden in the center of the complex where all the wings converged. The sun shining through the smoky glass made it warm and muggy, but it was beautiful none the less.

"This is really nice," Jolie exclaimed when they arrived. They walked a lap around the garden before she spoke again. "How are you doing babe? All this has got to be hard on you."

Warren pulled her to a stop and swung her around so that they faced each other. He wrapped his arms around her body. "It's a shit situation, but Aunt Barb is the most stubborn woman I know. Well she was until I met you." His voice sounded serious, but his smile was playful.

"I'm sorry!" She blurted into the air. Her eyes filled with tears. "I'm dumb. I got scared. It wasn't even really about Jake or what he said. I just freaked. I'm so very dumb!"

She made to pull away from him but Warren kept his arms locked tightly around her. With no other option she buried her blubbering face in his chest.

His arms loosened a little after a few moments of letting her sob. Then he was stroking her hair. "I love you so much. I don't care how much time it takes to make you feel safe, to convince you I'm in this for the long haul. I'll do it. Jolie you are it for me. I'm a gonner without you."

His words washed over and warmed every inch of her. She leaned back and met his eyes. "I love you too. I'm sorry. I won't let my crazy get in the way again. I want you. I want us. I'm staying to ride this out with you. Wherever it goes."

For a moment he just stared deep into her eyes. She stared back, but couldn't discern a kernel of what he was thinking. Then he leaned down and claimed her lips with a ferocious passion.

She had no concept of how long they stood locked in a kiss that seemed to be doing it's best to meld their souls together. She just knew that his lips were all he was aware of until the moment Caleb came bursting into the garden with Tommy on his heels yelling "It's time!"